Madre mia! Do you realize that Christmas is only ONE week away?!? We still have people on our list that we haven't bought any gifts for! Two little problems: We don't know what to buy some of them, and we've run out of dinero. (Ay, that second problem really stinks.)
Okay, here's another problem: My kids are now old enough to want to give gifts, too. But they haven't got any dinero, either (or at least none that their mami will let them spend. "No, m'ija, you may not touch your savings."), AND they want to MAKE their regalitos.
What's a mami to do?
Lucky for me (and you), I have a magic list of ideas - all inexpensive or free, depending on what you have on hand around the house. So relax and enjoy this week of MommyMaestra's Handmade Navidad!
To begin, Marta shares with us her culturally inspired, super easy - yet classy! - handmade gift idea: Homemade Dulce de Leche...
Could it possibly be any easier? ¡Creo que no! This is such an easy gift to make with your kids. But please be careful and let mami be in charge of removing the cans from the hot, hot water.
Marta says:
"You can load up multiple cans in the crockpot. The time is the same. There's NO DANGER OF EXPLODING CANS. I make these ALL THE TIME. I sometimes use a pressure cooker if I'm in a hurry. No explosions yet.
Also, be sure to wait until the can is cool enough to touch. About 30 minutes. The may still be on the warm side, and the dulce may still be hot (it's amazing that way), but if you can handle the can, you can open it."
Also, be sure to wait until the can is cool enough to touch. About 30 minutes. The may still be on the warm side, and the dulce may still be hot (it's amazing that way), but if you can handle the can, you can open it."
You can read more about what inspired Marta's making dulce de leche video in her article on the Tiki Tiki blog.
The amazing and talented Marta also gives Cuban eggnog, otherwise known as Créme de Vie, during the holidays. The recipe is also very simple (but includes a wee bit of rum, which I imagine you can leave out if you are making it for children).
And to make things even better, Marta has created and shared some free printable labels to attach to your Dulce de Leche and Créme de Vie regalitos. [Insert squeal of pleasure here.] If you download them, please take a moment to leave a comment on the blog thanking her for her generosity and creativity!
Con mucho cariño...
And to make things even better, Marta has created and shared some free printable labels to attach to your Dulce de Leche and Créme de Vie regalitos. [Insert squeal of pleasure here.] If you download them, please take a moment to leave a comment on the blog thanking her for her generosity and creativity!
Con mucho cariño...