Hot Fudge Sauce (aka.. the greatest neighbor Christmas gift EVER)

Saying I love hot fudge is the understatement of the century! Seriously, there are no words to describe the pleasure I feel taking spoonfuls of it out if the jar (hot OR cold :))! I love it on ice cream, cheesecake, crepes, in milk or hot chocolate...and just about any other way (ok, except perhaps on vegetables).  I'm so lucky that one of the reasons my husband loves me is that he thinks it's extremely funny to watch how much I adore eating dessert.  Uh huh, this one REALLY makes him fall in love with me because I don't think I could adore hot fudge any more than I do.

I could eat it any time of day, any time of year, or wherever I am on the planet.

This year, I decided to make it for my neighborhood Christmas gifts. It's by FAR my very favorite neighborhood Christmas gift I've EVER given!!! Here's why:
-Inexpensive
-Amazingly delicious
-Won't go bad if it's not eaten within 3 days
- 3 week life span
-It WILL be eaten... no one can throw it away
-So many uses for it
-quick and easy to make
-Not a common neighborhood gift
-I've got a free tag with directions already done for you

So, if you've already given your neighborhood gifts this year, here's something to think about for next year!
If you're not doing any neighborhood gifts this year, good for you! Some years it's SO MUCH better that way (See my thoughts on that HERE)!
 If you haven't done them yet, and need a quick, great, and inexpensive gift, lucky you, here it is!

Even if it's not Christmas time, make it!

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, Dutch process or regular (the flavor will be more decadent, deep with the Dutch process)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• pinch table salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Sift the cocoa powder. Seriously. If you don't, there will be clumps in the hot fudge!!

2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals. Stir in between, until the chocolate is smooth.
Whisk the cocoa powder into the melted chocolate, Whisk till very smooth. Set aside.

3. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cream, corn syrup, salt, and water over LOW heat. One the sugar is dissolved, turn the stove to medium or med high. Simmer for approximately 4 minutes, stirring often.

4. Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter. Let cool for about 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture. Whisk till smooth.

You had better eat at least a little bit now... even if you're saving it for later! Serve warm. 
Store in fridge. To reheat: microwave on low, stirring several times until smooth and shiny.

Yield: 2 Cups
Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

** For my neighborhood gifts, I doubled the recipe, and then I made it again and tripled the recipe. I poured it into half pint jars. This yielded 18 half pint jars.

  Here's the tag up close:

Print out a few pages of these, and then tie them to the jars with a 

cute little ribbon or twine:

Save to your computer and print. Then write your family name at the bottom... or copy to your computer and type in your family name then print. Here's what ours look like...

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

XO,

Nancy

Chocolate!

Every year my mother-in-law makes the most beautiful hand-dipped chocolates around Christmas. A few years back I was determined to learn the art, and believe me when I say it is an art. The first year my attempt was less than successful. They tasted awesome, but they looked like a pre-school cooking project so my neighbors got these as gifts:

A bag full of gumballs with a tag attached that
read: "Bah-gum-bug"

My mother-in- law showed me a few tricks of the trade (the chocolate needs to be the right temperature, don't let water touch the chocolate, don't eat more than you dip etc.).This has become one of my favorite Christmas traditions. In a later post, I will give out some of her recipes and techniques (so stay tuned). Let's hope that this year the chocolates make it to my neighbor's door and not in my husbands and children's mouth's!

-Lauralee

5 Easy Santa Neighbor Gifts

Christmas on the Porch- Day 4

No need to cry, No need to pout! 

Santa Claus is here to help you out!!

When it comes to Neighbor gifts we all want to give something that is cute and fun and doesn't break the budget.  Here are 5 ideas that look like the Jolly man himself.

 Santa's Milk and Cookies

This is a great Neighbor gift for those baker lovers!  Bake your favorite batch of cookies, add a carton of milk, wrap it in some cellophane and attach this tag. "We heard that Santa is not the only one who likes Milk and Cookies."  For those who don't enjoy baking add tag to your favorite package of cookies, a cookie mix or a roll of frozen cookie dough. For this yummy cookie recipe click here. 

