Using this great video posted over at Instructables, I made butter. Delicious, delicious butter. And under 10 minutes.

Ever since I saw this video on making marshmallows, I knew that I must try it. I didn’t have many of the necessary tools to make it happen. I was sans stand mixer and candy thermometer, but I was determined.

A year later, now burdened with my awesome stand mixer and candy thermometer, the great marshmallow experiment of 2008 was a success.

I used the recipe from ReadyMade Magazine and “carefully” followed the directions. I’m never one for precision when it comes to baking so, I was pleasantly surprised that these came out so well.

I’m not sure if my candy thermometer is broken, but the temperature would slowly start to increase, then I would loose degrees. It was frustrating to watch and a lot of yelling at the thermometer ensued. I also didn’t pay enough attention to the dissolving gelatin, so I needed to start that process over. You bake and learn.

Once everything with properly cooked and mixed and cooled I came out the other end with some tasty and pepperminty marshmallows. Or as my friend said, “its like getting your teeth brushed.” Hmmm.

I was very fortunate to grow up with a mom that liked to bake. She always made such delicious cookies, pies, cakes; you name it. Once I moved out I realized that I missed all the wonderful baked goods that she made and immediately demanded several of her recipes.

To be honest, I don’t know where many of them originated. I know I should ask her one day, but in my mind they are generational. Secret family recipes that only those in the family can know. In reality, I have a feeling that many came from the old, well loved and very stained Betty Crocker Cook Book that lived by our stove.

I’m still learning many of the recipes and still refer to them as I go. For my mother, after many, many years of baking, she doesn’t need to read them, she just makes them. I admire this and hope to one day be able to do the same.

Today, I pulled out a molasses cookie recipe that I hadn’t had in many years. The weather has turned cold and I thought it was the perfect selection for the day. I love these cookies. They are spicy and soft and chewy. They are absolute perfection when they are perfectly golden brown, a little bit toasted around the edges and soft and warm in the middle.

Definitely like home.