With less than 10 days until Christmas, it’s time to get to work if we want to make food gifts in time for the big day.
Homemade food gifts are my personal favorite to give and receive, whether sweet or savory. They can include anything to make well or like to make, from cookies and candy to soup or lasagna in a disposable tin.
Cookies are obviously the most popular and easiest gift to make and wrap attractively. There are hundreds of thousands of recipes to choose from, but I am a fan of making the ones you love most. Chocolate chip are universally enjoyed You can add colorful sprinkles or sugars for toppings on many kinds of cookies to make them look festive, and this time of year red and green ones are available at the supermarket. Holiday tins to stash them in are pretty much everywhere.
In my extended family I am known for my cookies, while my sister-in-law is known for the single-serve mince pies she makes with a delicate crust. About 4 inches across, they are the perfect balance of crust and filling.
Other family members share their homemade pierogies and ravioli, and over the years I have received jars of cookie mixes, soup ingredients and hot cocoa mix. These are especially easy to pull together and a perfect choice if you want to get the kids involved.
My 10-year-old niece likes to decorate, and the artist in her shines when we make sugar cookies. Last year we baked them in boy and girl shapes and she decorated them as cheerleaders and basketball players. This year she is talking about Christmas trees that she can decorate in a variety of colors. She bags a few together to give as teacher and family gifts.
Candy is another good choice to make with children. There are many recipes that require little or no cooking and only a few ingredients, such as the fudge recipe below from delish.com. Last year a family member gave everyone tins filled with four kinds of fudge, which were sweet and colorful. Truffles are easy, especially if you dip them in cocoa, while chocolate-covered pretzels are another simple choice. Colorful sprinkles added right after they are dipped make them more festive.
Whatever you choose, it will come from the heart as well as your kitchen, which is the best part of all.
Cooking spray
1. Line an 8-x-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate, condensed milk, butter, cream, vanilla, and salt together. Stir until smooth then pour into prepared pan.
2. Top with sprinkles and refrigerate until set, 2 hours. Cut into squares to serve.
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