It's Christmas Time!!

Ok, So I know I haven't been posting hardly AT ALL! Sorry to all you loyal followers. I'm going to do better. :)
Since it's been so hard for me to blog lately I've decided that I'm going to skip away from my usual daily themed posts and do some randomness for the month of December. I think that should be fair. :)
So.......here we go.
Something to tempt your tastebuds!
You do not need to go to the store to buy marshmallows...you can make your very own. And then, serve them up with some warm hot cocoa....mmmm.
Here is the recipe (from Food Network)

Ingredients

• 7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 recipe Homemade Marshmallow batter, recipe follows
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

Sprinkle half the toasted coconut in an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal pan. Pour in the marshmallow batter and smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands. Sprinkle on the remaining toasted coconut. Allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight.

Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares. Roll the sides of each piece carefully in confectioners' sugar. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Homemade Marshmallows:

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.