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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1982)
Portland Observer, December 15, 1982 Section III Page 9 Sweet treats for Christmas giving The rewards of candy making at home are sweet indeed. Call it nos talgia for Christmases past or may be self-satisfaction with a job well done, but the enjoyable accomplish ment o f turning out confections in one’s own kitchen is catching on. D efinitely not for consumption for those whose sweet tooth may still be of interest to the tooth fairy, the goodies we're writing about to day are adult fare only. All are glo riously spiked and call for more Here we are into December. I f you're like the people I visit with, you're saying. “ Christmas is com ing so fast and I have so much to do." There are some welcome seasonal items available this lime of year. For instance, filberts and walnut» are being offered at very reasonable prices at roadside stands and pro duce markets. If you purchase these “ in the sh ell" and then do the cracking, they can make a special gift for the person on your list that doesn’t take the time to crack them but would love to have them avail able for their favorite recipe. One of the nicest gifts I received last year was a jar o f ready-to-use nuts. This can even be a fam ily project with everyone pitching in to crack them. You can take this present one step further and roast, season, or candy- coat them — making them a real gourmet treat, ready for snacks or entertaining. Yeast breads are always welcome. There are many traditional Christ mas yeast breads that come from other countires and are beautiful to see as well as good to taste. There are even especially fun breads or puddings that include little surprises inside— such as a silver trinket or thimble in (he plum pudding or a ceramic animal in a Mexican fiesta bread. I f you do add this fun touch, be sure to let the receiver know, so you won't be responsible for a brok en tooth. A pretty card or flag tell ing the tradition adds a personal touch. These are gifts th a t( take tim e, but several can be made at once and then packaged and frozen. When you think gift-giving, think nutrition. Sweets and cookies have been a tradition for years and are nice, but many people are starting to limit the sweets they eat, so would appreciate some non-sweet treats. A cheese spread, some marinated mushrooms, cereal nibbles, or other party foods can also be packaged nicely and make a thoughtful gift. I f time is lim ited, consider pur chased food items for gifts. One of the most successful gifts I gave my son and daughter when they were grade school age, was a collection of mixes that was theirs. 1 had been shopping in the toy store and no ticed the miniature mixes with their tiny pans. I commented to my hus band that that was certainly a ridic ulous price for such a little item of food. He suggested that I buy some o f the kid's favorite foods and des serts in full size, put their name on the packages and let them fix them when they wanted to. I did have some rules that went along with the mixes. The kids needed to ask before making something, and they couldn't make a new dessert unless there were no desserts around. But beyond these simple rules, they were free to choose when to make them. Kids have fewer skills in the kitchen. With this in mind, I often chose special mixes that I would never purchase for my use. For ex ample, I made powdered sugar frosting by the dump method, but the kids couldn't learn this tech nique easily, so I would sometimes buy a frosting mix for them. I didn't just select sweets though, I chose some of the other things (hey liked. Scone mixes, corn bread, potato casseroles and spice packets helped them make main dishes. It was a great help to me and made them an active partner in making the meals. They had good feelings, developed better reading skills, and the fam iliy benefited from the special items. A nother popular g ift item that can be purchased is tea. I have a spe cial friend in Japan, and just as an afterthought, I included some strawberry tea in her Christmas package. A t the time I thought, “ This is silly— sending tea to Japan!” It turned out to be the best part o f the g ift, very mucy appre ciated because it was so unique. than a mere splash o f Am eretlo di Saronno, the spirit o f the Renais sance, which lends its unique flavor to these delectable delights. ball. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll half o f the balls in chopped pecans and half in flaked coconut. Makes 41. S AR O N NO BALLS SARO NNO F U D G E In a bow l, mix 2 cups each crushed chocolate wafers crumbs, confectioners* sugar and finely chopped pecans. Add Vt cup Amer- etto de Saronno and mix with the hands until mixture forms a smooth In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups sugar, 2 cups (1 pint) half-and- half, VS cup Ameretto de Saronno and '/« teaspoon salt. Brush the sides of the pan with butter or mar- garing. Stir over moderate heat until Sales Limited To Retail Quantities SAFEWAY sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook w ithout stirring until 238 *F. on a candy thermometer, or until a small amount forms a soft ball when dropped into water. Re move from heat and let stand until I4O*F. Beat with a spoon until mix ture begins to thicken slightly (m ix ture will still be shiny). Pour quickly into a foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Let stand until hard and cool. Use fo il to remove from pan and cut with a sharp kn ife into l-in ch squares. S P IR IT E D PEC A NS In a saucepan, combine I Vi cups sugar and Vi cup Ameretto de Sar onno. Bring to a boil and boil until 238 “F on a candy thermometer, or until a small amount forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Stir in 3 cups pecan halves and keep stirring until sugar syrup becomes cloudy and grainy. Spread out on cookie sheet and let harden. Separ ate into small pieces. Store in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. Makes about I quart Prices Effective 12/15 Thru 12/24/82 At Safeway In Portland Area Fully Cooked, Whole Hams. Water Added To Assure Tenderness. Perfect j For Your Christmas Feast Oregon Shrimp Raw Prawns ' Bit 0 Shrimp v. Shrimp Cocktail Cocktail Sauce Round Tip Roast Beef Rib Roast Grade A Turkeys Meat Pot Pies Fryer Gizzards Fleischmanns -, .tO O 'co 1110- Fleischmann’s Margarine Nalley’s Potato Chips Long Spaghetti Apple N o cker, Sour Cream Rice Krispies Ice Cream Wheat Bread Fruit Cocktail 10-Pound Sugar Saluto Pizzas 2 Mission 48 0 / Pkg Lucerne Quality Pint 13 0 / Or Marshmallow Krispies. 1 , 0 / Lucerne Asst d Flavors. 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