Christmas Gift Food Ideas


First you make peppermint bark and then you make candied pecans. Lets start with the peppermint bark, a personal favorite (and won't cost nowhere near the Williams-Sonoma price).

Gather, 6 oz (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate (chopped), 6 oz white chocolate (chopped), 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, crushed up peppermint sticks to sprinkle on top. I used chocolate chips, which works equally as well as the bar and you don't have to chop it up.
Line your square or cake pan with tinfoil. 

In a double boiler or make-shift double boiler like I had to do (take a metal bowl, fill a pot with water and put it on a burner). In the small bowl, add your semi-sweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (a little of this stuff goes a long way!)
Melt the chips and stir while the chips are melting. 


Then pour out the chocolate onto your tin-foiled baking pan. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden slightly.
After 30 minutes, take your pan out of the refrigerator and complete the same process as before except leave out the peppermint extract. Place your white chocolate and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl to metal over a pan of boiling water. 
Once it is melted, pour all of the white chocolate onto the semi-sweet chocolate, spread the white chocolate around the pan.

Then sprinkle the crushed up peppermint sticks and refrigerator it for at least 30 minutes before you even think about eating it or giving it away as gifts :-)

 Once the chocolate is completed harden, pull off the tin foil and break it up into pieces, don't worry if the pieces aren't uniform, it looks better that way.
Ok second, really easy peasy food gift item you should have on hand always during the holiday time!
Sugared Pecans
First gather your ingredients: 2 cups pecans, 2 egg whites (beaten), 1 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground clove.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves and mix these ingredients together.

In another bowl, whip up the egg whites until foamy.

Pour the pecans into the egg whites and coat them thoroughly. Then pour in the sugar mixture over the nuts and toss the nuts in the bowl to make sure the nuts are completely coated!




In a foiled line baking sheet, spread the nuts out evenly and bake 1 hour. Break up pieces after 1 hour if the nuts are not completely cooked, meaning there is no stickiness or gooeyness from the egg whites. After the nuts are completely cooked, take the pan out, break out more pieces if need be and set the nuts aside to cool.
I actually did have a last minute Christmas dinner Sean and I had to attend and gave both of these as a gifts.  Enjoy!
And when you have that unexpected gift giver and you didn't have anything in return except the bark and nuts, then you will thank me!

32 comments:

Stephanie said...

Yup, I'll absolutely thank you! :) It's inevitable that it always happens!

Katie {Miss Dixie} said...

haha I have been there before of course, I love the way you described that scenario. Food gifts are always great to have on hand, love the peppermint bark!!!

Natalie said...

This is a really great idea...b/c it's hard to pick out gifts for people...and people always love food!

The Bases said...

Love peppermint bark!! I think I might be making!! :)

Unknown said...

Great idea to have a couple of gifts on hand! I love chocolate and peppermint so thanks for the recipe!

REBrown said...

I'm planning on making some peppermint bark tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

I never even thought to make home made peppermint bark! It's such great idea! I still have to get gifts, but am waiting until TOMORROW to get them! Maybe I can make this too, so that I don't feel so guilty for waiting until the last minute!

Lauren
http://www.laurensweetnothings.blogspot.com/

Lindsay @ Delighted Momma said...

you are on a baking roll! The peppermint bark sounds yummy! That would be delicious in a cup of coco too! Have a Merry Christmas Meg!

Carolina Charm said...

wow - you've been busy! what delicious gifts! love how festive they are!

Unknown said...

You have been a cooking/baking MACHINE girly! haha! :)

... said...

Those look so good! What a great gift idea in a pinch!

Mandee said...

great idea! You have been baking so much this season! good for you. Have a wonderful holiday season Meg.

Simply LKJ said...

Pine Bark and Sugared Pecans are a must around here!! We love to give them as gifts and they keep for awhile so they are easy to have on hand.

Summer-Raye said...

Yes!! How delish.

Jenna @ LaFemmeLaFanciful.com said...

This is such a great idea! That is one of the worst feelings ever when you do not have a gift for someone who has just unexpectantly sprung a present on you!

Susan said...

That's a great last minute idea! I've been meaning to make peppermint bark! This is motivating for me to do it!

Anna Elder said...

mmmmmmm. i want to have this for breakfast.

Sarah said...

Has my little gift just not arrived yet? ;) Those look delicious! I love making peppermint bark bc it really is so easy.

Hilliary Meisner said...

These are such wonderful ideas! Peppermint bark is always a favorite this time of year! You always have some wonderful ideas!

Happy Holidays!

Hollie Ann said...

peppermint bark!?! that sounds delicious! what a great idea. i will definitely use this!

birdie to be said...

Great recipes! How did you get your chocolates on your pep bark to stay together? Mine separated! :(

Kendall said...

That looks so yummy! Thanks for posting!

amy b.s. said...

what great ideas!

Kira said...

Great ideas, I would be happy to receive those as gifts!

Val said...

Nom...these goodies look amazing.

Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted said...

Been there before & I mean come on who doesn't like baked goods? Both these recipes look delicious! Can you send them my way? ;)

Liz said...

Congrats on the headband! Enjoy!!! :)

Simply Life said...

oh I am drooling over all these goodies!

marie said...

I agree, absolutely no reason to buy peppermint bark when it's so easy to make at home.

Denise said...

oh wow :) they look sooo good! :) i wanna eat them noww xx

Dree said...

Oh my gosh, these treats look amazing! I need to make these!

http://bethesong.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I'm going to try the peppermint bark!