Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking

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ChatteParfaitt -> Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 6:20:47 AM)
Best of the Season to All Do you make your own seasonal decorations, baked goods and/or gifts? What are your favorite craft ideas, cookie recipes, or tips? Since Thanksgiving, I have been busy with the various craft and food projects I do every year. I make my own holiday potpourri, create my own wreaths, can cranberry sauce for gifts, bake cookies, etc. Here are some of my own recipes and tips: Easy Cinnamon-Scented Pine Cones (great for the budget minded) Walk around your neighborhood and gather pine cones; if they are moist, allow to dry before proceeding. Buy cinnamon oil from the grocery store (cost, about $3) Put pine cones into a large plastic bag, add several drops of cinnamon oil (2 drops per pine cone to start, the oil is very strong), and let sit for 3-4 days. Voila, wonderfully scented pine cones at minimal cost, and the best thing is, you will have lots of cinnamon oil left over for next year. Pine Forest Dry Potpourri 4 cups fresh evergreen needles (pine, balsam fir, spruce) 1 cup pine cone scales or small cones 1 cup juniper berries (your local health food store ??) 2 cups cinnamon sticks, broken (or cinnamon oil) 1 orange peel, cut into ribbons and dried 2 Tbsp clove buds I get my pine needles for this recipe from the remains of my holiday wreaths, but you can easily collect your own needles and cones. This becomes a very inexpensive recipe (I make a big batch for gifts) if you collect your own and then use cinnamon oil instead of the sticks, which are extremely expensive if you buy them in the tiny bottles at the grocery. I get my cinnamon sticks from the local health food store, which brings the costs down. Mix together all ingredients and stir well. Store in airtight container. This blend will be more aromatic if allowed to mature for a week or two. Because the recipe does not include a fixative, you should decant the potpourri into a decorative container with a lid, and remove the lid occasionally to scent the room. What have you been up to or have planned for the season?

littlewonder -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 8:50:06 AM)
I always make at least one gift for someone every year. It usually ends up being for my daughter. Last year was a photo book with pictures of her as she was growing up. This year is a box with momentos. I always do some kind of baking. Last year I made Master his 7 layer bars that he likes. This year I'll probably make those again for him and some patisseries Belem because I miss them from when I was in Portugal. I'm not sure what else yet but I usually end up making a few different things. And then there is Christmas dinner which I will make as usual and this year my daughter will probably be coming over to help.

needlesandpins -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 9:39:21 AM)
in the past i have made up hampers for my mum and her husband as she is impossible to buy for. the last one included; lemon curd, lime curd, cherries in brandy, cherry brandy, raspberry vodka, mince pies, chocolate muffins, all made by myself.....then some cream, and fresh bread. i have hand made cards for family too over the years. this year is the first christmas in 20yrs that i won't be cooking christmas dinner. the boy and i are actually going to friends although i may end up doing something for the day. i may do my usual ham on christmas eve, but it depends. last year i said i wasn't going to bother, but the boy wanted me to make it so i did. if he requests it again then i shall do it. i did make salt dough christmas hangings at work with my residents one year too. we have an unused boiler cupboard that was ideal for drying them out. we then painted them and hung them on ribbons. a tip for using molds is to cover the mold with oil then clingfilm before the dough or it drys to the mold like concrete. needles

OsideGirl -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 9:48:23 AM)
We're Griswolding the house. I'm making a cardboard Christmas village that Martha Stewart did. There's also a really cool cardboard Rudolph head that would look great over the fireplace. I may make some cookies. (I get Food Networks 12 days of cookies emails)

TieMeInKnottss -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 10:01:05 AM)
I did so much more when I had no kids! I would bake 5 or 6 different types of cookies, 3-4 dozens of each, from scratch. Once I had kids, I started buying cookie mix. Now with 2 boys in full "Christmas modee" starting on Thanksgiving, I resort to The cookie dough in the refrigerated section.

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 10:18:26 AM)
I like the seven layers bars, they are so easy to make, and I have some left over fresh coconut in the back of the fridge. A nice recipe if you're looking for variety in your Christmas cookies.

