Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

I have a bunch of people at work I normally give gifts to. I usually don't spend much, just like $5 each or so. This year DH and I are on more of a budget b/c we bought a house and we are expecting. I would like to do some baking or make some candy or caramel popcorm possibly.

I don't want to spend too much on packaging or ingredients but I want it to look nice and taste yummy. (i am thinking maybe putting it in chinese food takeout boxes or something like that)


Can you give me some ideas/recipes of yummy treats to make that are affordable and easily packaged? and also ideas on how to package them?


Thanks!!!

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

Last year a friend and I got together and picked a few of our favorite recipes each and chipped in on ingredients and went to BJs for them, so we bought in bulk and it was cheaper. THen we spent a day together baking.

We then went to Amazing Savings in Flushing and got all different kinds of christmas containers for $1-3 each and some cellophane. It was super cheap and I used to to supplement presents and when we went visiting for the holidays. Everyone loved them!

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

Last year I went to Michael's & target and bought empty jars and put a cookie mix I made in it. I attached the recipe with ribbon & a cookie cutter too. I was easy, looked cute & everyone loved them!

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

I made a rocky road-Delish!
So easy and cut them into pcs and went to dollar tree and got holiday containers and put them in there.

Ingredients
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces ( I use melting chocolate instead)
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped peanuts

Directions
Grease a 9x9 inch pan. (I use a small cookie sheet lined with parchment paper)
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in microwave. Make sure all chips are melted.
Stir in marshmallows and nuts
Pour into your prepared pan. Cool.
This can be put into the refrigerator to cool.
Either cut or break into pieces

Message edited 11/3/2009 2:15:45 PM.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

Giada just made some cute things on her Halloween episode...

she made these almond, chocolate, and caramel candies

homemade marshmallows

truffle pops

those would all be super cute!

also, barefoot contessa has a great recipe for chocolate bark which i've made before...

here are links:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-chocolate-bark-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/smoked-almond-turtles-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/homemade-orange-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/truffle-pops-recipe/index.html

i'm sure you can customize them however you want - like adding green & red sprinkles for the truffles, or red sugar crystals to the marshmallows... we put dried cherries on the chocolate bark and pistachios...

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

When my mom and I do our marathon cookie baking day, I make tins or bags for all my coworkers and associates. I also am a HUGE fan of layered dry cookie mixes in mason jars. My friends LOVE them.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

Heres a couple of easy to make homemade fudge recipes. GOLD COUNTRY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE,1 18 ounce jar of peanut butter, put in mixing bowl, 1 16 ounce container of white frosting, peel off foil or put into a microwavable bowl, put in microwave for 1 minute or untill melted, put in with peanut butter, mix and stir for aprox 5 mins. Put into pan, put in freezer for aprox 15 mins to make it hard, then cut into pieces, CALIFORNIA PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE, same as above BUT add 1 or 2 handfulls of chopped walnuts and 1 or 2 handfulls of raisins in with peanut butter. You can buy Christmas tins to put it and to ship it in.The fudge takes aprox 15 mins to make then another aprox 15 mins in freezer to get hard.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

What about chocolate covered pretzel rods? Dip them in white & milk/dark chocolate and roll in festive sprinkles. Put them in cellophane bags with some curling ribbon.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

holiday rice krispie treats!

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

I buy the Xmas cookie tins from the dollar store. Then i buy xmas napkins and put them inside the tins and then i wrap them with red pretty ribbon

Message edited 11/4/2009 7:32:18 PM.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

I was at Hallmark this morning buying cookie plates and thinking of this very thing! (For the relatives at least, they get the good dishes!)

DH's grandparents like sweets so I'm going to make them velveeta fudge and another candy. Not sure what yet - I don't make much candy usually!

Cookies are always mexican snowballs and the reese's peanut cup cookies. I usually do cut out cookies too.

Re: Give me ideas for Xmas gifts (ie:baking, candy)

This weekend my friend and I made cinnamon rolls, we followed this tutorial and recipe from the Pioneer Woman
Cinnamon Rolls 101

We baked them in foil containers (with paper tops) and I wrote on the top of them with a sharpie "Cinnamon Rolls, break apart and microwave for 30 seconds" I gave them to some friends, one batch makes 7 tins of cinnamon rolls. They were REALLY good, almost as good as something like Cinnabon.

I am thinking of making them for my work colleagues at Christmas. Yummy!