One of the things that I love about our adult children having such close relationships is when they ask for group gifts (still!).

It is not uncommon for them to ask for things like these:

1. Restaurant gift cards to a place that they all want to go to together but that the college kids couldn’t afford without a gift card.

2. A video series that they will pass around/share with one another

3. A football that is kept at Mom and Dad’s for them all to use when they are all here together

4. Movie theater tickets for them all to go see a movie together

5. A game that they only play all together that is too expensive for one person to buy

Group gifts are just another way to keep kids close to each other–and even bring them back home together at times! 🙂

My Axis and Allies kids with their new 1914 edition…once a homeschooler, always a homeschooler!

The post Christmas With College and Adult Kids: Group Gifts appeared first on Character Ink.

This fall we took a family vacation to Florida (all fourteen of us!), so we decided beforehand that due to finances and time to shop (we returned a few days before Thanksgiving), we would give our kids gift cards for Christmas rather than presents (except for our Christmas Eve Plastic Wrap Prize Ball and Grab Bags). As it turns out, my dad was very sick and in the hospital for two weeks, and I was completely tied up between him and working/writing/teaching that I didn’t have a chance to do any Christmas shopping until mid-December, so we were glad we had made that decision early on. (If you’ve read about our plastic wrap prizes and grab bags, you will know that those require some shopping and planning too!)

A question was posed on a Facebook group recently about how to present gifts of cash or gift cards. Many ideas were shared, plus we have many of our own, so I thought I would share some of these in this post, along with a few other tips.

First of all, I use something similar to our Kids’ Fave pages to find out what things my kids would like the most. Additionally, if I am going to be giving them a larger gift card (I often do for a birthday), I ask them specifically what they would shop for if they had a card. For example, one daughter-in-law is going to be buying some new clothes for student teaching, so she wanted Kohls’ gift cards; another daughter wants to get new running shoes; a son is building up his tool supply, so he wanted Sears. I have always thought it was important to see what the kids want, or in the case of most young adults, need at that time.

Now for the ideas of presentation. Here are some for cash and/or gift cards:

1) Here is the one I am doing with their gift cards this year: I’m taping (or non permanent sticky note type of tape) each of my kids’ gift cards to their favorite of something. Like my daughter-in-law collects snow men picture books, so I’m taping one of hers to the front of that. My son-in-law loves truffles, so I’m taping his to the front of a box of truffles. Another kid loves dark chocolate covered pretzels, so I’m taping his onto there. Another one loves jokes, so I’m taping his to the front of an inexpensive joke book. Another loves penguins, so I’m taping hers to the front of a penguin soap dispenser. Another loves Dentine gum, so I’m taping hers to the front of a case of her gum. This lets you give them money or a gift card but lets them know that you know something about what they like or enjoy.

2) Gift card tree—the first year we had a child-in-law, I got several $10 gift cards to places that her mom told me she liked and hung them like ornaments on a mini Christmas tree

3) Quarter rolls or dime rolls

4) Punch box in which the person has to punch the holes to get the money out of each one

5) Tape dollar bills end to end and roll them up in a tissue box

6) Paper airplanes made out of money

7) Pinata with money or gift cards taped to candy

8) Kits called “stick it right on the money” to dress up cash

9) Wrap candy bars with dollar bills

10) Place cash in a helium balloon

11) Put card of cash in a small box then put that in a bigger box and wrap it then that in a bigger box and wrap it, etc.

12) Fold them up small and place them in chocolates that you make—as the filling for the chocolates

13) Have a treasure hunt in which they search for their dollar bills or gift cards (or put in colored eggs, like an Easter egg hunt with each person’s in a different color egg or box)

14) Frame a collage of bills with a sign in the middle that says “break in case of emergency”

15) Hide a very small folded bill in a bag of Skittles or M and M’s

16) Buy a book and use Post-It Notes tape to tape bills throughout the book with a note that they can’t spend that bill until they get to that page in the book

17) Put money folded small in a pop bottle with other treats and surprises

18) Make homemade “crackers” that open when you snap them and instead of putting gifts inside, put cash (you can also buy these pre-made)

19) Roll bills up and put them in balloons before you blow them up. Fill a big box with the balloons and when they open the box, they have to pop the balloons to get the cash.

