Church Windows

(Thank you for the kind words on my last entry. I almost feel guilty and embarrassed laying it all out like that. I don't want pity or for people to feel sorry for me. I just wanted to get the story out! Written down, yes, it looks terrible, but I honestly felt like I lived a relatively nice childhood...I guess that might sound weird from story? I already have part II typed out, but not sure how or when I will post it. Oh well...let's talk Christmas dessert, shall we?).

Remember when you were little and they allowed you to bring treats into school for the holidays?

Christmas, circa 1986.

And then they changed all the rules and we were forced to eat packaged crap because the world is no longer safe....

Well, before they did change the rules and the world became corrupt, the one Christmas treat that my Mom would make for us to bring in were Church Windows.

These are chocolate marshmallow treats...kind of a cookie-candy combination. They are called Church windows because once finished, they look like the stained glass of a church.

Here's the recipe:

*Ingredients*

-One 12 oz package semisweet chocolate chips

-1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter

-5 cups of mini colored marshmallows

-shredded coconut

Begin with a double boiler or a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water.

Pour in your chocolate and stir occasionally until melted.

Once melted, go ahead and add in an entire stick of butter. Hey, I didn't say this was a healthy dessert. It should probably be unsalted, but I only had salted, and they turned out delicious, so I'm going to say it doesn't matter.

Stir it up!
Remove from heat.
Let it sit for a couple of minutes to cool off...

Go ahead and rip off about an 18 inch long piece of tin foil...

Spread coconut shreds in the middle of the foil, kind of in the shape of a log. Approximately 1/2 cup or more.

Next: add your marshmallows to the chocolate and mix thoroughly until they're all covered in chocolately-goodness.

Now you're going to place half of the marshmallow-chocolate mixture onto the coconut and shape it into a log...about a foot long and 2 inches wide.

Now add more coconut shreds on top...

Wrap the log and fold in the ends tightly.

Store it in the refrigerator. It's best if it sits overnight, but 2-3 hours will do.

Repeat all of the steps for the second half of the mixture...

So, you'll have two logs!

If you can resist licking the bowl before washing, then you're a better woman than I am, for sure...

After it's chilled in the fridge, carefully unwrap the tin foil...

And cut the log into approximately 1 inch thick slices...

They store well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

And for those curious, my "church windows" would be from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Pastafarian:)

What's your favorite childhood holiday treat?