Homemade Christmas presents

[avernus]

Being a poor student I want to cut down on the price of xmas whilst still giving people nice presents. I figure making some foodie presents is a way to go. Here are my ideas:

1. Feta cheese in olive oil. I was thinking of adding peppercorns, some garlic cloves and maybe some thyme.

2. Chillie oil, buy lots of dried chillis and soak them in olive oil.

3. Chutney, the only recipe I know is Aubergine and Orange (so tasty), which is actually my mums recipe.

All these are preserved in different ways, which I think is necessary.

Any body else got any ideas? Of couse all the above will be put in a nice kilner jar or something like that. (Anyone know any UK suppliers of these things?)

[maleficent]

I do a lot of "jar" type gifts -- mainly coffee mixes -- but I've also done spice mixes or rubs as well.

You can get cups pretty cheap at dollar stores, and the ingredients are pretty easy to find...

Cappuccino Mocha Mix
Makes 2 1/2 cups of mix
6 heaping tablespoons of instant espresso
3 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 cups powdered nondairy creamer
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

In a blender, combine espresso coffee powder, cocoa, nondairy creamer, sugar and cinnamon.

Now here's where Martha comes in -- take a clean glass jar and dump the mixture in it - -making a pretty cover for the lid, or dump into small single serve plastic bags with a label on it.

For the gift label: For each cup of cappuccino, measure 3 tablespoons of mixture into a coffee mug and stir in 8 oz of boiling water. Enjoy!

You could add on some peppermints, or something creative...

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Simply the Best Hot Cocoa

3 cups instant nonfat dry milk
1 bag chocolate baking chips (use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, mint chocolate, whatever works for you (the book I got this out of years ago, also suggested using peanut butter or butterscotch, that didn't sound quite so good to me)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional)

Put half of the dry milk in a blender or food processor, add half the chips, and whirl until finely ground. Do not continue mixing after finely ground or the mixture may clump. Pour mixture into a bowl and repeat to grind remaining milk and chips. Stir in marshmallows.

Spoon into a jar and cover tightly. Can be stored airtight for up to 6 months

For the gift label: For each serving, place 3 heaping tablespoons) of mix into a mug and add 6 ounces boiling water and stir until well combined.

You can get really creative with gifts like this - I have a bunch more recipes like this -- that I've used as gifts over the years - including various spice mixtures - it's kind of a fun easy way to be creative...

[avernus]

Those are really good ideas! If you put it in a nice mug thats an additional present too. My bros gf has pickled some lemons in this massive jar - they look wonderful but I can't imagine what she'd want to use them for.

[maleficent]

my other treat I'll make is Oreo Lollys.

Get some double stuff Oreos
Some lolly pop sticks
Chocolate for melting
and some green and red sprinkles or colored sugar or some sort of decoration

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler (metal bowl over a pan of simmering water - I've tried melting chocolate in the microwave and it always scorches on me)
Put the oreo on a stick very gently
Dip the oreo into the chocolate
lay on a sheet of wax paper and decorate hwoever you want to

Let set for about an hour.

I wrap each individually with a piece of clear cellophane (the kind that gift baskets get wrapped in -and tied with a ribbon.

Any extra chocolate, take a plastic spoon and dip the bowl end into the chocolate, let set - I usually do 2 - 3 coats - on the last coating - decorate with colored sugar if you want to... Wrap spoon in cellophane. Coffee lovers can use these to stire their coffee - the chocolate melts into the coffee and they're awesomely good.

Chocolate covered pretzels are another big hit --something about the sweet and the salt. Take the pretzel rods, dip half the pretzel rod into the chocolate...

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I posted the recipe somewhere in anther thread - -Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream is always a big hit.. never quite lasts long enough though... (if yuo have the time, homemade Kahula is even better)
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[avernus]

That is so decadent! Its kinda hard to get Oreos over here in the UK but there must be an alternative. Chocolate fondue is pretty damn filthy too

[SiN]

Originally Posted by maleficent

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I posted the recipe somewhere in anther thread - -Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream is always a big hit.. never quite lasts long enough though... (if yuo have the time, homemade Kahula is even better)
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mal -- I guess I'll have to look for your bailey's recipe, that would be fun.

curious also to hear your recipe/tips for kahlua - I adore the stuff, as do bf's parents (dad specially) and I'd gotten a recipe from my mom, that his mom made, turned out quite well she says...but I'm always open to improvements/refinements, and maybe I'd make some myself over the holidays (I know it has to sit around for quite some time, 6 weeks or so...)

mal - have you ever heard of/made Limoncello? bf's mom makes it all the time, maybe I can get the recipe from her if you're interested

[maleficent]

I love limoncello -- that recipe woudl be great...

Copied over here:

Homemade Kahula
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. white sugar
4 c. water
2 oz. instant coffee
1 qt. vodka
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Dissolve sugars in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add instant coffee. Cool. Add vanilla bean and vodka. Store for 1 month in an air-tight jar.

Homemade Irish Cream
1 Cup heavy cream
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk (NOT Evaporated)
2 cups Irish whiskey (doesn't have to be the good stuff, cheap works fine)
1 tbs. chocolate syrup
2 tbs. instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend all ingredients together, chill and serve.

[SiN]

mal - is Eagle brand the 'sweetened' kind? if so, i don't think that's avail here..maybe on the web I can find a substitution...

your kahlua recipe looks quite similar to mine (I suppose they all are the same basic ingreds) except mine uses strong brewed freshly ground coffee, not instant..and does not use brown sugar. *that* could indeed be an enhancement!

I'll try to get the limoncello recipe this weekend

[maleficent]

Substitute for Sweetened Condensed Milk:
In a saucepan, combine a cup of evaporated milk with 1-1/4 cups of sugar
Simmer until sugar is disolved.

Another source says that if evaporated milk is not available, use any milk and reduce it by about 60 percent - then follow the above recipe.

[SiN]

^ thanks for the tip

and here's the limoncello recipe

1.5 kg (3.3 lbs.) unwaxed Italian lemons (not sure on their US availability, if not, just use the best you can find, perhaps organic?)
1 L alcohol 90% (grain alcohol is best)
700 g (1.5 lbs.) of sugar
1 1/4 L (5.3 cups) water

Lemons very thinly peel (without white skin!)
Place peels with the alcohol in a thick screwtop glass jar, leave 5 days.
In the morning of the 6th day, put the water in a pot and boil it. Remove from stove and stir in the sugar.
Let cool completely.
In the evening of the same day, mix the sugar-water and peel-alcohol mixture together in a glass jar. Close tightly.
Leave for one* day.
Filter (moistened coffee filters would work, and you need lots of them) through a funnel and put into bottles. Schnapps-type bottles work well.
Make sure it's a bottle that can be placed in the freezer, as that is the best way to have it.

Some quick googling tells me that the longer it sits post-filter, the smoother it becomes.
* You can also extend this time, I am not sure what effect that will have..

6 days is time for christmas presents, then advise your recievers to drink it next summer (it's best in warmer weather anyway).