Gift Ideas Part 2

I've been pretty busy as I'm sure everyone has.  Since the last time I did go to knitting class where I am in process on a sweater for myself.  I made client gifts in the afternoon of peppermint bark poured into Christmas tree molds which I then decorated with sparkle for snow, a tree topper, lights and garland.  Very cute and tasty too  I got all the ingredients at The International Sugar Art Collection .

Saturday I taught a cookie class at Cook's Warehouse for the 6 to 9 year olds.  We had a great time and you have to remember that 6 year olds can NEVER have enough icing on their giant chocolate chip cookies.  We also made butterscotch oatmeal cookies and cocoa kisses.  Sunday was client gift delivery.  I like to deliver all the gifts on the same day and need to get them delivered before people leave town for Christmas.  I was as usual chauffered by my husband who patiently drove 96 miles to deliver gifts. 

I ordered one present on Sunday for my nephew.  My sister had no idea of what to get him, he's 10 and loves to make almost anything.  Of course everyone knows that and gets him creative things that are great, but we were out of ideas.  I decided to get him a mixer.  My sister doesn't cook much and doesn't enjoy it, but my nephew loves to cook. My sister told me she only has a hand mixer that she has to jiggle to make work, that is older than my niece (25).   His favorite color is yellow so that's what I found.  It was delivered to my sister's very quickly and she will wrap it for me.  One down, about 3 to go. 

Tomorrow I am participating in a team building event set up by my chef friends Matthew and Lynda.  There will be 100 people divided into teams of 10, making desserts and then we will taste and judge.  This should be lots of fun and a much better sounding idea than team building that I have had to take in past corporate life. 

Some more cookbook ideas: How to Cook Everything is a great basic that I usually keep on my counter.  It has no color pictures, but is a great, updated basic book.  For some healthy cookbooks check out The Essential Eating Well Cookbook or Take Out Tonight.  Don't worry that Take Out Tonight is a cookbook from Weight Watchers, it has good, normal food that is portion and fat controlled.  And great recipes.

The perfect book for desserts is Classic Home Desserts.  This has been revised, I've had it for a long time and everything I've made has been wonderful.  Check out the Cloud Cake and the Indiana Apple pie.