7 Swank DIY Holiday Gifts

These creamy rainbow colored peppermint patties make a great homemade gift for your loved ones.

Wait, there's more! Read the blog post about this recipe.

 

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 36 Peppermint patties

Ingredients

• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple food colors (the gel version works well here)
• Parchment paper
• 16 ounces dipping chocolate

Directions

1. In the large bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer), beat 4 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, and shortening at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. If it's not dough consistency add a tiny bit of water until it's workable.
2. Divide dough evenly into 6 balls. In a small bowl, color each ball red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet respectively. Remember that adding food coloring could make your ball a little too wet, so feel free to add more powdered sugar here until the ball is workable and not sticky.
3. Take one ball at a time, roll it into a snake shape, place it in between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll it into a rectangle about 11"x5". Place each sheet of dough in the fridge to chill for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Once dough has chilled, remove the parchment from each layer (leaving one layer on the bottom so it doesn't stick to your surface) and stack each layer on top of the other in the order of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Chilling the dough allows the parchment paper to be removed without tearing the dough. If the dough begins to tear, chill the dough longer.
5. Once the layers have been stacked on top of each other, slightly roll them to get rid of any air bubbles.
6. Trim the long end of one side with a sharp knife so that you have an even edge to begin rolling. Starting with the long side, begin rolling the dough using the parchment paper to help roll. If your dough is too hard here, let it soften a bit before rolling. Then freeze the roll of dough until hardened (about an hour).
7. When log is frozen, cut into 1/4 inch circles. Turn the log after each couple of slices to keep the log round because the pressure of the knife can make the log turn oblong.
8. Melt dipping chocolate according to the package directions. Using a fork, dip one pinwheel, shaking the excess off and letting it set on parchment lined cookie sheets. Repeat with all of them. Return them to the freezer to chill if they get too soft.
9. Place patties in the fridge or freezer to set. Store patties in between layers of parchment paper so they don't stick.
10. Inspired by: http://www.hanielas.com/2011/12/candy-cane-peppermint-patties.html

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/rainbow-peppermint-patties-recipe/1/

7 Swank DIY Holiday Gifts

When was the last time you got a handmade gift?

They’re different in a good way, like getting a handwritten note instead of an email/text/tweet. Right? #Right.
Handwritten says you care enough to make an above-and-beyond effort. At least $0.45 worth of effort, and even more if the envelope is square (how do they get away with that, anyway?).
Handmade gifts are the same way. They’re more personal, and I think they’re more fun to give as well. It’s pretty great to see a gift you made yourself being enjoyed.
Now, connect that personal touch to the realms of hunger and thirst, and you’re golden! The quickest way to someone’s heart is directly through the taste buds, after all.
So this year, Do. It. Yourself. Make a gift they’ll love getting!

7 Ways to Give Goodness

1) DIY Peppermint Patty Candy by Hanielas
Ever experience your gift being shoved in other people’s faces? It’s rewarding. “See? It’s striped on the inside! Wow, (you)’re so talented/creative/amazing!” Yeah, you know.


2) DIY Rainbow Candy by GirlWhoAteEverything
“Oh, how nice. Mints…” Then they take a chomp and WHOA! It’s “what does it mean?!” all over again.


3) DIY Bitters by Nybarfly
Have a cocktail enthusiast on your list? Make your mixologist merry with this recipe for aromatic bitters. It’s in some of the best drinks (IMHO), and they’ll appreciate having a super secret sauce in their corner.


4) DIY Ice Cream Kit by Family Bites
Adorable, no? Especially for those of us who eat ice cream in the winter. What? It’s not weird. Just make sure this present stays at the top of the pile, unless you want cone crumbles as an additional topping. Mmm. That actually sounds pretty good…


5) DIY Cocoa Snowman in a Jar by The Decorated Cookie
Maybe you’ve gotten homemade cocoa before; for many kids it’s the first gift they make. Up the ante with an entire snowman!


