Here are some ideas for homemade gifts. While the recipes are not SB-friendly as listed, a little imagination could work wonders.

RUSSIAN TEA

18 ounce jar Tang powdered orange drink mix
3/4 cup plain instant tea
3 cups lemonade mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients. Ladle desired portions into appropriate gift container. To serve, use 3 heaping teaspoons mix per cup of hot water.


SLOW COOKER SUGARED PECANS & WALNUTS

1/2 pound pecan halves
1/2 pound walnut halves
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

Preheat slow cooker on high 15 minutes. Stir in the butter and nuts until well mixed. Cover and slow cook on high 15 min. Add the powdered sugar and spices, stirring to coat nuts evenly. Reduce heat to low and slow cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until nuts are coated with a crisp glaze - about 2 hours. Transfer to a cookie sheet in a single layer and let set until completely cool and dry. Store in airtight container.


VANILLA-ALMOND COFFEE

1 package (13 oz.) ground coffee, regular or decaf
1 oz. vanilla extract
1 oz. almond extract

Pour coffee into sealable airtight container. Add extracts and stir until blended. Let mingle overnight in refrigerator or freezer and store chilled until ready to use. Brew as usual.

Thanks for the recipes.. I love to make baskets for the families that we give gifts to. Luckily this year they required little cooking.. I picked up spices and teas from Cambodia to stock the baskets with..

Sand Art Brownies

1 cup flour
½ tsp. Baking powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
½ cup coconut
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup nuts (chopped)

Layer into a quart sealer in the order given above. I put the rest of the recipe below on a gift tag attached to the jar.

Add to dry ingredients 4 eggs, 1 tbsp. Vanilla and ¾ cup oil. Pour into a 9X13 pan and bake at 350 F for 28 – 30 minutes.

I'm going to make sweet spoons and sugar free drink mixes for people on my list. As soon as I get over this horrible cold/sinus problem that is kicking my bu** right now. I think I'm going home early today just to sit and sneeze and cough at home so I won't be contaminating everyone here at work. I'm nice and wear a mask when I leave my lab so I'm not spreading my germs all over the place but pity the poor soul who comes into my germ infested lab.

Sweet spoons are heavy plastic spoons that are dipped either in melted chocolate or melted hard candies, make sure the bowl of the spoon is full too and allowed to dry/harden on wax paper. I've not done it before but the directions sound pretty easy and they do look pretty.

I'm going to experiment with the basic recipe and see if it works with sugar free candy. I bought some sugar free hard candy and some sugar free hershey dark chocolate. Plus the regular full sugar variety for those on my list that aren't watching their weight.

Sarah