Homemade for the Holidays

In my pursuit of the ever elusive "Hallmark Christmas", I'd like to go back to simpler times when gift giving was homemade, and from the heart. When neighbors would drop off fresh baked holiday breads in pretty loaf pans or plates of decorated cookies. My mom was always baking for our neighbors during the holidays. Even so many years later, an old neighborhood friend will talk about my mother's baking. Simple and happy times....

I love making and giving gifts from the heart.  Something you put time and care into. I found a couple of things this year that I thought were really cute, and very simple. 

Festively decorated sugar cookies in a quart size jar. How easy! Tie on a cute cookie cutter and decorate the lid with a circle of holiday paper. Include the recipe too if you want. Just type it out on paper (I like using brown kraft paper) and glue it on the front.  A lovely gift.

How special is this! And again just so simple! Use a pint size jar, or any jar with a lid. Print out a poem or a holiday quote or saying and glue to the jar. Add some ribbons and decorative papers to the lid, and you've got a simple gift of sweetness to give.


This one is my favorite to give and of course to receive! A thoughtful breakfast basket of coffee and holiday bread, pastry, scones or muffins. Can you make homemade jam? Add some of that for a special touch! Pick up a cute basket, a festive holiday cloth napkin or a square of seasonal fabric, for another wonderfully cozy gift!

For the pampered gal on your list, how about homemade bath salts? Pour into a jar, decorate with ribbons and a cute tag, and done!
Here's the recipe:


Candy Cane Bath Salts
3 cups Epsom Salts
4 tsps Sweet Almond Oil
10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1 drop Red food coloring
Jars (your choice of size - I'd do pint size Mason jars)
Get 2 small mixing bowls. Put 1-1/2 cups of Salts into each bowl. Put 2 tsps of Almond oil into each bowl. Then 5 drops of Peppermint oil into each bowl. Into just ONE of the bowls, add the red food coloring. You want to end up with one bowl of white salts and one bowl of red. Mix each bowl well and then let sit for a couple of hours. When you're ready, layer the salts into each jar - white, red, white red, etc. for a "candy cane" effect. Seal with the top, then add ribbons, decorative paper on lid and a cute tag. You could tie a candy cane on as well. Include the list of ingredients if you want. Type up on festive paper and glue to the back of the jar.


Pretty and simple! What are you making this holiday season?

Autumn..Covered in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

The leaves are falling all around me here in middle Tennessee and the colors are glorious! It's time for pumpkin spice lattes, butternut squash soup, and harvest breads. I've got a delicious apple crisp recipe I want to share with you, perfect for this time of year, and it's just like my mommy used to make. Probably my most favorite dessert!

Apple Crisp

5-6 tart apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (Granny Smith work best)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Topping
3/4 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons oatmeal (not instant)
7 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
12 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces (don't scrimp!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F
Put apples, sugars and cinnamon in a lightly greased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish
Stir to combine
Let sit about 20 minutes until some juice is released from the apples
In a separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal and sugars
Mix in the butter until it resembles course crumbs
Pour melted 2 tbsp butter over apple mixture in the casserole dish
Sprinkle with topping mixture
Bake 30-40 minutes until topping is browned and filling is bubbly
Serve warm or at room temperate

Serve it plain, with fresh whipped cream, or warmed topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

You can also bake your crisp inside of apples for a beautiful individual dessert. Yummy!

Oh Christmas Tree (Topper), Oh Christmas Tree (Topper)

A Christmas tree without a "topper" is like not having frosting on your cake, a bow on a wrapped present, or no carved face on your Halloween pumpkin. Don't you agree?

Some people decorate with stars, some with angels, and some relate to whatever theme their tree might reflect. My favorite are of course snowmen!  The snowman tree topper that I make every year is an angel snowman with a rusty star and a vintage card tag. He's a customer favorite year after year.

Not only is he a tree topper, but you can also put a little gift card in his hem, or he can sit over a gourmet food jar such as cookie mix, jam, etc. Both of these ideas make for wonderful hostess gifts!

If you'd like to order one for yourself or a lucky friend, you can go to my Etsy store or email me directly.