Santa Box

This is a another really simple idea.  You just need a box treat.  You can use a box of hot chocolate, a box of popcorn or a box of chocolates.  Add a piece of red paper the size of the box.  You can either use a black ribbon or a black strip of paper the length of the box.  Cut a gold or silver square (2") and a small black square (1.5") Glue black square on silver or black square to make a belt. 

Santa Bag

You may already have an idea for a gift but just need to dress it up a little.  This is just a plain red gift bag.  Add a strip of black paper the length of the bag.  Cut a gold or silver square. Cut a black square just a little smaller to glue on top of the gold or silver square to make a belt.  The tag is made with a white tag then layering red and black paper.  The stamp is from Stampin Up. 

Santa Matches and Candle

1.You will need a candle, a small box of matches, a cellophane bag, and some red confetti strips, red paper (1.5" x 2"), black ribbon, a pop can flip lid (not sure of the name see picture) and red ribbon. 

2. Put your ribbon through the pop can flip lid and glue around your red paper.  Glue on match box.   

3.  Put strips in bag along with Santa matches and candle.  Tie bow around cellophane bag and a great Neighbor gift.



Santa "CHEX" Mix

1. Cut piece of red paper 4.25 x 5.5.  Cut a gold or silver square 2".  Cut a black strip 1.5 x 4.25.  Cut a black square 1.25".  (If you choose a different size bag you may need to adjust paper sizes.)

2. Fill bag with Chex Mix. (any flavor will do) 

3. Fold red paper in half.  Glue black strip on red paper.  Staple paper in the middle of the bag.  Glue black square onto gold square.  Glue square over staples. 

4. Print saying "Santa "Chex" his lists to see if you are naughty or nice."  Cut with fun scissors and glue over staples in the back. 

5.  Drop off at Neighbor's house.

HO HO HO!!! Merry Christmas
Jan



Snicker Cookies Recipe

Christmas on the Porch -Day 4 Bonus 

 



Snowball Attack!!!

Christmas on the porch - day 2

     We've all heard of, participated in or been recipients of a "heart attack." Not the bad scary one, but the one where you cut out a bunch of paper hearts, write nice things on them and then tape them to somebody's door. Well why not use this cold snowy weather as an excuse to do a "snowball attack" to some of your neighbors, family and friends? Here are a couple of different ways this can be done:

#1 - One of my favorite little fun things to make and especially eat is cake balls. You can really use any cake flavor to make them but for the purpose of making a snowball you will want to make a white cake and then cover them in white chocolate. They are so simple to make. All you need to do is bake your cake, let it cool then crumble it up and mix in a package of cream cheese. Form as little or as large of balls as you would like, stick them in the freezer for about 30 minutes and then heat up your white chocolate and roll those babies around in there. If you are quick enough you can roll them around immediately after in a little bowl of sugar crystals or other white decorative cake toppers to add a little bit of texture and fanciness!

#2 - For a fun, different and to die for yumminess you can make these little snowball looking treats, a.k.a. beijinhos de coco or "coconut kisses." You can find the recipe for them here.

Your friends, neighbors and loved ones will for sure "feel" your love as you "attack" them with these delicious little snow balls! You can even mention that each one represents something you love about them or something nice that they have done for you.

Just make sure that you make a few extra ones for you!

Enjoy!

-Jenn

The Fastest Fabulous Peppermint Brownies

Christmas on the Porch - Day 1 (bonus post)

These brownies are seriously so simple to make, and are so delish. This is my "go to" recipe for Christmas parties and cookie exchanges. So worth a try!

1 Betty Crocker brownie mix (also, the ingredients to make them... water, eggs, oil)
1 package of peppermint patties


Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour the pan.
Follow all directions on the box, regardless of pan size.

While brownies are baking, unwrap all of the peppermint patties.
When there are 2 minutes left to bake, open the oven and evenly spread the peppermint patties on the brownies. Bake for 1 1/2 more minutes.

Immediately after taking  brownies out of the oven, spread the peppermint patties around using a metal spatula. Let cool for at least 1/2 hour to let the peppermint and chocolate separate.

ENJOY!!
Nancy

12 Simple Neighbor Gift Ideas {even the Grinch would like})

Christmas on the Porch- Day 1

Honestly, neighborhood gifts are one of those Christmas things that can make me feel down right grinchy! I love my neighbors, and of course I want to give them something that shows I care and want to wish them a Merry Christmas.  The problem is that I tend to feel like if I give gifts to certain neighbors, then I must give them to other people in the neighborhood, and then if other people find out that I didn't give anything to them, then they'll think I don't like them, and on and on and on and on!!