20) Ornaments that open and you can tuck cash or cards into

21) Tuck a gift card into a pair of socks, gloves, or slippers

22) Get clear balloons and fill with confetti and money

23) Make a dollar bill necklace by creating a chain (similar to the chains you make with paper to decorate a Christmas tree)

24) Get an empty candy box and place gift cards, dollar coins, folded up dollar bills, etc., into each empty slot that did have candy in it

25) Create a clear plastic sleeve for gift cards or bills, punch holes in the corners of them, and join them together with a metal ring—you could also add a key chain that represents that person and/or a page in the front of the whole gift with a card or note for the person to make it more personable

26) Roll up bills tightly (one at a time) and tie ribbon around each one that represents something about that person (dog ribbon or ribbon with books, etc.); place in a canning jar; decorate the lid with that same theme (i.e. a tiny stuffed dog on top or a little tiny book, etc.)

27) Make a tower of boxes of decreasing sizes and wrap each box, tape together, and put a ribbon over all the tower (like the fancy food towers that wholesale clubs carry at Christmas time). You can adjust it according to the amounts of each box/money or gift card. For example, the smallest could have a $5 gift card to someplace; the next a $10; the next a $15; and so on until the final one has a larger one. OR the smallest box could have a fifty cent piece; the next one a one dollar bill; the next one a five, etc. (Be sure they start with opening the smallest one!)

28) Fill an empty pizza box with some “dough”—including a sign inside that says that

29) Give a flower bouquet and wrap a bill around each stem

30) Get a thin, inexpensive photo book (at Dollar Tree) and fill each sleeve with a bill or card

31) Make a flower bouquet out of bills

32) Make a dart board with balloons that have cash in them; let the kids throw darts at them and get the cash inside

33) Put them in grab bags that people get according to the number they draw (or play our Pass and “Steal” Grab Bag game with group at Christmas time!)

34) Put gift cards of various amounts and to various places in layers of a ball made of plastic wrap. As they unroll the plastic wrap layers, they get the cards or bills. (Or for a group, here is how you do the Plastic Wrap Prize Ball.)

35) Get an inexpensive Monopoly game and replace the play money with real bills

36) Bake a batch of “fortune cookies” with bills inside each one

37) A balloon bouquet with cash in each balloon

38) A little business card holder with a different gift card or bill in each sleeve.  If you’re crafty, you could make a cute one like one of these!

39) Put a bill in separate little cards with rhymes for each one, such as

Here you’ll find a bill of one
Maybe some candy or chewing gum?

Here’s a bigger one; it won’t go far
Buy a Big Mac or wash your car.

Now you’re in business—a bill of ten
You can go to the movies but can’t take a friend.

Oooh…better yet, a twenty will make you smile
Dinner and a drink will l keep you busy for a while.

Fifty dollars—wowsie…that’s some serious dough
Spend it on something you love or someplace you want to go.

40) Empty favorite tea bag wrappers and replace with folded bills

The post 40 Presentation Ideas for Cash or Gift Cards appeared first on Character Ink.

My personal favorite holiday treat—the more walnuts, the better. This is a very simple fudge recipe that truly is no-fail.

Never Fail Chocolate Fudge on the left, Peanut Butter Fudge on the right 🙂

8 cups sugar

½ lb butter (2 sticks)

2 – (7 oz) jars marshmallow cream

2 cups chopped nuts

2 – 12 oz cans evaporated milk

2 – 12 oz packages chocolate chips (4 cups)

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in milk and sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on medium to medium high heat). (Bring to softball stage; 235’.)

4. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

5. Add marshmallow cream and nuts, stirring until well blended.

6. Pour into two 9 x 13 greased baking dishes.

7. Cool at room temp.

8. Makes approximately 6 lbs.

Pin this post!

The post Christmas Goodies: Never Fail Chocolate Fudge appeared first on Character Ink.

Plastic wrap prizes! Several have asked how we do this activity, so here is a somewhat-clear description! (The pics are a little grainy in our living room that night!)

One thing that I highly recommend as you prepare for Christmas with teens and adults is that you try to make new memories…that you try to do things that are applicable to their ages. Yes, we definitely continue some of the earlier traditions. But we’ve also added new ones that are more age-appropriate. One of those is plastic wrap prizes.

This activity could be in lieu of stockings, Christmas Eve PJs, piñatas, etc. It is a ton of fun for teens and adults. With younger kids, there’s always a danger of some disappointment if they get Chapstick or antacids (lol!), but with teens and adults, it is all just good fun. Lots of laughs. Lots of usable items. And more family unity than you would think, LOL!

 
Here is how we created the huge plastic wrap ball:

1) Take a bunch of small gifts—see suggestions below

2) Lay the first one on plastic wrap that is pulled out then start rolling the plastic wrap around the prize.

3) When it is covered,  lay another prize on it and roll again.

4) When you come to the end of the roll, open another roll and tied the end of the first with the beginning of the second.

