Helpful Score: 6
This book is another clever and appealing-to-the-eye book from the people at Leisure Arts. What better way to share a bit of yourself at the holiday time than to create something special from your kitchen to give to a special neighbor, co-worker, or friend. The gifts range from interesting canned goods such as Peppermint Marmalade to prebaked items such as Noel Cakes With Orange Sauce. I especially enjoyed making and giving mixes that the recipient can make themselves, such as the Christmas Cookie Crate. This includes a giant canister of the cookie starter with all the fixins' to make Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Granola Cookies. What will appeal to the reader is not only the wide assortment of delectable recipes, but the ideas for packaging the treats! On the page for Black Bean Soup, the packaging is a small soup pot and ladle, with a plaid scarf tied around the pot. Just the thing to take the edge off winter! Or the box of Christmas Light Cookies inside a box resembling a Christmas light box! These ideas are all extremely easy, though will impress the recipients with the time you spent putting something special together just for them. Enjoy this book, there's enough for many years of "good taste" in it
Recipes and crafts. Apple Dumplings, Holiday Cookie Pizza, Cardamom Bread Twists, Beer Mustard, Cashew Cookies, Hot Pepper Ketchup, Orange Cake, Chocolate-Amaretto Candy, Almond Cream Liqueur, Pesto Dip, Cherry Tea Mix, Mocha Liqueur, English Pound Cake, Black Bean Soup, Cumin Bread, Cajun Coleslaw, Caramel Apple Cakes, Green Pepper Jelly, Irish Cream Fudge, Peach Tea Mix, Raspberry Fudge Brownies, more.
Helpful Score: 1
I purchased this book to make the cute Christmas light cookies on the cover. I love how they are connected with string licorice and there are directions on how to make the "lights" box. There are also many ideas on how to make "kits" to give such as "Create-A-Cookie" kit and soup & bread packages. Also, there are directions on how to decorate packages for treats using easy sewing or gluing techniques. It's not just for Christmas!
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful book! I would say I am quite crafty always making something for teachers and relatives. There were a few ideas in here that I had not done before and I now have a new list of gifts to create! Good instructions to follow! Pattern's etc.
