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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Handmade Navidad: From la Cocina

Okay,  we're getting down to the wire. Time to raid the kitchen (and maybe the grocery store) and start a bake-a-thon in la cocina.

We're getting a little tired of the traditional chocolate chip cookies we usually bake (okay, we're not really tired of them, but we're trying to be adventurous!) so we are mulling over some of these fabulous recipes we've found online. Some of them have to be made outright and packed in a decorative container, but others could simply be gifts in a jar with the ingredients attractively layered.


Ingredients in a Jar as Gifts:


by Sweet Life Bake
Polvorones de Chocolate by Sweet Life Bake. I think these dry ingredients would look lovely layered in a mason jar. Don't forget to include a recipe card!


Mexican Hot Chocolate by Una Taza de Chocolate. I would shave the chocolate tablets, put them in the bottom of an icing piping bag, and then sprinkle them with the salt, chile, and cinnamon with a final layer of the semi-sweet chocolate pieces on top. Don't forget a recipe card!



Ready-Made Food Gifts:

After reading Marta's post about how she likes to give Creme de Vie, or Cuban eggnog, I started noticing some of the posts my other amigas Latinas were sharing with their own versions of eggnog. Here is a little list of some great recipes for making this popular drink. Just package them in beautiful bottles from Pier One or World Market and give to your favorite amigos...

Rompope: Mexican Eggnog from Sweet Life Bake

Ponche Crema (Venezuelan Eggnog) from Mami Talks

Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog) from Modern Mami

• Also, Sazón Boricua has several recipes for coquito - and they ALL look incredible.  


from Multicultural Familia

I also LOVE Multicultural Familia's recipe for Tortilla Snowflakes with Cajeta. And while I think these would be great to make and give, I also think it would be fun to put together a little kit for making these that includes tortillas, snowflake cookie cutters, your homemade cajeta from Monday's post, and the other ingredients!

Bizcochos by Muy Bueno Cookbook. I had a hard time deciding which category to put this in, but since the recipe makes 300 cookies, I thought it might be best to make them with your children and then slide the finished biscochos into an icing piping bag and close with a beautiful ribbon.

Happy cooking!