The blogosphere has been abuzz with end-of-year posts and kicking-off-the-new-year posts and year-end reports. And while I’d like to consider myself capable of looking within and learning from the past 365 days in hopes of improving my next round, I find that mostly I just move forward. I go and I do.
Balancing professional and personal ambitions with mommyhood leaves precious little time to just Be. And while that’s a bit disturbing, it’s where I–along with a lot of other mommies–am right now. Forward march with the task-driven mentality. (Though should you need a good look inward, I’ll send you over to meet Kaela. She’s fun!)
So to kick off 2014, food for fun offers you its most recent Adventures in Marshmallows. (If you were reading food for fun last winter, you know that I went through a bit of ‘mallow madness back then as well.)
Another blogging friend and I have been trading cocktail recipes and found we share a love for bourbon. Her use of cherry-flavored bourbon piqued my interest and I did a bit of “research” when visiting my in-laws over the holidays. Their small town boasts one liquor store and it’s little more than ten or so shelves on one wall, plus a few bottles behind the counter. I figured my chances of finding cherry bourbon were small, and it was indeed a wash.
Yet I knew from reading Drink More Whiskey (best. birthday. gift. ever. Thanks, dear husband!) that on some level whiskey is whiskey–whether bourbon, Scotch, Canadian, etc–and a bottle of black cherry Canadian had to share some common ground with cherry-flavored bourbon. I bought said bottle and returned to my in-law’s.
cherry whisky meet other marshmallow ingredients!
But I didn’t plan to drink it. Instead, I was subbing it in for bourbon in a cheeky recipe I’d found at The Tart Tart. The resulting marshmallows were amazing and lovely–the cherry sweetness came through as the spirited booze flavors flew just below the radar.
Santa would have enjoyed a few of these!
My sister-in-law and mother-in-law helped me lick the beaters (and spatula and bowl) clean upon project completion. It was then that s-i-l made a game-changing comment:
“I need rice krispies with this. And butter.”
My universe shifted a bit at her words. Boozy rice krispy bars. Sheer brilliance! A few rice krispies were stirred into the fluff left in the bowl and we enjoyed a taste.
Fast forward a few days and I was back in my own kitchen using TTT’s recipe again, this time replacing the bourbon with rum.
there’s rum in these ‘mallows
After the marshmallows had cooled and been cut, I measured up 10 ounces and made a batch of Hot Buttered Rum Rice Krispy Bars. Oh divine.
hot. buttered. rum.
The possibilities seem endless–adult rk treats in flavors of margarita, mudslide, etc. I sense that 2014 has taken on a new purpose for me. My resolution seems clear: Make More Marshmallows. (Which oddly enough is not too far off from my 11-year-old’s “eat more gummy bears” resolve.)
So please stick around (marshmallow pun–get it? 😉 ) and help me meet my ‘mallow-y goal. A fellow blogger (you’ve met amb here before) and I have joked about Marshmallow Mondays and while I’m not sure yet exactly how this will play out, I see it as a good start for a new year of sweet and fluffy fun.
Introspection will always be welcome here and maybe even occasionally offered outright. But it’s mostly about the food and the fun that accompanies. Marshmallows, then, seem a good way to kick off the new year. Wishing you all a mountain of marshmallows in 2014!
food for fun 
Liz, those marshmallows look absolutely brilliant! With recipes like these, 2014 is going to be another superb year of gourmet adventure! Cheers, Steve
Steven, 2013 would definitely not have been the same at food for fun without your visits. Thanks for coming by! Can’t promise you gourmet or even superb, but I’ll give the “fun” part all I’ve got 🙂 All the best to you.
Making marshmallows has been on my list of things to make for awhile–will come back to your posts when I get around to it! Adding bourbon or rum is such a great idea 😀
Happy New Year, Liz! I’m definitely looking forward to more of your fun posts in 2014 🙂
highly recommend making marshmallows, Ada, though be sure to plug some time into your schedule when you want to make that first batch. Because you will not be able to stop. That first batch will lead to a second, then a third and so on. Down that marshmallow rabbit hole 🙂
Appreciate you being here so very much. Thanks for connecting! (is the sticky pudding post up yet? is it? is it? up yet? 😉 )
Well, blogging friend, I am loving that I have been part of this bourbon inspired marshmallow goodness! I for one, can look back on 2013 with complete satisfaction regarding my contribution here 🙂 And, I must add, that I can speak with total confidence when I say those marshmallows are amazing! (there are a few left!) I must also say, that one of the first things I thought of when I tasted the marshmallows with “the lovely–the cherry sweetness came through as the spirited booze flavors flew just below the radar” {slightly awkward placement of your quote, but you get the idea!} was that I thought that rice krispy squares would be such a great idea! Great bourbon minds clearly think alike. PS. broke open the Bulliet tonight with almost the last part of the ginger liqueur. Yes, ma’am. Good stuff. Happy New year my friend!