5) When we were done with all one hundred plus gifts/prizes, we had a huge ball like you see in the picture.

Ray getting started on the Plastic Wrap Prizes for our Christmas Eve night! Sorting all of the goodies and gifts.

 
Getting closer! This is more fun for young adults than stockings!

 
The “ball” is getting bigger–we are on our second roll of plastic wrap now!

 
Last layer. The kids will pass the ball around the room to the next person, unwrapping another layer each time as their “prizes” fall out!
 

So what exactly do we do with that big ball of prizes, goodies, and gifts? Here is how that part goes down:

 1) The kids all get in a big semi circle and the first one tears away the plastic wrap (the ball is on the floor in front of them) and gets the first prize he comes to/first one that falls out.

2) Then he passes it to the next person (or moves it over in front of the next person who does the same.

3) They continue to do that…they might see something they like better under the next layer, but they get whatever is next in the wrap. (They barter and trade afterwards!)

So what are good Plastic Wrap Prizes? This is dependent on a lot of factors:

1) Whether this activity is in place of other gifts you would normally get them. (Ours is in part as this year we are doing a bigger gift card or two per person and then the “gifts” are the things in this plastic wrap as well as in the grab bags… See my upcoming post on grab bag gifts for Christmas eve.)

2) If it is just for extras, like candy and trinkets that you put in their stockings, then you would probably want to limit it to $.50 or one dollar items, such as packages of gum, candy bars, nail clippers, etc.

3) How many people will be opening the ball and removing things. For us, we have seven adult kids and four kids-in-law. Thus, I try to have at least forty-four items in it so that each “child” receives four gifts or prizes approximately.

4) Your family’s Christmas budget. Since this is replacing some of their gifts this year, I will put a little bit costlier items in it than I did when it did not replace part of their gifts. Therefore, this year, we will have DVDs, nicer earbuds, and some $10 gift cards. Keep in mind that whatever you start is somewhat what people come to expect. (This is, of course, true with any gift of giving situation. Even going down to gift cards this year for us is challenging simply because that is not where we started with our adult Christmas gifts.)

5) What types of things you want them to end up with. I have been on a minimalism kick for the last couple of years; therefore, I am opposed to giving them more things to have lying around their houses since I don’t want things lying around my house either. Of course, sometimes nicer/more usable things are more expensive. Generally speaking, I try to stay away from too many Dollar Tree items and Target dollar bin items unless these are truly usable prizes.

I know this post is getting long, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a list of some suggestions for the Plastic Wrap a Prizes. I recommend you use our Kids’ Faves List if you are unsure of what your kids would like. 

1) Gum, mints, Lifesavers, TicTac’s, and other small gum and mint items (I get tons of “consumables” and usually put a gum or candy in every layer—so there is a consumable and a gift each time.)

2) Favorite candy–again I use my kid faves list and get everybody’s favorites knowing they will barter and trade at the end.

3) Ear buds… And more earbuds

4) Fast food gift cards

5) Movie theater tickets

6) Hand warmers

7) Small window scrapers

8) Hand lotion

9) Hand sanitizer

10) DVDs

11) CDs

12) Pepper spray

13) Meat thermometers (I’m all about meat thermometers for my kids’ kitchens!)

14) Car wash cards

15) Wal-mart gift cards

16) Playing cards

17) Hand held portable games (Yahtzee, etc.)

18) Coupons for a ream of paper from our print center (we have a small press publishing company….Character Ink Press)

19) Five dollar bills with a sticky note to use it towards something specific

20) Laundry soap pouches in double zipper bags

21) Spices (especially more expensive ones like real vanilla or a blend)

22) Kitchen gadgets that are super useful

23) Hand sanitizer, talcum powder, hand lotion, chap stick, nail clippers

24) Soup, coffee, tea, and cocoa packets and add ins

25) Personalized calendars and other small family pic items

26) Flashlights and batteries

27) Mini Lego figures

28) Zippo lighters (in a box)

29) Travel toiletries

30) Toothbrushes and toothpaste

31) Card games such as Pit, Uno, Dutch Blitz, Skip Bo, Rook, Phase 10

32) Travel games

33) Tylenol, Advil, Emergen C

34) Office supplies such as pens, highlighters, sticky notes, envelopes, etc

35) USB flash drives

36) Household miscellaneous scissor sets, masking tape, pliers, extension cords, etc.

37) Favorite team paraphernalia

38) Fuzzy socks

39) Bathroom miscellaneous such as Q-tips, cotton balls, Band Aids, etc.