6) DIY Irish Creme Liquor by TbspAna
There are many ways to get through winter, making hot boozy drinks is one. Many have Irish creme liquor as a central ingredient. Add a fireplace and before you know it, it’s spring and the birds are tweeting…wait, wake up! You dozed off. And your socks are smoking.


7) DIY Beer Caramel Corn by Red Hot Holiday Trends / Betty Crocker
Beer. Caramel corn. They’re better together, especially when they’re this close. This is basically the Batman and Robin of snacks. Perfect for movie night. Or…any night.

There you have ‘em; 7 ideas for giving away goodness.
Go forth and DIY!

http://rock-ur-party.tablespoon.com/2012/12/05/7-swank-diy-holiday-gifts/


1 ~Candy Cane Peppermint Patties~

 

Today I'll share with you  a no bake treat that is really easy to make, packed with  minty flavor and has a colorful surprise inside.
I make these every year and  everyone loves them. This year I made a double batch and it looks like I'm running low already!!! Though they look complicated  at first, once you get the know-how, they are pretty easy to make.
I use good quality peppermint or mint extract when I make these, and remember less is more when it comes to mint, I'd say absolute  maximum is 1tsp extract for this recipe if  using oils  be sure to use drops not teaspoons.



Candy Cane Peppermint Patties

• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract / if you prefer more minty flavor, use more extract, I used mint extract and it worked well too, if you have peppermint oil, you can also use that, but be careful, oils may have stronger flavors/
• 1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
• 10 ounces dipping chocolate wafers, such as Merckens

Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth.

Divide  filling dough into half, color one dough red, and second leave white.

-Roll each dough individually between two pieces of parchment  paper.The layers should be fairly thin. You need to make sure that layers of each dough are similar in size. I found that it helps to roll each dough into  a "snake" shape of certain length and then just roll into a rectangle shape. Chill for a little bit /5 minutes/ we are going to stack 2 layer on the top of each other and then roll them into a log. You need to chill the rolled layers because when chilled it is much easier to peel of the parchment paper and stack them on the top of each other, otherwise you end up breaking the dough and we don't want that to happen.

Once you have your layers  chilled we will assemble the  Peppermint Pattie log

-line your surface with a piece of wax paper

-stack both layers, white and red on top of each other, peeling the parchment papers off, stacked layers should be sitting on a piece wax paper that you used to line your work surface

-once you have 2 layers stacked, use a rolling pin and just very gently roll the pin using slight pressure just to even the dough out, this will also help with eliminating any air cavities between individual layers.If needed let the layers soften a little before the second step.

-Now comes the tricky part, in order to roll 2 layers into a Peppermint log they have to be soft enough so they don't break in the process but not too soft or it is impossible to roll(I know I told you to chill them first, but that was for a another reason, so you could peel off the parchment paper). Let them soften a little bit, and roll 2 layers into one larger log.Use the bottom wax paper to help you start, gently lift the wax paper to start with the rolling, if it looks like it is tearing a little just work your way until you have a one log, at the end it will come together, the dough is pretty soft, and any small tears you'll see can be easily smoothed out, once done   roll the log using  palms of your hands  to achieve the even thickness shape, but don't push too hard, just very gently, at this point dough will be soft.Wrap the log with parchment paper or wax paper/ plastic wrap works too and freeze until hard. 

When frozen, unwrap the Peppermint Pattie log and using a sharp knife cut the mint patties  into about less 1/4 inch thick, you might want to turn the log  slightly each time you cut 2 patties, to ensure similar shapes.

Melt the Chocolate wafers and dip each round into the chocolate, using a large dipping fork or a meat fork(works great), gently shake of the excess and place freshly coated patties onto the tray lines wit wax paper. Once you are done with all the patties, put the tray into the fridge for 10 minutes to harden the chocolate.
Store mint patties in a cool place in an airtight container, layered, wax paper between each layer.

http://www.hanielas.com/2011/12/candy-cane-peppermint-patties.html#.UPgKGqzQ44g

2-Rainbow Peppermint Patties

Brace yourselves, because these Rainbow Peppermint Patties are going to knock your socks off!

