Gifts from the heart & hands

Homemade Gifts Are Inexpensive But Valued

BY BETH NOYCE
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE

All year long you've carefully compared prices, bought extra when things went on sale, and built up your food storage to a respectable size. Or, maybe your food storage is just whatever's in your kitchen pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Either way, you've got treasure to mold into personalized, homespun gifts for the holidays.

About five years ago, Leda Petersen told her grandchildren that she wanted only homemade gifts from them each Christmas, and that they would receive gifts she made herself, too.

"We've done it about four to five years now," the Magna grandmother says. She decided to leave behind the Christmas retail frenzy "because that's just what I can remember from when I was a kid. We never even knew about store-bought stuff."

Growing up during the Depression, Petersen says, Christmas wasn't about spending a lot of money. "Back then, when people went to visit at Christmas time, they'd bring homemade goods," she explains "We were just as happy as the kids are now with all these extravagant things."

Along with home-canned jams and produce, Petersen crochets things her grandchildren can treasure for generations. Her granddaughter, Aliesha Doxey of West Valley City, loves the tradition.

"She crocheted angel and snowflake ornaments for the tree, and doilies the next year," Doxey says. "She gives us some of her homemade jam and things she's canned. I think it's better than something that's bought because you can tell your kids it's from grandma. Knowing she spent that time means a lot."
Doxey exchanges homemade gifts with friends, too.

"I love it. I think it's fun to see the different things that they do," she says. "Plus it gives you ideas."

Kim Coats, one of Doxey's friends who lives in South Jordan, agrees.

"I think it comes from the heart more than something you purchase," she says. "Something that took a little time usually means a little more."

Here are some ideas for gifts you can make with what you may already have at home.

The staff of life if you're in a jam: If the person or family on your list has a bread maker, consider packaging a mix that is ready to dump into the pan with water and butter for an effortless, delicious-smelling hot loaf of bread. Add a little extra by including a small jar of the jam you bottled when berries or peaches were cheap. A small piece of fabric placed under each jar ring dresses up this gift and provides a place to attach a label and instructions as well as a holiday greeting from you. If you prefer to take it a step further, fresh-baked bread is always welcome. Just use the breadmaker recipe to bake the bread yourself, then deliver it hot with homemade jam or honey butter. To make honey butter, combine equal parts of room-temperature butter and honey until smooth. It is spreadable and melts immediately on hot bread. Yum!

Warm wishes: Those small legumes, grains, dehydrated vegetables and bouillon in the storage room would make a great soup to simplify someone's busy day during the holidays. Layer them in a pint jar and include instructions to make the cook on your list grateful that dinner can be so easy. In a clean, thoroughly dry, pint canning jar, layer any combination of roughly 1/4 cup of seven of any small dry legumes, grains, or dehydrated vegetables, such as: lentils, diced potatoes, split peas, chopped onion, diced carrots, sliced mushrooms, millet, rice, barley, or alphabet macaroni. After layering the dry ingredients attractively in the jar, add 1/4 cup bouillion, any flavor, and top with a jar lid and ring. To dress it up, screw the ring over a fabric scrap covering a small batting scrap, then tie a ribbon or piece of yarn around the ring. Attach instructions, which should read: "Combine the jar's contents with 6 quarts boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until legumes are soft, about one hour. If desired, add fresh meat and vegetables after cooking for about 30 minutes."

Sweet greetings: Cookies are a perennial holiday favorite. But with all the shopping, decorating and parties, who has time to bake? And if you did find time, could you get them delivered while they're still fresh?

Mona Bennington of Ogden received a cookie mix layered attractively in a jar as a gift.

"It was pretty cute," she says. So she made some to give as gifts.

"They were easy to do. You can put it in a regular jar and just tie a ribbon around it," she says. "Most of the ingredients I had right here, so I didn't have to buy a lot of stuff. That was good because I didn't want to spend lots of money."

Assemble the ingredients for a favorite cookie recipe in jar with instructions for finishing the baking at home. Your gift of fresh, hot cookies will include the tantalizing aroma of baking cookies that would be impossible if you had baked and delivered them. Who wouldn't like ready-to-mix-and-bake cookies they can prepare whenever the fancy strikes?

Washing it down: Most people enjoy a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter night, especially after a good snowball fight or after shoveling the walks and driveway. Or, maybe you prefer something cooler. Tie a ribbon around that 2-liter bottle of root beer you bought on sale for 69 cents. Attach a card that says: "We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a happy 'root beer.'" To make it even more special, deliver it with a 1/2 gallon box of vanilla ice cream you bought when it was $1.25.

