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What do you plan to do this Christmas (recipes, crafts,etc)?
As far as baking/crafting/stamping goes?
Thanks to Papertreys tins and containers I am going to do a lot more baking and stamping/decorating on the containers.
I think I will make fudge, Russian tea cakes (melt in your mouth butter cookies with ground nuts, dusted in icing sugar), hot and spicy nuts, spumonic slices (tri color cookies of red with cherries. green with pistachio pieces and chocolate with chunks), and caramel corn. Oh and my grandma's very special macadamia pineapple squares.
For crafts, I am going to make frames that say joy/noel/etc and mini star book ornaments for everyone. Maybe CD ornaments too as DH is in radio and we get so many CDs we use them as coasters LOL. I need to get rid of them.
If anyone wants any recipes I will be happy to provide.
Would love to hear your recipe and craft ideas. I am ready to get into the Christmas spirit. Am I too early? LOL
I like to do a big batch of chex mix, fudge and a few different varieties of cookies. Plus, I'll be making Christmas cards and doing a scrapbook for each of my darling granddaughters!
I always make my Xmas cards and make a mini album for my mom. I've got some CD's laying around so plan to make a Xmas wall hanging. I'm going to decorate small tins to give to family members to store their handmade cards in too.
I've already started my cards...got about 10 done so far. I usually don't start til at least November so I am really ahead of the game this yr.
Don't usually make my Christmas cards, but I might this year. But I was ogling the Martha Stewart containers at Mike's today. I think I'm just in love with the fact that you can now use coupons on her stuff!!
For crafts I plan on doing cards. And I need to check out some of the tins and ideas over at Papertrey. My Dh is the candy maker in the family. He will do lots of batches of peanut brittle and buckeyes. The peanut brittle is always a hit and very easy - you make it in the microwave. Buckeyes are a hit also, but a pain in the backside to make.
I am going to watch this thread for more ideas. I want to come up with something crafty for the in-laws - who are impossible to shop for.
__________________ Martha
"When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life." Jean Shinoda Bolen
I will make all of my (75 or so) Christmas cards, but that's probably about it. I do some baking, but not as gifts, just to eat. LOL. I did think about doing a 6x6 album of digitally scrapbooked pages for my Mom, but I am not sure. I've never done any digi-scrapping before, but I like the idea that it all comes done and you don't have to think about it too much after you get all of the elements pulled together if that makes sense.
I'm making my FIL some chocolate covered pretzel rods in a decorated can. My Aunt in law is getting a card organizer filled with cards. MIL I haven't decided yet. My side of the family is also up in the air.
The kids and I always make pretzel rings for the teachers. We make over 1000!!
They are really easy. Line a cookie sheet w/foil. Place rows (and rows, and rows) of ring pretzels on the foil. Place an unwrapped hershey kiss in the center of each one. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for 2-2.5 mins. The kisses won't look melted. Press center of kiss down into pretzel w/an m&m (chocolate will fill ring) Place in fridge for 5 mins. Saw this a long time ago in Quick Cooking.
Our teachers have loved them. Some teachers (usually men!) have sent thank you notes saying that the pretzels didn't even make it home since they ate them all at work!
I do winter cards since I can't get my act together before Christmas to get cards done (must be all those pretzel rings!)
I always make snowmen for my sisters (4), my mom, my mil, my sil (1) and my best friends. I'm up to 15 each year. I was thinking of doing the SNOW frame in the SU catty. (The one in the black frame w/the snowman face on a tag.) Only problem is that I don't usually like to color my stamped projects and the snowman and letters are colored w/markers, I think.
So far that's all I have planned. Can't wait to see the great ideas that everyone else comes up with!
The kids and I always make pretzel rings for the teachers. We make over 1000!!
They are really easy. Line a cookie sheet w/foil. Place rows (and rows, and rows) of ring pretzels on the foil. Place an unwrapped hershey kiss in the center of each one. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for 2-2.5 mins. The kisses won't look melted. Press center of kiss down into pretzel w/an m&m (chocolate will fill ring) Place in fridge for 5 mins. Saw this a long time ago in Quick Cooking.
Our teachers have loved them. Some teachers (usually men!) have sent thank you notes saying that the pretzels didn't even make it home since they ate them all at work!
I do winter cards since I can't get my act together before Christmas to get cards done (must be all those pretzel rings!)
I always make snowmen for my sisters (4), my mom, my mil, my sil (1) and my best friends. I'm up to 15 each year. I was thinking of doing the SNOW frame in the SU catty. (The one in the black frame w/the snowman face on a tag.) Only problem is that I don't usually like to color my stamped projects and the snowman and letters are colored w/markers, I think.