Peppermint patties are one of those mystical treats. I never really understood what they were actually made out of—only that I loved eating them. The idea of making them on my own seemed overwhelming and difficult, but actually seeing what went into them made me feel like I could do it.
Then I got a little overly confident and had a harebrained idea of trying to make them rainbow striped inside. What??!! Yes, you can do it. And you’ll blow minds!


Start off by making the dough and dividing it evenly into six balls.


Next, color each ball one of the colors of the rainbow. I found that Betty Crocker’s gel food coloring works well here; it’s neater and doesn’t add as much additional liquid to our dough. I tried mixing the dough with my hands but using a bowl with a spoon was faster and less messy.


Roll each ball in between two sheets of parchment paper. Since we’re trying to create a uniform rectangle with all of the colors, it helps to first roll the dough into a snake first and go from there.


I rolled each into about an 11″ by 5″ rectangle.


After you’ve chilled each of the layers, stack them together and give them a gentle roll with the rolling pin to get rid of any air. I trimmed off the edge that I was going to use to start rolling so I had an even start.


Begin rolling with the long edge, using the parchment paper to ease it along.


Once it’s chilled you have a beautiful rainbow colored pinwheel!


Slice the pinwheel into 1/4 inch slices for dipping.


Using a fork, dip each pinwheel in melted dipping chocolate. Work fast so that your pinwheels don’t start getting soft.


Place the dipped pinwheels on parchment or wax paper and then let them set up in the fridge or freezer.


These gorgeous Rainbow Peppermint Patties are great to give to your friends and family. They’ll be wowed—look how amazing the inside looks! I still can’t believe I made these.

http://taste-for-adventure.tablespoon.com/2012/12/06/rainbow-peppermint-patties/


3- DIY Aromatic Bitters

Bitters are a pungently-spiced ingredient that will add a punch of flavor to your drink with only a few dashes
Wait, there's more! Read the blog post about this recipe.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 medium orange
• 1 bottle (750ml) grain alcohol (or vodka)
• 40 drops gentian extract
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1  cinnamon stick (approx. 3-inches)
• 1 piece fresh ginger, cut in half (approx. 1-1/2 inch)
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 4 whole cloves

Directions

1. Remove the orange zest in strips with a vegetable peeler. Disgard the white pith.
2. Combine the zest and all remaining ingredients into a quart jar with a tight fitting lid. Close and store at room temperature. Let steep for 2 weeks (if you are using vodka, let steep for 3-4 weeks). Shake the jar every other day.
3. Using a coffee filter placed in your strainer, strain alcohol from the spices and store in a tightfitting lid in a dark place.

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/diy-aromatic-bitters-recipe/1/


4- DIY: Ice Cream Sundae Kit


This is the last post in my homemade gifts/Canada Day entertaining series.
We made this DIY ice cream sundae kit for friends.  We thought it would be super fun for them to take to their cottage.  All they need to supply is the ice cream, and they will be set for some sundae making fun.

I picked up some waffle cone bowls, sugar cones and assorted candies and repackaged everything in clear cello bags with colourful labels and bakers twine. I then made some homemade chocolate sauce, jarred it, and packaged everything together in a little gift box.  It was so simple to put together and the recipients were thrilled, which was the whole point.

We're all officially on summer vacation now and plan on spending the rest of this week curled up watching movies, play board games, roasting marshmallows and swimming. Come back tomorrow to see if you're a winner in the Cadbury bicycle factory giveaway.