AthenaSurrenders -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 10:33:36 AM)
It's a bit random, but I'm making some butter. My dad loves the fresh small-batch butter you get at the farmer's market but he's been way too busy to go. I'm going to make him some. He's impossible to buy gifts for but I know the thought will mean a lot to him. On Christmas Eve my daughter and I are going to do our first ever baking session together (she's not quite one) to make some cookies to leave out for santa. I know she won't be able to do much other than throw sprinkles around but it's a nice tradition to start. That's it for me this year. I've made more elaborate things in the past but I'm not organized enough this year.

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 10:51:18 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: needlesandpins in the past i have made up hampers for my mum and her husband as she is impossible to buy for. the last one included; lemon curd, lime curd, cherries in brandy, cherry brandy, raspberry vodka, mince pies, chocolate muffins, all made by myself.....then some cream, and fresh bread. i have hand made cards for family too over the years. this year is the first christmas in 20yrs that i won't be cooking christmas dinner. the boy and i are actually going to friends although i may end up doing something for the day. i may do my usual ham on christmas eve, but it depends. last year i said i wasn't going to bother, but the boy wanted me to make it so i did. if he requests it again then i shall do it. i did make salt dough christmas hangings at work with my residents one year too. we have an unused boiler cupboard that was ideal for drying them out. we then painted them and hung them on ribbons. a tip for using molds is to cover the mold with oil then clingfilm before the dough or it drys to the mold like concrete. needles I do tons of baking as well. I've always wanted to try lemon curd. The name sounds horrid (in the US, curd has a bad connotation) but I imagine a subtle lemony flavor. I will be making xmas dinner too. Not sure what I am making, if I'm going traditional or what - I haven't gotten that far yet.

DarkSteven -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 10:59:00 AM)
I make fudge for neighbors. Unfortunately, this year I made two batches for a work party that didn't east as much as I had thought, so I'm going to have to give the neighbors their fudge early this year 'cause I sure as hell don't need that stuff HERE! This year: chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, chocolate mint fudge, pineapple fudge, and orange dreamsicle fudge.

DesFIP -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 11:18:24 AM)
My kids aren't going to be here, first time ever. So it's just The Man and I probably. I will make some cookies but have to be careful how many as he'll eat them immoderately. My daughter is helping a friend make chocolate truffles today. The friend cannot cook at all so I found her a microwave recipe that takes maybe four ingredients total. So simple anyone could do it. Cookies I usually bake include chocolate almond biscotti, toffee chocolate chip biscotti, olive oil chocolate chip biscotti, peanut butter blossoms, chocolate chip cookies and some kind of chocolate cake. This year it will be a very simple and small chocolate cake and peanut butter blossoms only.

dcnovice -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 11:43:37 AM)
quote: Walk around your neighborhood and gather pine cones OMG! This is my Yuletide equivalent of Proust's madeleine. Back in the seventies, times were tight for my family, and there were a few years where Mom and Dad made lots of Christmas gifts out of pinecones. There were baskets one year and tabletop trees another. This meant we needed vast amounts of pinecones, with the result that we kids were often dispatched to gather them. To this day, I am physically incapable of walking past pinecones without collecting them. A decade ago, biking on Jeykyll Island, I came across huge, beautiful pinecones and promptly filled the bike's basket with them. Got them back to the hotel and arranged them decoratively around the room. When it was time to fly back to DC, I looked at the cones, looked at my bag, and realized that schlepping them home wasn't an option. So I left them in the room. Heaven only knows what the housekeeper thought! (I did add to the tip for the hassle.)

OsideGirl -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 11:45:30 AM)
I have three Ponderosa Pines in the back yard. They produce pine cones that are 6"-8" tall and 3"-4" across.

Spiritedsub2 -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 12:02:28 PM)
~FR I hand-make individual Christmas cards, though I'm behind on them this year.

