Make your own Christmas Prezzies!

Pistachios & cream

I plan to make

Chilli Jam
Red Pepper & Tomato chutney
BBQ sauce
Peanut Brittle
Mint Chocolate Fudge
Chilli Lime nuts
Snowman Soup (hot chocolate kits) for the kids
Granola
Vanilla extract (This is already made just needs to be decanted)

I might also make a cranberry & apple chutney depending on wheter i can get them at a good price. I could probably start getting moving on these soon.

Neyite

I've just ordered 48 jam jars. Lookit me being all domesticated

My ridiculously ambitious plan is to make:

Ballymaloe Mincemeat.
Chilli Jam
Chutney (From a Darina Allen Book)
Spiced Blackberry Relish
Baileys Fudge
Gingerbread House & Men
Christmas Cake
Cranberry & Chocolate Roulade - but that has cream in it so I'll be leaving that until just before eating it all myself.

Toto Wolfcastle

Ikea has some nice things that would be suitable for packaging. Labels, little plastic bags, little gold and silver tins, string, tape and paper bags.

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/collections/hemsmak/

Dinxminx

I might try making the chili jam this year - I've always thought it sounded really weird but I tasted a jalapeno jelly recently and loved it so I'm thinking maybe the chili jam is as good!

gaz wac

Hey


My bro in law always takes care of me when having drinks in his house, food he serves is delish but as I don't cook at all, I give him crisps and dip in return! :-(

As xmas is coming up, I wanted to put a bit of effort into a homemade gift so looking for ideas. He hates anything fishy, loves dry meats, spicy food, sauces etc. Not into sweet items. Im defo going to make him bacon jam, he will love that. I did see a Reddit thread where someone was drying meats in a fridge with a plate and a weight on top, but I could never find the thread again.

I want to make the gift but as I said, I don't cook so have to be simple enough.

Any ideas?


Thanks a mill gaz

The Hill Billy

Hi gaz - I've merged your thread with this one. You'll find loads of foodie gift ideas in this thread.

tHB

sdp

So I've made a start on gifts this year, everything used ( except spices, lemons and oranges ) was grown in garden,
list so far.

Pickled red cabbage, Spiced whole cherry tomatoes, Tomato passata, Tomato ketchup, Tomato and chilli jam, tomato and cardamon chutney, hot red tomato chutney, Apple chutney, smoked tomato chutney, tomato and lemon preserve, Blackberry and apple jam, spiced carrot chutney,beetroot and orange chutney, pickled beetroot,first light fruit christmas cake, still to make 6 small christmas cakes, and puddings, pickled eggs, toffee and fudge

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PigeonPie

Oooh I love this thread! Can't believe it's that time of year again. Although I'm not in a position to make as much as previous years I'll definitely be making a few little bits. Love it!

Pistachios & cream

Dinxminx wrote: »

I might try making the chili jam this year - I've always thought it sounded really weird but I tasted a jalapeno jelly recently and loved it so I'm thinking maybe the chili jam is as good!

The chilli jam always goes down a treat when i make it. I think its definitely the favourite of all the things i make

janmaree

On the subject of jam and Christmas prezzies, did anyone here catch Josh Widdicombe on Live at the Apollo the other night? I'd try to link the youtube clip but I'm not sure of the rules here when it comes to swearing, HIS swearing I mean, but it's easy to find and required viewing for those of us who love to cook gifts for those we love!!! If he's to be believed, we should start looking for OTHER inspiration!

Dinxminx

Link (not embed) with a warning?

janmaree

Dinxminx wrote: »

Link (not embed) with a warning?

I'm a techno-dope I'm afraid and don't really understand what you mean but I'll give it a go!

You have been warned..........his language is technicoloured!;)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WERBXxxsaHM

Dizzyblonde

I don't agree with him either, but that's hilarious

leahyl

I really have to set aside a time to make my Christmas cake soon....I'm getting all panicky now cos I'm doing a course at the moment and there's an exam at the start of December so I'm spending a lot of my weekend studying so don't have time for all the fun stuff....well, I'm either studying or procrastinating

RosyLily

Hitting Aldi on my lunch break to pick up some stuff. Currently googling recipes. Anyone see cranberries in the shops yet? Was gonna do apple and cranberry relish.

sdp

Think its a bit early for cranberry's to be out yet, Could be wrong, let us know if you find any.

Cheshire Cat

Cranberries usually appear in the shops in November. Some shops have frozen cranberries, which would work fine for relish.

RosyLily

Thanks guys! Haven't found cranberries yet (frozen or fresh) but will report back when I do.:)

pew

My brother in law has recently got into cooking.

I'm thinking of make a selection of dry rubs for him but I'm stuck as to what ones to make him.

I'm going to have a little book of recipes too to go with it.

Anyone any ideas which could be nice?

Tarzana2

janmaree wrote: »

I'm a techno-dope I'm afraid and don't really understand what you mean but I'll give it a go!

You have been warned..........his language is technicoloured!;)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WERBXxxsaHM

I think most people know their audience when it comes to giving food as gifts, they know who will love them, and who will shove them to the back of the cupboard, never to be used!

Dinxminx

Has anybody ever tried apple butter? It looks intruiging but I'm not sure what it would taste like!

pwurple

pew wrote: »

My brother in law has recently got into cooking.

I'm thinking of make a selection of dry rubs for him but I'm stuck as to what ones to make him.

I'm going to have a little book of recipes too to go with it.

Anyone any ideas which could be nice?

