Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2009- Santas Challenges

ellemm

Goodness lots of organising going on!!

I have done two cuboards which are now very tidy and have all the containers labelled so I can see at a glance what I have.

Finished off a couple of small hampers tonight, just to get another M&S voucher for one of them but hope to cash out some of the survey sites for that again.

Cashed out another £20 worth of Next vouchers from Consumer Pulse so that's OH's twin sons sorted with their hampers just to get beers and sweeties for the Retro Boxes I have already.

(Checked the drinks cupboards as I knew we had loads of beer in.......but oops, all expired end August 2009 :cool:.............better drink them myself then!!)

5 of the 6 grandkids presents finished, wrapped & labelled, again with just vouchers to be added for the 3 older ones.

Really pleased with all of those, and I just know they will all love them.

Remaining youngest, aged nearly 2, I have bought some clothes (wrapped) and will get a toy nearer the time - after asking his parents what I should buy!!

Well back off to bite my nails to the quick and peek through half shut eyes watching Scotland v Holland............:D

snickers0607

hi my cupboards are bare!

have sorted out all the wardrobes - done under the stairs - cleared out the kids rooms - and me and oh sorted out the kitchen this weekend, it just a pity the rest of the house looks so bad!

the oldest thing i found was a jar of spices bbe april 1998 !!!! lal !!! i now need to try and keep them like this!

just need to sort out ever growing present cupboard and wrap some more things now the kids are back at school - i am getting seriously excited we were talking today about christmas parties - woohoo!

cyclingyorkie

in 1998 we went on holiday with my mum which meant staying at her house the night before. We ended up going through her drawer of cans.

The one of epicure sausages priced in shillings was evicted!

As were all the tins priced with a half pence!

Nuff said!

bunbun2

mum2one I can understand your excitement at having a new cooker with glass door and light. we had a new cooker in July and I baked a cake today. the old one didn't have a light that worked and it was fab being able to see it as it was cooking! enjoy it when it arrives!

I am looking forward to seeing your recipe as I find Christmas cake a bit strong so a light one would be great. I have never made a Christmas cake before - boy would everyone be shocked!!

sunrise27_2

I need to get my cupboards organised lol my friend is doing one a week so might adopt that idea
I bought all my wrapping paper in the January sales and have enough for my youngest niece for about the next 3 years lol can't resist anything pretty and girly
I make my own cards and last year was a disaster, we had so many orders from customers that we were virtually making our family christmas cards the week before christmas so have decided that this year things have to be different .
I have 50 cards to make to give out to friends and have made 18 of them so far
I have made my nieces' and nephews cards, my parents cards and am just making my sisters , and brothers cards
I'm also going to make coaster calenders as stocking fillers and we're going to my in laws for dinner this year so might make pots of gold for something a bit different
we're doing boxing day and bought lots of make your own christmas crackers in the hobbycraft sale last year so will have a go at making those up

mum2one

The main difference is the fruit used, as this is based on tropical fruits.
Can be made upto 6 weeks in advance.
Can omit the alcohol for orange juice if preferred.

Fruity Christmas Cake.

Ingredients
200g glace cherries
225g plain flour
1 1/2tsp ground mixed spice
150g ground almonds
175g butter
175g light soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
grated zest 1 orange, + 1 unwaxed lemon
6 tbsp rum,brandy,or sherry. (or Orange Juice - non alcohol version)
1kg tropical dried fruit mix**

Method
1.Line a 23cm deep round cake tin or a 20cm square tin with 3 layers of baking paper

2.Wrap the outside with more paper,tie with string. Preheat the oven, 150C/130C (fan oven) /Gas 2.

3.Rinse the glace cherries, with hot water,cut into quarters and pat dry with kitchen roll.

4.Sift the flour and mixed spice together,add the ground almonds, and set aside.

5.Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

6. Then beat in the eggs one at a time,beating well between each addition, add a tablespoon of the flower mix with each egg.

7. Stir in the remainding flour mix, followed by the orange + lemon zest, cherries,dried tropical fruit, and alcohol or orange juice.

8.Put the mixture in the choosen tin,and make a shallow depression in the centre.

9.Bake for 1 hour, then reduce oven temp to 140C / 120C (fan oven) / Gas 1 and cook for another 2 1/2 to3 hrs, but after the cake has been cooking for 2 hrs, place a piece of cooking foil on the top to prevent it from browning.

10.Remove from the tin, and cool on a rack,- dont peel off the baking paper.

11. When totally cold wrap in cling film or foil and store in an airtight container.

tip - to test if it is cooked, insert a skewer (or clean knitting needle),in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean its cooked, if its sticky cook for a bit longer.

Next stage - if your using alcohol.

1.After a week, !!!!! the cake with a fine skewer (or knitting needle), and spoon or brush over 2 tablespoons of the alcohol that u put in the recipie.

2.Continue to do this every week or two, until a week before you decorate.

**- re tropical dried fruit mix.

If you have a weigh and save shop, buy the mix lose from there, if not go to Asda, and purchase 4 x 250g bags Asda Tropical Fruit Mix (got a feeling their in the kids section - mini fruit bags).

xx

mum2one

Couldn't resist this recipie, espically as the thread is Santas Challenges...

Santas Passion fruit cookies

Ingredients-
170g (5oz)butter
75g (3oz)caster sugar
75g (3oz)ground rice
150g (5oz) plain flour

For the icing
150g (5oz)icing sugar
1-2 passion fruit

Method
1.Cream the butter and sugar together

2.Add the ground rice + flower and mix together until the mixture forms a dough ball.