40) Inexpensive sporting tickets (or museum)

41) Phone chargers, car adapters, etc

42) Stress balls, yo yo’s, Silly Putty

43) Oven mitts

44) Plexus X Factor, ProBio 5, Boost, Children’s Chewables, or Slim drink packets

45) Car air fresheners

46) Tiny plasticware containers, little zipper type bags (craft, pill, etc., sized)

47) Table top mind games (Cracker Barrel style)

48) Gas cards

49) Chip clips, carabiner clips, zip strips

50) Penny, nickel, or dime rolls

51) Small feather dusters, scrub brushes, cleaning cloths

Other Thoughts

• I just use the cheap plastic wrap from the dollar store. (I thought I needed the heavier stuff, and I bought the thicker kind that year, but it really isn’t necessary.)

• Watch out for things with strong scents. Cinnamon car fresheners, peppermint candy, wintergreen gum, pine cone room scents, etc., can make your prizes smell and/or taste those scents/flavors.

• Things can get broken, so watch out for things not packaged. For example, my non-peppermint candy canes were all in pieces.

• If having things even in cost is super important to you, you could handle this one of two ways: You could be sure that every layer of the plastic wrap has similar priced items. For example, you could put Chapstick, fluffy socks, and a five dollar McDonald’s card in if you want each layer to have roughly eight dollars with the stuff in it. Or, you could do it such where the very middle of the ball has all expensive things in it and the outsides of the ball has gum, mints, masking tape, etc. In this way, they would open the lesser priced things first and then expensive things last. Both of these ways in sure that somebody doesn’t just end up with a $1.50 worth of stuff and somebody else is up with $30 worth of stuff at the end.

Save

The post Plastic Wrap Christmas: Big Kid Fun appeared first on Character Ink.

In earlier posts, I gave ideas and recipes for snack mixes that parents and kids can make with their kids for gifts. Today I would like to share the hands-down easiest food gift I have ever made. (Well, maybe it was so easy because Kara made all 100+ pounds of it that year!) Seriously, if you know how to make simple fudge recipes (i.e. evaporated milk, marshmallows, and marshmallow cream, etc.), you will be surprised how quickly many (dozens!) of food gifts come together in this tip.

I purchased those little six-eight inches or so across plastic holiday tubs (the real inexpensive ones without lids that are about three to five inches deep). (You can use any container really, that you don’t care to get back—but because you do not need lids, you can get them extremely cheaply—I think I got mine like 4/$1 at Dollar Tree or somewhere like that.)

Then we, uhm, Kara, began making fudge (recipes below). She started the butter melting in the huge “saucepan” and spread the containers out on counters. When the fudge was ready, rather than pouring it into 9 x 13 glass baking dishes (like we usually do), she simply filled each little plastic container (200 of them!) with fudge. She continued in this manner with all of the chocolate-walnut, then all the peanut butter. In two to three hours or so, she had like 70-80 containers filled with 50 lbs of fudge! (She was sixteen when she did this and was not all that experienced cooking on her own as she was our chief editor at the time—so she got out of kitchen duty a lot!)

When the fudge was cool and firm, she slid each one into a decorative bag (the little tub sat down in the bag so the top of the bag was twisted and tied (with ribbon) above the little tub—so tub sat upright in the bag) and tied it up. At that point, because we have a small house and little storage, she simply stacked them all in Rubbermaid tubs with lids and placed them in the storage shed (our “other refrigerator”) until we were ready to distribute them!

We have done various gifts for neighbors, students, church friends, family members, librarians, and more, including cookie trays, snack mixes, quick breads, yeast breads, and goodie tins. This is the simplest and fastest, by far. It is easy to clean up (just sauce pan, measuring cups, thermometer, and spoons). Plus, they taste amazing! 

Below are the recipes for all three of the fudges she used for this—chocolate walnut, peanut butter, and chocolate-peanut butter ribbon. Merry Christmas!

  Chocolate Walnut Fudge 6 pounds

8 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Butter 1 cup = 2 sticks

2 Each marshmellow cream 7 oz jars (2 of them)

2 Cup Walnuts, chopped Or more!

2 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans (2 of them)

2 Package Chocolate Chips 12 oz pkgs (2 of

them=4 cups)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in milk and sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream and nuts, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour into 2 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. Cool at room temp.

9. Makes approximately 6 lbs.

————————————————————

                     Chocolate Walnut Fudge — Double 12 pounds

16 Cup Sugar

2 Cup Butter 1 cup = 2 sticks

4 Each marshmellow cream 7 oz jars (2 of them)

4 Cup Walnuts, chopped Or more!

4 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans (2 of them)

4 Package Chocolate Chips 12 oz pkgs (2 of

them=4 cups)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in milk and sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream and nuts, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour into 4 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. Cool at room temp.

