I just got back from the set of Great Day Houston, where I presented a Christmas segment on homemade gifts from your kitchen and fun ways to package them on a budget. The ideas were so creative and fun, with our inspiration from the fabulous Carla Beurkle, food stylist extraodinaire!
I'm excited to share them with you today. Be sure and check back soon for a clip of the show!
This is the idea I am most excited about using this year! CD Sleeves make the perfect holders for individual cookies. To make them even more attractive, we cut small pieces of scrapbook paper and slipped in behind the cookie. We bought these in a package of 50 for $5.99, making this easy packaging idea come in at around 10 cents per cookie. They fit so perfectly and are so cute, folks will never know what their original use was!
This is a great way to make a single batch of cookies and have thoughtful gifts for every person in your child's class or everyone in your office.
This is a quick snapshot of some of the setup.
In the back of the set towards the right you see large tubes. We packaged homemade Butter Pecan Granola in plastic zipper seal bags and put them down inside cardboard mailing tubes. By covering the tubes with wrapping paper we have a delicious gift for any granola lover. Once they taste that granola they WILL want to make some more, so we glued the recipe on the outside of the tube as an added bonus.
Notice our pretty pedestal platters? Each one cost less than $2.00 to make - some were even free - using thrift store finds and mismatched pieces around your house plus a little epoxy glue (my favorite is E-6000).
Lets take a closer look...
These Pecan Cranberry Cheese Wafers are presented on a teacup pedestal which is made by simply turning the teacup upside down and gluing the saucer on top.
We packaged the Pecan Cranberry cheese wafers (an updated spin on cheese straws - but requires much less effort!) by stacking them in paper towel rolls and wrapping them up with paper and ribbons in the style of British firecrackers. (Recipes at the bottom of this post)
This is a simple tin tray glued to a glass candlestick from the $1 store.
Here we took a Christmas plate found in a thrift store and glued it to another $1 glass candlestick to make this great cake sized pedestal which we displayed peppermint bark on. This would make a great hostess gift to a holiday party.
This is one of my personal favorites! A mismatched green glass bowl that was ready for a yard sale is paired with a dollar store candlestick to create a beautiful pedestal bowl for your holiday buffet!
Each of the recipes featured in my segment are below.
For more great gift recipe ideas click here and be sure and pick up a copy of the December issue of Southern Living!
Butter Pecan Granola
*From December 2011 Issue of Southern Living
- 1/2 Cup Melted Butter
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans 1/2 cups toasted wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 8 ounce package dried dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 325. Stir together butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Add oats, pecans, wheat germ, sesame seeds, an stir until mixture is evenly coated. Spread oat mixture out on a lightly greased 10x15 jelly roll pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toasted, stirring every ten minutes. Spread baked granola onto wax paper and cool completely (about thirty minutes). Stir in dried dates.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze up to six months.
Cranberry- Pecan Cheese Wafers
*From December 2011 Issue of Southern Living
- 1 1⁄2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 1⁄2 cups coarsely chopped sweetened dried cranberries
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 4 cups (16 oz.) freshly shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 1⁄2 tsp. salt
- 1 1⁄2 tsp. ground red pepper
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Parchment paper
Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile, soak cranberries in boiling water to cover 15 minutes; drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Beat butter and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Shape dough into 4 (12-inch-long) logs; wrap each log in plastic wrap. Chill 8 hours to 3 days. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks, and cool completely (about 20 minutes).
Peppermint Bark
*Recipe courtesy of Southern Living and MyRecipes.com
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 3 (11.5-oz.) packages milk chocolate morsels
- 12 cream-and-mint-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, broken into pieces
- 1 cup small pretzel sticks
- 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped soft peppermint candies, divided
Line 1 (15- x 10-inch) jelly-roll pan with parchment paper; grease with butter. Microwave milk chocolate morsels in a large bowl at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 45-second intervals. Gently stir in cookie pieces, pretzel sticks, and 3/4 cup coarsely chopped candies. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped candies. Let stand until firm (about 6 hours). Break or cut into pieces. Store in a cool place up to 3 days.
Note: We tested with Oreo Double Delight Mint 'N Creme Cookies. Do not freeze bark. Freezing will cause a powdery white coating called bloom.
*These are fun to make and easily customizable!
Cake Mix Cookies
*Recipe Courtesy of Southern Living and MyRecipes.com
- 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well (dough will be sticky). Stir in chopped pecans, if desired. Dust hands with powdered sugar, and shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Coat balls with powdered sugar, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until done; remove to wire racks to cool.
*Can change flavor of cookies by changing flavor of cake mix used.
After I changed into what I refer to as my "airport clothes" I remembered the most important picture of all, one of myself with my hosts!
Special thanks to the Emmy Award Winning Producer Don Geraci and host of Great Day Houston, Deborah Duncan for having me on the show! We had a great time and it was a thrill to be able to spend time on the Great Day Houston set again!
Gratefully,
Christy
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