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Want an easy way to reduce stress this Christmas?
Combine your baking with gifting!
With my easy to follow steps, you can get your baking AND your Christmas giving done in just a few days! Plus you can add some serious FUN and deliciousness into your life as a family, no matter what your family looks like!

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Click here to download the pdf of this file for your printing enjoyment!
Christmas Baking Recipes and Grocery List
Only want the grocery list, click here to download.
Christmas Grocery List
Let’s do this!
Step 1. Print the grocery list and recipe’s. Look through your home and determine what you have now that is on the grocery list. (cross off those ones from your list-one less thing!)
Step 2. Plan shopping and baking day(s), write on calendar; commit and do.
Step 3. Get your groceries.
Step 4. Do your baking, like you said you would in step 2.
Step 5. Package your baking according to “eat immediately”,” giving as gift”, “freezing”, etc.

Tina’s Christmas Baking
Warning! 2 nutty recipes in this batch. Almonds and cashews. I’ll start working on a nut free one, but still try the gingerbread and the Peppermint Bark.
Recipes you’ll be making:
- Gingerbread Dough-Men / Houses
- Rosemary Cashews
- Almond Bark
- Peppermint Bark

Gingerbread Dough (For Men and Houses)
**(Make this recipe first, let dough sit in fridge wrapped until baking day)**
An “O’Connor family” tradition, this recipe makes the most delicious, soft gingerbread. Pairs well with M&M’s, but feel free to ice the Gingy-men also. Excellent for making gingerbread houses! This recipe makes A TON of cookies (6 to 8 dozen), depending what sizes you make, but we always end up making at least 2 to batches. These are a hit with most people, so good choice for bringing no matter where you go. Kids can do a lot to help, and have lots of fun with gingerbread, and so can you! Rolling, cutting, shaping, decorating, once you try this, you’ll be making it part of your tradition too!
1 Cup Melted Shortening
1 Cup White Sugar
2 Cup Molasses, Table
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Milk
7 Cups Flour
1 ½ Tbsp Baking Soda
1 tsp each Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon, Salt
In a large bowl, mix together shortening, sugar, molasses and eggs.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda and spices.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar blend, alternating in small amounts with small amounts of milk. Mix and form a ball of dough. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 or 350 F. (Just see how your first few batches cook at 325, then decide…you’ll know).
Roll out on a floured surface to ¼” thick. Cut with cookie cutters, trace with gingerbread stencils and use a knife, or make your own shapes with your hands or other tools! Decorate with M&M’s (if desired, plus it is recommended!) and then bake firm but not too brown. Recipe always said 10 to 12 minutes, but I start checking at 8 minutes, and then decide. They get crunchier the longer they are cooked, so enjoy either way!
Rosemary Cashews
Inspired by my Aunty Shelley, who gave me these, along with the recipe, one Christmas. This ridiculously simple recipe is so delicious, and passes off as a very debonair appetizer. Add the recipe on a card and wrap in a cute package, and you’ve got a classy gift.
1 lb Unsalted Cashews
2 tbsp Fresh Rosemary Leaves, minced
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread cashews on a baking sheet and toast in oven until warm, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and butter. Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve!

Almond Bark- Need I say more. Roasted almonds and Chocolate…together, plus it’s so easy. Seriously easy. Although it is hard to keep around because it tastes so good!
2 Cups Almonds natural
2 Boxes Baking Chocolate Squares (or chips), Dark, Milk, Semi, or White
Spread almonds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in 350 F oven for 5 minutes.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, use any pot and find a metal or ceramic bowl that will fit nicely in the top of the pot you are using. Works like a charm. **Time Saver. If you are also making the peppermint bark, melt your chocolates from both recipes at the same time, and just divide in half between almonds.**
Pour melted chocolate over the thin layer of almonds on the cookie sheet. You can marble / swirl the dark and white by alternating each as you pour on the almonds. Smooth the chocolate over so all the almonds are hiding!
Chill in fridge (or porch if you are in Canada at Christmas!) for 2 hours. Break into “bark-like” pieces and enjoy!
Peppermint Bark-Crushed up peppermint candy canes mixed into delectable chocolate. Just 10 minutes to whip up, this is an easy one to have around for hostess gifts, or as a nice after dinner offering with coffee and tea. Or just whenever you feel like a pick-me up.
1 Box Peppermint Candy Canes, crushed (unwrap, put into plastic bag and bang with rolling pin…so fun!)
2 Boxes Baking Chocolate Squares (or chips), Dark, Milk, Semi, or White
Spread peppermints on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a thin layer.Melt chocolate in a double boiler. **Time Saver. If you are also making the peppermint bark, melt your chocolates from both recipes at the same time, and just divide in half between almonds.**
If you don’t have a double boiler, use any pot and find a metal or ceramic bowl that will fit nicely in the top of the pot you are using. Works like a charm. (**don’t use plastic**)
Pour melted chocolate over the thin layer of peppermints on the cookie sheet. You can marble / swirl the dark and white by alternating each as you pour over the mints.
Smooth the chocolate over so all the peppermints are covered.Chill in fridge for 2 hours. Break into “bark-like” pieces and enjoy!

Shopping List:
Printable Christmas Grocery List!
Produce
Fresh Rosemary Leaves (2 Tbsp)
Dairy
Butter (1 Tbsp )
Eggs (2)
Milk (1 cup)
Other
Parchment Paper
If following my gifting ideas, you will also need:
Blank Recipe Cards
Gingerbread house instructions or template
Baking Packaging-different sized boxes, clear bags,
Cookie Cutters (as gift)
Pantry / Baking Supplies
Cookie Cutters
2 Cups Almonds (unsalted)
4 Boxes Baking Chocolate, White and/or Dark or Milk (squares or chips, 16 oz)
1 lb (500 g) Unsalted Cashews
Candy Canes, box of 12
M & M’s chocolate
Decorations for Gingerbread men and houses (optional)-icing, jelly beans, marshmallows, pretzels, ju jubes
Cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp)
Brown Sugar (2 tsp)
Kosher Salt (1 Tbsp)
Shortening (1 cup)
Sugar (1 cup)
Molasses (2 Cups)
Flour (7Cups)
Baking Soda (1 ½ Tbsp)
Ginger (1 tsp)
Cloves (1 tsp)
Cinnamon (1 tsp)
Salt (1tsp)

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Happy ‘Stress Free’ Holiday!