9. Makes approximately 6 lbs.

_______________________________________

                               Peanut Butter Fudge 5-6 pounds

4 Cup Brown Sugar

4 Cup Marshmallows, miniature

4 Cup Sugar

4 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy

2 Cup Evaporated Milk

4 Tablespoon Vanilla

1/2 Cup Butter 1/2 cup = 1 stick

Instructions

1. Combine sugars, evaporated milk, and butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour into 2 13 x 9 greased (PAM) baking dishes.

7. Cool, cut, and serve.

8. Makes approximately 5-6 pounds.

————————————————————

                    Peanut Butter Fudge — Double 10-12 pounds

8 Cup Brown Sugar

8 Cup Marshmallows, miniature

8 Cup Sugar

8 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy

4 Cup Evaporated Milk

8 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 Cup Butter 1/2 cup = 1 stick

Instructions

————————————————————

1. Combine sugars, evaporated milk, and butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour into 4 13 x 9 greased (PAM) baking dishes.

7. Cool, cut, and serve.

8. Makes approximately 10-12 pounds.

________________________________________

                    Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ribbon Fudge 12 pounds

Ingredients for Both Layers

4 Cup Brown Sugar

4 Cup marshmellows miniature

12 Cup Sugar

4 Cup peanut butter, creamy

2 Cup Evaporated Milk

2 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans

4 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 1/2 Cup Butter 1 stick=1/2 cup

2 Each marshmellow cream each jar=7 oz

2 Each Chocolate Chips each=12 oz package

Instructions for Chocolate Fudge “Ribbon”

1. For the chocolate fudge, melt 1 cup butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk and 8 cups sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour chocolate fudge mixture into 4 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. While chocolate layer is cooling, make peanut butter fudge according to

instructions below.

Instructions for Peanut Butter Fudge “Ribbon”

1. Combine 4 cups brown sugar, 4 cups white sugar, 1 cups evaporated milk,

and 1/2 cup butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour over the four pans of chocolate fudge once it is cooled somewhat.

7. Let all cool before cutting; may put in fridge or cool garage, etc. to

cool quicker.

The post The Easiest Homemade Food Gift I’ve Ever Made: Fudges appeared first on Character Ink.

2 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Butter 1 stick=1/2 cup,

2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Teaspoon Salt

4 Each Egg(s)

1 Cup Milk sour milk or part sour

cream

6 Cup Flour

6 Each Banana/s large

2 Cup Walnuts, chopped or more

Instructions

1. Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl.

2. Add eggs and blend.

3. Add sour milk. (To “make” sour milk, put 1 TBSP vinegar in bottom of one

cup measure before adding milk to glass measure.) Blend.

4. Mix flour, salt, and soda in another bowl with a fork.

5. Stir gradually into creamed mixture.

6. Add smashed bananas.

7. Pour into four small, well-greased bread pans.

8. Bake at convection at 350′ for 30-45 mins or until fork or toothpick

inserted in center comes out clean. (Regular oven 45-60 mins.)

————————————————————

Banana Bread — Double eight “small” loaves

4 Cup Sugar

2 Cup Butter 1 stick=1/2 cup,

4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

4 Teaspoon Salt

8 Each Egg(s)

2 Cup Milk sour milk or part sour

cream

12 Cup Flour

12 Each Banana/s large

4 Cup Walnuts, chopped or more

Instructions

1. Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl.

2. Add eggs and blend.

3. Add sour milk. (To “make” sour milk, put 1 TBSP vinegar in bottom of one

cup measure before adding milk to glass measure.) Blend.

4. Mix flour, salt, and soda in another bowl with a fork.

5. Stir gradually into creamed mixture.

6. Add smashed bananas.

7. Pour into four small, well-greased bread pans.

8. Bake at convection at 350′ for 30-45 mins or until fork or toothpick

inserted in center comes out clean. (Regular oven 45-60 mins.)

————————————————————

Pumpkin Bread 4 large loaves

1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

3 Teaspoon Baking Soda

3 Teaspoon Allspice

6 Each Egg(s)

1 1/2 Cup Butter 1 stick=1/2 cup

4 1/2 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg, ground

4 3/4 Cup Flour

1 Cup Evaporated Milk

1 Each Canned Pumpkin each=24 oz here

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl until thoroughly

mixed.

