Gifts for my book club friends

December 9, 2013

Book club is tonight, and I am so looking forward to it. We are a group of 11 friends who have been meeting twice a month for 2 1/2 years. It's usually at my house, but tonight another member is hosting. Tonight is our Christmas party, and we will each bring a wrapped, used book from our shelves to trade. It is so hard to find a book on my shelves that I'm willing to part with that I had to raid my husband's books!! He was okay with parting with John Grisham's Skipping Christmas. I paged through it and thought maybe I'd like to read it before tonight, but no time left. It's easier to get rid of a book you haven't become attached to, anyway.

I put together some other little gifts for my friends as well. I made cherry pecan scones from a recipe my sister sent me several years ago. They are the best scones I've ever tasted. Not dry at all, as scones can sometimes be.



As they were cooling on the racks, I gathered together some supplies. An assortment of individually wrapped tea bags, some tiny Bonne Maman jars of jam in apricot, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, and marmalade, some ribbon, and dried orange slices. The jam came in packs of five 50g jars, perfect for the little "tea for two" bags I wanted to assemble. The dried oranges came from Marshall's and are supposed to be edible. No. Not even rehydrated in a cup of tea. Much better used ornamentally.



So here is the end result -- each contains two scones, a little jar of jam, and two tea bags, tucked in a lunch bag. I paper punched two holes through the folded bags and threaded ribbon through the holes and then through a hole in the center of each orange. I hope my dear friends get a chance in the next day or two to sit and enjoy a little tea break with a friend or family member.


And, we each contribute a treat to the party. I didn't have a lot on hand, and didn't want to go to the store this morning, so thought of a recipe I've had for ages for caramel corn. I found a candy thermometer in my stash. Not sure why I have it, because the last time I remember using a candy thermometer I was in Girl Scouts, and we were making rock candy!



This is really yummy. I salted it well, salted caramel being the Big Thing right now. And rightly so.



2 comments

  1. I enjoyed your wonderful Cherry Pecan Scones ALL BY MYSELF...however, to my credit, I spread the delight over several days. .they were just as tasty the second day. Thank you, friend!

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  2. you're very welcome, and thanks so much for visiting here. it's so fun to get a comment! and thanks again for hosting in your beautifully decorated house.

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