Happy #SundaySupper!
I looked at my calendar the other day and got a jolt of reality. Christmas is only a little over a month away! If you’re anything like me, you’re scrambling at the last minute to put something nice together for friends and loved ones.
Before I went back to school, I would begin my Christmas shopping early, storing presents in the attic for the following year. Well, organization and strategic planning went out the door, along with my sanity, once I started classes for my Bachelor’s degree. I no longer have the time, energy, or excess funds to shop for Christmas. What do you do when that happens? Make homemade gifts, of course. Every year, I put together treats from the kitchen to give as Christmas gifts. Honestly, I think my friends and family appreciate it even more than a store-bought gift. Homemade gifts are thoughtful and crafted with your own hands, so it really shows that special someone how much you care.
This week the #SundaySupper gang gathered up their favorite recipes that can be used to create delicious gifts from the kitchen. What’s better than the gift of food?
I decided to make my most requested homemade holiday snack, turtle pretzels. They only require three ingredients: snap pretzels, Rolos, and pecans. The hardest part is unwrapping all of those golden little caramel filled chocolates. I’m tempted to write the Rolo company and put in a request for unwrapped Rolos. Does that make me lazy?
These candies are Christmas crack! People can’t get enough of them, and I can’t keep up with the demand each year. There have even been fights in the past over who gets the last candy on the plate. They turn civilized people into ravenous beasts.
Have you ever seen the episode of Friends where Monica decides to make chocolates for Christmas so she can make friends with her neighbors? Well, the neighbors loved the chocolates so much that they formed an angry mob at the door because Monica was unable to produce the chocolates fast enough. That’s me every year!
I’m tempted to carry these candies around with me during the holiday season to bribe people into getting what I want. Long line at the department store? Give the cashier one of these and you’ll be at the front of the line in no time. The sale doesn’t start until tomorrow? Give the sales clerk one of these and you’ll be VIP for a day. Somebody just grabbed the very last dancing Elmo doll that little Bobby wants ever so badly? Bust out a bag of these candies and Bobby’s mom will hand it over without a fight.
I don’t suppose bribing is very holiday like, is it?
What I’m trying to say is, if you make these you’ll become a holiday superhero. Everybody will adore you and your chocolates. You’ll be the talk of the season.
Enjoy!
Want more holiday gift ideas? Check out the recipes:
Breads/Breakfast
- Pumpkin Biscoff Bread – Dinners, Dishes, and Dessert
- All-in-One Beer Bread Kit – girlichef
- Banana Coconut Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nut Streusel – The Lovely Pantry
- Pancake Mix With Apple Cider Syrup and Candied Walnuts – Tora’s Real Food
- Cranberry Hootycreeks – Baker Street
Condiments/Ingredients
- Apple Butter – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
- Cranberry Strawberry Jam – The Meltaways
- Herb Vinegars – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Harissa – The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Homemade Vanilla Extract – Flour on my Face
- Homemade Cherry Extract – Cravings of a Lunatic
- Nutella Powder – I Run For Wine
- Apricot Pineapple Rum Sauce – Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Spiced Cranberry Apricot Almond Chutney – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Pumpkin Butter – Family Foodie
Soups and Snacks
- A Soup For You – Momma’s Meals
- Maple Nut Granola – Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts – Soni’s Food for Thought
- Roasted Spiced Nuts – Mrs Mama Hen
- Sweet and Spicy Pecans – Supper For a Steal
- Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars – Cupcakes and Kale Chips
- Orange Spiced Chickpeas – Home Cooking Memories
- Turtle Pretzels – The Messy Baker
Sweets
- Rocky Road Candy – Magnolia Days
- Dairyfree Vegan Caramels – Galactosemia in PDX
- Peanut Butter Cookies in a Jar – Mama’s Blissful Bites
- M&M Cookies in a Jar – Damn Delicious
- Monster Cookie Mix in a Jar – What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Biscotti – Meal Planning Magic
- Snickerdoodle Snack Mix – Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
- Butter and Jam Thumbprint Cookies – Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Peppermint Stick Cookie Truffles – The Weekend Gourmet
- Nutella Truffles – Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Peanut Cajetas (Peanut Fudge) – Basic and Delicious
- Cookie Cutter Fudge – Chocolate Moosey
- Pumpkin Roll – Shockingly Delicious
- Homemade Chocolates – My Trials in the Kitchen
- Hot Chocolate on a Stick – Juanita’s Cocina
- Chocolate Toffee “Crack” – Ruffles and Truffles
- Holiday Tree Cake – Noshing with the Nolands
- Salted Caramel Cookies – Mama Mommy Mom
- Fruit and Nut Cookies – In the Kitchen with Audrey
Drinks
- Applepie Moonshine – My Catholic Kitchen
- Holiday Spiced Mocha – Daily Dish Recipes
- Homemade Peppermint Mocha Mix – In the Kitchen with KP
- Homemade Kahlua – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Snap Pretzels (square shaped)
- Rolos, unwrapped
- Pecan halves
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Line the baking pan with the snap pretzels. Top with Rolos.
- Bake for 60-90 seconds, just enough to soften the chocolates but not melt them.
- While the chocolates are warm, top with pecan halves. Press the pecans slightly to spread the chocolate over the pretzel.
- Place in the refrigerator to cool. Package them for the holidays or store in an airtight container.
Hi and welcome to my flour-dusted kitchen! The name's Jennie. I'm a lover of cupcakes, an avid spatula licker, and a huge fan of sprinkles. Baking is my passion, but you'll find some savory dishes scattered amongst copious amounts of frosting and chocolate. I love hearing from ya, so feel free to leave me some love. Thanks for stopping by my little piece of the interweb.
