Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Here is what we sent out in our Christmas 2006 packages

Okay... I think I am officially exhausted! All of the goodies were packed and delivered to the post office this morning, despite us losing power for about 4 hours today! Here are the pictures of all the homemade goodies we sent out in our gift packs this year - the recipes are linked in the recipe title. Quite a few are ones that we have to make every year - but there are some new ones thrown in. There may be one or two that I have not had a chance to write up the recipe yet, but I will make sure to get that up in the next couple days - just hit refresh if you are looking to see if we updated it yet.

Tomorrow we will be delivering the packages we made up for local friends and the neighbors. I'll post what we made/included in their packages tomorrow night! After that, I think I'm ready for a good 3-4 day nap... please?

This is one of our favorite snacks during the holiday season - we always have to find the holiday shaped pretzels to use in it too!

Spicy Chex Mix

No recipe for these - just buttery checkerboard pretzels topped with a caramel laced rolo finished with kissables in holiday colors.

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Squares

These are one of Jeff's new favorite crisp chocolate cookies - studded with those Ande's peppermint crunch chips.


This is another one that we have to make every single year. The perfect combination of salty and sweet in mini bite-sized form! Small peanut butter ritz bits dipped into real white chocolate and topped in holiday sprinkles.

White Chocolate Dipped Mini Peanut Butter Ritz Bits

We did the kisses a bit different this year - these crisp meringue cookies are still flavored with peppermint, except I painted red lines inside the pipping bag before filling it to create the colored stripes.


We both love this unusual brittle - instead of your favorite nut, crushed popcorn turns these crunchy snacks into a wonderful sweet treat!


Jeff absolutely has to have these cookies each year - chocolate malt gives these cookies an edge over your ordinary M&M cookies.


How could we not make our favorite new bark? We made this for the first time last year and will be making it for many years to come! I love the striking color difference in the layers and with a bonus of being able to be cut quite neatly! Rich, creamy and very peppermint-y!


One of the more uniquely flavored baked popcorn mixes - sweet caramel and buttery toffee spiked with a large amount of ginger.


One of the new recipes - crunchy biscotti flavored with spices found in gingerbread. Loved the addition of chopped apricots and nutty pecans. Fresh grated orange zest adds a fun background flavor which had people trying to guess what made these so good.

Another must-have! Smooth, creamy and you can't stop reaching for more of this addictive fudge!


We can't include only one kind of fudge - we started making this a couple years ago and it is just different enough that we always get asked for the recipe.


And finally... the crunchy toffee that we have made at least 5 batches of this season. Crazy good and so delicious.


Here is the quick shot of everything packaged up before they went in their boxes. Whew! Too bad we are not quite done yet!

27 comments:

  1. Wow, that is wonderful looking! I'd love to be on the receiving end of one of those packages.
    I'm sure your recipients will be thrilled.

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  2. Yay!! I was waiting impatiently to see the goodies this year!!
    Wow Joe, you are an amazing guy, all these treats look so delicious and you have so many different flavors in there, I love it!
    Oh, and I made the Almond Rocca this past weekend and it was amazingly good, truly delicious candy! And now I now why so many great reviews, you just have got to try this toffee! (and I was super proud of myself that I got it right the first time making it too!! hehe!)
    Nice job, and you sure do deserve a good nap now!
    Ana

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  3. Wow...you are my hero. Those boxes are going to be amazing!!

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  4. WOW, I wish I would be on your christmas list. Everything looks wonderful.

    (I maybe made half the stuff you made and I thought I made a lot)

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  5. I echo what everyone else said, I wish I was on your list. What generous friends you are! Have a great Christmas!

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  6. Gosh! No wonder you're tired! Everything looks wonderful - lucky are those who receive your packages.

    Have a fabulous, joyous and peaceful (if you can manage it) holiday.

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  7. I think I forgot to send you my mailing address (hi, hi, hi). Wow it looks so good. I would like to receive one of your packages. Those Peppermint Kisses are so cool. Hope your friends and family enjoy.

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  8. A week off? You deserve a month!

    A fantastic job as usual! Everyone on your mailing list is lucky to know you! Thank you though for ALL of your posts- your creativity is infectious, and a visit to your blog always gets me in the mood to cook. Keep up the fantastic blog! I get a TON of my recipes from you :)

    Merry Christmas!

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  9. Is mine in the mail? Have a wonderful Christmas to both you and Jeff.

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  10. i'm so impressed! i want one! so fun and festive.

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  11. Wow, Joe, I think I am looking into a Bakery window with my nose pressed against it and wishing. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Rita

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  12. Joe & Jeff --

    You're unbelievable! I was feeling pretty good about my Christmas treats until I saw yours. Thanks for sharing the recipes. Everything looks amazing.

    Trish

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  13. Have I mentioned that I think I may be a long-lost family member? ;-)

    Great idea on the mini PB Ritz!

    I was so focused on cookies this year, that I really didn't think about or get around to candy this year - like the Snicker's Fudge you made recently or those Oreo Truffles - next year I definitely will put some candy items on the list.

    Enjoy the rest of the holidays! :)

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  14. To echo the other sentiments: wow! It must be just amazing to get a package like that in the mail, knowing the amount of work that went into it.

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  15. Holy Cow! You need to go put your feet up and relax! It all looks wonderful and very tasty.

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  16. The people on your list are extremely lucky!

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  17. Wow that all looks great - I love the peppermint meringues!

    AHHHH! I just realized I forgot to make the peppermint bark this year - I even had the stuff for it! CRAP! OH well.... Maybe it'll go over well in January!? ;-)

    I bet whoever gets your gifts of good food are very happy to be on your "who was good this year" list!

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  18. WOW,they look Awesome!!Did you loose my addy? LOL

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  19. those look amazing, i'll be watching my mailbox for my delivery!

    Merry Christmas!

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  20. That is a great spread of goodies, I may have to steal some recipes to add to my gift giving.

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  21. I'm Impressed!
    Khow many presents friends and Family
    Very beautiful
    Congratulations!!!

    your russian friend Svetlana


    Очень красиво! Поздравляю!

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  22. Thank you everyone! I can't believe we actually got everything out before the Holiday actually passed us by! I love the baking extravaganza - but it can be a bit stressful at times.

    Oh how I dream of a double oven! Hee hee!

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  23. A double oven? Lordy. I am mightily impressed by the efforts, and I think I need to contrive a way over the next year to get on your goodies package list.

    Merry Christmas, and thank you for the inspiration!

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  24. Wow! That is amazing. They are all so beautiful. You've inspired me, and now I can't wait until next year so I can shower my own friends and family with treats. You make everything look so beautiful and perfect - I aspire to be that good someday. Merry Christmas!

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  25. Joe, think bigger than a double oven. Think Trivection. I don't have one, but I met a woman at a Teacher Appreciation meeting who did and she was in love with hers and how thanks to it, she'd been able to whip out 3 pans of bar cookies in less than 40 minutes. Each recipe only took about 11 or 12 minute to bake! With a regular oven, they would have taken 25 to 30. When you put something in the oven, you punch in the standard time. The oven is programmed to reduce the time for you. It's a GE Profile.

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  26. WOW! Hope you both have a great holiday!

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  27. Peter - Merry Christmas back to you guys!

    Mel - Thank you - you will have to let me know what you end up baking!

    Anna - /goes off to research that! We need a new oven I think... maybe I could "accidently" drop something on the top so we have to replace it!

    Patti - Thanks! You too!

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