So far that's all I have planned. Can't wait to see the great ideas that everyone else comes up with!
H
Oh these are fantastic - we do these too. Sometimes I use Rolo's, or Hugs instead. They are SOOOOOOO good - but I eat more than I send :mrgreen:
Oh these are fantastic - we do these too. Sometimes I use Rolo's, or Hugs instead. They are SOOOOOOO good - but I eat more than I send :mrgreen:
Oh, yeah, I forgot about the Rolos! One year I couldn't find ring pretzels anywhere, and someone suggested using the waffle pretzels (the ones that look like little grids) and I used Rolos instead of kisses on them.
Happily enough, I hate chocolate and pretzels together. If you knew me, you'd know how remarkable that is! My kids and hubby are all over these things, and they get to eat the broken ones. Sometimes I think they break some on purpose!
And I am making address books/journals for everybody with my bind it all. And then also giving a package of 10 assorted cards for every occassion.
Then for treats I am making international candies, turkish delights, caramels and about 4 other sweets. I also make banana chocolate chip bread and pumpkin bread.
I haven't ever given edible things before, but Papertrey's tins make it hard to resist sending some stuff! I would love to make cookies or something simple to give away to about 10 people. I should probably get to thinking about this.
__________________ Keva
We shouldn't have expectations of others that we, ourselves, could not fulfill.
I haven't ever given edible things before, but Papertrey's tins make it hard to resist sending some stuff! I would love to make cookies or something simple to give away to about 10 people. I should probably get to thinking about this.
When I give edible gifts their the standout gifts. I still have people every year ask about the banana chocolate chip bread. Or caramel nutcakes in a jar......their so cool because you can bake them in a mason jar! And once the lid is on they keep for about 6 months, so you can make them way ahead of time.
I've got two really great books full of food gifts, they're from Goosberry Patch called "Gifts for Giving" and "More gifts for giving". Amazon sells them or you can get them from the gooseberrypatch.com website.
I make my own Christmas cards...this year b/c there will be a new baby ...I have asked if my mom will babysit the new baby while my daughter and I do some baking stuff. My daughter (Jocelynn) will be a few weeks away from being 4 by the time Christmas comes around & she LOVES to help in the kitchen.
I have a tiny crockpot for keeping gravies & sauces warm, that I am going to melt chocolate in. Jocelynn's job will be to dip marshmallows, pretzels & store-bought cookies into the chocholate. I will make some cute bags for them & we will give those as gifts when the family gets together.
I also make cracker candy and last year made some oreo truffles that were a BIG hit & I think I will make them again this year.
I saw some cute wood frames at Joanns that I might alter/decorate to give with the goody bags of baked stuff. I am not sure if I want to commit to it yet, though. I know a fairly quick/easy way to do it, but even if it doesn't take long...that's that many fewer minutes or hours I am not doing something else!
I plan on going out this weekend/ish and buying my daughter's Christmas & birthday stuff. Since her birthday is Jan. 16th, I buy extra items when I Christmas shop, and then split them between Christmas morning & her birthday. I do want her to have two seperate events, but we also tend to buy her things throughout the year that if her birthday were any other month...I probably would ONLY give at birthday time. (Tricycle, blow up pool, etc.)
I was at Joanns today and found some cheap candy molds & might make my oreo truffles in one of the molds...but I am not sure yet. I just felt like last year...when I set them to cool on the wax paper, they ended up with a LOT of excess "drip" all over the bottom b/c the excess just dripped into a puddle around the truffle.
__________________ They say house cleaning never killed anyone, but why take the chance?
Or caramel nutcakes in a jar......their so cool because you can bake them in a mason jar! And once the lid is on they keep for about 6 months, so you can make them way ahead of time.
And they travel well. My mom made my brother a birthday cake this way & sent it to Saudi Arabia. He got sick b/c he ate the whole thing really fast (with the frosting & the maraschino cherries mom packed)...but he said it was really good. Out & in! ;)
Both my brothers have served (and will serve again) overseas. Iraq, Syria, Saudi...and they said the cakes were excellent when they finally got them.
Mom also sent them to their wives in England & California. Again, enjoyed with enthusiasm.
__________________ They say house cleaning never killed anyone, but why take the chance?
I always make around 130 cards... this year they will likely be Christmas/baby announcement cards, so I don't have to make/send 2 rounds of cards so close together. I've thought about switching to Thanksgiving cards this year so that they're sent out closer to baby's birthday (any day now), but I'm not sure about that.