2. Pour into greased and floured bread pans (two).

3. Cook for 40-55 minutes convection or one hour regular at 350′.

4. Yield four large loaves.

————————————————————

Apple Bread makes 1 loaf

1/2 Cup Margarine

2 Each Egg(s)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cup Flour

2 Cup Apples, sliced

1/2 Cup Nuts, chopped optional

Topping Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon Margarine very soft

3 Tablespoon Flour

3 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Instructions

Blend margarine, eggs and sugar together. Add soda, salt and vanilla; beat.

Add flour, mix, and then add apples and nuts. Place in greased bread pan.

Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of breads.

Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Freezing Directions:

Wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:

Allow the bread to thaw. Slice and enjoy.

Comments:

It’s really good warmed up in the microwave with a little bit of butter on

it!

————————————————————

Apple Bread — Double makes 2 loaves

1 Cup Margarine

4 Each Egg(s)

2 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoon Vanilla

4 Cup Flour

4 Cup Apples, sliced

1 Cup Nuts, chopped optional

Topping Ingredients:

4 Tablespoon Margarine very soft

6 Tablespoon Flour

6 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Instructions

Assembly Directions:

Blend margarine, eggs and sugar together. Add soda, salt and vanilla; beat.

Add flour, mix, and then add apples and nuts. Place in greased bread pan.

Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of breads.

Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Freezing Directions:

Wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:

Allow the bread to thaw. Slice and enjoy.

The post day 350: quick bread gifts—recipes appeared first on Character Ink.

Snack mixes start here: https://positiveparenting3-6-5.blogspot.com/2010/11/day-311-holiday-snack-mixwhite.html

Fudge gifts start here: https://positiveparenting3-6-5.blogspot.com/2010/12/day-342-fudge-gifts-for-christmas-part.html

Lastly, I wanted to leave you with a third gift idea that we have had success with—not quite as fast as the snack mixes or fudge gifts, but tasty and inexpensive. That is the gift of quick breads.

Quick breads are cake-like, non-yeast, non-rising breads. These include pumpkin, apple, applesauce, banana, zuchini, cranberry, lemon, carrot, and more. They are generally well liked, freeze wonderfully (some are better after freezing), may be embellished with nuts and fruits, and can be made in various sizes for various purposes.

When we did strictly quick breads for gifts, we used the small (think “mini”) loaf pans, popped them out, cooled them, then bagged them in decorative bags. I have seen others bake them in mini foil bread pans and bag them, pan and all in decorative bags. For larger families or larger gifts, you may desire to use full sized loaf pans. I like using the mini loaf pans and giving two of these to larger families. (That way, they all baked evenly, etc.)

Before I give you three of our favorite quick bread recipes (in the next post), I want to share with you our funny “banana bread/courtship” story…from December 2004:

“I have to relate a funny story to our practice of making doughs and batters early and keeping them in cold places until we bake them. Last year, Joshua and Lisa had just gotten engaged the day before our banana-bread-batter-making-day. Lisa pulled into the driveway to spend the evening with us when Joshua ran out of the shower announcing that we had to do something with the banana bread batter (now in what I would most accurately describe as a vat of at least a dozen gallons in the middle of the dining room table) ——because Lisa gets sick over bananas. She can’t eat them, or even smell them, he related. Well, we were filling loaf pans on the dining room table, and you have to understand that our dining room table is about six feet from every room in our small downstairs. There’s simply no escaping it. So we filled the pans quickly and baked several loaves, then promptly put the remaining vat of batter in the back of the van (to keep the cats out of it!). Of course, the banana bread smell was all through the house by this time.

The next night, Joshua was on his way up to pick up Lisa to go to a Christmas philharmonic concert when I called him and told him he had the banana bread batter in the back of his van. He said it was okay because it must be frozen; it didn’t smell at all, so he went on up to pick her up. By the time he got to her house, the batter was nice and warm from the heat of the van, and the entire van smelled like rotten bananas! (Needless to say, Joshua drove her parents’ car to the concert.) The moral of this story: Keep your batters and doughs in cold places away from cats and anybody who doesn’t like ‘banana bread batter.’ (I think that’s the moral of this story. Maybe it’s find out any complete aversions your future daughter-in-law has before immersing her in that aversion.)”

Tomorrow—recipes for banana, pumpkin, and apple breads.

The post day 349: quick bread gifts appeared first on Character Ink.

                              Chocolate Walnut Fudge 6 pounds

8 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Butter 1 cup = 2 sticks

2 Each marshmellow cream 7 oz jars (2 of them)

2 Cup Walnuts, chopped Or more!

2 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans (2 of them)

2 Package Chocolate Chips 12 oz pkgs (2 of

them=4 cups)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in milk and sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream and nuts, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour into 2 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. Cool at room temp.

