Firstly I found the list I'd made in the back of this years diary - a short list of ideas written around Christmas time last year.
Then I looked in my Christmas Book to see what I'd made in the past.
2015 = Red Wine and a home made mulled wine sachet. Home made raspberry Vinegar, A jar each of home made jam and marmalade and 2 jars of chutney plus a mini Dundee cake.
2016 = Fair Trade Drinking chocolate with mini marsh-mallows and home made chocolate spoons, two different sorts of home made marmalade, home made cranberry chutney and home made rum truffles.
2017= Strawberry Vodka, dried chili peppers, 2 different chutneys, orange and ginger marmalade, home made preserved ginger in syrup and a pack of bought chocolate/peppermint sticks
Then I searched through my recipe folder, some plastic pockets at the back hold magazine cuttings and photo copies full of ideas for presents. (Moment of sadness when I found photocopies of bird boxes that Colin might have made one day)
Next a look in the books from my kitchen shelf that might have ideas
Then I looked on-line and scribbled down a couple of recipes.
Then I made a list of what I wanted to make and after checking what dried fruit was already in the cupboard and making a shopping list, on Friday I crossed the border to shop in Diss (Norfolk!) as there is a "Grape Tree" shop there which is my favourite place for dried fruit and nuts and bought what I needed along with ingredients for my Christmas cake.
OK - better get started on the making.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
We’ve got jar box in the garage too.
ReplyDeleteAll the best people have a jar box in the garage!
DeleteI always beg jars from friends - especially the pretty smaller ones which make pretty gifts when refilled. You have some lovely ideas there and I think my offspring will each be getting mini-hampers for Christmas this year, as money is tight.
ReplyDeleteIf I was ever short of jars at the smallholding I used to put a blackboard out the front asking for jars and then would get boxes and jars by the hundred - trouble is lots were no good and had to be taken to the glass bank down the village!
Delete(((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteI have so many jars, I now pop them in the recycling. I reckon I keep the whole cul de sac supplied with jars, should it be needed. I suspect they are reproducing when I'm not looking. :-)
xx
You you have some nice ideas Sue. I was hoping to make some nice coat hanger but cannot find the wooded hangers so will have to do something else.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day we had a frost this morning but it looks lovely very now.
Hazel c uk
All of those sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteDelicious treats! You make lovely hampers, Sue, lucky recipients.
ReplyDeleteKeeping jars is a must, the pretty ones I put night lights in, safer and the wind doesn´t blow them out. xcx
ReplyDeleteYou are just so organised. I like how you vary the contents. I brought a very large heavy box with me to the new bungalow and it's full of jams, pickles and chutney. I'm sure I'll make more bits to go with them, when I can find stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is what I call enterprising, hope it all goes well. Just finished making some crabapple jelly, I am sure it is only for the beautiful amber colour.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of hampers. They are personal gifts, put together with thought and love. There isn't anything else you can ask for from a gift.
ReplyDeleteI love how you are so prectical and organised. I used to be but since the menopause I just seem so impractical. I do still work full time but I don't have half the inclination or energy I used to.
ReplyDeleteLove your comment on Phyllo Pastry - that is still how we spell it and it took me a minute to realize what Filo was when I first encountered it on the internet; I thought perhaps it was a brand name! (Canadian here)
ReplyDeleteYour hampers sound wonderful; such variety. Lucky people who get one!
That's interesting to know, wonder why it changed here
DeleteCan I ask you if you water bath your jars of goodies? I'm fairly new to preserving and have made some jam and chutney so far but I would like to make some more stuff, I'm particularly keen to make jars of apple sauce to use the apples in my garden. I currently freeze them but it would be good to have some in jars to give away, but everything I've read says I must process them in a hot water bath and I'm not sure how I go about that or why. I sterilise the jars and lids in the oven and they are hot when the food goes in, but is that enough, I'd love it if you could pass on your experience to me thanks. x
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on vinegar or sugar. Jam has high sugar, chutneys high vinegar and often sugar. So they keep OK - usually.
DeleteBut apple sauce on its own wouldn't have either so would need water bath but I don't do anything that needs a water bath method so can't really advise on times/techniques etc. Sorry
Hello Marksgran. I was sixty before I began preserving with hot water bath. I say go for it. I was a nervous wreck the first time but in the end it all turned out fine. This is my third year and now that I know what I'm doing it was a breeze. Apple sauce is a nice easy one to start on. A book on preserving or the internet will give you all the instructions you need.
DeleteThank you. I feel its something I would like to pursue but I think you're right Susan, a book on preserving and/or You Tube is probably the way forward. x
DeleteWell getting this lot sorted will keep you out of mischief for this week.
ReplyDeleteYour hampers over the years sound lovely, and what a good idea to keep a note of what you have included over the years so you can vary the contents.
My Christmas book goes back to 1979 so I know what I've given everyone since then which is handy for ideas
DeleteSue, I'm so glad you are doing this. I've sensed that between losing Col and moving to a new place, that you have been at loose ends...as who wouldn't be? This will keep you busy and, hopefully, get you back to the kind of life you enjoyed before he passed. My mother-in-law, who was left with a paid-for house and car but no income when dear FIL passed, had to get a job to eat and spent her spare time gardening...which she had never done much of before. It was her salvation. She took whatever plants were offered and bought a package of snapdragon seeds that came up all over the place for many years after.
ReplyDeleteNow, about those birdhouses...if you don't think you could build them yourself (nothing is impossible, I saw how you repaired your greenhouse), how about getting someone to build them for you, or buying some unfinished and painting them yourself? I was in a new town last winter and entertained myself by buying inexpensive bird houses and tarting them up (as you Brits would say) with paint. You can get small amounts of craft paint, or--in my case--I used leftover exterior house paints. They would make spectacular gifts!
God bless you, Sue.
PS What would it take for me to get on the list for one of your hampers??? LOL
I am totally useless with a saw so no chance of me doing nest-boxes!
DeleteIt's funny how the resolution to do something comes over one. I'm determined to make Christmas cake this year after about five yrs not doing it. Only two of us like it but it is nice to snack on in the winter by the fire after working outside in the cold and wet. I've always admired your hampers, lucky are the people who receive them.
ReplyDeleteIt was only about two months ago that I was absolutely sure I wouldn't make things for hampers!
DeleteChristmas cake with cheese and an apple is a favourite thing for a "meal" after Christmas.
A hamper is always such a thoughtful gift, made with love.
ReplyDeleteGood for you ! I was just thinking the same about getting the ingredients for the Christmas cake sorted . I always love it on the Archers when they have ‘Stir up Sunday ‘ !!
ReplyDeleteHampers my favourite of all gifts. You are going to have so much fun putting them together.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
glad you decided to make a few things for Christmas gifts. I like to keep nice jars that have interesting shapes and sizes. Made a few jars of jam to give away for gifts when I made yellow plum jam this year. Maybe I'm make up a hamper for my son and family as they moved this year and don't have alot of money for things. Food and fun things too!
ReplyDeleteI'll try and convince hubby I am being a good person by keeping lots of jars in the shed...He apparently thinks otherwise! x
ReplyDelete