needlesandpins -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 1:34:07 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ChatteParfaitt quote: ORIGINAL: needlesandpins in the past i have made up hampers for my mum and her husband as she is impossible to buy for. the last one included; lemon curd, lime curd, cherries in brandy, cherry brandy, raspberry vodka, mince pies, chocolate muffins, all made by myself.....then some cream, and fresh bread. i have hand made cards for family too over the years. this year is the first christmas in 20yrs that i won't be cooking christmas dinner. the boy and i are actually going to friends although i may end up doing something for the day. i may do my usual ham on christmas eve, but it depends. last year i said i wasn't going to bother, but the boy wanted me to make it so i did. if he requests it again then i shall do it. i did make salt dough christmas hangings at work with my residents one year too. we have an unused boiler cupboard that was ideal for drying them out. we then painted them and hung them on ribbons. a tip for using molds is to cover the mold with oil then clingfilm before the dough or it drys to the mold like concrete. needles I do tons of baking as well. I've always wanted to try lemon curd. The name sounds horrid (in the US, curd has a bad connotation) but I imagine a subtle lemony flavor. I will be making xmas dinner too. Not sure what I am making, if I'm going traditional or what - I haven't gotten that far yet. it's a great way to use lemons, and as well as using on toast, bread, scones, cakes and the like, it's also great on icecream. it's just like jam only it has butter and eggs in it. it's quick enough to make and tastes so much better than the bought stuff. here's my recipe; thinly peel 4 lemons (for a stronger taste you can zest then and leave the zest in, i like mine strong so sometimes do this) 1/4 pint 140ml of lemon juice 85g 3oz butter 1/4pint eggs 340g 12oz sugar makes 1-2 1lb jars and needs to be stored in the fridge. it doesn't last as long as jam, but then it never lasts long in my house anyway. place butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water (as in melting chocolate). add juice, sugar and rind. stir over heat until sugar desolves. once done allow to cool slightly and strain. beat the eggs and quickly whisk into the lemon mix. return to heat and stir continuously until mixture thickens to cling to the back of the spoon and leave a rucked trail when you run your finger through it. pour straight into sterilised jars as cover with cellophane, or pop top lids. it can take along time to thicken by doing in the bowl, so i actually put it straight in the pan and whisk all the time on a low heat not letting it boil. it can burn easily once it thickens so you have to watch it. allow to cool, chill in the fridge over night and eat the next day. you can use the same recipe for limes too. oddly whenever i make the lime one it turns out more yellow than the lemon. needles

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 1:37:51 PM)
I did so much more when I had kids -- since they were always involved in the activities. My hand made decorations didn't have the glamour of a Better Homes & Garden xmas -- but we had a ball making them and some became treasured heirlooms. Now I don't even put up a tree, it's too much policing for me to do with 2 unruly cats who admittedly are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. (I have had cats who could be trained to leave the tree alone, these two are not them.) We don't do outdoor lights, either. But I do lots of other festive decorating, and as my OP makes clear, I adore holiday scents. Himself and I have established a tradition of a huge indoor wreath with lights and electric candles that goes in our front window.

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 1:42:21 PM)
Thank you for the recipe. Now if I can get my mind around how many cups are in an ounce. I will likely halve it, I seriously doubt Himself will eat this, so it will all be mine. It really does sound yummy, almost a lemon pudding, using juice and real fruit instead of milk. I love lemon zest, but if I make this I will peel the lemons so I have more dried citrus in my potpourri. I generally have to spike it with orange and grapefruit eo to get the scent balanced.

needlesandpins -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 1:44:51 PM)
groovy. i hope you enjoy it. let me know what you think [:)] needles

littlewonder -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 1:52:42 PM)
I just remembered I have to make my halupkis for Christmas. I make them every year for the holiday because it's a Slovakian tradtion and my family is Slovakian and my mom and grandma and my aunts have always made these from as far back as I can remember. Unfortunately I don't think I will be able to eat any this year [&o] and Master hates cabbage. At least my daughter lovesloves them and she can't seem to get the recipe right when she tries to make her own lol. Maybe I'll let her help me this year with them so she can learn again.

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 2:03:51 PM)
halupkis = stuffed cabbage? I make a Lithuanian (as opposed to Polish) version of stuffed cabbage. The ex called it galumpki (can also be spelled golumpki.) I also used to make kugelis over the holidays. It's a Lithuanian potato pudding with a full pound of bacon (with the grease after you cook it) included. The trick is to grate the potatoes very fine. It takes forever since the recipe calls for 5 lbs. It's great stuff though. Most definitely a recipe you make only once a year.

littlewonder -> RE: Holiday Arts, Crafts & Baking (12/8/2012 2:13:18 PM)
yup...stuffed cabbage. Halupki is the Slovakian name and Galumpki is the Polish name. The polish version that I've seen replace the tomato sauce with a creamy mushroom sauce. And then for the leftover turkey or ham, I make a thick potato and dumpling soup called bot boi. One of these days I'm going to make a ton of the dumplings and freeze them. They take forever to make and you end up with flour everywhere lol.

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