Stretching your Christmas Dollar

Every year my church has an Advent Celebration that is geared for the children of the church. There are crafts, singing, a message and caroling followed by hot cocoa and cookies. Last year I was asked to make 100 decorated sugar cookies to go into the goody bag for the kids. I was in the throws of morning sickness at the time and vowed never to do THAT again. Well it's that time of year again and I did not make cookies but 120 chocolate covered candy canes.

My WONDERFUL husband helped me bag and tie the poem I had found to each bag.

Candy Cane Poem

Look at the Candy Cane

What do you see?

Stripes that are red

Like the blood shed for me

White is for my Savior

Who's sinless and pure!

"J" is for Jesus My Lord, that's for sure!

Turn it around

And a staff you will see

Jesus my shepherd

Was born for Me!

Author Unknown

After I tied the last poem on the candy cane bag I thought what a great gift to give from you kitchen. You can buy a box of 12 candy canes for .94 at Walmart and then purchase some Almond Bark and sprinkles. A very inexpensive gift. My kitchen stretches my Christmas dollar like none other.

For both of my daughters school classes I made gingerbread tree ornaments. I used the recipe from

 Martha Stewart with one change to the recipe. Increase the amount of applesauce from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. You really do need the extra moisture. I would also recommend buying your cinnamon in bulk. (i.e. Costco) You need 1 cup for one batch and I made 3 batches and did not think of the bulk idea until after the recipe was made.

I used my Martha Stewart snowflake punch to make 4 snowflakes to throw in with the ornament. My girls loved them and my house smelled wonderful after they were made. FYI...do NOT eat the gingerbread. There is glue baked in there!

While candy canes were plentiful in my house I made this cake for my husbands birthday. Devils food (Dunkan Hines...there is none better) with 7 minute frosting and crushed candy canes thrown in. If I do say so myself it was quite good!

You may be thinking I would not step another foot into the kitchen until after the holidays are over but there are still gifts to be made. I'm beginning my list of cookies and meringues to make for teachers and friends. If you do not have the time to go all "Martha" on your baked good gifts just hop on over to the bakery at Costco. They have a great selection of Palmiers, Madelines (dip half into a chocolate ganache) Chocolate Peppermint Bark..the list goes on. Stop by Michaels and purchase some of the festive baked good boxes (if you are lucky they may be on sale now) and fill them up. Your gift will be appreciated even if the flour and sugar never left your pantry.