A mama with ideas...

It's that time of year again, folks! I'm talking about that time of year when you have a lot of people to buy gifts for to thank for their help throughout the year... teachers, neighbors, babysitters, cleaners etc... The thing is that this can often get expensive and so it is always nice to find a great idea for a relatively inexpensive gift that punches above its weight! This year I have 5 teachers to buy for now that the twins have started school and so things are getting even costlier!

Last year I made a cookie mix in a mason jar to give to the Big One's Teacher as a little gesture of thanks at Christmas... it was a cute little extra to go along with the gift card we gave her! However, the cookies were a one time only gift... once the mix was used that was it. So, I was looking for something that had a bit more longevity! The answer came in the form of the brilliant 1-2-3 cake in a mug mix I made earlier in the year thanks to a Pinterest find. I love this easy mix for its simplicity and relatively guilt-free treat! What better?

To make 5 gifts you will need...

• 5 x 16 oz (1 US Pint) mason jars ... I bought mine in the Dollar Store!
• 2 x box mixes of Angel Cake
• 2 x box mixes of another cake variety (I used Betty Crocker Devil's Food Chocolate cake)
• 5 x Xmas themed mugs (again from the Dollar Store)
• 5 x tablespoon measures (again from the Dollar Store)
• Ribbon in a Christmassy colour
• Adhesive labels to stick on the jar (see link below)
• 5 x brown paper gift bag
• Brown paint
• Red Paint
• Black marker

First off, make up the cake mix in a gallon sized freezer bag.  See the details here. Carefully spoon the mix into the jars, shaking to settle if necessary.  Close the lid carefully, and tie a tablespoon measure around the neck of the jar with the ribbon ... tie in a bow. Decorate the paper bag... we made reindeer handprints!

Label the jar with an adhesive sticky label... write the instructions on the label.  You can use the printable attached here with the sticky labels below.

Put it all together in the gift bag with some shredded paper and colored tissue paper!  Et voila!

As mentioned in my post about prepare-ahead roast potatoes... I was determined not to spend the lead up to Christmas slaving away in the kitchen!  So when I stumbled across this special mini-cheesecake pan I was intrigued!  I knew it was possible to freeze cheesecake as you can buy ready made ones in the freezer section, so I was hopeful that this could provide me with the perfect solution:  a tasty, classy dessert with a bit of Christmas 'wow factor', that could be prepared weeks in advance and simply defrosted in the refrigerator overnight, placed on a serving plate (no need to even cut into portions) et voilà!




PART 1:  Review of Norpro Mini Cheesecake Pan

The Norpro 3919 Mini Cheesecake Pan has 12 individual cups with removable bases to enable easy release and while it is described as a cheesecake pan I see no reason why you could not use it for a variety of bitesize appetisers or desserts, for example muffins or quiches.  Each cup measures 2 inches diameter and is 1-3/4 inches deep, and holds approximately 3 fl oz (90ml).  The pan itself has non-stick coating, plus riveted stainless steel handles.  It is dishwasher safe.


As with all new gadgets and gizmos I wanted to do a trial run, and so made some vegan cheesecakes for a Thanksgiving pot luck dessert!  They turned out better than I'd hoped and the tin was very easy to use.

Advantages

• The individual cups enable you to create professional looking individual desserts perfect for entertaining. 
• You can use it for more than just cheesecake!  Be creative!
• The non-stick works very well and the desserts I made slid out of the pan with ease.
• The pan feels well constructed and high quality.
• It washes well in the dishwasher.
• The standard recipe supplied with the pan works well and is reliable.
• You can freeze the pan (see the Christmas recipe below to find out more!)
• One of the best things about this pan in my opinion is that you can create a variety of different flavors in the same pan at the same time.  I used a basic vegan cheesecake recipe and created 3 additional variations by adding chocolate, lemon juice/zest and coffee to 4 different batches.  The results were delicious...

Disadvantages

• The pan is quite expensive when you consider the size of it!  However, it is solidly made and should last to make the investment worthwhile.  The RRP is $30, however, they are available online for much less.
• You can only make 12 at a time and it takes a long time to create a batch of cheesecakes, so if you are catering for a larger number of people, you may need more than one pan.
• If you are making cakes (with thin batter) rather than cheesecakes I can see that the batter may leak out of the cups as the loose bottoms are not secured.  This could be remedied by placing a baking sheet under the pan to catch any small leakages.

Verdict
I love this pan... it was very easy to use and gave very professional looking results.  However, one of my very favorite things about this pan is the ability to pop it in the freezer as I did a few weeks before Christmas.

