Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit…

Well maybe not the wabbit but certainly the hedgehog. I really should pull that pattern out and knit a few more as he’s so well loved that it’s a miracle there’s anything left to "kill". You can see that some of Gwen’s pads are pink. Our vet says that’s unusual for a black cat and is always volunteering to take her should we ever get bored.

This old-fashioned mower is our newest garden purchase. Jason likes the price and I like the reduction in noise and air pollution. It’s not that it’s terribly quiet but compared to a mower with a motor it’s definitely nicer. I read that the grass would lay down if you let it grow so we tried that but no luck this time, I think because it had set seed. We’ll try again as it’s certainly nicer to walk on when it’s long and soft rather than stubby and pokey.

Jason’s been doing all the cooking for the past several days but despite a bout with sinus infection on top of the recovery I’m beginning to feel better. He grilled sausages and corn and made potato salad yesterday. I’ve been craving marshmallows since they came up at knitting a few weeks ago so we picked up fixin’s for s’mores and I whipped up some marshmallows for the coals later in the day.

Marshmallows

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
cooking spray

Coat a 9 x 12-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow mixture to boil undisturbed, until the temperature registers 238 F on a candy thermometer (10-15 minutes on my stove). Combine gelatin and 1/3 cup water in the bowl of a mixer and let soften 5 minutes.

Slowly stream the syrup into the gelatin mixture with the mixer running on low until all of the syrup has been transferred. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat for 12 minutes or until the mixture triples in volume and becomes white and quite fluffy. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until well incorporated. With a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, spread the mixture onto the surfaced of the coated parchment paper and cool for a 2-3 hours.

Cut marshmallow into shapes with 2-inch round biscuit cutter. Toss marshmallows in a bit of confectioner’s sugar mixed with cornstarch to prevent them sticking. Dip cutter in the sugar/cornstarch mixture between each cutting to help  reduce sticking.