A bread-and-butter gift is a token gift that you usually give en masse to folks on your list. Your neighbors, your friends at church, your co-workers, your spouse’s co-workers, your neighbor’s co-workers, your paper boy, your hairdresser, your Great Aunt Matilda… Token is the operative word. I like to think of weird things and I usually manage to humiliate one or more of my children. I just bet some of you could come up with some ideas just as strange as these.
Food and Drink costs $1.50/Music $2.00
Save 25% on orders more than $40 (exp Dec 15)
Free shipping with $50 order
Dover Publications Coupon code: DH25
~ Parchment Paper
I bought a case of 1000 at a restaurant supply store.
I took 20 pieces, rolled them up, with a paper explaining it,
and tied them with ribbon or raffia.
This was met with squeals of exultation or blank stares.
~ Teresa’s Pan Spread
I got this recipe from a friend who cooks for large groups regularly.
Equal parts: Crisco, vegetable oil, flour
Beat in mixer on high speed until smooth.
Keep in fridge.
I use it in cooking all the time, in place of No-stick cooking spray.
I bought cute little pastry brushes to go with the jar.
[Moth-ER! I can’t beLIEVE you are giving grease to people as a gift!]
~ Al’s Sweet Hot Mustard
4 oz. dry mustard
(buy this in bulk at health food store)
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
Mix mustard and vinegar and let sit for at least 8 hours.
Add sugar and eggs.
In double boiler, stir over steaming water until it thickens.
Store in pint jars in refrigerator.
I double the recipe and make several batches.
~ Hamburger Jerky
12 pounds (elk) hamburger
2 – 3 T liquid smoke
1 T tenderizer
3 T onion powder
2 T lemon pepper
2 T seasoned salt
2 T garlic powder
4 1/2 T red pepper flakes
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce
1 T hot sauce
Mix well and load into a jerky gun.
Dry in food dryer.
* * * * * * * * *
This year’s token is Hot Fudge Sauce.
The others are ideas for the future.
~ Hot Fudge Sauce
1 C sugar
1/4 C baking cocoa
1/4 C corn starch
1 C boiling water
1 T butter
1 tsp real vanilla
Combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in a saucepan.
Add water and cook over medium-high heat slowly until thick.
Remove from heat an stir in butter and vanilla until smooth.
Already I’ve messed up a big batch! Yikes!
It took so long to thicken, I started reading blogs…
Next batch, I’m simmering instead of medium-heating.
~ BBQ Sauce
1 T liquid smoke
2 # 10 cans ketchup
5 lbs honey
2 C prepared mustard
2 C vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 C Worcestershire Sauce
~ Sheri’s Homemade Chai Mix
12 tsp tea leaves
Grind, but not too fine:
24 cardamom
6 sticks cinnamon
24 cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 1/2 cup sugar
Mix together.
To use:
3 T mix + 2 C water
Boil 10-15 minutes
Add 1/2 cup milk.
Strain and drink.
~ Healthy Vinaigrette
Recipe here.
~ Brenda’s Poppyseed Loaf
Message me, if you’d like the recipe.
It’s too long for this.
But oh my, it is my husband’s favorite.
~ Lemon Curd
Recipe and photos here.
Limbolady recommended this *with a box of gingersnaps*!
A Living Pencil 
“MoTHER!!!!” Hilarious. This is a great list! Lots of good ideas. Thanks for sharing them!
I just did some Christmas shopping at the Dover site. Thanks for the heads-up about the coupon!
You have outdone yourself. These are all terrific ideas!
Saving this post 🙂
Wonderful ideas! How do you package up the chocolate sauce? Does it have to be refrigerated? I’ll have to check out that Dover site.
One of the reasons I’m doing the fudge sauce is because I have too many canning jars (and a whole lot of baking cocoa). I will put some in quart jars (for families) and some in pint jars (for individuals). Depending on my time and resources I might add a ribbon, a bow or a round piece of cloth trimmed with pinking shears.I would refrigerate the sauce but I don’t think it will hurt to have it out, at least temporarily. I’ll do some checking on that.
I did this more when the girls were in elementary school. You know, for their teachers.
I am tempted to buy that Food/Drink quotation book just for the cover. I have so enjoyed Vreeland’s book by that title and all stuff associated with the pre-Impressionism era.
I love the quotes, Dana, and have put a few on the blog.
Okay, I have just picked myself up off the floor, laughing at the thought of Collin’s comment ab/ you giving “grease” as a gift!!! That is just TOOOOO funny!!!You forgot the part ab/ giving a box of gingersnaps w/ the lemon curd. The neat thing ab/ lemon curd is that you can give really small jars since you don’t use very much at a time. Also, I make little tarts (from a box of pie crust mix) and pour a tsp.of curd in them, cook for 15 min. at 350, top w/ whipped cream. MMM!
YUM, YUM, YUM. And I love the idea of giving “grease” (-:I really like the lemon curd/gingersnap idea. Hmmmm…. you’ve given me some great ideas.Di
I have the book of music quotes–maybe I’ll have to try the food one as well!
Um…a “jerky gun”? Not sure what that is, but it sounds like fun. Love all your ideas! Very creative–