It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I got my Hershey Chocolate basket that I won from Marye today. It was delivered bright and early and a great way to start the day.

This was an awesome basket filled with flour, sugar, cocoa, peanut butter and a brownie mix. There was also two bags of Hershey Kisses, an oven mitt and a rubber spatula, all in a big bowl. Thank you Hershey and thank you Marye!

Then I started putting together Christmas baskets. First I gathered my supplies. I used my Chocolate Strawberry Jam and my Vanilla Spiced Peach jam that I made last summer. I also had some plum syrup that I had put up. They were all decorated and ready to go.

Then I bottled up some of my vanilla extract that I've had brewing since last May. I put it in some pretty bottles and added a vanilla bean for decoration.
Turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself!

I found these really cute labels at the Dollartree. There was 4 different designs. I used these two on a couple bottles of sparkling cider.
How festive you say? I agree!

Here is basket #1.
This basket included the book The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado. Then of course you need to add a Christmas candle. Two jars of jam and a bottle of vanilla extract rounds out this gift. Sooo... what do you think of basket #1?

Here is basket #2. It has some Elf Nog dressed up as a snowman, two jars of jam, vanilla extract and a tea towel tied up with a Christmas decoration that looks like a sugar cookie.

Basket #3: Mistletoe tonic decked out as Santa's boot sticking out of the chimney. A Christmas candle, egg nog tea bread, jam and a bottle of vanilla extract.
I like all the baskets because they are all just a little bit different.
Tell me, which is your favorite? 1, 2, or #3?

Now look at these balls! Zinfandel Port balls! These are so good with a glass of red wine, or of course a glass of port! I saw these over at Cathy's blog, Noble Pig and knew I had to try these. They were so simple to make, just a few pulses in the food processor. I used a scooper to form the balls saving my hands from the messy work. A little roll in the sweet stuff (powdered sugar) and that's it. Ready for giving.

Want a closer look?

Packaged up and looking pretty, these were given to coworkers as a little token of
friendship and Christmas cheer.

So... what do you think? You gonna try them? You know you want to!

Zinfandel Port Balls
courtesy of Noble Pig
Adapted from Sunset

1 package (12 oz.) vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup pecans, whole
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup Zinfandel Port or other Port
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a food processor, whirl vanilla wafers, cocoa powder and 1 cup whole pecans until fine crumbs form.

Add Port and corn syrup to the crumb mixture and whirl again until blended. Scoop out the sticky mixture into a bowl and add 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans. Mix in pecans with a spoon until fully incorporated.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place on parchment paper.

Roll each ball in powdered sugar