Posted by Jane, a resident of the Menlo Park: Sharon Heights neighborhood, on Dec 2, 2006 at 10:11 am

Instead of braving the mall, why not take an afternoon and make some simple homemade goodies in your own kitchen? Gifts of food are one-size-fits-all. Goodies are rarely the wrong color. And since they can't be returned, they are sure to be eaten. Here are some sure-fire suggestions:

No-fail mocha nut fudge

1 jar (7-1/2 ounce) marshmallow creme

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 stick butter

3 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (12 ounce) semisweet chocolate bits

1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine marshmallow creme, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, coffee powder and salt in medium-size saucepan. Bring to a full boil. Boil five minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate bits, stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Pour into foil-lined 9-inch square baking pan. Top with remaining nuts.

Chill for at least two hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator.

Toffee bars

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate bits

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add flour, mix well. Stir in chocolate bits and nuts. Pat into ungreased 9-inch by 12-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Cut into bars while warm. Cool.

Nuts and bolts

There are many variations on "nuts and bolts." The mixture can include snack crackers, potato sticks, pretzels, pumpkin seeds, even popped corn.

7 cups Chex cereal

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup pretzel bites

3 tablespoons butter melted

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon onion salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.

Combine Chex, nuts and pretzels in a large shallow baking pan. Set aside. Stir together remaining ingredients. Gently stir spices and butter into cereal mixture until evenly coated.

Bake at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

Pecan puffs

(The Harried Hostess Cookbook)

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups finely chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake a 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Makes 4 dozen.

Gift coffee cake

(The Harried Hostess Cookbook)

I pkg. yellow cake mix

1/4 cup butter (cold)

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Topping

Process 2/3 cup of cake mix with the cold butter until crumbly. Mix in sugar and walnuts by hand. Set aside.

Cake

In another bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sour cream. Blend in remaining cake mix.

Pour half of the cake batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Sprinkle with half the topping. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Makes 2 coffee cakes. Freezes well.

Posted by Donna Cianfichi, a resident of the Portola Valley: Central Portola Valley neighborhood, on Nov 23, 2007 at 2:12 pm

Although we moved from Portola Valley 8 years ago to Denver, Colorado, I continue to read the Almanac online each week to keep up on what is going on in our former home town of 34 years as well as other towns in the immediate area.

So I decided to use the Almanac as a means of searching for information regarding the little cookbook The Harried Hostess. Some years ago I damaged my copy since it apparently touched a hot electric burner. Since then it has slowly fallen apart. I thought perhaps with the help of the Almanac, I could contact the authors and order a replacement. Of course now I wish I had typed copies of all the recipes I particularly enjoyed, of which there are many. Anyway, I would appreciate hearing from Sally Young.

Donna Cianfichi

dcianfichi@comcast.net

I still have my copy of The Harried Hostess #2

Posted by Joe, a resident of another community, on Nov 23, 2007 at 5:39 pm

You can find one used copy of "The Harried Hostess" for about $8 at the following URL: Web Link

Good luck.