Be My Valentine?

Pink Swirl Marshmallows




Ingredients

• 
  
• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup cold water 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract       powdered sugar
• red food coloring
• Nonstick spray
• 
  
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Spray nonstick spray into a 9 x 13 inch pan and coat with a powdered sugar. 

Then, combine the 1/2 cup of the water and gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small pot.  Cover and cook on medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes.  Uncover the pot and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook until the mixture reaches about 240 degrees. Turn off the stove.  

Turn the mixer on low speed and mix the gelatin and water for a few seconds, and then pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture while the mixer is still running.  After the syrup is added, increase the mixer speed to high. Whip until the mixture becomes very thick - ten minutes or longer.  Add the vanilla and food coloring during the last minute of whipping.  Pour the mixture into the pan, spreading with a spatula to flatten.  Add dots of red food coloring every few inches and swirl with a toothpick or a skewer.  

Cover the marshmallow pan with a kitchen towel and allow to sit overnight.  When ready to cut, coat the counter with a good amount of powdered sugar and put the marshmallow mixture onto it.  Cut with heart cookie cutters dipped in powdered sugar.  Coat the cut sides of the marshmallow with additional powdered sugar and eat!!

Here's how we did it!

When Life Gives You Lemons...Make Lemonade!

Picnic Day Lemonade

1 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

3-4 cups water (depending on taste)

Sugar (colored sugar optional)

Squeeze lemons to make 1 cup fresh lemon juice.  Combine sugar with whisk (doing this before adding the water will help dissolve the sugar.)  Add water, stir.  

Garnish a footed glass with sugar by dipping into some lemon juice and rimming with the sugar laid out in a low bowl.  Pour lemonade, garnish with fresh lemon slice and a fun straw!  Enjoy!

(Optional variations:  add splash of Pom for a pink lemonade or bubbly water for a "fizzy" lemonade

Here's how we did it!

First we squeezed lemons to make 1 cup fresh lemon juice.

Combine sugar with whisk (doing this before adding the water will help dissolve the sugar.) 

Add water, stir. 

Garnish a footed glass with sugar by dipping into some lemon juice and rimming with the sugar laid out in a low bowl.

Pour lemonade, garnish with fresh lemon slice and a fun straw!  Enjoy!

(Optional variations:  add splash of Pom for a pink lemonade or bubbly water for a "fizzy" lemonade

Lemon Bar French Toast

1 cup half and half

3 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 slices French bread, 1/2 inch thick

To start mix half and half with eggs in a flat platter.  Add vanilla, lemon zest and salt.  Place bread slices in mixture and turn after soaking for 30 seconds.  Grill until golden brown.  Top with powdered sugar, syrup and fresh berries.  Enjoy!

Here's how we did it!

To start mix half and half with eggs in a flat platter.

Add vanilla, lemon zest and salt.

Place bread slices in mixture and turn after soaking for 30 seconds.

Grill until golden brown.  Top with powdered sugar, syrup and fresh berries.  Enjoy!

Enjoy!

"When Life Gives you Lemons....Lemon Pie"

Pastry for a 2 crust pie

1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon      

3 lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven-400 degrees.  Roll out the dough into an 8" circle and cut into 6 wedges.  Place wedges on cookie sheet.

Mix sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl.  Sprinkle over pastry wedges.  Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes.  Set aside.

Grate yellow part of rind.  Peel lemons and segment being careful to avoid getting too much pith. Finely dice. Set aside.

Cream sugar, butter and flour in mixer bowl.  Beat in eggs.  Beat in water.  Stir in reserved diced lemon segments and zest.  Roll out remaining pastry for a 9" pie shell.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes on bottom rack.  Arrange baked pastry wedges on top and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until firm.

Here's what we did!

We grated the lemon rind and "supremed" the lemon, which means we cut out all the pulp segments avoiding all the pith (the white membrane stuff.)

Then we mixed all the ingredients, added the lemon and arranged our pie!

After baking it add the pastry top.

Every lemon bar needs powdered sugar.