I like to give some of the cards with a jar of homemade preserves. We already made 45 jars of this year's preserves (strawberry, and oh so good, if I do say so myself!) and I'll put all those in a little gift bag with handle. I print labels for the top and embellish with stamps, then stamp labels for the bags, write the family name on the label, and stick the jar and card inside.
This is my 3rd year of doing the homemade jar... blackberry preserves, then pumpkin dip, now strawberry preserves. They have each been a hit. Honestly, I think jam is something most people never eat a homemade version of, so it's at least a little different than what is traditionally given at Christmas.
__________________ Paper Crafts Go-to-Gal member #1507gallery witticisms... a witty blog
Okay, I have 1/2 of my Christmas cards made. I plan on making composition books and clipboards for 3 nieces, a matching game for my youngest son and nephew. I bake lots of cookies for aunts cousins etc. I also bake gingerbread houses for my kids and one niece and nephew. I am making a calendar for my mil. YOu see I have lots of plans! I am going to start on the gifts as soon as I finish my cards! Have fun! Merry Christmas!
__________________ Pia 2024 Scrapbook goals MAY /10 layouts YTD 113/120 Check out my gallery
I always make around 130 cards... this year they will likely be Christmas/baby announcement cards, so I don't have to make/send 2 rounds of cards so close together. I've thought about switching to Thanksgiving cards this year so that they're sent out closer to baby's birthday (any day now), but I'm not sure about that.
I like to give some of the cards with a jar of homemade preserves. We already made 45 jars of this year's preserves (strawberry, and oh so good, if I do say so myself!) and I'll put all those in a little gift bag with handle. I print labels for the top and embellish with stamps, then stamp labels for the bags, write the family name on the label, and stick the jar and card inside.
This is my 3rd year of doing the homemade jar... blackberry preserves, then pumpkin dip, now strawberry preserves. They have each been a hit. Honestly, I think jam is something most people never eat a homemade version of, so it's at least a little different than what is traditionally given at Christmas.
I ALWAYS make homemade jam! But, no one else I know does! I made lots of apricot preserves, rasperry and triple berry (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry) and I've made pear and pumpkin butter, too. This year I am going to make homemade applesauce and maybe apple butter because someone gave me 24 big jars and I need to fill them up! But, the apples aren't ripe yet!
__________________ IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII*IIII* IIII*IIII*IIII* Take only photographs, leave only footprints.
I make homemade fudge, wrap it in plastic wrap and tie it with pretty ribbon and a stamped tag.
Last year, I made dozens of chocolate dipped pretzel rods - dip the top in chocolate and then roll them in either sprinkes, chopped nuts, heath bars, you name it -- I put them in cellophane bags and made pretty bag toppers for them (wish I had taken a picture of them!). They were a huge hit and SO easy!
Here is a link to the peanut brittle recipe thread that was actually started 2 years ago. People liked it enough to start up the thread again last year. We make this every year - very easy.
__________________ Martha
"When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life." Jean Shinoda Bolen
I would *LOVE* to have the recipes for the Russian Tea cakes and pineapple macadamia squares...those sound YUMMY!
Hi Keva
Here you go. My grandma is no longer with us but we think of her when we make these and smile. This makes a HUGE batch. I usually use half butter/half shortening, but will give the recipe as she used to make it. I hope you enjoy them.
Grandma Edgar's Pineapple Squares
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 TBS vanilla
2 eggs
sift together dry ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
filling:
1 can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
3 TBS flour
2 TBS lemon juice
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (can use walnuts)
Directions:
1. Cream together the shortening, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
2. Beat an egg; add to the shortening mixture and blend.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients and add slowly to the shortening mixture.
4. Shape the cookie dough into 2 rolls; wrap in wax paper and refridgerate 2 hours.
5. Put filling ingredients in a pan on medium heat and cook until thick. Set aside.
6. Roll out one of the rolls until its 1/4 inch thick.
7. Press the roll into a buttered cookie sheet.
8. Spread filling on the the dough on the cookie sheet with higher sides (or cake pan).
9. Roll out the second half of the dough 1/4 inch thick and spread on top of filling and seal the sides (pinch with fingers).
10. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and cut into squares.
The Russian Tea Cakes are from allrecipes.com
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.
