November 27, 2007

• Bread-and-Butter Gifts

  A bread-and-butter gift is a token gift that you usually give en masse to folks on your list.  Your neighbors, your friends at church, your co-workers, your spouse’s co-workers, your neighbor’s co-workers, your paper boy, your hairdresser, your Great Aunt Matilda…  Token is the operative word.  I like to think of weird things and I usually manage to humiliate one or more of my children.  I just bet some of you could come up with some ideas just as strange as these.

  ~ Great, fun, (and cheap) books

  
  Food and Drink costs $1.50/Music $2.00
  Save 25% on orders more than $40 (exp Dec 15)
  Free shipping with $50 order
  Dover Publications Coupon code: DH25

  ~ Parchment Paper
  I bought a case of 1000 at a restaurant supply store.
  I took 20 pieces, rolled them up, with a  paper explaining  it,
  and tied them with ribbon or raffia.
  This was met with squeals of exultation or blank stares.

  ~  Teresa’s Pan Spread
  I got this recipe from a friend who cooks for large groups regularly.
  Equal parts: Crisco, vegetable oil, flour
  Beat in mixer on high speed until smooth.
  Keep in fridge.
  I use it in cooking all the time, in place of No-stick cooking spray.
  I bought cute little pastry brushes to go with the jar.
  [Moth-ER! I can't beLIEVE you are giving grease to people as a gift!]

  ~ Al’s Sweet Hot Mustard

  4 oz. dry mustard
   (buy this in bulk at health food store)
  1 cup white vinegar
  2 cups sugar
  8 eggs

  Mix mustard and vinegar and let sit for at least 8 hours.
  Add sugar and eggs.
  In double boiler, stir over steaming water until it thickens.
  Store in pint jars in refrigerator.
  I double the recipe and make several batches.

  ~ Hamburger Jerky

  12 pounds (elk) hamburger
  2 – 3 T liquid smoke
  1 T tenderizer
  3 T onion powder
  2 T lemon pepper
  2 T seasoned salt
  2 T garlic powder
  4 1/2 T red pepper flakes
  2 cups brown sugar
  1 cup Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce
  1 T hot sauce

  Mix well and load into a jerky gun.
  Dry in food dryer.

  * * * * * * * * *
  This year’s token is Hot Fudge Sauce.
  The others are ideas for the future.

  ~ Hot Fudge Sauce

  1 C sugar
  1/4 C baking cocoa
  1/4 C corn starch
  1 C boiling water
  1 T butter
  1 tsp real vanilla

  Combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in a saucepan.
  Add water and cook over medium-high heat  slowly until thick.
  Remove from heat an stir in butter and vanilla until smooth.
  Already I’ve messed up a big batch! Yikes!
  It took so long to thicken, I started reading blogs…
  Next batch, I’m simmering instead of medium-heating.

  ~ BBQ Sauce

  1 T liquid smoke
  2 # 10 cans ketchup
  5 lbs honey
  2 C prepared mustard
  2 C vinegar
  1 tsp onion powder
  1/4 C Worcestershire Sauce

  ~ Sheri’s Homemade Chai Mix
  12 tsp tea leaves

  Grind, but not too fine:
  24 cardamom
  6 sticks cinnamon
  24 cloves

  1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  2 1/2 cup sugar

  Mix together.

  To use:
  3 T mix + 2 C water
  Boil 10-15 minutes
  Add 1/2 cup milk.
  Strain and drink.

  ~  Healthy Vinaigrette

  Recipe here.

  ~ Brenda’s Poppyseed Loaf

  Message me, if you’d like the recipe.
  It’s too long for this.
  But oh my, it is my husband’s favorite.

  ~ Lemon Curd

  Recipe and photos here.
  Limbolady recommended this *with a box of gingersnaps*!

  • 9:49 am
  • 11 Comments