this is why I love the blogging community we build–there’s so much synergy! In the beginning, I wondered how I would continue to find topics, but through comments and conversations, it seems there will never be a shortage of things to write about. (lack of time to do the writing, yes, but that’s another post–yours 🙂 )
Still on the hunt for Jim Beam’s cherry bourbon. And am glad you’re enjoying your Bulleit. (or should I say, “boo-yay”? no, probably shouldn’t, haha)
I’ve never made marshmallows, but clearly I should, to be able to have cherry bourbon ‘mallows. More like this, please! 😀
We didn’t make new year resolutions, so expecting 2014 to be a tad improvised as usual, but that’s half the fun.
you will find marshmallow-making a piece of cake after all the fancy pastries and breads you’ve made. This is easy-peasy stuff.
Love that you’re “a tad improvised.” I say we should resolve to be better people and live better lives each day 🙂 And absolutely all in the name of fun.
I’ve tried to comment three times and so far, no luck. I’ll try again – I’m so busy drooling over the recipe (I too am a sucker for anything with marshmallows) that I can’t be introspective. I love the way you write, I love the way you tempt me to try new recipes and I delight in our friendship.
wordpress seems to have some buggies today–am getting likes on my mobile that never show up on the post, etc. But all that matters is that you’re here and I hear you 😀
Love that you love marshmallows. Something about their simplicity speaks to me. But that would be going introspective, so will leave that thought and just say “thanks” for your kind words. Seems we have a bit of a mutual admiration society going on here re: writing styles. I’ve said it a gazllion times (at least), but so glad we connected.
Adult rice krispy bars are perhaps the best invention since…the wheel. These marshmallows look amazing! I want to stick them in a cup of rich, creamy cherry chocolate cocoa and slowly slip into a blissful sugar coma.
I think your resolution is the best I’ve ever heard—second only to your daughter’s. Eating more gummy bears is at the top of my list, too. Can you believe I’ve never made marshmallows?? This is a serious problem.
Thanks for the mention, Liz! I’m so looking forward to spending 2014 in your kitchen gorging myself on all the deliciousness you have there. I’ll do dishes! 🙂
totally think adult rice krispy bars need their time in the spotlight. And perhaps it is my purpose here to see that they get there 🙂 Your post about introspection got me thinking more about how I’m really not and somehow produced this post. Weird. But it’s all good and it’s all delicious.
Her gummy bear comment cracked me up In all seriousness, I asked her–at midnight–what her resolution would be. When she said, “eat more gummy bears,” I lost it. Love how kids teach us to lighten up.
You must make boozy marshmallows if only to stick them in your cup of rich, creamy cherry chocolate cocoa and slowly slip into your blissful sugar coma. Sounds dreamy!
After “enjoying” the holidays a little too much–yee haw–I didn’t think I could read anything about whiskey (just yet). But it turns out I COULD and did. Yummy marshmallows. Wow! Just great. And the treats too. Smart S-I-L!
I think I would “enjoy” spending the holidays in your company, Susan 🙂 The trick here is that no one actually drank any booze (except for the tasting-while-cooking, which is essential to the success of any recipe wouldn’t you agree?), so it’s only the sugar high that must be dealt with. Appreciate your kind comments very much. Yeehaw right back at you!
Oh I want one of those krispy treats!! I love the boozy marshmallows, have never made marshmallows before it’s on my short list. Your bars are fantastic, I could eat a whole tray of krispy treats and yours are pure genius!!
you must make marshmallows in 2014, Suzanne–you must 😀 Seems we’ll have to get together eventually so we can swap treats. Thanks for coming by and I hope your finger is one day closer to being back-to-normal. Those veggies aren’t going to chop themselves 😉
oh, your fabulousness never ends liz. don’t forget my request for using some of your hopped up marshmallows to make ‘s’mores with s’more.’ maybe kahlua or baileys soaked mallows with a delicious chocolate bar on a graham?
yes, please.
and I will second amb’s “yes please.” I have stocked up on ‘mallows now (rum, cherry whisky, plain) and have plenty of Trader Joe chocolate AND a Costco graham cracker purchase (DIY graham crackers would be best, of course, but come on–this is getting ridiculous) so the s’mores can’t be too far off.
