So that’s what hydroplaning feels like. Plus, marshmallows.

It turns out my tires were bald, bald, bald. Who knew? I commented to my Dad that it felt like I kept starting to hydroplane coming back from the Springfield show the other week. I couldn’t go above sixty (the speed limit was seventy) and it wasn’t even raining that hard. How could I have let my tires get that bald and not notice? Well, I never said I knew anything about cars or tires. And after all, it didn’t rain at all this summer, so not a problem until recently. But it’s a good thing at least my Dad can recognize an obviously bald tire when he sees one.

Do you know how long it can take to get your tires changed? Especially if the tire place doesn’t seem to really get the concept of an “appointment”?

So, see, it’s NOT MY FAULT that I haven’t even STARTED the revision that I planned to have FINISHED by December 15th. Dog shows! Tires and other random annoyances! And now, the year’s round of Christmas parties! I’m not so much of a hermit that I just skip all the parties. No, indeed.

Well, the show season is now over for me, and alas, Kenya did not pick up her other major. Next year for sure! And for the Cavalier party this past Sunday, I took this beautiful platter of intense chocolate cookies surrounded by swooshes of coconut marshmallows and these pretty pink marshmallows I made with rose water and minced dried cranberries. I will take a similar assortment to the Master Gardener party tonight. And I will turn on my laptop tomorrow FOR SURE.

I posted this marshmallow recipe last year, but it’s so amazingly good that I’m going to post it again. If you have kids, this recipe would be SO NEAT to do with kids. Marshmallows just seem SO artificial when you turn them out of the pan!

Coconut marshmallows (or rose and cranberry marshmallows) (or chocolate marshmallows):

3 env. unflavored gelatin

1 C cold water, divided

2 C sugar

1 C corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp coconut flavoring

1/2 tsp vanilla

Ground toasted coconut

Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 C water in a LARGE bowl and whisk quickly to break up the gelatin. Set that aside.

Combine the other 1/2 C water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a pan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring only until the mixture comes to a boil. Bring to 240 degrees (use a candy thermometer, for heaven’s sake! They’re wonderful to have even if you don’t use them all that often.)

Once the syrup has reached 240 degrees, gradually pour the hot syrup mixture into the bowl with the gelatin, while the mixer is running. Then continue beating on high for 10 minutes or so, until the mixture is white, thick, and trying hard to climb up the beaters so it can engulf the mixer. Beat in the coconut and vanilla flavorings.

Or, for rose and cranberry marshmallows, beat in a bit of red food coloring, plus 1 C of minced cranberries and 1 1/2 tsp rosewater.

Pour and spread into prepared pan. The mixture will be VERY STICKY, so don’t bother trying to get ever bit of it out of the bowl. The kids can clean some of it out for you and then you can run hot water in the bowl to dissolve the rest.

Anyway, let the marshmallows sit, uncovered, in the pan, for six hours or overnight. Although I’ve rushed it with no ill effects, so I think four hours is enough, probably.

Lift the marshmallows out of the pan with the foil, lay it upside down on a cutting board, peel off the foil, and cut it into squares with a pizza cutter sprayed with cooking spray. Roll each square as you cut it in the coconut.

Or, if you made the rose/cranberry marshmallows, mix cornstarch and powdered sugar and toss the cut marshmallows in that.

Store at room temp in an airtight containger. Stores just fine for weeks, but they’re not likely to last that long.

I’ve also done this to make chocolate marshmallows: add 2/3 C cocoa powder to the gelatin before you beat in the syrup, then roll the finished marshmallows in a mixture of 1/3 cornstarch and 2/3 cocoa powder. Also very good!