NO-COOK HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA: SWEET

As promised here is the much anticipated follow up to our previous "savory" post!  As we said last week you can give homemade culinary gifts to your friends, loved ones, or even that office secret Santa that require little to no effort to assemble.  In today's post we will feature several no-cook savory ideas for those on your gift giving list!

Peppermint Bark (Not really "No Cook" but damn easy)

2 -12 oz. bags of of white chocolate chips
1 cup peppermint candies or candy canes

Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.  Next, place chips in a large glass bowl and microwave at 60% power for 1 minute, stir.  Repeat, stirring until smooth.  Place candies in a large releasable bag and crush with a meat mallet or heavy sauce pan.  Fold half the crushed candy into the melted chocolate.  Pour onto prepared pan spreading to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.  Sprinkle the remaining candy on top and refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).  Break into pieces.

Flavored Butters

Honey Butter

1/4 cup honey
1 cup butter
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Blend together and package in an airtight container or canning jar. Refrigerate.

Maple Butter

1 cup butter
1/2 cup REAL maple syrup

Blend together and package in an airtight container or canning jar. Refrigerate.

Orange Butter

1/2 cup of soft butter
1 1/2 sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed.

Cream butter and sugar together.  Slowly add concentrate.  Package in an airtight container or canning jar. Refrigerate.

Homemade Coffee Liqueur

4 cups of fine sugar
2 cups of boiling water
1 cup good instant coffee
1 bottle (750ml) vodka
3 Tbs vanilla extract

Mix sugar and coffee together and then stir in 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until it all dissolves and then let cool.  Pour through cheese cloth into a large pitcher and add 750 ml of vodka (about 3 cups) and 3 tbs good vanilla.  Stir and then pour through cheesecloth again into bottles. (An extra bottle is needed as the resulting drink is more than enough for the vodka bottle).

Hot Buttered Drink Mix

2 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsalted, softened butter
3 tbsp REAL maple syrup
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg


In a medium bowl combine all ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended. Package in an airtight container or canning jar. Refrigerate. Give with following serving instructions.

"Stir 1 1/2 tsp drink mix into 6 oz. of hot cider or juice.   For hot buttered rum, add 1 oz rum to cider mixture."

Mocha Sugar

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1-2 packet(s) of instant hot cocoa mix, to your taste
3 tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kahlua
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a small bowl stir all ingredients together until well blended.  Package in an airtight container or canning jar. Give with following serving instructions.

"Stir desired amount of sugar into coffee"

"I Love You" In An Unconventional Way

After several months of intensive, visual therapy ("look left, look right...how many fingers am I holding up")  Connie finally was authorized to remove her eye patch (which by this time was covered in enough rhinestones that it over shadowed the office disco ball).  Two things happened!  One, Wendell was entranced by duality of her vision and her two (count them) two gorgeous blue eyes. Two, depth perception having returned, Connie suddenly appreciated Wendell's manly good looks.  Since then the rest of us in the CELEBRATE labs in Colchester, VT have noticed them beginning attempts to court each other.  For example we have seen:

- Connie's handbag filled with cut-out paper hearts

- "Wendell, you wow me" written on the window in the morning dew

- We received a letter from the Burlington International Zoo thanking us for our adoption of a pair of love birds named "Connie and Wendell" 

- Connie's dented fender when she was shocked by Wendell's recorded voice reciting love poetry over her car speakers. She told the police officer responding to the fender bender that she found a CD in her car stereo and confirmed Wendell was not in the back seat as she first thought.  (She ran over our prized crab apple tree in the traffic circle in front of the lab)

- When invited over to Wendell's RV for cocktails, he served a delicious, fruity "Connie-Tini". A tsunami of nausea washed over the staff.

- Connie wrote "I'm wild about you" backwards on the rear window of his car.  Glancing in his rear view mirror his pace maker worked overtime!

- Wendell screaming "Meana Tanda Wena" Zulu for "I Love You" (Picked up form his studying abroad in the Congo learning from the native people the finer points of pom-pom people dolls.  Boy did his International Crafts degree pay off!)

Finally, after too many "Connie-Tinis" combined with the recent memory of her accident Connie decided to spend the night in Wendell's RV to be safe.  As she laid her head on the pillow, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"!  Wendell for yet another romantic surprise had placed a sturdy Hersey Kiss (point up) on Connie's pillow.  Having poor vision in the dark, Connie's left eye caught the silver foil and her cornea was no match!  Yes fans, the eye patch WILL return..... DON DON DOOOOOONNNNNNN.

We hope you were inspired by the prolific, romantic expressions of Connie and Wendell's blossoming love for one another!

To be continued....

Connie, an androgynous senior woman with eye patch

::10 WEDDING FAVORS YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO RECEIVE::

Here are ten favors that you would love to receive next time you go to a wedding!

1.) A tree seedling or perennial bulbs- This favor keeps on giving throughout the rest of your life (and perhaps your children's).
2.)Colorful salsa bowl and salsa recipe- This favor will help spice up future get togethers you will share with friends and family.
3.)A eye-catching wine, cocktail glass, or cocktail shaker with exotic recipes attached- This will help you celebrate many of life's special occasions.
4.)Luggage Tags- This favor will be the perfect companion as you criss-cross the globe!
5.)Homemade liquid or bar of hand soap and an accompanying instruction-Keep your hands and unmentionable parts clean and learn a great new craft too!
6.)Margarita glasses with three favorite recipes to try- This favor will help you to forget all the tacky, bad favors you have received in the past.
7.) "Green" Reusable Canvas Shopping Bag- This favor will help keep Mother Earth healthy for a long time to come.
8.)A cutting board with an accompanying spreader/cheese knife- This favor has a multitude of uses when entertaining!
9.)A small birdhouse-This favor can be used decoratively inside or outside in the garden. You can even hide your house key in it!
10.)A deck of cards and a Hoyle's Rules Book- Perfect for your next poker game or killing time at the airport!

Expecting People to Arrive Fashionably Late? Have a Cocktail or Two!

Does Aunt Ethel always arrive late to Thanksgiving dinner? Accommodate for late arrivals by planning a cocktail hour. It will give you and your guests a chance to relax before the big feast! Try our festive cocktail, The Celestial Fizz.

We can't take all the credit for this one. We thank Craig Cooper from Chicago!

Celestial Fizz Cocktail

Combine 1.5 ounces cognac, 1/4 ounce good orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier), and because it's Thanksgiving 1 ounce of 100% pure cranberry juice (not cocktail). Top with champagne and garnish with a cranberry baton.

To make a cranberry baton, simply skewer several fresh cranberries onto long toothpicks or skewers. For a festive baton, alternate white and red cranberries!

It's 5 O'clock Somewhere!

Have you always wanted to start your day off like Joan Crawford, a little tipsy and a lot bitchy? This next tip will do it! The famous Morton's Steakhouse Bloody Mary.

Ingredients:

1 ounce Absolut Peppar Vodka

1/3 cup Bloody Mary Mix

Pour the vodka and mix into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 times (no kidding)! Strain the mixture into tall Collins glasses filled with ice. Now comes your personal touch. Be creative with your garnish: Gherkins wrapped in prosciutto; lime slices; anchovy stuffed olives; celery stuffed with chive cream cheese; or asparagus and blue cheese skewers.

Don't forget we are a party planning blog so invite some friends over and collect the car keys! Be responsible. Never drink and drive (or vote Republican)!