Call your dentist!

I offer that as a warning before you read this post because these things will rot your teeth just by lookin' at them!

If your youngest daughter's handwriting book asks her to write the words "popping purple popcorn" and you get the urge to make that lesson come to life, my advice to you is... fight it!

My kids love popcorn but have never tried popcorn balls. I figured they wouldn't be a huge hit because they were most likely going to be sticky and my kids are not fond of foods that stick to their teeth, the roof of their mouth or their fingers. But, in the shallow parts of my mommy brain was a little voice swimming around saying "but we could make them purple... you know... for Advent!" Heh, heh, heh. Next time I hear that little voice he is getting put on an inflatable raft with a slow leak headed for the deep end.

They were bad I tell you! Like something you would expect to get from a dirty concession stand at your brother's little league baseball game. But your kids will probably love them!

So, if your dentist doesn't already love you because he is godfather to your oldest child and you would like for him to remember your family fondly as he retires to a castle in the mountains, then by all means make your kids some of these... just have plenty of wet wipes handy.

And a new toothbrush.

And Dr. Drill's phone number.

Colored Popcorn Balls

• 9 cups popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 (10 ounce) package large marshmallows
• 1 sm. box fruit flavored gelatin mix, any flavor

Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Pour mixture over popcorn and toss to coat. When cool enough to handle, lightly butter hands and quickly shape into balls.

*The grape gelatin turned the marshmallow mixture a very pale shade of purple so I made a mixture of pink and blue sugar crystal sprinkles to roll the balls in. They did actually combine to create a purplish hue (like pointillism on a popcorn ball). But they were about as tasty as that sounds.