3.Wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes

4.Heat the oven to Gas 3,160C,

5.Remove the dough and roll out to apr.25cm x 20cm (10in x 8in), then cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.

6.Place on a lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10-12 mins, until golden. Leave to cool.

7.Cut the passion fruit in half, remove the flesh and seeds and mix with the icing sugar.

8.Spoon onto each cookie, spread over and leave to set.

Decorate to taste.

mum2one

A festive cake,but without the heaviness of a Christmas Cake.

Apricot, almond and cranberry cake.

Ingredients-

Decorations-
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

For the cake-
175g (6oz) butter
175g (6oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
300g (10oz) self-raising flour
100g ( 3 1/2oz) cranberries
200g (7oz) ready to eat apricots - need to be chopped
50g (2oz) ground almonds
grated zest 1 orange

Method

1.Preheat oven to Gas 3, 160C, line and grease a 1kg/2lb loaf tin.

2. cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy

3. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a small amount of flour with each egg.

4. Stir in the remaining flour with cranberries, apricots, almonds, and orange zest.

5.Spoon into the tin, and bake for 1 1/2hrs until golden,risen and firm to the touch.

6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin.

7. To decorate, put the 2 tablespoons orange juice + sugar in a pan and boil for 2 minutes until syrupy, stir well then drizzle over the cake.

The cake will keep for a week.

xx

mum2one

The batch of cocktails - we deserve a treat.

Sugar Syrup (a base for some of the cocktails)

This makes 4 tablespoons (60ml) of sugar syrup)
30g / 1 1/2oz caster sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

Mix sugar and water, allow to cool, and chill, then ready for cocktails as needed.

All these cocktails serve one
(we do work hard -all the xmas planning!!)

Cherry Cooler
40ml (1 1/2floz) cherry brandy
20ml (4 tsp) lemon juice
10ml (2 tsp) sugar syrup
Cranberry Juice

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a jar, top up with cranberry juice.

Deep Blue
50ml (2fl oz) blue Curacao
25ml (5 tsp) apple juice
20ml (4 tsp) lemon juice
Cloudy lemonade

Put first 3 ingredients in a glass, top up with cloudy lemonade to taste

Apricot Sour
40ml (1 1/2oz) apricot brandy
20ml (4tsp) lemon juice
20ml (4tsp) sugar syrup

Mix all ingredients together - serve

Snowball
50ml (2fl oz) advocaat
5 ml (1 tsp) lime cordial
lemonade

Serve in a highball glass

Choc-a-more
25ml (5 tsp) scotch whisky
25ml (5tsp) Choc Amore
25ml (5tsp) half and half cream mixed with milk

Stir all ingredients together and enjoy.

Stones Cosmo
25ml (5tsp) stones ginger wine
25ml (5tsp) vodka
20ml (4tsp) lime juice
15ml (1 tbsp) cranberry juice

Mix together

Cranberry Mix
25ml (5tsp) cranberry juice
50ml (2 fl oz) sherry (cream)

Mix the ingredients together - stir well

Black Russia
1 measure vodka
1 measure tia maria
coke

Add spirits to glass top up with coke.
Can swop tia-maria for Kalhua

(please dont do my mothers trick - many xmases ago, she was a carer in care home, 1st xmas day in 13 years, she was cooking dinner, haveing large glassfulls of Black Russia, thought the drink looked flat, (no bubbles from coke), she hadn't been adding coke - on the back of Kahula didnt say add coke!!).

White Russia
Tia Maria or Kahula
Vodka
Cream or milk

Can be a bit rich,with the cream, but is lush xx

mum2one

Again some use Sugar Syrup from the cocktails for one recipie.

Boxing Day Blush -serves 2
50ml (10tsp) Vodka
40ml (8tsp) lemon juice
60ml (12tsp) sugar syrup
100ml (4 floz) rose wine
60 ml (4tbsp) cranberry juice

Mix vodka, lemon juice, + syrup together
Pour the wine + cranberry juice into a tall glass
Pour the vodka mix on top.

Party Version - Boxing Day Blush - serves 10
250 ml vodka
200 ml lemon juice
300ml sugar syrup
500 ml rose wine
300ml cranberry juice

Mix large bowl- have fun.

Winter Moon Sangria - serves 4
250ml (9fl oz) apple juice
250ml (9fl oz) Chardonnay
40ml (1 1//2floz) apricot brandy
60ml (4 tbsp) lemon juice
60ml (4 tbsp) sugar syrup
Ginger ale

Pour the apple juice into a jug, followed by other ingredients
Top with ginger ale

Party size (serves 12)
750mlapplejuice
1x75cl chardonnay
120ml apricot brandy
240ml lemon juice
240ml sugar syrup
1 x litre bottle ginger ale

Mix as above

Christmas Sangria (serves 4)
100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) orange juice
250ml (9 fl oz) Shiraz
110ml (3 3/4 fl oz) cherry brandy
70ml (2 1/4 fl oz) sugar syrup
lemonade

Add the ingredients in a jar, stir well,
top with lemonade.

Christmas Sangria (party mix - serves 12)
300ml - orange juice
1 bottle Shiraz
330ml Cherry Brandy
210 ml sugar syrup
1 bottle lemonade.

Mix as above.