Dry rub spice mixes? Oh I've loads, I love Arun Kapil's Fresh Spice book, and adapt a few of those for us, as well as some american recipes from when we lived over there. Proportions are ratios, so do any qty you want. I grind all the whole ingredients fresh, but you can buy pre-ground too.

Pork rub - I put this on a pork shoulder for slow cooking.
12 x Smoked Paprika
12 x Chili powder
6 x Brown Sugar
6 x Caster sugar
2 x salt
2 x black pepper
1 x celery seed
1 x cumin

Spiced salt - This is adapted from Arun Kapils 'sofa chicken' recipe, where he does a buttermilk soak on the chicken, then coats in a spiced paprika&lemon crumb to fry it. it all gets tossed in this salted mix at the end, and it's bloomin fab. I keep a tub of this in the cupboard to chuck on any crispy item (including veggies) for some zing.

2x black pepper
2x coriander seeds
2x salt
1x fennel seeds
seeds of one green cardamon if the above is teaspoons. Multiply up as needed.


Game rub - adapted from that Fresh spice book again. This is great on any game, or strong meat, rub it on before roasting.
5x Juniper berries
4x cardamon pods
1tsp fennel seeds
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp thyme
1/2tsp pepper


Baked Ham This is a ham rub/glaze. Stir in water or cider to make a paste, and massage your pre-boiled ham before going in the oven for it's bake.

1 tblsp ground clove
4 tblsp brown sugar
2 tblsp mustard powder (i like my mustard, this might be too strong for weaklings. )

pew

pwurple wrote: »

Dry rub spice mixes? Oh I've loads, I love Arun Kapil's Fresh Spice book, and adapt a few of those for us, as well as some american recipes from when we lived over there. Proportions are ratios, so do any qty you want. I grind all the whole ingredients fresh, but you can buy pre-ground too.

Pork rub - I put this on a pork shoulder for slow cooking.
12 x Smoked Paprika
12 x Chili powder
6 x Brown Sugar
6 x Caster sugar
2 x salt
2 x black pepper
1 x celery seed
1 x cumin

Spiced salt - This is adapted from Arun Kapils 'sofa chicken' recipe, where he does a buttermilk soak on the chicken, then coats in a spiced paprika&lemon crumb to fry it. it all gets tossed in this salted mix at the end, and it's bloomin fab. I keep a tub of this in the cupboard to chuck on any crispy item (including veggies) for some zing.

2x black pepper
2x coriander seeds
2x salt
1x fennel seeds
seeds of one green cardamon if the above is teaspoons. Multiply up as needed.


Game rub - adapted from that Fresh spice book again. This is great on any game, or strong meat, rub it on before roasting.
5x Juniper berries
4x cardamon pods
1tsp fennel seeds
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp thyme
1/2tsp pepper


Baked Ham This is a ham rub/glaze. Stir in water or cider to make a paste, and massage your pre-boiled ham before going in the oven for it's bake.

1 tblsp ground clove
4 tblsp brown sugar
2 tblsp mustard powder (i like my mustard, this might be too strong for weaklings. )

This is fantastic!!

Thanks

catho_monster

Dinxminx wrote: »

Has anybody ever tried apple butter? It looks intruiging but I'm not sure what it would taste like!

Oh I have. It's thick, dense. Spreadable. (Nothing like butter?)
I like it, less of a palaver than other apple preserves, I think. BUT, your apples don't go as far. So you've to weigh up less effort versus less yield. It's what I make when I've a heap of free apples and no time to do anything with them.

Dinxminx

Thanks Catho, good to know! Might try it and see how I get on - cheap bags of apples in tesco at the moment.

Dinxminx

Just to say they had cranberries and cinnamon cranberries (?) in the Dealz on Moore Street today.

Pistachios & cream

Just made chilli lime cashews. My only problem now is not eating them all myself.

Going to make nigellas chilli jam this weekend too. I made a batch 2 weeks ago but it didn't work for me. I used a different pan and I couldn't get it to the right temperature. Fingers crossed it works this time

Mystery Egg

I've made 12 jars each of cucumber pickles and spicy tomato relish.

Pistachios & cream

Mystery Egg wrote: »

I've made 12 jars each of cucumber pickles and spicy tomato relish.

Sounds lovely. What recipe do you use for the tomato relish?

Mystery Egg

ahayes84 wrote: »

Sounds lovely. What recipe do you use for the tomato relish?

The below makes about 12 of these jars - and then some. We had leftovers which we rammed into several odd jars around the kitchen.

This splashes everywhere and makes your kitchen smell strongly of vinegar! We got over this by boiling orange peel and cinnamon sticks for a couple of hours the next day.

Spicy Tomato Relish

4 large red onions
10 cans tomatoes
300g raisins
6 cloves garlic, crushed
red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
juice and peel of 2 lemons (peel cut into long strips)
4 tablespoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons ground allspice
4 teaspoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups Sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (extra)

1. Place onions in a food processor and process until finely chopped; place in a large saucepan. Open the cans of tomatoes and add to onions, along with all other ingredients, except for cornflour and extra vinegar. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 1–2 hours or until starting to thicken. Stir often to stop mixture sticking to base of pan. It will stick and burn if you don't keep a good eye on it!

3. When it has darkened and thickened, combine cornflour with extra apple cider vinegar. Add to tomato mixture and simmer, stirring for 2 minutes.Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then spoon into sterilised, warm jars and seal. Turn the jars upside down for 2 minutes, then invert and leave to cool.