 I start thinking about the money that it will cost to give everyone in the neighborhood a gift, and the time to make the gift on top of that, uuuuughh! Some years, neighborhood gifts would have taken up my whole Christmas budget and drained me of all money and time. At least that's how I've felt some years!

Different years bring different circumstances... here are 12 ideas that will work depending upon the time, energy, and money you have this year.

 #1 Nothing!!!

No one will remember next year! Some years, neighbor gifts are lower on the priority list.  I'd rather have my friend put her time and energy into making Christmas great for her family than stressing about a sugary treat to give to me. I've got enough sugar anyway. (Not that I don't appreciate it, I do, but you get the point).

#2 A Christmas card... even add an inexpensive ornament

Image: Martha Stewart

If you send Christmas cards anyway, just give one of those to all the neighbors. Or let the kids draw the pictures... they'd love it. At the Dollar Tree, they sell ornaments in packages of 10 for $1. Attach one to each card. You could afford taking one of these to the whole neighborhood if you feel that you need to do so :).

#3 A book that you bought on a great sale

 Christmas books make great gifts. They're one of my very favorite Christmas decorations. In July I found these books for &1.60 each (they retail for $19.99). Having Christmas in mind during other times of year helps score great deals!

#4 Dollar Store veggie tray with yummy food 

After reading Jan's post about all the great things to do with veggie trays, I saw some fun trays at the Dollar Tree! I snatched a few up, and thought what a great Christmas gift this would be for the close neighbors. Go to this post for some great ideas. Do some baking (or buying) and fill it up.

#5 The Fastest Fabulous Peppermint Brownies

I promise these are soooo good and soooo quick! I'll post the recipe later today!

Whip up a few batches of these goodies, put it a treat bag with a bow. Fast, easy & really yummy.

Update: find the recipe here!

#6 Fill up some dollar store chip and dip trays.

Offsets all the sugar!  Buy salsa on sale or even make your own.

#7 Paper Whites 

Photo from Wisconsin Made

  

(This is one of my VERY favorites... it even takes the grinchiness out of me).

Home Depo sells paper whites for about $1 per bulb.  Ikea sells cute little flower pots for 79 cents. Paper whites will grow in pebbles or gravel, they are so easy to grow and almost grow right in front of your eyes. They just bring happiness. Kids can even help plant them, and then help pass them out to neighbors. Inexpensive, no calories, and lovely = total winner.

Before we continue the rest of the list, I must admit that I love the Grinch. This is my favorite part of the story: 

(Right click, save to your computer and print if you would like)

Inspired by the Grinch, the rest of this list are things that require pretty much nothing bought at a store, and would make Christmas mean a little bit more.

#8 Do a random act of kindness for all the neighbors on your list.

Photo Source: Flikr

Then leave a little note wishing them a Merry Christmas from your family.

#9 Organize a neighborhood charity project instead of neighbor gifts.

I know this one isn't low in energy, if you're the one who organizes it. So, find the person in the neighborhood who would love to take this on, and then contribute!!

#10 Go Christmas Caroling 

Image Muncie Downtown

If you're short on cash, this will let all the neighbors you love know you're thinking about them. Leave those cheap candy canes too, if so desired.

#11 Organize a neighborhood Christmas Elf Game

image: mysavings

Ask everyone in the neighborhood who wants to participate in this instead of neighbor gifts. The organizer assigns each family to be another family's Elves. It's a secret. Each week in December, the Elves give secretly give something to or do something for that family. The Elves reveal their true identities the last week. It's really fun!

#12 Create a blizzard 

image: Martha Stewart

Make lots of snowflakes. For each neighbor, write something you like about them and/or their family on the snowflake. Tape them (carefully) to your neighbors' doors, and leave a not saying, "There's a blizzard of reasons we like you."  Knock and run {like the traditional 'heart attack'}. Of course, leave your name so they know you gave them a "neighbor gift" :).

If you're having a Grinchy or a happy year, I hope you'll find a way to make this holiday season mean "a little bit more".

XO, Nancy 

P.S. Here is my new favorite:

Find the recipe and a gift tag HERE .