Can we just all get our calendars and find a date and a good meeting spot (where that would be, have no idea) so we can have this cocktail/marshmallow/bourbon ball party already?
Thanks for coming over! Thinking I have a lot of catching up to do over at your space. Hope your holidays were happy and merry and bright.
yay, i can’t wait for this, seems like you have all the ingredients in place. and i am packed and ready for the marshmallow bourbon fest. will there be any bands playing there?
bahahaha, Beth–that’s a great idea! Sure, we can line up some bands. Who would you like to hear?
can we book a german polka band or someone with an accordion?
I love marshmallows, and these sound incredible!! I WANT SOME OF THESE RIGHT NOW. If only I could beam myself over to your kitchen for a visit!
I’m with you on New Year’s – I’ve always had a hard time seeing it as different from any other day, but as a parent it’s particularly hard to find the time to look forward or back. Making more marshmallows has to be the most fun (and possibly even manageable!) resolution I have ever heard!! Happy new year! xox
Thanks 🙂 So much to do, so little time to sit around and think about what we’re doing. Better that way? In my case, I think “yes.”
Wish we could do that beaming thing. In the meanwhile, I’ll continue to virtually enjoy your lovely restaurant meals and in-home culinary feats and you stop over for marshmallows, bourbon balls, etc whenever you have a hankering 😉
Hooray for Marshmallow Mondays! I am confident that 2014 is going to be brilliant, with weekly designations like this one. How can it not be ?!? Those rice krispie treats look wonderful on several levels. I’m with Kaela and have never made my own marshmallows, and am thinking this is a serious problem. But I’m willing to tackle this problem head on! Face on? Mouth on? You get the idea 😉
horray indeed! Mark my words, amb, 2014 is the Year of the Marshmallow 😉 Tackle your never-made-marshmallows problem in whatever way that works best for you. Can be a very personal matter 😉
The rice krispies, of course, mean these are fair game for breakfast. Add a cup of coffee and you’ll be more than ready to take on CW.
Hope your day goes well and you haven’t had to whip out the stain remover just yet. FYI: marshmallows won’t stain 😉
Thanks bunches for everything always.
Love your attitude about going and doing, Liz. That’s the way to go for us mommies to “just be”. Marshmallows are an excellent choice to kick off the year! Have a blessed year ahead. Happy New Year!
thanks for the support 🙂 Not sure that my “go and do” is an attitude as much as it is a coping mechanism. Stuff to be done, gotta do it. Liking your spin–that going and doing is our way of being. (sounds tangled, but you know what I mean, yes?) That works for me. A happy and blessed New Year’s to you as well!
Totally know what you mean 🙂
Reblogged this on Automattically Kraft and commented:
For 2014, eat more booze. 🙂
Just like the chocolate bourbon cake, this is inspired. Love. Marshmallows. Yummy! What a great idea. As I have never crafted a homemade marshmallow, I’ll have to try it.
And I see what you mean about being on the same wavelength this week. “. . . because no greater story ever started with a salad.” 😉
for sure at least one good story was started by a boozy marshmallow, don’t you think? 😉 Thinking marshmallows are gluten-free, though certainly not low in sugar and they do have corn syrup. Though you could make up a batch and limit yourself to one. (hahahahahahaha–oh, sorry, was thinking of what would happen if I did that to myself. You are quite possibly more disciplined than I)
now I am thinking bourbon cake marshmallow. Or bourbon marshmallow cake? what about birthday cake marshmallows? See how you (and your tunes) inspire me, Fannie? thanks for coming by!
Birthday cake marshmallows!!!!!! Let along bourbon cake marshmallows. I can barely type over the joy of it.
I did look at TTT’s recipe, when I saw the corn, I was sad for only a moment. I’m sure there are substitutes out there if I search long enough.
