Money is tight this year so I'd like to try and make some Christmas gifts this year. I was thinking either something I can cook easily (cookies, fudge, etc) or a mix in a nice jar (cookies, brownies, spices, etc).

Anyway have any nice ideas or recipe's? I'm not a great baker, so something simple! and nothing that requires a specific brand of something as I'm the UK and not all US ingredients are available here.

Any other ideas?

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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We also do alot of homemade stuff especially since my kids go to different schools and have different bus drivers, teachers, aides etc.

I have a few recipes I can share:

Christmas cookies = you need Oreo's, meltable milk chocolate and white chocolate, mint extract and decorations for the top (sprinkes, small candies, whatever you like).

Melt milk chocolate into large bowl, dip oreo and shake excess off, let dry on wax paper.

Melt white chocolate and add mint extract for flavor (you can leave plain or really flavor with anything you like).

Drizzle each cookie with white chocolate and top with colored sprinkles or candies.

I usually package the cookies in bag and give each teacher 5 or 7 cookies depending on how many I make. I usually do this whole thing one Sunday before Christmas and make a huge batch at once.

Just so you can judge how much of each item you will need....I use about 5 packages of Oreo's, 5 pounds milk chocolate and 2.5 pounds of white chocolate and just a drop of the extract for flavor. There are about 30 Oreo's in a package. It makes over 100 cookies (you can't use a cookie if it is cracked so you don't always get 30 out of each package)

Another easy gift idea is the Christmas Bark. You use white chocolate and melt it and lay it on a cookie sheet and sprinke with crushed candy canes. You can drizzle with white chooclate as well. Break into chunks and wrap nicely.

Another great idea that I used last year was the hot chocolate ice cream cones. You use the disposable icing bags (you can buy at any craft store). You fill the bottom with hot chocolate (represents the cone), then a layer of marshmellows, then sprinkle with chocolate chips. You tie at the top and it looks like an ice cream cone. I printed directions on how to make the hot chocolate and attached it to the ribbon I tied it up with.

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Lisa - Mommy to Elayna 10-1-02 and Daniel (Ds) 6-7-05
Always have hope....Without rain, there can be no rainbows.

I'm not good either in the kitchen. What I do is go to the dollar store and by holiday tins, plastic containers, or bags. Then I make my own chocolate covered nuts and pretzels. (useing melted chocolate chips) Also making rice crispy treats, but making them bite size. I make fudge but not from scratch. I buy the mix kind. Along with getting candy canes and other holiday candy I then put them together as gifts. Depending how big the tins are I'll put everything in and if they are smaller I might just put the nuts and pretzels with a few peppermints. Oh I also make the Christmas Bark which I end up eating more than I should. My fav.

With the pretzels you can do the pretzel sticks and just chocolate one end. With the normal pretzels cover them completely or just drizzles the chocolate over them.

Hope these ideas are of some help.

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~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 17, Chelsea 14, Connor 12, Logan 6, Cody 4 & Austin 1 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 )
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

Go to www.pioneerwomancooks.com and check out the chocolate truffle recipe which looks super easy. She also has a recipe for cinnamon buns which my son says taste like "heaven in your mouth". The recipe makes enough for 7 pans of buns, which when tied up in cellophane paper and a ribbon makes a very festive gift. I made them last year for teacher appreciation day and everyone LOVED them. They sound scary because they use yeast but they are really not that difficult--and she gives you pictures so you can see exactly how to do things.

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Mary
Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

Please support the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q284/maryc_010/a13-1.jpg[/img]
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thanks everyone, will have to try some of the recipes out next weekend.

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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Just for a different idea, I make candles. I usually do it every year, but didn't last year obviously. You just melt the wax in a coffee can (or a metal container you don't really want to keep), put some flavoring in (scent), melt some crayons in for coloring, and I glue the candle wicks to the bottom of a nice little jar from the dollar store with either hot glue or super glue, then fill each one about 3/4 of the way full, leaving the wax wrapped around a pencil and laid on top the jar. It's really easier than directions sound...lol... You can get the 20 lb (?) chunks of wax off of craft supplies stores. I even made rainbow candles one year (by layering different colors after each has time to set), and ice candles another year. http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/moldedandpillarcandles/ss/icecandle.htm

Have fun! I am trying to get an idea together too, as I give small handmade gifts to all the women of my family every year.