Easy Chocolate Sauce

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoon of butter
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 6 oz chocolate chips

Combine cream, butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan and heat until the butter had melted and the sauce is almost boiling.
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until melted. Cool to lukewarm and spoon into glass jars.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and store in the fridge.
To use, remove from the fridge and let it sit out at room temperature for 1 hour prior to serving, or heat for 15 seconds in the microwave.

http://mixingbowlkids.typepad.com/family_bites/2011/06/diy-ice-cream-sundae-kit.html


5- Sweet snowy gifts (gingerbread snowflake ornaments and snowman cocoa jars)


I made a batch of gingerbread snowflake ornaments for cookie gifts this year, and since no one can escape my newfound love of painting marshmallows, I ended up adding a mason jar o’ warmth to go with them.
I used a gingerbread cookie recipe from Williams-Sonoma (link provided below), then filled a mason jar with snowman marshmallows and hot cocoa. I added a recipe tag, slapped on a sticker and all done.

how to make gingerbread snowflake ornaments

you will need

gingerbread recipe
icing
snowflake cutter (mine was about 2 1/2 inches)
straw
one frosting bag, coupler and size “3″ tip
white frosting color
white sanding sugar or sprinkles
thin ribbon
cellophane favor bags

what to do

Prepare gingerbread recipe. Roll about 1/4-inch thick and place on parchment paper lined baking tray. Make holes with the straw and bake as directed by the recipe. Let cool. Tint frosting white and prepare a frosting bag with size 3 tip. Fill with white frosting and tie closed with a rubber band. Working with one cookie at a time, pipe snowflake designs and immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles. Let dry overnight.
To package, string ribbon through several cookies and tie. Place the cookies in a cellophane bag and tie closed with another piece of ribbon.

how to make snowman hot cocoa mason jars

you will need

mason jars
marshmallows
black and orange edible pens (I suggest Americolor gourmet writers)
hot cocoa mix
cellophane favor bags
tags, stickers and ribbon (optional)

what to do

use markers to make snowman faces on marshmallows. Let dry about an hour. Fill a favor bag with some hot cocoa mix (I used about a cup) and twist closed with a tie. (I used the favor bag instead of putting right in the jar to keep things tidy, but you can also just add the mix right to the jar.) Place the favor bag of cocoa in the jar with the tied area in the middle at the top. Place marshmallows around the top of the cocoa facing out of the jar. Close with lid.
If desired, add your own personalized sticker to the top of the jar, or attach a tag with the cocoa recipe using a piece of card stock, a hole punch and a piece of ribbon.

another mason jar idea
And here’s another bonus idea for your leftover mason jars: pretzel rods. I used small pretzel rods, dip in melted white chocolate and coated with sprinkles. These mini rods fit perfectly in the jar.

http://thedecoratedcookie.com/2009/12/sweet-snowy-gifts-gingerbread-snowflake-ornaments-and-snowman-cocoa-jars/




6-Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur

Pour it in your coffee, booze up your hot chocolate or just drink it on the rocks. Whichever way you choose, it's a fabulous boozy indulgence.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8 servings (1/2 cup each)

Ingredients

• 2 cups whiskey
• 1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk (use less to make it less sweet)
• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.
2. Play around with the ingredient amounts to get the right taste for you.
3. You can serve immediately or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to a month.

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/homemade-irish-cream-liqueur-recipe/1/


7-Brown Ale Caramel Corn

Red Hot Holiday Trends - This salty-sweet mix has all the highlights of happy hour: popcorn, pretzels, cocktail peanuts and beer.

• PREP TIME 35 Min
• TOTAL TIME 1 Hr 55 Min
• SERVINGS 16

 

8 cups popped popcorn

1 cup mini-pretzel twists

1/2 cup salted cocktail peanuts

1/2 cup brown ale beer

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.
• 2 In large bowl, place popcorn, pretzels and peanuts; set aside.
• 3 In 2-quart saucepan, heat ale over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into glass liquid measuring cup to confirm measure. Add back to saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbly around edges, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy. Remove from heat; carefully stir in salt. Pour over popcorn mixture in bowl; toss until evenly coated. Spread popcorn mixture in pans.
• 5 Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

Brown ale is a style of beer that is lightly hopped, very full-bodied, slightly sweet and dark brown in color. The color and flavor are derived from caramelized malts.
Brown rice syrup is a sweetener derived from brown rice. It has mild malty notes that enhance the beer flavor in this recipe. It is available at large supermarkets or specialty shops.
Need a gift for a beer lover? Package a bag of this salty-sweet mix and a bottle of brown ale for a great gift!
Use a bag or popped sea salt popcorn to save some time.
Interested in a non-alcoholic version? Root beer or cola can easily be substituted for the beer.

