White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

About a month ago I posted the following status on Facebook:  “The older I get, the less I enjoy, crave or even want chocolate. What's up with that?”   Most people commented that I must be sick or crazy and stated that they had the complete opposite problem.  I honestly don’t know what it is with me but I just haven’t been in a chocolate mood.  So when I saw that this month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker asked the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choice using the two given ingredients of chocolate & marshmallows, I have to say, I was uninspired.  Though I could think of a way to use chocolate in a savory recipe, like my Fruit & Nut Turkey Chili, I just couldn’t work the marshmallows into anything savory.  I looked through dozens and dozens of sweet recipes and though lots of them looked interesting and good, they just left me cold and I couldn’t be bothered to make them. 

I almost decided to skip the challenge this month but I’ve been participating in the Improv Cooking Challenge for the past 14 months and I just didn’t want to break my streak.  In the end I decided to make a simple candy bark in flavors that Eammon would love and using ingredients that I had in the house.  Eammon adores both milk and white chocolate and as I had white in the house, that was the way I went.  I always keep marshmallows in the pantry as Maisie loves them as a little treat and as I was using white chocolate I decided to use the pretty pastel colored ones.  I also wanted something crunchy and chewy in the bark so after a raid on the panty, I chose to add some cashews and dried cranberries.  

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

• 1 lb. good quality white chocolate
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted cashews

Prepare a baking sheet, covered with either a Silpat, or aluminum foil.  Slowly and carefully melt the white chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave being careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, mix in the marshmallows, cranberries and cashews and immediately pour onto the prepared pan.  Spread and smooth the mixture as needed.  Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and then either cut or break into pieces.

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

November 2012  Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp 
October 2012  Oatmeal & Raisins:  S’mores Granola Bars   
September 2012  Zucchini & Brown Sugar:  Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar 
August 2012  Tomatoes & Peppers:  French Fries Hash Browns 
July 2012  Corn & Butter:  Fritos Crusted Pollock 
June 2012  Cherries & Almonds:  Dried Cherry Almond Tart 
May 2012  Strawberries & Cream:  Strawberry Soup 
April 2012  Peanut butter & Jelly:  Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars 
March 2012  Potato & Cheese:  Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
February 2012  Ginger & Carrots:  Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing 
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream:  Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart 
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries:  Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter 
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese:  Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
October 2011 Caramel & Apples:  Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies