MARSHMELLOW FROSTING

2 egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/3 cup water

Place over boiling water and beat with a rotary beater until mixture holds its shape.  Fold in 1-1/2 t vanilla and 1 cup mini marshmellows.  Beat until marshmellows are melted and frosting holds stiff peaks.

I love how she spells marshmallows, like everything's mellow!  But making this frosting is anything but mellow as you have to work over the hot stove until the consistency is right.  This is the frosting I always begged my mom to make when I was a girl because I just loved it!  I think I cooked it a little too long as it didn't have the softness and creaminess I remember, a little too stiff, but still tasty though.  Just don't make this in the dead of summer when it's too hot to cook.

LUSCIOUS PINEAPPLE DAZZLER

"A luscious combination is this dessert which features pineapple, angel food cake, and whipped cream all folded into a gelatin custard.  It's a delightful and refreshing party dazzler."

Molded Pineapple Angel Cake

One can (one pound, four ounces) crushed pineapple
Two envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t salt
4 large eggs, separated
one store-bought angel food cake
8 ounces heavy cream
1/2 cup thinly sliced blanched almonds

Drain pineapple, save syrup.
In a cup, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup of the pineapple syrup and allow to soften.  In a one-quart saucepan scald milk with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the salt.

In a small mixing bowl beat egg yolks slightly.  Stir in a small amount of the hot milk.  Stir back into hot milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until custard is slightly thickened, about five minutes.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Add softened gelatin and stir until gelatin is dissolved.  Chill until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites.

With a serrated knife, cut enough angel food cake into one-inch pieces to make two quarts.  In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff.  Grdually beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar to make a stiff meringue.

In a small mixing bowl, without washing beater, beat cream until stiff.  Add to meringue with thickend gelatin mixture and gently stir together until blended.

In the bottom of an oiled 10-cup mold, place 1/2 cup of the meringue cream-gelatin mixture and sprinkle with 2 T each of the drained crushed pineapple and the almonds.

To remaining meringue-cream-gelatin mixture add cake pieces, remaining pineapple, and almonds.  Fold together.  Pour into mold.  Chill overnight.  With a small metal spatula loosen edges.  Dip in hot water and unmold on serving plate.  Garnish as desired.  Makes about 12 servings.

Note:  A ten and 1/2 ounce angel food cake will make the amount needed for this recipe.  Any brown crust may be reoved before using but if possible buy a cake that doesn't have a crust.

Well, I'm pretty exhausted after typing all that!  These are a lot of directions, and you will dirty a few bowls making this, but it's really not hard to make, and it did pop right out of the mold after loosening the edges with a knife.  Actually I love the name of this recipe, and my guests were excited to try it just based on that alone!  This dessert is really different from anything else you might have made before, a different consistency.  The flavor is really nice, and it makes quite a stunning presentation.  It's not my favorite ever ever, but I think I will keep this one!  Check out the pic.

CHOCOLATE MINT BOMBE

1/2 gallon softened pistachio or other flavored ice cream
1 package deluxe chocolate mint cake ix
Italian meringue
Green food coloring
cinnamon candies or other trim

Line 8" round layer cake pan and a one-quart mixing bolw with strips of wax paper.  Arrange strips so ends come over edge of pan and bowl.  Divide ice cream between pan and bowl.  Pack until firm and freeze solid.  (About 2 hours)  Prepare cake according to directions of package and bake in two 8" layers.  Cool thoroughly.  Prepare meringue and tint pale green.  Place 1 layer of cake on large plate, cover with 8" layer of ice cream.  Add second cake layer and bowl ice cream rounded side up.  Quickly swirl entire bombe with a heavy covering of meringue to seal in cold.  You can also cover with meringue rosettes pressed out through a large fluted pastry tube.  Return to freezer until ready to serve.  Before serving, dot entire chocolate bomb with gala red cinnamon dots or candied violets.

Meringue:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/2 t cream of tartar
4 egg whites

In sauce pan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar.  Bring slowly to a boil.  Then boil rapidly to 236F, the soft ball stage.  Beat egg whites until stiff.  Pour syrup very slowly over egg whites beating constantly.  Add vanilla and continue beating until frosting holds its shape.

Well, I was quite excited to try this, and I had the perfect opportunity since I had a birthday party to throw, and I was going to be gone for a few days before, so I made this ahead and threw it in the freezer. I added a little peppermint extract to the chocolate cake batter since I couldn't find chocolate mint cake mix.  I used a pistachio, chocolate, strawberry ice cream.  First let me say that the idea of wax strips in pan and bowl in order to pull the ice cream out doesn't work.  It just makes the wax paper tear.  Instead just use a wood spoon or spatula to pull ice cream out.  The meringue is just delicious, but I messed up.  I should've let the meringue cool down before attempting to frost the cake and ice cream.  Everything just started to melt and I had to hurry up and put it in the freezer, and it ended up a disaster all over the freezer (more like a volcano!)  Also, there's no mention of how much vanilla to add in the meringue, so I used a tsp.  I thought the taste of this was great, and although it looked horrible since it melted (see pic below), it still looked nice when I sliced it (see other pic).  Would I make this again?  Probably, and I'll be more patient this time and let the meringue cool down!

FRUIT GLOW PUNCH

1 can (6-oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 can (6-oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 quart apple juice, chilled
2 quarts ginger ale, chilled
1 pint lemon or orange sherbet

In a large punch bowl combine concentrates and apple juice.  Stir in gingerale.  Spoon in sherbet.  Serve immediately.

28 servings (about 1/2 cup each)

This punch is pretty, tastes good, easy to make.