Anyone Wants To Join My Christmas Basket Project???
Decorating By vagostino Updated 9 Dec 2010 , 6:06pm by chas21
I'm working on my list right now of all the things I need. For me, that is the hardest part!
My revamped list:
1) Cake balls
2) Hot chocolate on a stick
3) Caramel
4) Gingerbread Biscotti
5) Iced sugar cookies
6) Snickerdoodles
This week I should be getting supplies to start making things but that depends on the size of my wallet after Thanksgiving is over. Right now it looks pretty thin, but the Dollar Tree is calling my name. 
My revamped list:
1) Cake balls
2) Hot chocolate on a stick
This week I should be getting supplies to start making things but that depends on the size of my wallet after Thanksgiving is over. Right now it looks pretty thin, but the Dollar Tree is calling my name.
Ok I may have missed it, but please do tell, what is Hot chocolate on a stick? Hope you get everything you need at the $ tree!
andpotts, I did get what I needed, but not what I wanted, LOL!!
I got the recipe from AmberLee Fawson's blog giverslog.com. Here is the link to the entry with this recipe in it.
http://giverslog.com/?p=3290
The caramel that I am making is also from her blog. Here is the link to that recipe just in case.
http://giverslog.com/?p=3168
andpotts, I did get what I needed, but not what I wanted, LOL!!
I got the recipe from AmberLee Fawson's blog giverslog.com. Here is the link to the entry with this recipe in it.
http://giverslog.com/?p=3290
The caramel that I am making is also from her blog. Here is the link to that recipe just in case.
http://giverslog.com/?p=3168
Thanks for the recipe, what a neat idea! I'm excited to check out the rest of that blog too, thanks for sharing! 
I'm joining in. I haven't finalized my list yet. We always chose 12 treats and named it the 12 Treats of Christmas, but are cutting back this year. Hubby wanted me to cut it out completely since I'm doing the Free Cakes for Kids, but we reached a compromise. I'm having a hard time cutting it back, though!
Anyway, normally we get baskets and shrinkwrap (that you just use a regular hairdryer for) from Dollar Tree, but this year I discovered you could order online from Dollar Tree - and have it sent to the nearest store, so no shipping!! The downside is you have to order by the case. This year we're using this containers (but they have baskets, tins, plastic cookie trays/w lids - etc).
http://www.dollartree.com/new-arrivals-seasonal/Christmas/Christmas-Gift-Wrap/Christmas-Nesting-Gift-Boxes/215c319c325p303004/index.pro
So far I know we're doing
1) Cake Balls
2) Choco-Orange Diamonds
3) Chocolate Marbled Peanut Clusters
4)
5)
6)
Now I have to go back and read all of this thread to see if I can fill spots 4, 5, and 6!
OK, I'm going to stop lurking and join in, too. My list is finalized, and I've actually started mixing, but this year I'm experimenting and freezing the dough so I can bake as needed. My distribution dates are waaaaay too spread out, even with freezing, for baked cookies.
Anyhoo, my list for this year:
1-Old-fashioned sugar cookies
2-Stuffed cookies
3-Iced sugar cookies
4-Choc. chip cookies
5-Molasses cookies
6-Gingerbread men
7-Buckeyes
8-Truffles (chocolate,not cake)
9-Fudge
10-Oatmeal Carmelitas
11-Mini pumpkin bread
12-Oatmeal cookies
Does anyone have a good recipe for Martha Washington Balls?
Aaack!! My list was finalized, and then I saw the Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cookie magazine at the grocery store yesterday!!!!
I'm so undecided!! I am however, going to check out our dollar stores today to see what I can find...
Kavrena you are a star!!!!! Could I find that website again could I heck woo hoo into faves like it should have been the first time.
I am SO glad I found this thread and my family and friends will be too come Christmas! I bought some really cute baskets at the Dollar Tree a couple weeks ago and then got busy with Thanksgiving prep so I haven't come up with my list yet. I usually make chocolate peanut butter fudge, buttermilk fudge, peanut butter balls, divinity, martha washingtons (I will post the recipe later), dipped pretzels, molasses cookies and chex mix. I was hoping to find a couple new things to add this year but everything here sounds so good I might have to buy bigger baskets!
Every year I tell myself I'm going to be more organized and start earlier. Thanks to you all at least I've made a list.
1.Cocoa cones
2.Chocolate dipped Spoons (great with the cocoa cones)
3.Chocolate dipped Pretzel Rods
4.Chocolate dipped Oreos
5.Decorated Sugar Cookies
6.Toffee
7.Peanut Brittle
8.Fudge
9.Honeycomb candy
10.Candy filled cones (disposible decorating bags layered with seasonal candy) These I make for my grandkids
Now to get busy.