Simply easy: Shh! Don't tell anyone how easy the delicious Christmas treat of Sweet Popcorn is to make. And it's low in fat, high in fiber too! For a colorful delight, make one batch green and another batch red. Then toss together when cool. Deliver in plastic bag tied with ribbon or in gift bags.

Sinfully rich, but not too expensive: All you need is sugar, butter, water, chocolate chips and a few nuts to make the classic confection of English Toffee. Oh, and a little time, too. But it's worth the effort. Deliver this confection in plastic wrap tied with a ribbon.

Just peachy: You could tie a ribbon around a jar of home-canned peaches and call it good. Or, you could dress them up by including everything needed to make a delicious peach cobbler to warm up a winter night. Or, home-canned apples with apple crisp mix makes a yummy, spicy gift of a luxurious dessert, even at the end of the busiest day.

It doesn't have to be food: Along with holiday cheer, winter brings aches and pains. You can create a comforting, reusable heat pack to give. Just fill a sock with uncooked white rice and tie a knot in the end. Decorate it by tying a strip of fabric or ribbon around the knot and add a card explaining how to use it. Or, sew a small pillow-like square from two washcloths, a folded hand towel or any fabric scrap. Fill it with uncooked rice and sew up the end, like a bean bag. Make it any size you want.

This homespun heating pad holds heat for up to 30 minutes after just two or three minutes on high in the microwave. It can be reheated again and again. Your gift of warmth will soothe away holiday stress.

Or, make a rice bag to use yourself after you've wrapped up all the Christmas giving.

Bread Mix for the Automatic Bread Maker (2-pound loaf)

4 cups bread flour (or 4 cups minus
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons gluten)
4 teaspoons dry milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 unopened package active, dry yeast

Place in a 1-quart plastic bag, or 1-quart jar. Attach instructions.
Instructions: Place 1 1/3 cups water and 4 teaspoons softened butter in breadmaker. Add bread mix, then yeast. Bake according to manufacturer's directions.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

1 cup chocolate chips (or use another flavor, or colorful candies)
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dry egg

Layer ingredients in a clean, thoroughly dry, 1-quart jar. Seal tightly with jar lid and ring. Attach instructions.
Instructions: Combine jar contents with 1 1/2 tablespoons water, 3/4 cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks) and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.

Hot Cocoa

3/4 cup dry milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Mix dry milk, sugar and cocoa thoroughly. Layer with miniature marshmallows in a pint jar. Decorate the jar and attach instructions.
Instructions: Mix 1/3 cup cocoa mix with 6 ounces hot water. Sip and enjoy!

Sweet Popcorn

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
A few drops food coloring
1/3 cup popcorn kernels

Pop popcorn kernels. Set aside in large bowl. Combine other ingredients in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Stir until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Bring to rolling boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook, without stirring, to
soft ball stage. (Be careful. If you cook it too long, it will scorch.) Pour over popped popcorn, stirring to coat evenly. Let cool.

English Toffee

1 cup butter (two cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 12-oz package milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine butter, sugar and water in large, thick pot. Stir and boil over medium heat until it is the color of a brown paper bag. This takes a long time. The mixture will separate for awhile, then blend back together. Just keep stirring. Pour candy onto a well-buttered surface. Score it with a buttered, sharp knife while still hot. When hard, blot top with paper towel, removing excess oil. Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Spread chocolate on toffee and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Break into pieces.

Peach Cobbler Mix

1 tablespoon tapioca or cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine in small bag. Shake until vanilla is evenly distributed. Allow to dry before sealing bag.
In a small mixing bowl, combine:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon dry egg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix with until thoroughly combined. Seal in medium plastic bag.
Attach both bags to a 1-quart jar of home-canned peaches with instructions.

Instructions: Combine ingredients of small bag with one quart peaches in 8-by-8 or 9-by-9 pan. Set aside. Combine ingredients of larger bag with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. (This is thick.) Spoon and spread over peach mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Apple Crisp Mix

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (regular are best, but quick-cooking work, too)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Layer in a 1-quart, clean, thoroughly dry canning jar. Attach instructions. Give with 1 quart home-canned apples.
Instructions: Drain apples. Place apples in greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients with 1 cup butter (two squares). Mix thoroughly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until topping is golden brown and crispy. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.