9. Makes approximately 6 lbs.

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                     Chocolate Walnut Fudge — Double 12 pounds

16 Cup Sugar

2 Cup Butter 1 cup = 2 sticks

4 Each marshmellow cream 7 oz jars (2 of them)

4 Cup Walnuts, chopped Or more!

4 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans (2 of them)

4 Package Chocolate Chips 12 oz pkgs (2 of

them=4 cups)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in milk and sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream and nuts, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour into 4 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. Cool at room temp.

9. Makes approximately 6 lbs.

_______________________________________

                               Peanut Butter Fudge 5-6 pounds

4 Cup Brown Sugar

4 Cup Marshmallows, miniature

4 Cup Sugar

4 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy

2 Cup Evaporated Milk

4 Tablespoon Vanilla

1/2 Cup Butter 1/2 cup = 1 stick

Instructions

1. Combine sugars, evaporated milk, and butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour into 2 13 x 9 greased (PAM) baking dishes.

7. Cool, cut, and serve.

8. Makes approximately 5-6 pounds.

————————————————————

                    Peanut Butter Fudge — Double 10-12 pounds

8 Cup Brown Sugar

8 Cup Marshmallows, miniature

8 Cup Sugar

8 Cup Peanut Butter, creamy

4 Cup Evaporated Milk

8 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 Cup Butter 1/2 cup = 1 stick

Instructions

————————————————————

1. Combine sugars, evaporated milk, and butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour into 4 13 x 9 greased (PAM) baking dishes.

7. Cool, cut, and serve.

8. Makes approximately 10-12 pounds.

________________________________________

                    Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ribbon Fudge 12 pounds

4 Cup Brown Sugar

4 Cup marshmellows miniature

12 Cup Sugar

4 Cup peanut butter, creamy

2 Cup Evaporated Milk

2 Each Evaporated Milk 12 oz cans

4 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 1/2 Cup Butter 1 stick=1/2 cup

2 Each marshmellow cream each jar=7 oz

2 Each Chocolate Chips each=12 oz package

Instructions for Chocolate Fudge “Ribbon”

1. For the chocolate fudge, melt 1 cup butter in large heavy sauce pan.

2. Stir in 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk and 8 cups sugar.

3. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching (on

medium to medium high heat).

4. Bring to softball stage (235′).

5. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

6. Add marshmellow cream, stirring until well blended.

7. Pour chocolate fudge mixture into 4 9 x 13 baking dishes.

8. While chocolate layer is cooling, make peanut butter fudge according to

instructions below.

Instructions for Peanut Butter Fudge “Ribbon”

1. Combine 4 cups brown sugar, 4 cups white sugar, 1 cups evaporated milk,

and 1/2 cup butter in heavy saucepan.

2. Cook until softball stage on medium (235′), stirring often.

3. Remove from stove.

4. Stir in marshmellows, peanut butter, and vanilla.

5. Stir until all is melted and begins to thicken.

6. Pour over the four pans of chocolate fudge once it is cooled somewhat.

7. Let all cool before cutting; may put in fridge or cool garage, etc. to

cool quicker.

The post day 343: fudge gifts for Christmas part ii of ii appeared first on Character Ink.

In earlier posts, I gave ideas and recipes for snack mixes that parents and kids can make with their kids for gifts. Today I would like to share the hands-down easiest food gift I have ever made. (Well, maybe it was so easy because Kara made all 100+ pounds of it that year!) Seriously, if you know how to make simple fudge recipes (i.e. evaporated milk, marshmallows, and marshmallow cream, etc.), you will be surprised how quickly many (dozens!) of food gifts come together in this tip.

I purchased those little six-eight inches or so across plastic holiday tubs (the real inexpensive ones without lids that are about three to five inches deep). (You can use any container really, that you don’t care to get back—but because you do not need lids, you can get them extremely cheaply—I think I got mine like 4/$1 at Dollar Tree or somewhere like that.)

Then we, uhm, Kara, began making fudge (recipes in next post!). She started the butter melting the huge “saucepan” and spread the containers out on counters. When the fudge was ready, rather than pouring it into 9 x 13 glass baking dishes (like we usually do), she simply filled each little plastic container (200 of them!) with fudge. She continued in this manner with all of the chocolate-walnut, then all the peanut butter. In two to three hours or so, she had like 70-80 containers filled with 50 lbs of fudge! (She was sixteen when she did this and was not all that experienced cooking on her own as she was our chief editor at the time—so she got out of kitchen duty a lot!)