Got questions? Our experts have the answers. Ask Betty now.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving)

• Calories 130
• (Calories from Fat 60),

• Total Fat 7g
• (Saturated Fat 2g,
• Trans Fat 0g),
• Cholesterol 5mg;
• Sodium 110mg;
• Total Carbohydrate 13g
• (Dietary Fiber 1g,
• Sugars 6g),
• Protein 2g;

Percent Daily Value*:Exchanges:

• 1/2 Starch;
• 0 Fruit;
• 1/2 Other Carbohydrate;
• 0 Skim Milk;
• 0 Low-Fat Milk;
• 0 Milk;
• 0 Vegetable;
• 0 Very Lean Meat;
• 0 Lean Meat;
• 0 High-Fat Meat;
• 1 1/2 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choices:

• 1;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/brown-ale-caramel-corn/f0c442d1-5dc7-48fa-85b1-d3f2aeedc32e

Chocolate Stout Caramel Corn

Red Hot Holiday Trends - Stout beer, roasted almonds and plenty of milk chocolate chunks make this caramel popcorn an irresistible snack.

• 
  

• PREP TIME 35 Min
• TOTAL TIME 1 Hr 55 Min
• SERVINGS 14

 

8 cups popped popcorn

1 cup roasted salted almonds

1/2 cup stout beer

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped premium milk chocolate (6 oz)

• 1 Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.
• 2 In large bowl, place popcorn and almonds; set aside.
• 3 In 2-quart saucepan, heat beer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into glass liquid measuring cup to confirm measure. Add back to saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbly around edges, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy. Remove from heat; carefully stir in salt. Pour over popcorn mix in bowl; toss until evenly coated. Spread popcorn mixture in pans.
• 5 Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces; stir in chocolate. Store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

The sweet milk chocolate balances the dark and bitter flavor of the stout beer. Milk chocolate chips can be used in place of the chocolate chunks.
Brown rice syrup is a sweetener derived from brown rice. It has mild malty notes that enhance the beer flavor in this recipe. It is available at large supermarkets or specialty shops.
Need a gift for a beer lover? Package a bag of this tasty mix and a bottle of stout beer for a great gift!
Interested in a non-alcoholic version? Root beer or cola can easily be substituted for the beer.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-stout-caramel-corn/cc89bfe8-3c4a-46b7-b8f0-3a75f5093707

India Pale Ale Caramel Corn

Red Hot Holiday Trends - Sweet caramel popcorn gets spiked and spiced with a pour of IPA beer and a hint of garam masala.

• 
  

• PREP TIME 35 Min
• TOTAL TIME 1 Hr 55 Min
• SERVINGS 14

 

8 cups popped popcorn

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup India pale ale beer

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.
• 2 In large bowl, place popcorn and cashews; set aside.
• 3 In 2-quart saucepan, heat ale over medium heat, frequently, until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into glass liquid measuring cup to confirm measure. Add back to saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbly around edges, stirring occasionally.
• 4 Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy. Remove from heat; carefully stir in garam masala and salt. Pour over popcorn mixture in bowl; toss until evenly coated. Spread popcorn mixture in pans.
• 5 Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

India pale ale is a style of beer that is pale to deep amber in color and slightly more hoppy and bitter than other pale ale.
Garam masala is an Indian spice mixture. While its recipe is variable, garam masala usually consists of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and may also include coriander, cumin, nutmeg, mace or pepper.
Brown rice syrup is a sweetener derived from brown rice. It has mild malty notes that enhance the beer flavor in this recipe. It is available at large supermarkets or specialty shops.
Need a gift for a beer lover? Package a bag of this spiced mix and a bottle of IPA for a great gift!
Interested in a non-alcoholic version? Root beer or cola can easily be substituted for the beer.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/india-pale-ale-caramel-corn/3ae92cc7-f424-4f93-9b15-3fdd6d4ca967