In my experience Baileys doesn't hang around long enough to go off
It does in my house. MiL got it into he head that I like it (which I do, but not that often). and bought me a Litre bottle for christmas every year for ~ 5 years. I threw 4 bottles out when we moved - all beyond their BB date. I did open them to check and they were definately past their best
Alcohol has never had an opportunity to go out of date in our house!
I'm thinking of adding peanut brittle to the hampers and I saw a really good idea for making lollipops for the kids....make rice krispie squares and cut out shapes (small stars or hearts etc) insert lolli stick and coat the shapes in melted chocolate, let cool and then package.
It's a bit of a guilty pleasure - it seems wrong to like it, but I do.
I'll send you my address, postage and I'll raise Wilkie a mint-condition, unopened, highly sought after toffee apple (I couldn't think of anything but there's a toffee apple in my line of sight...)
gfb - what are you using for containing everything? Do you have actual hampers?
We're going to cover regular cardboard boxes with christmas wrapping paper and then cover it all in with cellophane tied up with ribbon (or raffia) Bookie
Rum truffles made with melted Mars bars and a splash (large) of rum and covered in chocolate hundreds and thousands always went down a storm with my Dad at Christmas.
Lol, GFB. I had to laugh at the look on the cashiers face when I bought the ingredients for my 4 tier chocolate wedding cake. Something like 5kg of chocolate, 6 packs of butter, 2kg of ground almonds and a loaf of bread. I also ahd a couple of normal things I needed anyway, so she must have wondered what I was going to do with the broccoli!
GFB - make sure it's 40% gin or there's a chance it won't work properly and the sloes will ferment rather than be preserved.
We took the wild cherries out of our cherry brandy yesterday. Gosh, they're nice. I'm thinking of using some for chocolates and the rest into a fruity triffle, as suggested by someone on here. I'll have to freeze them tho, I think, as I can't see me eating a triffle before now and Chrisstmas.
I saw a really good idea for making lollipops for the kids....make rice krispie squares and cut out shapes (small stars or hearts etc) insert lolli stick and coat the shapes in melted chocolate, let cool and then package.
Ooooh, I can think of someone small in my household who would love those..................
Chinese Chopsticks Small rice bowls Dried Chinese mushrooms Soya sauce Rice wine Peanut oil Recipes written on small pieces of paper then rolled up Etc
Indian Whole & ground spices Asafoetida Ghee Lentils Recipes as above Etc
Try and keep scented things like lavender bags away from foodie things. I've had some bad experiences with smells permeating edible goodies and making them not quite so edible
How about some stollen? I've made mini stollen (two-bite sized) before, and they went down really well. I love homemade truffles as well - if you make up a batch of a truffle mix, you can split it into different batches and add all sorts of flavours. Baileys is one of my favourites (has anyone tried the new biscotti flavour?), but rum, whisky, tia maria, cointreau and other alcohols are good. So are spices like cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and chili.
Another idea - spiced nuts. Coat some mixed nuts in melted butter (a couple of tablespoons is usually enough), then roast until toasted (20-30 mins, stirring occasionally). Sprinkle over a mix of spices/herbs of your choice and stir to coat. Garlic salt is nice, so is cayenne pepper, smoked paprika... you can be as imaginative as you like really. You can also add soy sauce, Worcester sauce, Henderson's relish, etc. at the same stage as mixing the butter with the nuts for extra flavour. Once the nuts have cooled, put them in a nice jar and you've got a lovely savoury snack.
Not that I have a vested interest in this or anything but just tell them you've made a donation to charity on their behalf. And do it, of course. Saves all the shopping, wrapping etc and everyone can share the 'feel good' factor. In fact, go one step further and volunteer somewhere over Christmas (it's a great way of avoiding the relatives).
Not that I have a vested interest in this or anything but just tell them you've made a donation to charity on their behalf. And do it, of course. Saves all the shopping, wrapping etc and everyone can share the 'feel good' factor. In fact, go one step further and volunteer somewhere over Christmas (it's a great way of avoiding the relatives).
We do that in our family as a matter of course. My fathers wife family started it as they are devout catholic and couldn't see the point in buying each other presents. (They use Cathaid or somemething).
We did something via Oxfam for my parents last year. I did think about it for the MiL the next year as she is a stalwart member of the CofE but OH didn't think she'd like it
Comments
It does in my house. MiL got it into he head that I like it (which I do, but not that often). and bought me a Litre bottle for christmas every year for ~ 5 years. I threw 4 bottles out when we moved - all beyond their BB date. I did open them to check and they were definately past their best
I'll send you my address, HL And the postage
It's a bit of a guilty pleasure - it seems wrong to like it, but I do.
I'm thinking of adding peanut brittle to the hampers and I saw a really good idea for making lollipops for the kids....make rice krispie squares and cut out shapes (small stars or hearts etc) insert lolli stick and coat the shapes in melted chocolate, let cool and then package.
I'll send you my address, postage and I'll raise Wilkie a mint-condition, unopened, highly sought after toffee apple (I couldn't think of anything but there's a toffee apple in my line of sight...)
gfb - what are you using for containing everything? Do you have actual hampers?
Almond brittle is very good too
I'm in the mood for making stuff now!
Damn you, Bookworm! I'll top your toffee apple with home-made picalilli!
Actually, maybe.......
We took the wild cherries out of our cherry brandy yesterday. Gosh, they're nice. I'm thinking of using some for chocolates and the rest into a fruity triffle, as suggested by someone on here. I'll have to freeze them tho, I think, as I can't see me eating a triffle before now and Chrisstmas.
In the past I've made hampers on a theme, eg:
Chinese
Chopsticks
Small rice bowls
Dried Chinese mushrooms
Soya sauce
Rice wine
Peanut oil
Recipes written on small pieces of paper then rolled up
Etc
Indian
Whole & ground spices
Asafoetida
Ghee
Lentils
Recipes as above
Etc
I've done the same for Spanish, Mexican and Thai.
How about some stollen? I've made mini stollen (two-bite sized) before, and they went down really well. I love homemade truffles as well - if you make up a batch of a truffle mix, you can split it into different batches and add all sorts of flavours. Baileys is one of my favourites (has anyone tried the new biscotti flavour?), but rum, whisky, tia maria, cointreau and other alcohols are good. So are spices like cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and chili.
Another idea - spiced nuts. Coat some mixed nuts in melted butter (a couple of tablespoons is usually enough), then roast until toasted (20-30 mins, stirring occasionally). Sprinkle over a mix of spices/herbs of your choice and stir to coat. Garlic salt is nice, so is cayenne pepper, smoked paprika... you can be as imaginative as you like really. You can also add soy sauce, Worcester sauce, Henderson's relish, etc. at the same stage as mixing the butter with the nuts for extra flavour. Once the nuts have cooled, put them in a nice jar and you've got a lovely savoury snack.
That would be one to do to someone you don't like, but feel you HAVE to get a present for!
I'm having a jolly time imagining the look on some people's faces
CAFOD
We did something via Oxfam for my parents last year. I did think about it for the MiL the next year as she is a stalwart member of the CofE but OH didn't think she'd like it