Friday 2 November 2018

Day 23: November bites

Another morning with a bit of a bite to it and another day of waiting for deliveries.  So time to do more thinking about those £5 presents.  Around this time of year in addition to 'compilation' presents, there is also an upsurge in 'do-it-yourself' kits, especially of the culinary variety.  I confess I am rather keen on these (as a recipient, I mean) as I have reached the age when I have more than enough stuff, and so really appreciate consumables and experiences as presents.  Here are a couple of my suggestions for gifts that come in at about £5.
"Biscuits in a Jar" is a BBC Good Food recipe that you can find here. It would make a great gift for those with a sweet tooth that like to eat, but not really cook.  I had most of the ingredients in my kitchen store cupboard (except for chocolate - who ever stores that? And the Horlicks). You need a large Kilner or other air-tight jar, this one I found in Sainsbury's, but you could use any large clean jar,  with at least one litre volume  - but make sure it is odour free, you wouldn't want the biscuits to taste of pickled onions!  I calculate that the costs come out like this: flour 9p; cranberries £1.20; oats 17p; sugar 23p; chocolate (dessert not cooking, but from Lidl) 76p; Horlicks 15p (I used half of an individual sachet); baking powder 2p and the Kilner jar  £2.50; £5.12 in total.  You could leave out the Horlicks or reduce the amount of chocolate or cranberries to keep in budget. The recipe and instructions are tied to the jar, and explain that the recipient needs to provide their own butter and an egg. This jar won't make it to the Christmas wrapping night, though, I have some birthdays to buy for this month, and suitably wrapped this will make as nice a birthday as a Christmas gift.


This is the make-it-yourself kit for Snowflake biscuits, another BBC Good Food recipe.  A version of this is available in their 'Homemade Christmas' magazine, or here.
The snowflake cutter came from Hobbycraft and my only purchases this time were ready-to-roll fondant icing and silver balls for decoration.  The costs were:
castor sugar (I had white, not golden) 38p; plain flour 12p; fondant icing £1.50: royal icing sugar (it contains egg white already unlike ordinary icing sugar) 22p; silver balls (half a tube) 50p and the cutter was £1.  Total cost £3.72.  all the ingredients are in a recycled cardboard box covered in last year's wrapping paper, and to give as a gift I'd add cellophane and ribbons and cover the lot in more wrapping paper.  Recipients need to add butter and an egg (and a bit of creativity with the decoration).  

Of course I was so busy thinking about Christmas I forgot to take something out of the freezer this morning for dinner tonight, so it will be the last of the pre-prepared pizza bases.  This time, as I'm a bit short on cheese, I shall wilt some spinach and squeeze out the excess liquid before arranging it on top of the still frozen tomato-sauced pizza base, making a neat barrier into which I shall break two eggs.  Baked at about 190C this will provide a tasty meal.  I'm on chicken duty again this weekend, so am hoping the eggs will be replaced if the chickens are kind.  

Needless to say when I popped out to get the chocolate for the jar and the silver decorations for the snowflakes the delivery man arrived with my parcel.  Fortunately my neighbour was home and took it in for me.  The parcel contained a pair of wellington boots and a pair of flip flops.  It reminded me of this challenge a bit.  Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.  

If you'd like to sponsor me for this challenge and support  'Start-Up Stirling' you can do so here!

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