Here are five gifts you can make in 5 minutes for less than $5. Christmas is a busy time and a great opportunity to build relationships with those who live next door or across the street. We’ve lived in the same neighborhood for the past 45 years and like to greet newcomers to the area with a welcome gift to introduce our family.  It’s one way to build communication and community for everyone’s good.  These recipes are quick, easy and economical to prepare.  Have fun and make acquaintances in the bargain.

This is my husband’s birthday cake every year.  It’s wacky as it has no eggs or milk and has a surprise ingredient (vinegar) which enhances the cocoa taste.  Besides being easy and delicious, it mixes directly in the pan reducing kitchen clean-up. 

I use recycled quart jars to package this cake mix.  I add these ingredients in this order to the jar:

1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup cocoa, topped with 1 cup sugar.  There will be a little headspace that will allow the mix to be shaken by the baker.  I decorate the lid and add a card with the mixing and baking instructions shown below attached with ribbons. 

Wacky Cake

• Shake ingredients in jar to mix.
• Pour mixed ingredients directly into ungreased 9×12 cake pan.
• Add 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 cup cold water and 6 tablespoons vegetable oil.
• Stir in pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Frost as desired or try sheet fudge icing below.
• Fudge Icing
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 3-4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Cook until boiling and frosting reaches soft ball stage.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla.  Stir until cool enough to spread and pour over cake.  Frosting will harden as it cools to a fudge covering for the cake.

Makes one gift.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I made this fudge last year and put it in a cellophane gift bag tied with a ribbon.  Every Christmas I receive address mailing labels with beautiful Christmas stickers included, so I decorate the bags with a holiday sticker and an address mailing as a gift tag. 

• Peanut Butter Fudge

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup milk
• ¾ cup peanut butter

Bring ingredients to boil for 2 ½ minutes while stirring constantly.  Pour into buttered 8 x8 pan. Makes 2 gifts.

Chex cereals have come out with flavored cereals that create a variety of trail mix variations.  This gift doesn’t even have to be cooked.  Just fill a jar or bag with alternating layers of the following ingredients, decorate and deliver. 

Chocolate Chex Trail Mix

• Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chex cereal
• Spanish salted peanuts
• M& M’s (milk chocolate, dark chocolate or peanut M&M’s)

Makes 4 quarts of trail mix or 4 gifts.

No Fail Chocolate Drop Quickies

My sister-in-law loves these cookies but was unsuccessful in making them until I sent her this no bake, never fail recipe.

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 3 cups quick, uncooked oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Add sugar, milk and butter to a four-quart sauce pan and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Boil for two minutes and remove from heat.  Stir in peanut butter, oatmeal and vanilla till blended. Drop by spoonful’s onto parchment paper or waxed paper till set.  Makes 2 gifts.

Peppermint Bark

• Ingredients:
• Oreos
• White chocolate
• Candy canes
• 2 Tablespoons oil

• Directions
• Crush oreos into chunks and spread in 9 X 12 cake pan.
• Crush candy canes in blender.                                  
• Melt white chocolate with oil in double boiler. Add crushed candy canes.  Pour over chunked oreos.  Drop pan several times to rid mix of air bubbles.  Refrigerate till firm. 

This treat can be stored in freezer which will enhance flavors, so it’s a great make ahead treat for the holidays.  Enjoy your holiday and your neighbors!  Makes 2 gifts.                                                                                                                                       

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