Homemade Christmas Roundup!

Here’s a roundup of all the homemade items I (or my mom, in the case of some of the cookies…she did pizelles, rice krispies and chocolate chip :)) made for Christmas 2009!

Enjoy!

Cookies

Cookie Dough Truffles

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pittsburgh-Style Rice Krispie Treats

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss Blossoms

Italian Lemon Cookies

Pizelles (not pictured) in Lemon, Orange, Anise, and Vanilla

Homemade Gifts

This year for our holiday gift exchange with family/extended family/friends, my mom set the theme as “Homemade” — the gifts had to be homemade by you, or someone else.

I did a package containing the following items…and then discovered I had enough left of everything to do the same packages for my neighbors! So they got the same goodies. 🙂

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Homemade Barbeque Spice Rub

Homemade Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Homemade BBQ Spice Rub

This spice rub is delicious — it’s from Steven Raichlen (also known as the guru behind BBQ University!)

This rub works on all types of meat as well, and it keeps for several months in a cool, dry spot!

I packaged this in small Ball jars — but The Container Store has super-cute little jars you could use if you had the time to order them (which I did not. LOL)

Fuzzy picture? Weird.

Basic Barbeque Rub

(Steven Raichlen)

Yield: 1 cup

1/4 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir or whisk to mix. Transfer to a jar, cover, and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months.

If giving as a gift, add a tag: “Rub 1-2 tablespoons of mix over your chicken, pork, or beef, and cook as desired!)”

Homemade Hot Chocolate

I used Annie’s hot chocolate recipe — it’s quite tasty!!

I packaged it up in Ball jars — but The Container Store has super-cute jars you can purchase for a prettier look!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

(Annie’s Eats)
Yield: about 4 cups cocoa mix

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1/8 tsp. salt
mini-marshmallows

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Whisk together until evenly blended.  Portion into gift packages as desired, and top each with a handful of mini-marshmallows.

Attach tags with the following instructions: “Mix 4-5 heaping tablespoons of cocoa mix with very warm water or milk to achieve desired flavor.  Top with mini marshmallows.  Enjoy!”