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| Edible Christmas Gifts |
by Cindy SanchezIt's those little gifts that always seem to be the last ones we get to buying or putting together. Deciding what to give the mailman, paper deliverer, school bus driver, teachers, a friendly neighbor or coworker can be a daunting task. These edible Christmas Gifts are the perfect answer to those little gifts! Present them in jars that you, or your children, have decorated just for that special someone. Chocolate Biscuit Mix 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cocoa 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, mini chips
In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Place about 2 cups mix in each of 2 resealable bags. Store in refrigerator. Give in decorated jar with serving instructions. Yield: about 4 cups mix (2 gifts) Gift Tag Directions: Store mix in refrigerator until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 425*. Place mix in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup milk; stir just until a soft dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Serve warm. Yield: about 1 dozen biscuits ~*~ Christmas Berry Jelly 2 cups apple juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup cinnamon imperials (red hots) 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoon red food coloring 1/4 teaspoon Mace 1 box powdered pectin 8 whole cloves 1 stick cinnamon 4 cups sugar Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacture's instructions. Jars must be covered with water and boiled 10 minutes to sterilize. Combine apple juice, lemon juice, red hots, water, food coloring, mace and pectin. Tie cloves and cinnamon stick in a spice bag. Add spice bag to juice mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and skin foam, if necessary. Carefully ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly. Do not use excessive force. Process jelly 5 minutes in a boiling water canner. ~*~ Christmas Biscotti In A Jar 3/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries 3/4 cup chopped shelled green pistachios 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 2 teaspoons baking powder 2/3 cup Vanilla Sugar (recipe at bottom) Quart jars come in a range of shapes with varying amounts of headroom. The best mix recipes are flexible enough to allow you to add a few extra pieces of fruit, candy or nuts if necessary to tightly pack the contents and keep the layer distinctive. Layer the ingredients in a 1-quart canning jar. Tap jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next one. Add additional dried fruits or pistachios to fill small gaps, if necessary. Makes 1 jar. Gift Tag Directions: Beat 1/3 cup butter (no substitutes) in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 2 eggs. Stir in jar contents just till combined using a wooden spoon. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill till easy to handle, if necessary. Shape each portion of dough into a 9 inch loaf. Place loaves 4 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet, flattening slightly till 2 inches wide. Bake in a 375 oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool loaves on the cookie sheet for 1 hour. Cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325 oven for 8 minutes. Turn slices over; bake 8 to 10 minutes more or till dry and crisp. Cool on wire rack. Makes 32. Vanilla Sugar - Fill a quart jar with 4 cups sugar. Cut a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and insert both halves into sugar. Secure lid and store in a cool dry place for several weeks before using. Will keep indefinitely. ~*~ Christmas Coffee 1/2 cup powdered non dairy creamer 1 cup mini chocolate chips 2 tablespoons vanilla powder 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder 2/3 cup instant coffee crystals Chocolate Stir Spoons (recipe below) Combine nondairy creamer, powdered sugar, powdered vanilla, and milk powder. Layer with coffee and chips into two cup jars. Tap between layers to settle before adding next layer. Gift Tag Directions: For each mug, place 1/4 cup of mix in a mug, and add 2/3 cup boiling water. Stir until dissolved. ~*~ Chocolate Spoons 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 24 sturdy plastic spoons (clear -- gold or silver) liqueur or extract flavorings, optional Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. Stir in any optional flavorings if desired. Dip the bowl of each spoon in the melted chocolate so the bowl is covered and full of chocolate. Allow excess to drip off. Set spoons on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, with the handles resting on the edge of the cookie sheet. Allow to cool. You can decorate these by drizzling white or dark chocolate over them in a pattern or randomly. Wrap individually in clear or colored plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon. Yield: 24 chocolate spoons. ~*~ Viennese Coffee Balls 2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs or crushed, packaged chocolate chip cookies 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar 1 cup chopped toasted almonds 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or coffee 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Layer ingredients into a 1 quart canning jar, tapping gently on the counter to settle before adding the next layer. Add additional nuts to fill any small gaps if necessary. Gift Tag Directions: Place contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Add 4-5 tablespoons espresso, strong coffee, or water, using just enough to moisten. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls, rolling in powdered sugar. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and let stand 'til dry (about 1 hour). Before serving, roll again in powdered sugar if desired. Store in airtight container. ~*~ Cider Spiced Tea 1 envelope instant spiced cider 2 teaspoons dry instant tea 2 teaspoons dry Pineapple/Orange Tang 2 teaspoons brown sugar Mix in bottom of mug. Pour in 6-8 ounces boiling water. Stir thoroughly. Sip and enjoy. To make this sugar-free use sugar free cider mix, sugar free Tang, and Brown Sugar Twin. For gifts, increase the ingredients, pack it into canning jelly jars, cover the lid with a square of brown gingham, tie it with raffia. Attach a recipe card made from a package tag; the brownish ones with the cord attached. At Christmas time use red gingham, red raffia and a white stock card decorated with holiday stickers.  Recommended ReadingFood Gifts for All Seasons by Anne Byrn Create unforgettable gifts of food for loved ones year round with celebrated food writer Anne Byrn's compilation of seasonal recipes. Both traditional and unique, Byrn's gift ideas will help you to create leasting impressions with a personal touch. Food Gifts for All Seasons offers 52 recipes, many of which can be prepared in advance and stored until needed. (courtesy: Amazon) |
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About the Author: Cindy Sanchez is the mother of four children who love to bake as much as she does! She is also the owner and editor of MomsMenu.com - Make Your Kitchen Time Fun Time!
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