Here are my notes I saved for this cookie: I used both pecans and walnuts and liked the walnut better - the slight bitter taste of the nut was a perfect complement to the powdered sugar of the cookie. I ground the walnuts in my coffee grinder. I used a bit less flour (3 TBS less) than recommended for my second batch and that turned out better. Note that batter will be crumbly but when you roll it into a ball in your hand it will come together - just squeeze a bit! Also, when I rolled warm cookies in the powdered sugar they didn't even need a second roll! (warm and being able to hold in your hand without feeling YOW!, not hot or the powdered sugar will melt). Although I prefer walnut the most, this cookie is great with any kind of nut or flavoring - even pistachio. Roll in cinnamon and powdered sugar for something different.
When I give edible gifts their the standout gifts. I still have people every year ask about the banana chocolate chip bread. Or caramel nutcakes in a jar......their so cool because you can bake them in a mason jar! And once the lid is on they keep for about 6 months, so you can make them way ahead of time.
I've got two really great books full of food gifts, they're from Goosberry Patch called "Gifts for Giving" and "More gifts for giving". Amazon sells them or you can get them from the gooseberrypatch.com website.
Would love to have the recipe for caramel nutcakes in a jar - this sounds amazing that you cook them in the jar!
Suzy
I think I will make fudge, Russian tea cakes (melt in your mouth butter cookies with ground nuts, dusted in icing sugar), hot and spicy nuts, spumonic slices (tri color cookies of red with cherries. green with pistachio pieces and chocolate with chunks), and caramel corn. Oh and my grandma's very special macadamia pineapple squares.
I'm going to make my Christmas cards, party favors for our annual holiday party. For gifts I am going to do some jars with glass etching and filled with homemade candy (havne't decided on what kind, but I'm sure Mocha Truffles will be one!), I'm also going to alter some picture frames and composition books...
I make my own Christmas cards...this year b/c there will be a new baby ...I have asked if my mom will babysit the new baby while my daughter and I do some baking stuff. My daughter (Jocelynn) will be a few weeks away from being 4 by the time Christmas comes around & she LOVES to help in the kitchen.
I have a tiny crockpot for keeping gravies & sauces warm, that I am going to melt chocolate in. Jocelynn's job will be to dip marshmallows, pretzels & store-bought cookies into the chocholate. I will make some cute bags for them & we will give those as gifts when the family gets together.
I also make cracker candy and last year made some oreo truffles that were a BIG hit & I think I will make them again this year.
I saw some cute wood frames at Joanns that I might alter/decorate to give with the goody bags of baked stuff. I am not sure if I want to commit to it yet, though. I know a fairly quick/easy way to do it, but even if it doesn't take long...that's that many fewer minutes or hours I am not doing something else!
I plan on going out this weekend/ish and buying my daughter's Christmas & birthday stuff. Since her birthday is Jan. 16th, I buy extra items when I Christmas shop, and then split them between Christmas morning & her birthday. I do want her to have two seperate events, but we also tend to buy her things throughout the year that if her birthday were any other month...I probably would ONLY give at birthday time. (Tricycle, blow up pool, etc.)
I was at Joanns today and found some cheap candy molds & might make my oreo truffles in one of the molds...but I am not sure yet. I just felt like last year...when I set them to cool on the wax paper, they ended up with a LOT of excess "drip" all over the bottom b/c the excess just dripped into a puddle around the truffle.
Ohhh....I'm an Oreo junkie, I'd love to know what these are if you're willing to share!!
I am going to make a few cards for special people this year and send store bought I already have to others. I am making a cookbook for about 10 family members. Have most of the typing done, need to get them printed off, stamped and colored for some decoration on pages, and put in a book form.
I am having a Kitchen Tea in December for a few friends and I would like to do stamping on some candles for take home gifts. I thought these would be different. Anyone done these? Will probably do some mini breads to give as well-I usually make Pistachio, Banana and sometimes Cranberry Pumpkin (just add dried cranberries instead of raisins).
My DH is diabetic so I try to not have too much around the house as he has a sweet tooth and it is too tempting. I am always looking for good sugar free recipes if anyone has any. TIA
We usually have a Open House in mid December so need to come up with a few recipes I haven't used before. The recipes you all have shared sounds neat.
I would also like to try stamping on tiles for coasters-sounds pretty easy to do if I can remember to pick up the tiles at Lowes next time I am in the city.
So far on my list I have accomplished a few Christmas cards made and am part way on the recipe book. Some busy time ahead but I love the hustle and bustle of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
I always make around 130 cards... this year they will likely be Christmas/baby announcement cards, so I don't have to make/send 2 rounds of cards so close together. I've thought about switching to Thanksgiving cards this year so that they're sent out closer to baby's birthday (any day now), but I'm not sure about that.