• 2 Cups Graham cracker crumbs
• Half a bar of chocolate (I used some almond dark chocolate) - optional
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 5 Tablespoons butter (melted)

• 8oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1 egg
• 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 14 oz La Lechera condensed milk (sweetened condensed milk)
• 1 /2 tsp Mexican vanilla or pure vanilla extract
• 14 oz can Nestle La Lechera dulce de leche

To make the filling, simply blend the cream cheese, egg, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla with a hand mixer or blender until creamy and very well mixed.  Add 2-3 tablespoons of the dulce de leche and blend again.  Spoon the mixture into each cup to almost the top (leaving a small gap at the top for the topping).






Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.  It may look jiggly still but will carry on cooking in the next step.  Turn the oven off, and open the door an inch or two and leave the cheesecakes in there for an hour.  At the end of the hour, take the pan out of the oven.  Insert a skewer in the cheesecake to ensure it is done... it should come out clean.
Once completely cold, I spooned a dollop of the remaining dulce de Leche on each cheesecake and spread with a knife.  I placed a sheet of non-stick baking parchment over the pan and then double wrapped in foil to prevent freezer burn.  Then the whole thing went in the freezer.




Click here to get your own mini pan!
 

Jo, an old school friend of mine has started up her own cake making business, The Little Gingerbread House, and has been having huge success with her amazing cakes, cupcakes, cookies and other delectable delights! Go to her Facebook Page and 'Like' it to see some of the amazing edible creations she comes up with! You can also place online orders through her Facebook page ... great for expats like myself who want to send an affordable yet special gift to someone back in the UK!

She posted some of her fabulous items this week as she prepared a stall of goodies for a Christmas market, and I found myself totally inspired by her ideas! So, although this isn't my idea (which is technically, the point of my blog), it was inspired by another very creative mama! Thanks, Jo, for allowing me to share!

At this time of year, there's a lot of commercialism and pressure to give gifts to a lot of people... especially here in the USA, where the etiquette for tipping and gift giving at Christmas extends to just about everyone (that makes us Brits sound like right stingy so-and-sos... we're not, honestly)! So, this is an easy solution for a gift that shows you care for and appreciate someone, without it costing an absolute fortune, and without buying into the overly packaged, gimmicky nonsense marketed in the stores at this time of year!

The idea for this gift, is that you give someone a jar full of all the dry ingredients (weighed, measured & sifted), plus the instructions so they can bake their own fresh cookies! You can also accessories with wooden spoons, or cookie cutters! The recipient may need to add an egg, some butter, oil or syrup depending on the cookie recipe that you make, but the rest is fully prepared! Essentially, like a Betty Crocker packet, but prettier, with wholesome ingredients and prepared with love (tee hee)! I think it's a lovely personal gift, that shows thought and effort. Plus, it can be tailor-made to suit your recipient (using gluten free flour for those with allergies for example!).

At this point, I should say... if you are The Big One's teacher... look away now!




Gingerbread Man Cookie Mix Jar

You will need...

• A 1 quart (1 litre) Mason/preserving jar... either the kind with the screw top or the rubber seal/clip. These are readily available in stores and are very good value. I bought mine for $1.50 in a large craft store locally.
• 1 yard of pretty, festive ribbon - look in the discount bins in the craft store... I got a great selection for just $1 each!
• 1 themed cookie cutter - bargain at 99c!
• 2 cups (250g) all purpose (plain) flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking (bicarbonate) soda
• 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (190g) all purpose (plain) flour - and yes, I do mean to repeat this ingredient!
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice

Firstly, sift together 2 cups of all purpose flour with the baking powder and baking soda.  Then spoon into the jar.  Shake to settle it as much as possible, and then press it down... the end of a rolling pin is useful for this.  You will need to do this to make sure you get all of the ingredients in the jar! The ninja headband sported by The Big One is, of course, optional!






Next measure 1 cup of dark brown sugar, spoon into the jar and pack down again.  Lastly, sift together the remaining 1 and a half cups of flour with the spices.  Spoon into the jar, pressing down as necessary.





Seal the jar and then decorate with ribbon and tie on any accessories, such as cookie cutters or wooden spoons, that you want to include.





You will then need to provide the recipient with instructions on how to use their cookie mix.  The Big One created a handwritten masterpiece, but you could copy and paste the text below and create a sticky printable label or a printout tag with festive clip art!




The full instructions are as follows:

1. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend together.

2. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses, and 1 slightly beaten egg. Dough will be very stiff, so you may need to use your hands. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350'F (175'C).

4. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Decorate as desired.

This idea works brilliantly for all types of cookie recipes, and even things like brownies! Adapt the recipe/instructions/accessories however you like!