Amazing. Homemade marshmallows?! I’ve got to do this. Happy New Year!
you totally should, Amanda! Will be watching your place for these 🙂 Am certain you could find a few little mouths that would happily fill themselves with ‘mallows.
Hope you are feeling well. Would imagine the clock is ticking down for you and yours!
I loved your pun, Liz. 😉 Great post. Will check out all of your great links. Keep blogging, keep balancing and keep licking boozy marshmallow spoons! 😉 Warm regards, Shanna PS Cherry Bourbon! Oh, my!
you’re always too too good to me, Shanna. (but keep it coming, lol) Appreciate your positivity more than you know. And a lover of food puns is a friend for life in my book. I will keep blogging and will make an attempt at balance anyway. And licking the spoons will never ever ever stop. You promise me the same? 😀
Liz – I promise to always “rum” to (not from) any of your outlaw marshmallows and to keep Curls and Carrots ovens and fires “bourbon.” I continue to “cherry” your many amazing recipes. You go! Best – Shanna
fantastic puns, Shanna! You are obviously an eggs-pert in these matters 🙂
Oh, dear. We are going to get into a lot of trouble together. Have a pear-fect evening, Amiga. 😉 – Shanna
Those marshmallows look like little squidgy rocks that fairies would dance upon in at a fairy seaside. In other words, they look utterly beautiful. And ‘mallow madness’? Amazing. Oh, AND – has it ALWAYS snowed on your blog, or is it a seasonal thing?? HOW DO YOU GET IT TO SNOW ON YOUR BLOG?????
Becky! My marshmallows look like fairy rocks near the seaside? That is so nice of you to say 😀 I can think of no greater compliment. ‘Mallow Madness is a title waiting to find something to title (hoping your brain is as tangled as mine and that might make sense to you). Stay tuned 😉 (speaking of–how goes your BOOK?)
Oh, the snow? You can have snow at Becky Says Things, too. When I saw someone else had snow, I googled it and was led to WP’s dash and I clicked on boxes and such which led to more menus and more clicks and before you could say, “brrrrrr,” it was snowing here at food for fun! The magic and the wonder of it all.
Love that you’re here, Becky. Thanks for coming by. and p.s. Feel better soon! Would that I could beam you a batch of rum marshmallows. Do you suppose stick could whip up a batch for you?
Well if it’s that easy to make it snow, I’m getting right down to it! Although Stick might find it a bit too chilly – he’s not got much meat on him and does feel the cold, bless him.
Totally understand the Mallow Madness title issue – and surely the answer is it should be the title of a book of marshmallow recipes! IMAGINE!!! It probably hasn’t been done before! DO IT!! 😉
Still need rum as still full of a cold, and Stick is frankly rubbish at looking after me. Sigh.
X
These look fabulous! Marshmallows are on my to do list too. Just didn’t get to it this past holiday season. I am loving the rum rice Krispy treats. Maybe some pineapple and coconut for a piña colada?! I am on a liqueur making kick now and see many possibilities! Enjoy the new year and I am looking forward to more yummy recipes.
thanks, Mama D! Liking how you think–pina colada sound tropical and fun to me 🙂 Would love to hear more about your liqueur-making kick. Suppose it would help if I checked in at your place. You have so many great stories when you comment and I appreciate you being here! You enjoy your 2014 as well and don’t be a stranger. My resolution list (the one with Make More Marshmallows) has just expanded to “be a better follower of MamaD” 😀
Best idea ever. Seriously. Hot butter rum rice krispie treats? My mind is blown. Can’t wait for more ‘mallow fun! =)
if your mind is blown, then food for fun is doing something right. Tonight made a batch with rumchata. don’t forget that it was your post that got me going on this!
Yay, you’re back after a hiatus! This looks great. I was just eating a bag of marshmallows last night.
love that you eat bags of marshmallows 🙂 for sure try homemade as the scratch versions are so much better than what’s in those bags. (that said I will happily eat my way through a bag of ‘mallows)
Oh, YUM!! And now I’m hungry again. How do I score an invite to yours next Christmas? That is some ridiculously delicious looking food! I’m a big fan of whiskey, too. Haha. Hope you had a fantastic Christmas and have a wonderful New Year, Liz! 🙂
I’ll put you on the guest list, EJ! Thanks for stopping by. Have you seen The Angels’ Share? A movie I think you would like as it’s about boys and whisky 🙂 Hope your holidays were wonderful as well.
