Sunday 16 December 2012

Christmas Cook-a-thon!!

Good afternoon everyone!

As an English teacher, I have a guilty pleasure in making up words, and cook-a-thon is certainly not in the good old Oxford English Dictionary as far as I know, but it is a word that sums up what has been going on this weekend.

I have been busy cooking treats for giving away as Christmas gifts - I started cooking yesterday at 3pm, and have just finished boxing and bagging up the goodies.  It takes a lot of time, and by the time I have bought the ingredients and packaging Im sure it would be cheaper to buy boxes of chocolates, but I like to think that

a) - my goodies are more yummy than mass produced chocs
b)- all the ingredients are fresh, no artificial flavourings or nonsense of that kind
c) - they are lovely and fresh having been made just a week before they will be eaten
d) - a lot of love and care has been taken with their preparation.

DH says - and I agree with him (for once ha ha!) that people really appreciate something that they wont be able to get anywhere else.

So I thought I would share a few pics of what I have made:

First up we have caramelised nuts


Just a few simple ingredients, and a bit of time and care turn simple peanuts into a gourmet treat!
I make these every year, and the feedback I get from the recipients is excellent! 

Next is a new venture, Springerle biscuits. I saw the recipe in the December copy of Country Living Magazine and just really really wanted to have a go at making some.  This involved a quick order of a Springerle rolling pin from Amazon - it is a work of art in itself.  The reciped is simple but a bit of a faff, but well worth it.  We tried a few of the "factory seconds" i.e. those that cracked a bit when they were lifted off the tray - they are just so delicious.

Here they are all wrapped up in their little bags:


Then I moved on to making the chocolates - this time I went for fudge drizzled with white chocolate, peanut butter cups, dark chocolate truffles and peanut chocolate truffles.  I buy little boxes from our local cake decorating store so that I can present them nicely


You can imagine the lovely smells while all this was happening:

Here are all the goodies together, waiting to be parcelled up and sent to the folks they are intended for



Right, Im off for a nice cuppa!  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Helenxx

8 comments:

  1. I wish I was on your list for the chocolate goodies! Yum!
    ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉
    *M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
    ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. Your friends and family are going to be thrilled!
    Lovely gifts,
    Meredith

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  3. So lovely of you to give such loving gifts, Helen! Thanks for sharing them with us, too :)
    xx from Gracie

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  4. Helen, you could make anything up and people would believe you! even your own children.... I do hope we're still on your Christmas list? See you later :)
    Sue Xxx

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  5. How thoughtful and organised I would love to be organised enough to do this type of thing one year. For now I exist in a last minute rush up until the big day! xxx

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  6. Gosh, such goodies, I like the nut idea! :)

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  7. Lucky lucky intendeds! Your hubby is right I think...homemade goodies are the BEST

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