Make your own Christmas Prezzies!

muckety

livinsane wrote: »

I tried out a sauce recipe using haw berries today, and if I deem it tasty enough, I'll make some for pressies. I've only tried a bit with a piece of crappy deli ham but I'd say it'd be much better with a hot, rich meat like lamb or venison. Its a sticky sweet sauce with a nice kick to it. It's cheap to make and haw berries are everywhere.


Sounds lovely and there are millions of haws this year.. did you decide its tasty?? Is it a pouring sauce or more like a jelly?

muckety

Has anyone advice on jars, bottles, labels etc - where to buy them, when are the 'special offers' usually out? I've seen Kilner Jars in Heatons but they're dear enough.

Faith

muckety wrote: »

Has anyone advice on jars, bottles, labels etc - where to buy them, when are the 'special offers' usually out? I've seen Kilner Jars in Heatons but they're dear enough.

What I did last year was go to Lidl, buy a load of really cheap jams and marmalade and just throw the contents out. Then I washed the jars, took off the labels and sterilised them. It was way cheaper than buying empty jars!

This year I'm just storing jars as I finish with them.

I make the labels myself.

Daisies

I'm currently living in Africa and there is an abundance of under ripe mangos for sale at the moment. Does anyone have a simple recipe for green mango chutney?

livinsane

muckety wrote: »

Sounds lovely and there are millions of haws this year.. did you decide its tasty?? Is it a pouring sauce or more like a jelly?

It definitely tastes nice. I'd say it would go really well with pulled pork or something like that. Its a pouring sauce, quite sticky.

I made sweet jelly/jam with haws last year and it was really, really nice. It was a gorgeous pinky red colour. I've directions here. Really worth making. I must do it again.

Padraig Mor

muckety wrote: »

Has anyone advice on jars, bottles, labels etc - where to buy them, when are the 'special offers' usually out? I've seen Kilner Jars in Heatons but they're dear enough.

I got mine from Alpack last year - http://www.alpack.ie/Glass_Bottles_Jam_Jars__labels/Default.8.html

You'll need to buy quite a few (packs are generally 50+) but they work out really cheap per unit. If in Dublin, you can also pick them up, saving the postage charge.

Also, my local Tesco had Kilner clip top jars on special the other week.

Tabitharose

muckety wrote: »

Has anyone advice on jars, bottles, labels etc - where to buy them, when are the 'special offers' usually out?

I've made several batches of chilli jam this year, and different fruit vinegars, and apart from reusing the bottles the vinegar comes in, I've been using the bottles Fentimans old fashioned cola comes in (good excuse to be drinking it - cause I need the bottles )
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=250513498

Tabitharose

made some red onion marmalade yesterday, I think I'll add it to my Christmas presents list





http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1404/red-onion-marmalade

gandalf

muckety wrote: »

Has anyone advice on jars, bottles, labels etc - where to buy them, when are the 'special offers' usually out? I've seen Kilner Jars in Heatons but they're dear enough.

Alpack as mentioned are good value for money for smaller jars. Also Ikea do the Kilner type jars at very good prices, sometimes even better when they are on special offer (we've used them for pickling this year). The only difference is the glass on them is not as thick but we haven't had any issues with them yet.

AshAdele

http://http://www.rivercottage.net/christmas-2013/12-weeks-to-go/

river cottage have started their countdown to Christmas, this week Pam the Jam has a pickled onion recipe,

could be good for a Xmas hamper

Faith

Is it too early to start making a Christmas cake? I'm finally getting a bit of a break in hecticness soon, but will probably be starting a new job before long, so I see a window of opportunity over the next couple of weeks. Good idea or bad idea?

Mince Pie

Faith wrote: »

Is it too early to start making a Christmas cake? I'm finally getting a bit of a break in hecticness soon, but will probably be starting a new job before long, so I see a window of opportunity over the next couple of weeks. Good idea or bad idea?

I made mine on Sunday. More time to "feed" it.

Blingy

Faith wrote: »

Is it too early to start making a Christmas cake? I'm finally getting a bit of a break in hecticness soon, but will probably be starting a new job before long, so I see a window of opportunity over the next couple of weeks. Good idea or bad idea?

Definitely not too early.

Faith

Brilliant! I spotted loads of dried fruit in Aldi last week so I'll start soon

How often do you feed it? It's usually every two weeks or so, isn't it? Keep it wrapped in parchment and tinfoil until you ice it, right?

I normally forget to make my cake early and I end up having a battery farmed kind of Christmas Cake - stuffed so full of alcohol that no one will notice it's really young and under-developed

Mince Pie

Faith wrote: »

Brilliant! I spotted loads of dried fruit in Aldi last week so I'll start soon

How often do you feed it? It's usually every two weeks or so, isn't it? Keep it wrapped in parchment and tinfoil until you ice it, right?

