Last minute gift

Here is a last minute gift idea that is simple to make as the receiver does all the work! (originally coming from http://www.bakerella.com/)

A "Cookie in a Jar" is all of the dry ingredients for Christmas Cookies that all you have to add is an egg, butter and vanilla. Roll them out and bake. So simple!

SUCH an asesome looking gift that tastes great too!

And as a Christmas Gift, the Printable Instructions for all of my readers...

Merry Christmas,
Rebecca ox

Still not yet wrapped?

Still have the present wrapping to do? Stuck for ideas? Here are some lovely and SIMPLE ideas that I have been collecting as well as what I ended up doing- with step-by-step instructions- easy peasy!

Simple brown paper and twine...

Scrabble tiles- how cool!

(www.homelife.com.au)

Pretty laces and paper flowers...

(entertainexchange)

Simple brown and red paper and twine...

A simple bel and ribbon...



And here is what I ended up doing...

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Voila!

Rebecca ox

Gingerbread Advent Calendar

If you need an excuse to eat a gingerbread biscuit every day of December, then you need a GINGERBREAD ADVENT CALENDAR!

We had so much fun making these- yes there is a lot to make, but that means there is a lot to eat :)
I simply cut out number chapes from the mixture and baked them, then when they first came out of the oven I made a small hole at the top of each one with the blunt end of a skewar.

I then strung them up along the Christmas garland that I have hanging from the fireplace and thats it!

We have one each day which is much more fun when you reach double didgits as there is a biscuit for each of the kids :)

Here is the recipe...
Ingredients:

340g (12 oz) flour
115g (4 oz) butter
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons of golden syrup
175g (6 oz) soft brown sugar (I use dark brown sugar here)
Method:
Melt butter, sugar and golden syrup over low heat.
Sift the flour, ginger and bicarb soda into a bowl. Add the syrup mixture and the beaten egg.
Mix everything together and then knead it into a ball.
Chill the dough in a plastic bag in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven at 190c / 375f / Gas mark 5.
Grease baking trays (I just use baking paper).
Sprinkle flour on bench top and rolling pin and roll out dough to a thickness of 1/2 cm (1/4 inch).
Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray. Decorate with currants and then bake for 10-15 mins until they are golden brown. Lift them onto a wire rack to cool.

ENJOY!

Rebecca ox