<p>A small, wonderful candy company in Colorado:
<a href=“http://www.enstrom.com/[/url]”>http://www.enstrom.com/</a>
We bought some of their toffee in a local store when living in Colorado back in the late 70’s and were hooked. Really really good and not the same big companies that you can find in any mall.</p>
<p>I like to find specialty food products made in my state to give as gifts to out-of-staters.</p>
<p>For us, that could mean any of a variety of fruit jams, spreads, butters (American Spoon Foods is just one example); dried cherries (plain or covered with chocolate!); maple syrup; honey; vinaigrettes --you get the idea.</p>
<p>Agree with dragonmom, that toffee is incredible.</p>
<p>We’ve used Wayne’s Market for the past 25 years! They make the best delicious gourmet baskets, and they ship anywhere in the US.<br>
<a href=“http://www.waynesmarket.com%5B/url%5D”>www.waynesmarket.com</a></p>
<p>Ladies and Gents, make sure to write down the links you like because they may disappear soon - our mods do not like commercial links in our posts. My link to a Barnes&Noble page was wiped out. May be they just did not like the book.;)</p>
<p>BTW, cookbooks make great non-food gifts!</p>
<p>Thanks for the great ideas on here. I like the smoked fish idea a lot.</p>
<p>The peanuts from Virginia Diner are great. Same goes for their peanut brittle. Though what my husband really likes to see under the tree are 5 lb. bags of Turkish pistachios from Zenobia.</p>
<p>Some of the homemade Christmas gifts we have given over the years:
Taco bean soup mix
Pancake mix with cinnamon-apple syrup
Hot fudge sauce
Peppermint bark
Caramelcorn
Brownie mix
Cookies</p>
<p>I’m thinking about making spiced nuts this year.</p>
<p>Any other homemade ideas???</p>
<p>There’s a rather lovely Almond Toffee crunch I make that is as good as many store bought candys. People get quite excited about Rum Balls/Brandy Balls as well. </p>
<p>A friend once gave me homemade mustards, several jars in a variety of flavors, said they were quite easy to make, though needed a little aging for flavors to combine.</p>
<p>GLM:</p>
<p>Care to share that Almond Toffee Crunch recipe?</p>
<p>every holiday season my father-in-law ordered a fruitcake from Collin’s Street Bakery in Texas. he said it was THE BEST :)</p>
<p>Candies, not the silly slip of the fingers above. </p>
<p>Looking over this receipe, I notice BAD SUGAR-corn syrup, and BAD FAT-solid shortening. Oh well. Once a year. Anyone know of substitutes for those ingredients? </p>
<p>Was just with a friend in Whole Foods today, as she was demo-ing American Spoon fruit butters, as mentioned above. Quite yummy and a healthy indulgence. </p>
<p>Almond Chocolate Crunch:</p>
<p>1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup butter
8 oz slivered blanched almonds, lightly roasted and finely chopped
2 1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 1 oz squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon solid shortening</p>
<p>In heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, heat sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water to boiling, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter. Set candy thermometer in place and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 300 degrees farenheight or hard crack state, about 20 minutes. </p>
<p>Remove sauce pan from heat. Reserve 1/3 cup almonds. Stir remaining almonds into hot syrup, then immediately pour mixture in lightly greased jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2. spreading evenly. Allow to cool on rack.</p>
<p>Prepare chocolate glaze: in heavy small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate pieces and shortening, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.</p>
<p>Remove almond candy in one piece from pan to cutting board. Spread chocolate over candy, sprinkle with reserved almonds. Allow glaze to set, about one hour, then break into pieces. Store in wax paper in tightly covered container.</p>
<p>Thank you, GLM.
I don’t expect toffee to be a health food!</p>
<p>Great Lakes Mom,
Thx for the receipe. It sounds yummy. </p>
<p>I would love to try the same with Pecans and white chocolate.</p>
<p>If anyone has a fruitcake receipe that is lowfat, please post. I was checking out the contents of one just earlier today and found that it contained 30% fat nearly all of it was saturated!</p>
<p>One couple gives us a “themed” basket each year with the ingredients to create several fun meals. We have rec’d Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Greek, Middle Eastern, Dessert-Making. We usually prepare the meal and have them over! It is an annual tradition. We (being Jewish) always buy them an ornament from some place we have travelled to that year. Their tree is covered with ornaments from London, Israel, Africa, Australia, the Ozarks, Hawaii, New England, Italy, etc.</p>