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.
~ Great, fun, (and cheap) books

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*!