CookieD-oh what are oatmeal carmelitas?
Only the yummiest things ever! 
They're bar cookies that won a contest (back in the 70's I think...my mom cut the recipe out of a magazine). I can't remember if the contest was for Pillsbury, Nestle or something else, but Mom made them every year. Recipe as follows:
Grease bottom and sides of 9" square pan.
In a medium bowl combine to form crumb:
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup melted butter
Press half of mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped nuts over hot crust.
Combine 3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping* and 3 TBS flour. Mix well and drizzle over chocolate and nuts.
Sprinkle remaining crumb over caramel topping. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares.
*Back in the day it seems that caramel topping was hard to come by, so my mom used butterscotch most of the time, and it was just as good. In fact, now I use Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel topping. Yum!
...And CookieD-oh, what are stuffed cookies?!?! ( I have an idea, but please do tell)
Stuffed cookies are my Grandma's recipe, and my brother won't let me into his house on Christmas without a big plate of them . I don't tell people what's in the cookies until after they taste them, because for some reason, when you say the word "dates", people flip out and won't eat them. But once they've tried them, it's not an issue.
Cookies:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking pwd.
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs milk
Cream shortening and sugar, blend in egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Roll out 1/8" thick.
Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped dates
2 Tbs lemon juice
pinch salt
3/4 cup water
Combine all ingredients in saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until thick. Cool. (Will thicken more upon cooling.)
Cut out 2 cookies, add one tsp filling (sandwich fashion). Press edges firmly to seal. Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes, or until edges just start to turn golden.
**You can double the dough, but do not double the filling. You'll have leftover filling even with doubled dough.
Martha Washington's
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can coconut
1 c. pecans, chopped
2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 block parrafin
Combine butter, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, coconut and pecans. This mixture is really thick so I use my hands to make sure I get it completely mixed together. Form into balls and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and parrafin to dip the balls in.
Okay so I've read all of the posts and summed my list to this so far.
pumpkin bread (recipe from paulstonia)
Oatmeal Carmelites (recipe from CookieD-oh)
cake balls-chocolate/chocolate (cause their the best)
hot chocolate on a stick (http://giverslog.com/?p=3290)
chocolate chip cookies (some will have be dipped in chocolate)
I'd also like to make snickerdoodle cookies...anyone care to share a good recipe???
The Martha Washington cookies look pretty good. What is block parrafin?
It's a wax that is used in chocolate and to seal jars for preservatives.
So that's used like wax paper or parchment paper so the goodies dont stick? Just need to be clear right now. I have turkey, ham and dressing on my mind already..
No, it is actually melted into the chocolate to reach a certain consistency. I don't know abut now, but back in the day most candy bars had parrafin wax in it. As far as as using it when you make canned goods, you melt in & our it onto the opening the jar to seal in what ever your preserving.
Martha Washington's
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can coconut
1 c. pecans, chopped
2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 block parrafin
Combine butter, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, coconut and pecans. This mixture is really thick so I use my hands to make sure I get it completely mixed together. Form into balls and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and parrafin to dip the balls in.
How much weight is the box of powered sugar? I get bags of it and each bag is 2lbs.
I just want to tell you the supplies I got:
Nesting baskets at TJ maxx (there are 3 baskets in different sizes per set. the set was $9 but it had 3 baskets so I figured $3 a piece and this are nice baskets! Red fabric type woven exterior lined with white and red striped cloth. They can use them later for storage etc.
parchment paper in holiday prints (red snowflakes on white paper)- I'll use it to line the baskets and to wrapped the mini loafs (tying a ribbon on each end to look like a candy wrapper).
super cute "treat" bags...round with a reindeer print on the front.
Saran wrap holiday prints (not sure what for yet, but just in case
chinese take out containers in red and white stripes
gallon zipper bags in holiday prints
I'm planning on leaving the decorated sugar cookies in the middle of the basket to be the main focus, and then the rest of the stuff in their wrappers/containers.
C'mon girls! kids are out of school and thanksgiving is gonna be crazy! Get everything ready to go monday AM!!
I'm watching you!!! 
Well I finally got my for real final, final list and have written out my shopping list.
Buttercrunch Toffee
Peppermint Bark
Pralines
Turtles
Chocolate Pistachio Spirals
Gourment Rocky Road
Rocky Road
Mahogany Buttercrunch Toffee
Jumbles
Swiss-Italian Mocha Meringue
Snickerdoodles
Lemon Poppyseed Cookies
Holiday Icebox Cookies (cherry, almond, apricot, blueberry)
Pistachio Cranberry Biscotti
Almond Cherry Biscotti
Shortbread
Almond Crescents
Chocolate Carmel Chews
Pecan Tarts
Vagostino where did you find parchment paper printed with holiday designs?
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