Mumsnet Talk

Yes please Wombat. I bought Grana Padano (can't afford Parmesan!) in Aldi today in preparation.
The recipes I've got say stained glass window biscuits can't be frozen, but I have never tried. Personally I wish everything could be frozen, I don't have the time or energy to do everything at the last minute.

I am very after starting this thread to just disappear for the rest of the week! Been too busy frantically making and shopping, etc...

I have made half a dozen of the little kilner jar sewing kits like this and plan to make giant chocolate buttons to put in them. I am also working on a hobby-Rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer like this but with a red nose. I have a couple of little teddy polar bear beanies on the go too but they won't take long (?) and finished a zombie bean bag for DS1 last week (he dropped hints that he would like one). I am printing out a design to tranfer onto a t-shirt for OH as I type. My favourite make so far for most of my nieces and nephews is bags (little totes and drawstring kit bags) made from this fabric from Ikea (worked out about 90p a bag) which I have filled with little crafty supplies and v cheap crafting books from The Works and added a little set of fabric crayons so they can colour in their bag to personalise it. I have totally copped out on the older DN's though - they are getting one of these filled with sweets and a voucher. Haven't even started on the foodie gifts and I'm starting to panic about them. Particularly when I read how far ahead the rest of you are!

On that note, does anyone know if stained glass window biscuits (gingerbread bics with a melted boiled sweet in the middle) might freeze?
I need to keep them somewhere DH won't eat them all up!

Not sure doublemum. I'm tempted to try freezing some, would be so useful. I've frozen some of the dough and will probably bake that up this weekend, so shall I report back?

Wombat they sound lovely, will definitely make them next week. Wonder if they freeze.

Oh and my mum bought a load of tin foil trays from Costco and gave me the lids which she doesn't use. They are silver on one side so I've turned them into festive gift boxes which the dcs have decorated.

I'm going to put the homemade sweets in them.

Hi everyone. I've been lurking on this thread.

I was just wondering if I want to give peppermint bark as teacher presents next week can I make it on Sunday? Will it still be ok?

Also where are you getting your felt from for decorations?

Thank you.

Pretty much also half a teaspoon of English mustard in the mix.
And you press some yellow mustard seeds into the top of the biscuits after you've cut them out. Then you brush them with egg and bake at 170 for about 10-12 minutes.

I made them in Xmas tree shapes so the seeds looked like little baubles. And when they cooled I decorated them with edible gold dust. They do look festive.

I'm thinking they'd taste good with a Bloody Mary so might put them in a gift bag with vodka, tomato juice, celery salt, Worcester sauce etc

The Wombat is it just a normal parmesan biscuit with added cayenne pepper?

I've remembered something else I've done. I dried out slices of orange, some are just as they are and some covered in cinnamon. Some are piled in jars and some are in a bowl with some potpurri things.

Oh and fudge, Parmesan biscuits and hazelnut brittle to do

Christmas pud
Christmas cake
Red pesto and Parmesan twists
Rocky road
mincemeat (and some mince pies already made)

To make:
More mince pies!
Salt dough decorations
Chocolate and almond biscotti
Pom pomsfor pom Pom wreath

I need to stop finding these threads... it makes me do and buy more!

So far I have homemade pepermint creams, cranberry and lime vodka and sloe gin hidden in the cupboard.

I have just finished updating the 'family christmas tree' cushion ( didn't have time last christmas and dd in now 15mths). The tree is looking lovely with felt and fabric decorations we made a few weeks ago and tomorrow I plan to make a ribbon, felt and button christmas tree canvas

Bring us some, how about wrapped in cellophane, tied up with ribbon or twine and a small decoration for the tree?

Quick question- Planning on doing hot choc gifts for the teachers/nursery staff.

Have hot choc sachets, Star shaped marshmallows and choc stirring spoons.
How should I package them all. Had originally though of putting them in a mug but from reading the teacher gift threads it appears Teachers get tons of mugs.

Ive bought little bags but hey just dont look right.
any thoughts? Little jars? Christmas paper cups then in the bags?

Well the marshmallows I made have come out great. Tastes yummy!

Quite easy to make although did leave the kitchen a little sticky!

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/oct/31/campfire-cooking-bonfire-night-halloween-recipes

DoubleMum the recipe was in last months Red Magazine- had Cat Deeley on the cover. I can copy out the recipe tomorrow if you like - is easy and v scrummy, and the biscuits look pretty too

This thread is bad! I'm now making chocolates when the moulds arrive

Have you tried nail polish remover on the labels?

I made loads of apple chutney, red pepper relish, plum chutney, and sloe and apple jelly in the summer. Have been slowly distributing it.

I need to bottle up my rhubarb vodka and my christmas pudding vodka, but have realised that I can't get the labels off the empty vodka bottles I saved from making it! Does anyone have any tips?

also been making chocolate christmas trees using a silicon mould I found in the 99p shop (same idea as the star shaped bark - also saw this on pinterest!). I'm putting a wee dot of orange essence in the chocolate too, makes them very yummy.

Made my annual christmas cookie selection at the weekend too, they have been demolished at the various groups I go to.

DS and I made cards and decorations this year too - my cards were linoprints, as I have decided I want to do more printing. Decorations were salt dough stars, and not particularly impressive.

So that's it for 2012!

Inspired by this thread, I pulled my finger out and made my yearly batch of Christmas Pudding Vodka.

It smells soooooo good.

We are all hidding under an avalanche of fabric and yarn.

I only have umm.. TWO pairs of pajama bottoms and a cowl to finish.

What was I thinking!

The Wombat, devilled parmesan biscuits sound nice, and I could do with another savoury item in my hampers, could you point me in the direction of a recipe?
Pixie I just use Aldi chocolate for my bark.

I also made mincemeat this year for the first time.

Can I join in?
I have Christmas pudding vodka in the airing cupboard, and dough for stained glass window ginger biscuits and devilled Parmesan biscuits in the freezer. I'll make them up closer to Christmas so it will all be fresh