ETA: I dunno if you WANTED to do food or wanted other ideas, but here is another site. I was thinking about doing the first one this year.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5535312_inexpensive-gifts-make-christmas.html

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Elisha
Mommy to Elijah Thomas, 4
and RaeLynne Ruby Lee, 1 year

http://www.ehow.com/how_4582373_easy-inexpensive-christmas-gift.html

That is SIMILAR to the one Lisa posted about. I think it has some different ingredients.

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Elisha
Mommy to Elijah Thomas, 4
and RaeLynne Ruby Lee, 1 year

I bake a slice at Christmas which people around here call "T21 Slice"- referring to type one diabetes that you are sure to trigger it you eat more than one piece! Unbelievable delicious!

Combine 1 packet of crushed plain sweet biscuits with 175 grams melted butter and press into the bottom of an inch deep baking tray. Scatter on top 1 cup each of peanuts (or other nuts), shredded (not dessicated) coconut and choc bits and lastly a tin of condensed milk. Bake in moderate oven 45 minutes. When cool cut into small squares. Be sure to bake a double batch because you won't want to give it away!

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Mum to Brendan 15, Chiara 14, Kiernan 12, Aidan 10, Lachlan 9, Gianna 7 (DS) and Sienna 5.
"This then is what Yahweh asks of you: to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God."

Nicola, those sound gorgeous

Elisha, thanks for all the ideas, I might have a think about candles.

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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I second the cinnamon rolls from Pioneer Woman! I made those last year for the teachers/therapists!! They are much easier than you might think!

Several people mentioned bark, I make various types of bark - so easy!!! Just melt chocolate (milk, dark or white) and mix in any of the following: crisped cereal, crushed pretzels, crushed oreo cookies, your choice of nut or chopped toffee. Pour onto a cookie sheet (with edges). When chocolate has hardened, break up in pieces. You can also add a little mint oil to the chocolate - I like dark chocolate with mint oil mixed with crushed candy canes and crushed oreos!! YUM! To make the bark more festive, you can drizzle a contrasting color of melted chocolate over top before breaking in pieces.

Another easy treat is pretzel candies. Put mini pretzels on a cookie sheet and place a chocolate kiss on each one. Bake at 275 for 2 - 3 minutes until soft, but not melted and then pop an M&M on top and press down a little. I don't know if you have those ingredients or not. The green and red Christmas M&ms look really pretty! (I found a link with a picture of these) http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/holiday-pretzel-treats-685006/


Here's a pic of the rolls!!! Oh yum, I can hardly stand it!!! LOL

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

last year i made tons of pretzels with chocolate with a good package. it was good and cheap, and sicne pretzels are not very common here people thought they were a yummy gift





and the ones who were more important and with more commitment we bought cookies and other snacks, decorate pretzels bars with chocolate and xmas colors, made cherries with chocolate, they were pretty cheap....

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Ali (25) , wife to Felipe since nov 2004 & mom to Elias (Feb 21 2005)

Elias' videos at YouTube

Blog about Elias' life mihijoelias.blogspot.com

love all your packaging Ali

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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Wow! I'm so impressed with how creative everybody is! All I need to do now is learn how to bake My husbands really good at stuff like this (likes making his own bread, cakes and other goodies!) Marlene, your cinnamon rolls are making me feel very hungry

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Jo, Mum to Georgia 11/11/03 ( BIG High School Musical fan) and Ethan 16/12/07 (DS)

But to keep in mind for next year.... I just did the pretzels with hershey kisses and m&ms (red, pink and white of course) for Valentines for the teachers, paras, etc.... Another variation is top pretzel with a Rolo (chocolate, caramel candy), place in over at 275 for 2-3 minutes, top with pecan half (tastes like a Turtle candy.), refridgerate to harden.

Oreo Truffles are always a great hit. Crush in food processor 1 lb package of Oreos, mix with 1 bar of cream cheese until soft dough forms, roll into 1 inch balls, refridgerate about 2 hrs, dip in melted chocolate, top with any variation - sprinkles, crushed peppermint candies, drizzle with white chocolate, etc. refridgerate again until hardened. Package in celophane bages or small container or give to school on a nice platter for the teacher's room (lounge).

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~Melissa~ Mom to David (11) and Joey~Ds(6) and wife to Michael