When the fudge was cool and firm, she slid each one into a decorative bag (the little tub sat down in the bag so the top of the bag was twisted and tied (with ribbon) above the little tub—so tub sat upright in the bag) and tied it up. At that point, because we have a small house and little storage, she simply stacked them all in Rubbermaid tubs and placed them in the storage shed until we were ready to distribute them!

We have done various gifts for neighbors, students, church friends, family members, librarians, and more, including cookie trays, snack mixes, quick breads, yeast breads, and goodie tins. This is the simplest and fastest, by far. It is easy to clean up (just sauce pan, measuring cups, thermometer, and spoons). Plus, they taste amazing! 

In the next post, I will include recipes for all three of the fudges she used for this—chocolate walnut, peanut butter, and chocolate-peanut butter ribbon. Merry Christmas!

The post day 342: fudge gifts for Christmas part i of ii appeared first on Character Ink.

                                           WHITE POTATOES

Mashed Potato Patties

Leftover mashed potatoes

1 egg

little milk

Optional: onion, grated cheese, and a little chopped green pepper

1. Form into patties and roll into crushed crackers or corn flake crumbs.

2. Put on cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven until heated through

3. Remove from oven and place on a broiler rack for a few minutes to brown the outside.

4. Optional: Instead of baking, “fry” the patties in a skillet with a small amount of oil.

Mashed Herb Potato Soup

1/2 teaspoon crumbled, dried rosemary

1 teaspoon crumbled, dried thyme

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

1 small rib of celery including the leaves, minced

1 carrot, grated coarsely

2 cups unsalted chicken broth or stock (fresh or canned)

2 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced

1. In a small dry skillet toast the rosemary and thyme until fragrant, do not burn. Shake the skillet and heat for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan sauté the onion, celery and carrots in olive oil over moderately low heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in the broth or stock and bring to a boil.

4. Break potatoes up with a fork. Using a wire whisk, add potatoes a half cup at a time.

5. Continue whisking until smooth, reduce to a simmer and add toasted herbs, lemon juice and fresh parsley.

6. Taste soup and add salt and black pepper if desired. Makes 4 servings.

                                      SWEET POTATOES

• Sweet Potato Ravioli: Place a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes on a wonton wrapper, fold and simmer in chicken broth until cooked through.

• Curried Sweet Potato Soup: Puree sweet potatoes with chicken broth, onions, leeks and curry powder; season to taste.

• Asian Potato Salad: Combine cubed sweet potatoes with shredded red cabbage, sesame oil and a touch of cilantro; top with chopped peanuts.

• Sweet Potato Dip: Puree potatoes with any or all of the following: low-fat sour cream, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

                                                    OTHER

Garlicky Croutons or Cheese Toasties

Leftover dinner rolls are excellent cut into cubes and toasted into croutons for potato soup or to make Garlicky Cheese Toast.

6 to 8 leftover dinner rolls (any kind)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped finely

2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

1. Using a serrated knife cut the dinner rolls in half lengthwise. Set aside.

2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating.

3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine garlic and olive oil. Microwave on high for one minute or until garlic begins to sizzle in the oil. This step can also be done in a skillet.

4. Brush cut side of each dinner roll with oil and place oil-side-down on the hot skillet.

5. Using a spatula or pancake turner, press each piece flat as it cooks. When golden brown, turn and continue pressing. Remove from heat and sprinkle each with a little Parmesan cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm with soup.

Stuffing (Homemade or Boxed)

• Dumplings: Make golf-ball size rounds of stuffing with a small ice cream or melon ball scooper. Simmer, covered, in turkey or chicken soup for 10 minutes.

• Croutons: Cut stuffing into squares and bake for 8 minutes at 400ºF. Toss into a salad or use as a garnish for stews.

Cranberry Sauce (Canned or Fresh)

• Cranberry-Citrus Sauce: Combine diced cranberry sauce (if using canned) with frozen and thawed or canned corn, diced red onion, and mandarin oranges or seedless clementine segments.

• Cranberry Salsa: Mix together cranberry sauce, freshly minced cilantro, salt and pepper.

• Chutney: Simmer cranberry sauce, diced onion, a pinch of ground ginger and about 1 tablespoon each of vinegar and brown sugar, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thick. Consider adding a jalapeno for a kick!

Pumpkin Pie (Store-Bought or Homemade)

• Pumpkin Smoothie: Scrape the filling out of one piece of pie and blend it with low-fat vanilla yogurt. Put in a parfait glass and top with a small amount of crumbled piecrust and a dash of cinnamon.

• Crisp Crusted Pie: If your crust gets soggy, place the pie in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes to crisp it up.

The post day 341: other holiday leftover ideas appeared first on Character Ink.