Front Burner: Sick chicks
Kyle Green l The Roanoke Times
Everyone who loves to cook has that moment when common sense evaporates.
A 27-step recipe? That doesn’t look too hard.
Slathering a wheel of brie with sticky jam, then wrapping it in pastry as thin as Kleenex? I can do that.
Deboning, stuffing, poaching and coating a chicken in aspic? Child’s play.
I must have had one of those moments while leafing through a cookbook in search of inexpensive Easter candy recipes. When I saw one for homemade marshmallow chicks, my eyes lit up and my brain went dim simultaneously.
Let’s examine the reasons this was a bad idea:
To continue reading this column, please click HERE.
To see the recipe for marshmallow chicks, please click HERE.
If anyone has the courage to try and make these yourself, I would LOVE to hear about how they turned out. Better yet, e-mail me some pictures at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com.
March 31, 2010 - 9:46 AM
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I don’t like marshmallow to begin with for the most part, except in moonpies (which I can’t eat anymore anyway), so I wouldn’t attempt this recipe. We roasted some peeps in the grill down at Bisset Park last about a week and a half ago. They charred and melted away into the flames pretty quick. If there was some chocolate and graham crackers, I’m sure someone would have made peep s’mores.
One of my co-workers said you can make colorful Rice Krispie treats with leftover Peeps.
Now that I might have to try. I forgot about rice krispie treats, I do like those and I can actually eat them.
Your peep in the picture with the article is hilarious! It looks like a relative of the hairy elephant-thing on the Muppets or Sesame Street!
And then there is the annual Washington Post peep contest…for people with WAYWAYWAY too much time on their hands…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/03/29/GA2010032903934.html?hpid=artslot
It’s funny that you had Cookin’ Cheap and homemade Peeps stories this week. Years ago on the show, Laban said he had a recipe for homemade marshmallows and Larry wanted to know why on earth anyone would even want to make them.
Major kudos to you for trying!
I think your sister should master this fine art. Then she can have an unlimited supply of those nasty things all year around and not have to wait for Easter. (Although I did see snowmen and Christmas trees in December)
Oh, Lindsey! Thank you SO MUCH for the much needed laugh today! I can’t stand Peeps (even though my two girls thinks they’re the best thing since peanut butter) so I doubt I would have ever tried this recipe. But, like anyone else who’s been cooking awhile(and watching WAY too much FoodNetwork)I’ve attempted those homemade-is-always-better-than-storebought recipes that often turn into homemade disasters! Mine was attempting eggrolls and crab ragoons. They tasted okay but UGH! They were so ugly and the mess was unreal!
Loved this column, it was hysterical!
It should tell you something that the chick in this picture was about the best-looking one of the bunch. Not like the elephant chick in the paper
On the topic of homemade marshmallows, however, a kind reader named Emily dropped by the paper today with a recipe she has tried many times and likes. She says they are very easy, and you can add flavorings to make flavored marshmallows, such as peppermint or coconut or cocoa. I can see how peppermint marshmallows would be tasty in a mug of hot chocolate.
She also pointed out that I could spread the mixture on a parchment-lined pan to dry, then use a chick-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. It is a super idea, really. I might get around to it… one of these days.
If anyone wants this recipe I will type it up.
I’m glad I created a bright spot in some folks’ day!
Peeps are like a fine VA. country ham, they must age. I usually keep mine for a year before consuming them. Yes, I admit I’m weired or wired as the case may be.
A follow up. I am normally weired, after eating the aged Peeps, I’m wired for at least two days.
Lindsey, that was a valiant effort! I noticed at the end of your column you mentioned peeps cost about $1/ten. How much did you spend trying to make yours? Not trying to jab at you, as if nothing else, it is a memorable experience. Now, each Easter, you can say – ‘Remember that time I tried to make Peeps?…’
Charles, you’re not weird. Growing up, my Mom would abscond with a few packages of them and nosh on them months later. She’s approaching 70 and STILL buys more than necessary so that she’ll *sigh* “have” to eat them. She’s such a martyr.
My take on ‘em? I loathe Peeps. *gag*
Hi, my name is Rebecca, and I’m a peepaholic.
I am now craving a Peep s’more. Thanks, Other John.
Y’all are cracking me up!
Ab, the unflavored gelatin cost $1 for a box of 4 Tbsp. and I had to have the whole box for the recipe. I bought two and had to use them both because I tried to make the darn things twice. So there is $2.
I had sugar on hand, but used 2 cups each time. 1 Tbsp. of good organic vanilla extract (probably about $13 per bottle), some corn syrup that I had on hand.
You get the picture. I paid more to make them homemade.
Sorry Nona!
Actually, once they’re toasted, chocolated, and smashed between two graham crackers they’re “peeps-no-mores”!
A few years ago my daughter and I tried a “Peeps” recipe from Martha Stewart Living. I ended up by “glueing” the legs of my jeans together when I tried to fill the pastry bag by holding the—thing between my knees. She’s still laughing!!!
Rebecca, LOOOOOL! That’s hilarious.
Sandy, I am so with you. The goo overflowed my pastry bag, too, and once it was out it was EVERYWHERE. Also, once I had squeezed it out of the bag, the bag was glued shut and could not be refilled. I can’t tell you how many disposable pastry bags I went through. It was maddening.
I’ve never tried piping, because it always intimidated me and afer reading your and Sandy’s Peeps stories, I don’t think I’ll ever try making them! Thanks to all for the laughs.
Lindsay, I’d love to see the homemade marshmallow recipe that Emily gave you.
I told my husband about it the other night as we were making Rice Krispie treats for our son’s Easter party. He’s made them before and said there’s nothing like a homemade marshmallow!
I’ve always wanted to try making marshmallows. I’m not a fan of them, but my husband is… If you do find a good recipe, please share. But, I will let you test it out first.