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Gifts Made with Love
Here we are again, at the doorstep of another holiday that will likely be very different than years before. Christmas for most of us will be more subdued. There will be no office holiday parties, and likely no cookie exchanges. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still show your love and appreciation for family, friends and neighbors with a little something. In fact, maybe this year more than any other, we should show a little extra love, even if it’s a simple gesture. I have always loved gifts handmade with love and have shared a few with you in the past. Some of my favorites to make and share include…
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Mama Edie’s Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Most kids I knew growing up ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with gloppy grape jelly. In my house, we grew up eating them with delicious sweet tart rhubarb jam. This was because my father developed an allergy to most fruits when he was young, with the exception of melons, limes and rhubarb. My Mom had to get creative with a jam that he could safely enjoy. Technically, rhubarb is a vegetable, with an inedible leaf and a long reddish stalk that looks similar to celery, though it is not related. But it can be cooked down with sugar and turned into delicious baked treats, or made into a delicious…
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Chocolate Cherry Granola
We have had an unusual snow event this week in North Carolina with the first major snow fall in early December in many years. That means we found ourselves trapped inside with too much time on our hands. This is always the perfect time to get some baking done and work on some handmade food gifts. Sometimes, over the holiday season, you need a break from the overly-sweet treats and you might want to make an edible gift that is slightly healthier. This granola is just the thing. Don’t worry, it still involves chocolate. A few years ago, I decided to try to make granola at home. It’s easier then…
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Magic Christmas Chocolate Bark
As a little girl, I remember my Mom spending hours making delicious Christmas cookies and candy. She made chocolate covered peanut butter balls, chocolate nut clusters and fruit and nut clusters. A lot of love went into each piece – and a lot of time. I still love lots of chocolate during Christmas but I also love short cuts. I use my microwave to make my chocolate treats, the popcorn I shared with you last week, easy fudge, and the bark I am sharing today. Last year, our microwave stopped working during the Christmas season and it was a major crisis. I know it’s a first world problem for sure,…
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Spreading Christmas Cheer
Thanks to help from my teenagers and my husband, Christmas is in full swing on our home. It takes awhile, but it sure is nice to have the tree up and decorated and wreaths on the doors, etc. While decorating, my dear friend and husband surprised me with a new addition to my Christmas fun. Isn’t this Advent gnome the cutest thing you ever did see?? There are still some odds and ends left to be done, like the outside lights and the Christmas village, but these will be projects for the upcoming weekend. In the meantime, I am rapidly filling the kitchen counters with Christmas treats. These treats must…
