Quick and Inexpensive Gift for Year Round Giving

Good Morning Followers,

This week, we'll give you ideas for Homemade Gifts. Mine comes from the home but is made up of buy-ahead store ingredients. It's simple as store bought pie crust. If you keep these makings on hand, you can have a gift to carry out your door to your holiday hostess or summertime picnic host home.

Fiesta Basket

When you're at the a dollar store, buy a few of those over sized bowls with lids and curly ribbon in primary colors. At the grocery store buy several boxes of FAT FREE saltine crackers (must be fat free for this recipe) and several jars of crushed red pepper, and a box of the four pack dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix.

Print the cracker recipe onto several index cards and keep with supplies.

I place the recipe, 4 sleeves of crackers, bottle of pepper flakes and 1 packet of ranch mix in bowl. I then roll off several yards of different colored curly ribbon and place loosely in bowl. Inside, the bowl just looks like a party! These crackers are delicious and spicy, but you can adjust tongue-warmth by placing fewer or more pepper flakes. At the end of today's post, I'll share a chicken and cream cheese spread that I like to serve with these crackers. Or we use the spread for party or summer sandwiches.

Fiesta Crackers


1 box fat free saltines (must be fat free)

1 cup Canola oil

1 package, dry, Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dress.

red pepper flakes (I use 2 teaspoons)

Use one box of crackers, and open all four sleeves place in large plastic bag or bowl with lid. Mix coating products and pour over crackers. Continue coating process by turning bag or bowl every few hours. After 24 hours, remove and store in quart bags. Crackers can be kept in freezer. Crackers will stay very crisp either way.

Good with mild soups, green salads, chicken or pasta salads. Enjoy!


Bonus Recipe: Cream Cheese Chicken Sandwich Spread


1 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 large can chicken

1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chives

1teaspoon or more of soy sauce


Mix all ingredients. Makes nice party sandwiches or serve on crackers.

(Photo: Find Party items and Lanterns at http://www.lunabazaar.com/ )

Homemade Gifts

Look for great ideas this week from the WQs as we share how-to for terrific homemade gifts.

Mine is one that most any one person or family would enjoy:

Fiesta Cracker Fixins!

scant cup of canola oil
1 packet of dry Hidden Vallen Ranch Dressing
2-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes (I use 2)
1 box fat free saltines (4 sleeves, MUST BE FAT FREE)

In a very large bowl with lid or oversized large zippered plastic bag (larger than gallon size) mix first three ingredients and stir, then gently empty the four sleeves of Fat Free crackers into container. Roll bowl or bag to coat all crackers. Repeat every couple hours. Leave in container for 24 hours. Store in zippered freezer bags or storage bags.

These are wonderful with light salads or soups. Or I serve them with a cream cheese chicken spread.



My teenage nephews and tweener grandsons can't get enough of these tasty, zingy crackers. To create a gift, using the recipe below, make a batch of these at home. Then divide them up into baggies according to the number of people you will be gifting them to. (If you want, place some into freezer bags for your own use. They freeze great and are scrumptous crunchy when pulled from the freezer to go with a mild homemade soup.) Buy extra boxes of crackers (must be fat free to remain crunchy), red pepper flakes and individual packets of Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix to include in your basket or cellophane bag, so your recipients can then make a batch of their own. Copy the recipe on a large index card, punch a hole in corner and attach to gift with ribbon. The recipients will have a recipe they'll treasure and use for years to come.

Tell us about a favorite homemade gift you gave or received.