I like to give some of the cards with a jar of homemade preserves. We already made 45 jars of this year's preserves (strawberry, and oh so good, if I do say so myself!) and I'll put all those in a little gift bag with handle. I print labels for the top and embellish with stamps, then stamp labels for the bags, write the family name on the label, and stick the jar and card inside.
This is my 3rd year of doing the homemade jar... blackberry preserves, then pumpkin dip, now strawberry preserves. They have each been a hit. Honestly, I think jam is something most people never eat a homemade version of, so it's at least a little different than what is traditionally given at Christmas.
Hi Jessica!!! I still remember the cute Christmas set you made in the tin lunch box for stamp day!!! you were so sweet and sent me two tins!!! Every year since then I have made those and given them out in Oct. They are always a hit!;)
I'd love to see recipes for the jam. We have so many people at church we like to give gifts to and this would be great!
Speaking of making things for Christmas...........I better get busy!
They are really easy. Line a cookie sheet w/foil. Place rows (and rows, and rows) of ring pretzels on the foil. Place an unwrapped hershey kiss in the center of each one. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for 2-2.5 mins. The kisses won't look melted. Press center of kiss down into pretzel w/an m&m (chocolate will fill ring) Place in fridge for 5 mins. Saw this a long time ago in Quick Cooking.
Ooh, I'm going to have to try this one! Sounds yummy, and easy to make!
Actually not sure what I will be doing. DH is deployed and DD is with her dad this Christmas so I will be by myself and it's going to be kind of hard to be in the Christmas mood. I do want to do something for my friends, so maybe that will put me in the Christmas spirit, Subscribing to this thread for ideas.
__________________ ~Sharon~ I'm a Proud wife of my OIF III & OEF veteran! Mommy of two beautiful girls! Ages 17 years & 2 years! We *heart* adoption! My Crafting BlogOur Family/Adoption Blog
This thread is great, I just had to subscribe. I am going to have to learn how to cook something in a Mason jar. I would love to give a basket or two (or ten) of home made items, especially if I can make them ahead of time.
The kids and I always make pretzel rings for the teachers. We make over 1000!!
They are really easy. Line a cookie sheet w/foil. Place rows (and rows, and rows) of ring pretzels on the foil. Place an unwrapped hershey kiss in the center of each one. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for 2-2.5 mins. The kisses won't look melted. Press center of kiss down into pretzel w/an m&m (chocolate will fill ring) Place in fridge for 5 mins. Saw this a long time ago in Quick Cooking.
Our teachers have loved them. Some teachers (usually men!) have sent thank you notes saying that the pretzels didn't even make it home since they ate them all at work!
I do winter cards since I can't get my act together before Christmas to get cards done (must be all those pretzel rings!)
I always make snowmen for my sisters (4), my mom, my mil, my sil (1) and my best friends. I'm up to 15 each year. I was thinking of doing the SNOW frame in the SU catty. (The one in the black frame w/the snowman face on a tag.) Only problem is that I don't usually like to color my stamped projects and the snowman and letters are colored w/markers, I think.
So far that's all I have planned. Can't wait to see the great ideas that everyone else comes up with!
H
Hi - I would love to make these this year and I was wondering if when you say ring pretzels are they the same as the twisted ones (kind of look like a bow or butterfly?). Thanks!
Well.... Since I am done Christmas shopping..... and my cards are pretty much done (just minor assembly), I might delve into making my homemade caramels this year. Yum! The year before I made gingerbread men (complete with decorations) but found they committed suicide on the trip down to the in-laws while riding in the trailer. Bad news. It was a massacre - but at least they still tasted good. Last year I tried the Rolos and pretzel combination thing and that was a big hit with virtually no effort.
I did buy several things that could potentially be used as extra gifts if I decide to actually be crafty. The dollar store had some paperweight things that you can add a decorated bottom to, I bought some purse hooks that can be decorated (the kind that you hang your purse on a table from) plus a couple other things.
Kimberly
__________________ "There is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness." -- Dave Barry
cookies: Holly Berry Wreaths, Cinnamon Chocolate Stars, Eggnog Cutouts, Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints, (can't think of the others off the top of my head - will have to consult my Christmas records from previous years as memory isn't what it used to be)
breads: Triple Chocolate, Gift of Magi, Cranberry orange, Cherry pecan
Stamping/Crafts: Mini Cd Calendars, candles, stationery sets, ornaments. My mother is really into the Red Hats so I'm doing a gift set for her with a Red Hat Theme. That's as far as I got at the moment. Will probably also do a couple of name frames.
I keep wanting to do Christmas cards, but I always seem to run out of time. Oh well.
It's been fun reading what everyone else is doing. I may 'borrow' some of your ideas! :-D