Gold-Wrapped, Homemade Christmas Gifts and Presents for Hunters

Have you ever really wanted to splurge but don't have the money? Try a gift of gold and silver. Make some candy that will totally thrill your recipient. Wrap them in gold and silver and put the candy in a bag with a big green or gold dollar sign.

If you would like a great candy recipe to go with the idea, here's one that is sure to make the recipient say "Hooray and YUMMMMMERS!"

Candy Worth a Million:

Mix 1 1/3 C of evaporated milk, 2 C of granulated sugar, and 2 boxes of regular (not instant) vanilla pudding mix in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, constantly stirring, for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and add 4 Tbsp of butter and 2 tsp of butter flavoring. Mix this directly in the pan with an electric mixer or put it in another bowl. Mix it until it thickens and is not shiny anymore, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ C of pecans (Of course.) and fill ice cube trays that have been buttered. Put the mixture in the refrigerator to allow it to firm up. Wrap the pieces of candy in gold and silver foil. Keep it cool until you give it.

Now you have the gold and silver, let's make the bag.

Decide how well you like this person. The bigger you make the bag, the more candy it takes to fill it. Let's say you like them a little.

Cut a piece of fabric 4 ½ x 16 inches. Turn ¼ inch toward the outside at the top and bottom of the piece and stitch. Turn it over one more time at each end, this time 1 inch. Stitch this down again. 3/8 inch from each end stitch another line, leaving a casing between this and the last stitch, for the drawstring.

Fold the material in half so the bag is now 4 ½ X 6 3/4, with the right sides toward each other and stitch up the sides. Stop when you come to the opening for the drawstring that is 1 inch from the top. Insert a 1/8 inch diameter white cotton cord into the opening and hand stitch the rest of the space, leaving the ends of the cord on the inside of the bag.

Turn the bag right side out and stitch closed the last opening that doesn't have a drawstring coming from it. Glue gold or silver beads on the end of the cord. Put a cardboard inside and stencil on a dollar sign using green or gold acrylic paint.

Put the candy in, draw the string, and you have the gift. Store this in a cool place until Christmas

Share Christmas Love with a Hunter

Hunters need love and a Christmas gift, even if they did do in Bambi's mother. (I do realize that hunters help maintain the deer population so they don't starve to death, so don't get upset.) How about a camouflage Christmas stocking with homemade beef jerky?

Let's start on the beef jerky.

Start by slicing 3 lbs of beef flank steak very thin (1/8 inch) against the grain of the meat. If the meat is frozen first and partially thawed this step becomes easier. Put the slices in a gallon plastic bag with 2/3 C of soy sauce 1tsp each black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, 2-3 tsp of Tabasco sauce*, 3 tsp of crushed red pepper*, and 2/3 C of Worcestershire sauce. Refrigerate this for about 10 hours and turn every two or three hours.

*You can omit the Tabasco and red peppers if your hunter doesn't care for spicy items. You can also add ¼ tsp of liquid smoke if desired.

Drain the meat. Pat it dry and lay it in the oven on the racks that have been sprayed with cooking oil. Put a cookie sheet or foil under the rack to catch the drippings. Set the temperature set as low as it will go (175 degrees). If you have a food dryer, use it instead and heat to 140 degrees. Let it dry in the oven for 8-10 hours. Test the jerky by bending after it has cooled about 5 minutes. It should crack but not break. Pat off the oil and store it in the refrigerator. It lasts 4 months if it is refrigerated and only 3 weeks if left at room temperature.

Make a camouflage Christmas stocking.

Cut two pieces of camouflage material out shaped like a Christmas stocking. Cut two pieces of Khaki that is as wide as twice the top of one side of the stocking and big enough to extend 1/3 down the top. Turn the khaki face together and stitch around the two short edges and one long edge. Turn the khaki right side out.

Pin the two-camouflage pieces right sides together, stitch all the way around the sides and bottom, leaving the top open. Pin the unstitched edge of the khaki to the camouflage starting with the end of the khaki at the back seam of the stocking. The khaki will be against the wrong side of the camouflage material. Stitch along the edge. When completely stitched at the top, stitch the two ends of the khaki together. Flip the stocking right side out and turn down the khaki.

Stuff the stocking with commercial packs of cheese and crackers and some of you great jerky.