To make things as convenient as possible for your recipient, you may wish to supply some of the other items.  For example, we decanted 3/4 cup of molasses into a clean jar (an empty cake sprinkles pot was the perfect size) so that The Big One's teacher only needs to provide and egg and some butter to make the cookies!  We also included a small pot of festive decorating sprinkles (in the Dollar section at Target!).  Finally, put all your items together with some tissue paper in a gift bag (we even made a gingerbread man shaped gift tag for our bag!), and you have a thoughtful, affordable gift that someone will truly appreciate!





And of course, if you're weighing out the ingredients anyway... it'd be rude not to whizz up a batch of your own cookies!  What a fun activity to entertain the kids and some friends than to spend some time decorating your own gingerbread man.  Just mix up some simple powdered icing sugar with a tiny bit of warm water, and provide a variety of sprinkles and candies for the kids' to get creative with!  Paper cupcake cases are great for this!

I've been stuck indoors for the last few days with one poorly twin and another who's been bouncing off the walls and in need of something to do!  So I decided to brave an activity with him that I had been planning to do solo, and was delighted to find that it was suprisingly child-friendly and a fun way to spend some time with my little one while his brother had a much needed nap on the sofa!

The project I had been planning was to make a orange & clove pomander.  I have always thought that these look lovely and Christmassy... plus, I'm all into heavenly scented interiors and think the combination of citrus, clove, and other spices is perfect for the winter!  These classic 'air fresheners' have been popular since medieval times and form the basis of many family holiday traditions.  When properly cured (dried out) they can last indefinitely, requiring just an occasional refresh in boiling water for a minute before re-drying!  The only issue is that they require patience and can take weeks if not months to cure properly.

However, I am not your patient sort (ahem...) and like instant results!!!  So, I cheated slightly and jump-started the drying process in the oven!  I also don't necessarily expect them to last a lifetime... if they don't cure properly and need discarding after Christmas, I'm not going to lose any sleep.  Afterall, the Shouty One and I spent an enjoyable hour together making them and we benefitted from the gorgeous scent for a few weeks... that makes it worth it in my book!




You will need...

• A firm, blemish-free orange (choose one that smells divine even through the skin!!)
• Whole cloves - you can buy these in the spice aisle in the supermarket, but they can be expensive, so look out for them in the bulk food aisle or in health/whole food stores.
• Approximately a yard of ribbon (1/2" or 1cm wide is perfect).
• A tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and/or ground allspice (optional)
• A skewer or toothpick
• Sticky tape or masking tape

First of all, you should use the tape to mark out where your ribbon will go so that you can pierce the cloves around it.  You will probably want to tie the ribbon in a cross with two lengths circling the ball perpendicular to each other (like a gift wrapped present).




Then, you will find it easier if you use a skewer or toothpick to pierce the orange skin prior to inserting the cloves.  You should pierce all the way through the skin to the flesh underneath.  If you try to insert the cloves without doing this you often end up crushing them!  You can pre-design where you plan to insert your cloves by marking the skin with a pencil... intricate designs are fun, but so too is the random mass covering favored by the Shouty One!  My 3 year old managed to wield the skewer carefully (under strict supervision obviously) and he really enjoyed this bit!  Once you have created your holes, insert the cloves into the skin pointy end first, until securely embedded.







The Shouty One (with Monkey looking on) proved suprisingly adept at this and it was good practise of his fine motor skills!







Different designs work equally well.  Remove your tape when finished.








At this point, if you were being traditional, you would prepare the pomander for curing.  This involves tossing the orange in a pungent mix of spices, plus some Orris Root powder (apparently, this ingredient is made from the ground root of a type of Iris and is a natural preservative).  You could use a few drops of Sandalwood oil instead of the Orris Root.  Then you would put the orange pomander, plus the spices/preservative agent in a paper bag, and store in a cool, dry place for an extended period (between 3 weeks and up to 6 months) until completely dried out.  You can tell when a pomander is completely cured as it will have shrunk in size and will feel light and hollow.

As mentioned above, I'm not that patient!  I tossed my orange pomanders in a mix of ground spices and then placed them into a cooling oven (after cooking the boys tea) for a few hours with the convection fan on.  The smell that wafted around my house was simply heavenly!







After that, tie the ribbon around the pomander creating a hanging loop and a bow at the top.  You can then hang your pomander somewhere warm and dry so that it can continue to dry out while you enjoy the fragrance.  Keep an eye on your pomander and if it looks like it's not drying, but going bad, you will have to discard it!




So pretty and festive!  And they smell gorgeous too!