Tangent in A sharp/last minute ideas for the broke folk! -killertomato

It's Christmas time again and here you are, perhaps living on one compromised salary and deep in debt, or maybe have a small business whose profits, at a week before the holiday, you're still praying will get a little love from the last minute buyers- the ones who can't fathom one more trip to mall because they have so much wrapping to do. Yes I know, it's an overly commercialized holiday, it's been dragged through the mud by capitalism, we should do away with it altogether and just enjoy a nice cup of cocoa by the fire and think about all the real nice things in the world... until better days, of course! Because really, if you had cash flow, you too could be out there overcompensating your shortcomings the rest of the year like everyone else! Just sayin'.

Here's the thing- even though you're broke, you still have to make an effort. People still expect things and people are still gonna give you stuff. You can't be standing there with old, wadded up wrapping paper encasing some sad little candle you got at Goodwill on Christmas Eve when someone hands you a thoughtfully put together gift. Or worse, they give your kids better stuff than you. Remember last year?

"But where's my VTech Video Camera? I was good, I told Santa, where is it??"

"Well I guess our chimney is too small for Santa and he had to just throw what he could down the chute."

"But I thought Santa was MAGIC."

"Well he is, honey, I mean, perhaps some starving kid in Haiti got your presents by mistake. Wouldn't that be a happy accident?"

*Sigh* Are we there yet? So even after you've overextended your credit again buying crap for your kids and you're trying to keep your cool and you know, just make stuff for people, halfway to Christmas one morning you're frying eggs and you don't have butter so you use vegetable oil and on the second egg, it sticks, and one kid is whining for no reason, no really, there is no reason!, the other keeps singing "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg" over and over because NO ONE knows the rest of the verse and now your kids sound like kids did before you had kids- annoying. Somehow, your husband gets to snore away through it all and you start thinking about how you still haven't made anything for all those people and you just want to KILL the fried eggs, or the vegetable oil, or something!!!

Relax, please! Even if you don't have kids and stupid fried eggs, I can help. I'm not one of those extra crafty etsy women; in fact, if I saw Martha Stewart walking up my driveway I'd bolt the door, but I do think making something for cheap is better than buying something cheap, even if you have no talent. It shows you took the time and the thought. Here are three recipes that can help you with that. (There are plenty of others and I could go on and on- for instance, you can't eat mix CDs, but I love being on the receiving end of those.) Then, go to the dollar store and get some Christmas tins, or some pretty cellophane, or even stamp or draw designs on some parchment paper to get them under the tree. It may not be much, but if someone is really comparing, that's their problem!

Nut Brittle

foil, for sheet pan

3 Tbsp. butter, plus some to grease foil

1 1/4 c. almonds or peanuts or whatever you like

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Line baking sheet with foil, grease foil with butter, set aside.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in small skillet over medium. Add almonds and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook sugar and water in small heavy saucepan over medium high, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil. You can use a small brush dipped in cold water to brush down crystals from the side of the pan, but it's not a deal breaker. Boil without stirring about 10 minutes or when reaches 310 degrees. Mixture should be golden. Remove from heat. Quickly add baking soda, stir, and pour onto sheet pan. Wait at least 30 minutes to set.

Creole Seasoning

-What doesn't it complement? Popcorn, crab cakes, a gumbo stew...Put it in a little jar with a pretty label, and presto.

2 1/2 Tbsp. paprika

2 Tbsp. salt

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

*Yields about 2/3 cup.

Caramel Popcorn

5 quarts of popcorn

1 c. dry roasted peanuts

1 c. butter

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pop corn, add peanuts and set aside. It's best if it's still in the pot with some room at the top. Put a large saute pan over medium high heat and add all the rest o the ingredients, excepting baking soda. Stir constantly to melt butter and blend ingredients. As it comes to a boil, either keep stirring or shake the pan back and forth and let it boil for about three minutes as you do so. Quickly add baking soda, stir and mix into popcorn until well blended. Pour onto sheet pan and bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.


Make sure to save some for your friends and family!