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Posts Tagged ‘holiday gift ideas’

Sugar and Spice Pecans

Posted in About me, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Sugar and Spice Pecans Do more ingredients and more steps make a recipe better? Not necessarily. Last week my daughter and I attempted to make an elaborate pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. The recipe involved more steps and more ingredients than a usual pumpkin pie recipe contains. In the end, the pie was good, but not incredibly better than other pumpkin pies of the past. However, one of the steps in the recipe required making sugar-coated pecans. Unlike other sugar-coated pecan recipes that incorporate one spice, this recipe’s winning combination of spice made these pecans stand out as the best part of the pie. Their ease of preparation make them a great snack for holiday parties or a crunchy salad topping. Put these crunchy bites of spicy-sweetness into cute jars, complete with a ribbon and tag, and you have a delectable gift to give to family, friends, and holiday party hostesses.

Sugar and Spice Pecans
Adapted from a recipe by BRIT & CO

INGREDIENTS
1 pound pecan halves
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Place egg white and water in a large bowl. Whisk mixture until egg whites are frothy. Add pecans and stir to coat.
3. In a separate bowl mix together sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add to pecan mixture and stir until well-coated.
4. Spread pecans onto a baking sheet and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
5. Let pecans cool completely.
6. Store in an airtight container.

LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Toasting the pecans first brings out their flavor. Make sure they are completely cooled before using them in this recipe.
2. I love the recipe as it is, but just for fun, I’m going to try experimenting with other spices to see what variations I can come up with. Cayenne pepper, ancho chili powder, and espresso powder come immediately to mind.

ENJOY!

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Lemon Tea Sugar Scrub

Posted in Gift Ideas, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Lemon Tea Sugar Scrub Cold winds, dry heat, yard work, cooking, cleaning, etc. all contribute to making your skin rough and dry. Without spending a fortune and in only a few minutes, you can make a deliciously moisturizing scrub for your face and body. Keep containers of this wonderful scrub near your kitchen and bathroom sinks or your shower stall for whenever your skin needs a little tender loving care. To give away as gifts, put the scrub in cute jars, add labels, and tie on little spoons or scoops. Its fresh natural fragrance appeals to both guys and gals!

Lemon Tea Sugar Scrub
The Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano

INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Epsom salt
10 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
3 green tea bags
1 lemon to zest
Grater or zester
Large mixing bowl
Beautiful container

DIRECTIONS
1. Grate your lemon rind and set aside the zest.

2. In the large mixing bowl, combine and mix the sugar, Epsom salt, and loose tea (just rip open the bags and sprinkle the leaves in).

3. Add in the olive oil and mix.

4. Add the honey and combine well.

5. Add the lemon zest.

6. Mix everything in the bowl, then fill up your container.

LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Instead of using tea bags, I used loose-leaf green tea that I had at home. I estimated the amount of leaves that would be contained in three tea bags and I crumbled them into a bowl.

2. The next time I make this, I think I will try using a lemon-infused olive oil.

3. Little jars of this scrub make lovely hostess gifts or party favors.

ENJOY!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/16/11)

Posted in Creativity, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 16, 2011| 4 Comments »

The holidays are right around the corner: Hanukkah begins on the 21st, Christmas, of course, is on the 25th, and Kwanzaa is on the 26th. There’s still so much to do, so many people to see and so many ways to help others. Check out the links on today’s Friday’s Fresh Five! – help and inspiration is just a click away!

#1 – Charities
Giving to others during this holiday season is a kind and generous action, but be sure to check out the charities before you donate. If you want to check the legitimacy of a charity, go to the Better Business Bureau’s charity page or go to the nonprofit American Institute of Philanthropy. Although it puts a damper on the spirit of giving, it’s wise to do your homework before you give.

#2 – Life Is a Gift
Feeling like you need to refocus or regain perspective on your life? Here’s a brief video that will give you a boost.

#3 – WHOLE FOODS to the Rescue!
WHOLE FOODS has a page on its website that is devoted to gifts from the kitchen. You’ll find recipes for Apple Almond Gingerbread, Hot Chocolate Buttons, Sweet and Smokey Popcorn and Nut Mix, Sweet Potato Apple Dog Treats, and a WHOLE lot more. Another nice touch is that WHOLE FOODS also provides a link to a printable gift tag for each recipe!

#4 – Oh, Christmas Tree
Is “creativity the mother of invention” or is “necessity the mother of invention”? I think either saying fits the bill in this story about a frugal town in Lithuania. City officials asked an artist to help them with their holiday decorating. Appreciating the shortage of city funds, the artist created a huge 13-meter tall Christmas tree constructed from some 40,000 recycled bottles and zip ties! Lit from inside at night, it is a beautiful sight to behold and a wonderful testament to the creative spirit.

#5 – My Wish for You
“This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!”
– D.M. Dellinger

Have a wonderful weekend!

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The Kids Are Gone Again Blues: Making Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix

Posted in About me, Gift Ideas, Handcrafted Cards, In The Kitchen, Parenting, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Sitting in front of the fireplace with my furry little dog at my feet, I warm my hands on a mug of hot cocoa and savor the rich chocolate flavor. Ah, the good life. You’d never guess that just a few short hours ago I packed up my kids and sent them on their merry way. Each got a hug and a goody bag of Thanksgiving leftovers. Since they left, I’ve washed six loads of laundry, stripped and remade all the beds, cleaned every sticky square inch of my kitchen, mopped dirty floors, and vacuumed leaf-strewn carpets. That was the easy part of my Thanksgiving holiday.

Despite the nonstop cooking and cleaning, the craziness of playing referee between my kids (yes, even at their ages they still have tiffs), and the constant scheduling of family time around their social schedules, I really love it when my kids come home! But four days goes by quickly, and soon I find myself standing in the driveway waving goodbye to them one by one. As they each drive off, I feel a little emptiness in my heart and sadly I turn around and head back to the house. Miraculously, though, every time they leave and I pass through the threshold of the front door and see the chaotic mess they’ve left behind, that sad feeling is gone! It’s replaced with the Do-You-Think-I’m-The-Maid feeling!

So whether you’re feeling blue because your kids are gone again or you’re just happy to be by yourself again, here’s a recipe for a nice, comforting spicy mocha beverage. A neighbor gave it to me many years ago and it’s a good mix to have around the house during the holidays to serve to guests. For a great gift idea, put the mix in a cellophane bag, tie it up with a pretty ribbon, attach the directions, and tuck in a small bottle of brandy or your favorite liqueur (such as Frangelico or Kahlua) to make your gift complete. Wrapping a bag of mix with a cute pair of coffee mugs is another way to give this mix as a gift. Marshmallows optional with this version!
.
Spiced Mocha Mix
Mix together:
1 cup nondairy powdered creamer
1 cup hot cocoa mix
2/3 cup instant coffee powder/granules (decaffeinated or regular)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Directions: Place 2-4 tablespoons in the bottom of a mug. Add 6 ounces of boiling water and stir until smooth and blended. Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Add your favorite liqueur or brandy to taste – not optional during the holidays!

Don’t forget: When packaging this mix as a gift, make sure to include a printed copy of the directions!

Note: My “Falling Leaves Snowflake” cards were made from outdated calendars. Calendars with beautiful images and high quality paper can be reused for other projects!

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