DIBS

If you're a baker, then you know the importance of having all your ingredients at hand before you begin your project. I'm not much of a baker...rolling out dough is right up there with getting a tetnus shot, in my opinion. I can manage the slice and bakes, but truthfully, I like the new separate from the others and bake much better. What I like best is to have someone else, like my mom or Melissa, bake them and bring them to me. But, again, I digress (that seems to be an on-going problem with me!). I do like to make quick breads, usually starting in early October and going all through the winter. I like to include them in little gifty baskets-sometimes in breakfast or tea baskets, other times just by themselves. I am making plans to present them in unique ways this Christmas.



My friend ChristmasCreations over at MHH has hit upon an ingenious idea-the woman is GOOD at this kind of stuff! Her idea is to create what she calls DIBS-Dry Ingredient Bag Setups. It's just what it sounds like-bags of dry ingredients, measured and prepped and stored for adding fresh ingredients when you are ready. It's like homemade cake mixes, in quick bread variety. I am going to do these for banana bread, pumpkin bread and Cheery Cherry Christmas Bread. I plan to vacuum seal mine and put them in the freezer, properly labeled and ready to roll when I am! Isn't this an ingenius idea? It's one of those "why didn't I think of that" kind of things. Thanks, CC!!



Cheery Cherry Christmas Bread

1 cup sugar

1/2 c. margarine

2 eggs

1 teaspoon soda

3 tablespoons hot water

3 bananas, mashed

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 6 oz. package chocolate chips

1 6 oz. jar maraschino cherries, chopped

1 cup chopped nuts



Cream sugar, margarine and eggs in bowl until light and fluffy. Add mixture of soda and water; mix well. Stir in bananas, flour and salt; mix well. Add chocolate chips, cherries and nuts. Pour into two 5x9 inch greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bread tests done. Yield: 24 servings



So good and so festive!



For some gifts, I'm going to wrap each loaf, whether big or mini, tightly in plastic wrap, then use cellophane to overwrap that and tie each end with curling ribbon, making it look like a big piece of candy! Others will be wrapped in plastic wrap then slipped into a cello bag and tied off with curling ribbon and raffia. I'm also making handmade tags to attach to the gift to identify the giver, receiver and contents.



What are YOU doing to get ready for Christmas in July?



Merry, Merry!

Cathy