Haha, thanks Liz! I have never seen it, no. I might have to find it. My holidays were good, thanks!
What a fun/deliciously adult idea! Happy New Year to you!
Thank you, Mary Frances! Love it when kiddie treats get dressed up for adults. Spiked milkshakes, etc. Love that you’re here. Thanks for coming by. And happiest of New Year’s to you as well.
Yum! These marshmallows sound so good, especially the black cherry ones! Every time I see another marshmallow recipe I feel more of the need to make my own!! And I love that you made into Rice Krispie treats!
Thanks, Lilly Sue. Has crossed my mind to test a beer-flavored marshmallow. Am sure I will one day, though not sure how it would play out. Might be one of those things a person either loves or hates.
Good to have you here 🙂
I bet it would be good. I have had a porter marshmallow but never made one.
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Oh my goodness, Drink More Whiskey sounds like the greatest birthday gift ever. You’re lucky to have such a perceptive husband 🙂
Thanks, Dave. Finding comments that slipped by me earlier. It’s a great book and I highly recommend. My husband was especially perceptive because we were at an awesome exhibit at the Minnesota History Center focusing on the Prohibition years and I found the book in the gift shop and put it in his hands and said “this would make a good birthday gift.” And it worked 🙂
“I go and I do” I love that! Happy New Year to you (belatedly I now, Ive had a long blog break!)
Thanks, Jayne 🙂 Wishing you a happy ’14 as well. Looking forward to reading more of your posts!
Hot buttered rum rice krispies sound crazy amazing!
Thanks, Alicia. Crazy and amazing–yep that just about sums it up 🙂 Much like the fun stuff you spin over at your place!
Wow my mind is blown too! Looking forward to seeing more marshmallows! Just had some the other day with chocolate fondue at a the Melting Pot restaurant, but I am thinking of trying your marshmallow recipes and make chocolate fondue at home. Found a beer crispy treat recipe: http://nomnivorous.com/2011/09/16/beer-crispy-treats/ Maybe you could develop one or more!
Thanks, Sam. Sorry to be so late in responding. Not sure how these comments sneak in here without my noticing. Liking the link you sent and will be checking that out NOW. Yum. We have a Melting Pot, too, though haven’t been as of yet. Thinking it’s a special occasion sort of place, yes?
Glad you came by 😀
If I ever wanted to do another award post (which I don’t), I would give you the “thinking outside the box” award bc this is crazy talk. Crazy talk that I want to eat. I remember bringing bacon brownies to church last year, and their eyes popped open, but bringing rum rice krispies bars would take it to a new level. You have had a month now; I hope you have have this idea marketed and a cool package designed and are shipping them off to the shelves of TJ Maxx for people who only wanted to get some clothes and a vase to get distracted by and impulse purchase and eat them in their SUV on the way home and have their minds blown and pull over to the side of the road to text their friends to say, “Oh, Snap! Krackle, Pop.” Okay, that’s lame. Plus, you could do crossover marketing, like Bacardi Krispies Treats or Krispie Whiskey Bars.
you have me very literally laughing out lout right now, Kerbey. So no, I do not have any cross-marketing tie-ins planned (though I love the idea) and I haven’t connected with TJ Maxx (and probably won’t), but I do have a general outline of a book (or something else though not sure yet what) and also a class lined up to teach at a local upscale grocers in May. What I need now it time to make the ‘mallows.
Glad to have blown your mind. That’s what it’s all about here at food for fun. And I don’t accept awards the way you’re supposed to anyway, so no worries. I’ve done it before, but it was in recipe form and just gave shout-outs to lots of folks. Because you’ve already slipped down my rabbit hole just a little bit, will send you further. http://wp.me/p2dvv9-1gs Feel free to skip all the French bread blah-blah; the “recipe” is halfway down.
Thanks for your visits and fun words. Hope you can sense that I’m not crazy in the clinical sense–just a bit off the wheels and as coping mechanism only. You are the same way?
Definitely.
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I made homemade marshmallows with my first husband’s mother. It bonded me to learn something new and still look at bake sales and shops for these unique and delicious treats, Liz! 🙂
Love that you’ve made marshmallows! So you know how simple they are to make. Saw “artisan” marshmallows at a farmers’ market the other day for a dollar each. So much more affordable to DIY! Thanks for digging into archives 🙂