December 3, 1999
Children love to give a gift
they've made themselves. So instead of spending hours at the
mall helping your child find the "perfect gift" for
grandparents and teachers, turn your kitchen into a holiday bake
shop. While you're having fun, the two of you can create scrumptious
gifts and lasting memories.
A homemade baking mix -cookie, bread or scone - is a kid-friendly choice for holiday giving and can be easily assembled. Once the mixes are ready to go, kids can use their creativity to package them with ingredients and decorations that do not need refrigeration along with instructions for completing the recipe.
If you and your child would rather give a ready-to-eat gift, just set aside extra time to mix and bake. Either way, the pride your child will feel from having "made it myself," will be exceeded only by the fun of making it!
Holiday Baking ABCs
• Store honey at room temperature. Warming it slightly makes it easier to pour and measure.
• It's easy to add both fiber and a delicious whole grain flavor whenever you bake by substituting oats for up to one-third of the flour called for in the recipe.
• In most recipes, either quick or old fashioned oats may be used. Old fashioned oats add more texture and may cause cookies to spread a bit more.
• Lightly oil or spray measuring cups and spoons with no-stick cooking spray before adding honey. This will make the honey slip off more easily.
• For more honey recipes and tips, send a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to "Good & Golden," Dept. ROP, National Honey Board, 390 Lashley Street, Longmont, CO 80501. Or visit www.honey.com.
• For additional holiday oatmeal recipes, visit www.quakeroatmeal.com.
Honey Spice Oatmeal Cookie Mix
About 6 dozen cookies
To make mix: In large bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves and nutmeg; mix well. Add oats; mix well. Transfer to resealable plastic bag, an unbreakable decorative jar with lid or other airtight container. Store in cool dry place.
To prepare cookies:
1.In large bowl, beat butter and honey with electric mixer until creamy. Add egg; beat well. Add half of cookie mix; beat well. Add remaining cookie mix; beat well. Divide dough into thirds; place each on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Wrap tightly; chill at least 4 hours.
2.Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove one portion of dough from refrigerator. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to 1/8-inch thickness with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar. Repeat with remaining dough.
3.Bake 5 to 7 minutes, just until centers are set. (Cookies will feel soft. Do not overbake.) Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
Variations:
• Decorated Cookies-Decorate cooled cookies with melted dark or white chocolate, ready-to-spread frosting, decorator frosting in tubes, assorted small candies or candy sprinkles.
• Thumbprint Cookies-Use thumb to make a deep indentation in center of each cookie dough ball. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until very light golden brown. Remove cookies from oven; press small dark or white chocolate candy into indentation or fill with 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Cool and store as directed.
Holiday Scone Mix
8 scones
(not pictured)
To make mix: In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add oats, pecans and chocolate chips; mix well. Transfer to resealable plastic bag, an unbreakable decorative jar with lid or other airtight container. Store in cool dry place.
Variation: Omit chocolate chips; add 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel to mix.
To prepare scones:
1.Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly coat cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray.
2.Place scone mix in large bowl. Cut in butter with two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, beat together honey, milk and egg with wire whisk or fork. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir with fork just until dough starts to hold together. Transfer dough to floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times. Pat dough into 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
3.Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.
Cherry-Berry Bread Mix
4 mini loaves
To make mix: In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, cherries and cranberries; mix well. Transfer to resealable plastic bag, a decorative jar with lid or other airtight container. Store in cool dry place.
Variation: Substitute raisins for dried cherries and cranberries and increase ground cinnamon to 1-1/2 teaspoons in mix.
To prepare breads:
1.Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray four 6 x 3-3/4-inch disposable aluminum foil mini loaf pans with no-stick cooking spray.
2.Place bread mix in large bowl. In small bowl, combine honey, milk, butter and eggs with wire whisk or fork; mix well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not overmix.) Pour into pans, dividing evenly.
3.Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until tops of breads feel firm when touched and wooden pick inserted near center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it. (Do not overbake.) Cool breads in pans on wire rack. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Store at room temperature up to 2 days. For longer storage, label and freeze.
Variations:
• Large Loaves-Lightly spray two 8-1/4 x 4-1/4-inch disposable foil baking pans with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350ºF 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Proceed as recipe directs.
• Mini Bundt Loaves-Lightly spray six mini Bundt pan cups with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between cups. Bake at 350ºF 23 to 27 minutes. Remove from cups; cool on wire rack. Drizzle with favorite glaze; decorate as desired.
Creme Honey Butter
2 cups
In medium bowl, mix together honey and butter. Spoon into jars with tight-fitting lids. Store in refrigerator.
Variation: Stir 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel into honey-butter mixture.
Note: While honey is safe and wholesome for children and adults, it should not be given to infants under one year of age.
Kid Tips
• Dress kids in comfortable, washable clothes. Roll up sleeves and tie back long hair.
Read through the recipe, then give each child an age-appropriate task. Even the youngest child can help spoon oats and flour into measuring cups and `dump' into a bowl. Older children can measure liquids like honey.
• Include inexpensive baking pans, icing in tubes and other edible decorations with the baking mix.
• Use a basket or large sturdy box to neatly hold the baking mix and the other non-perishable ingredients for giving.
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