I normally forget to make my cake early and I end up having a battery farmed kind of Christmas Cake - stuffed so full of alcohol that no one will notice it's really young and under-developed

I would feed it once a week personally. Wrapped in parchment and foil and in a cake tin to keep the moisture.
Marzipan it the week before, leave for a couple of days to set then ice.

Just as an aside, I hate marzipan and so does my sister and kids. So I double iced it on Christmas morning. Worked grand.

Woshy

Aldi have lemons and limes in their super 6 which are great for making pressies (lemon or lime curd or lime marmalade). Tomatoes are on special too if you want to make chutney.

Does anyone know anywhere good to buy hampers from? I've looked on Amazon but they're more expensive than I thought. I was going to buy them from All Pack in Sandyford but I thought there might be cheaper options around. Any suggestions?

Padraig Mor

Woshy wrote: »

Aldi have lemons and limes in their super 6 which are great for making pressies (lemon or lime curd or lime marmalade). Tomatoes are on special too if you want to make chutney.

Does anyone know anywhere good to buy hampers from? I've looked on Amazon but they're more expensive than I thought. I was going to buy them from All Pack in Sandyford but I thought there might be cheaper options around. Any suggestions?

Try a floristry supplies place maybe.

Tabitharose

I've never bought a box to use as a hamper, would be more inclined to wrap a cardboard box to use, or if it's a small hamper buy a cheap colander & fill it instead, but a quick google throws up these two:

http://www.thehampershop.ie/diy-hamper-kits.html

http://www.heritagehampers.com/gifts/Baskets-and-Packaging/Cardboard-Gift-Boxes-&-Gift-Bags/index2.html?pconf=&slot=

Michellenman

I just used foil turkey roasting trays last year covered in crepe paper and ribbon and then in cellophane wrap. Worked a treat and quite inexpensive.

seosamh1980

Faith if possible you'd be better off doing a boiled fruit cake recipe, to keep the moisture in rather than have to re-add it with raw alcohol. I don't feed Christmas cakes at all, the taste of a saturated brandy tasting lump of cake puts me right off, bleh (had a distinct mouthful of it at a wedding two years ago, still can't forget it). I wouldn't feed every week from now until Christmas if I was doing that method, you'll end up with a soggy cake that tastes of just raw alcohol. Unless you like that taste, I'm not one for spirits as drinks, only as flavours in desserts, so I can't stand it.

annie.t

Woshy wrote: »

Aldi have lemons and limes in their super 6 which are great for making pressies (lemon or lime curd or lime marmalade). Tomatoes are on special too if you want to make chutney.

Does anyone know anywhere good to buy hampers from? I've looked on Amazon but they're more expensive than I thought. I was going to buy them from All Pack in Sandyford but I thought there might be cheaper options around. Any suggestions?

I got some baskets from this ebay seller 2 years ago:
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/floristrywarehouse/

Marje

I saw gift hamper sets in Heatons a few weeks ago - something like this that they have on their website

http://www.heatonsstores.com/Product/Gift-Hamper-Large/280010/1526030000

http://www.heatonsstores.com/Product/Gift-Hamper-Small/279957/1526030000

think there was cellophane included.

livinsane

Big floristry supplies place in Cork by Kinsale Rd Roundabout. I got my baskets there in person but you can buy online:

http://www.centralfloralsupplies.com/store/department/8/Basketware/

Michellenman

Thinking of adding in some pesto to my baskets this year. How soon before can you make it and how long will it last?

Also, anyone got a nice recipe for pesto?

Mince Pie

Michellenman wrote: »

Thinking of adding in some pesto to my baskets this year. How soon before can you make it and how long will it last?

Also, anyone got a nice recipe for pesto?

judging by the best before dates on the jars they seem to have a short shelf life but I may be wrong. I've only made it for dinner and not for presents.

dee_mc

Michellenman wrote: »

Thinking of adding in some pesto to my baskets this year. How soon before can you make it and how long will it last?

Also, anyone got a nice recipe for pesto?

It'll keep for up to a week in the fridge, a few months in the freezer. Only made it once, think I used Jamie Oliver's recipe from Jamie's Dinners book, nice!

Faith

I wouldn't chance putting pesto in because it does have a short shelf life. Properly sealed in jars, it might last longer but proper fresh pesto is better kept refrigerated IMO.

Michellenman

Yeah that's what I was thinking. And with no cooking required then the jars don't vacuum seal themselves. I guess I'll just have to make it all for me so

Faith

Michellenman wrote: »

Yeah that's what I was thinking. And we no cooking required then the jars don't vacuum seal themselves. I guess I'll just have to make it all for me so

There's a stall at the farmer's markets in Cork that sells the most amazing pesto I've ever had in my life. I'd make my own, only I can't imagine making it better than this guy .

Feel free to send me a batch of yours and I'll do a taste test for you .

Woshy

Thanks for basket suggestions - I bought some square red baskets on Amazon in the end for a very good price. They haven't arrived but hopefully they'll do the job!