The Thought that Counts

Today's NaBloPoMo prompt: What was the first gift you ever made another person?

Growing up, my mother encouraged us to make our own gifts and thank you cards all year long. But, let's be honest... anything a kid makes and gives to a parent is a masterpiece. I'll never forget the time Mom was sick and I made her a special salad. Lettuce with chopped up hot dogs and barbecue sauce. Voila!

All the ingredients needed for
hot dog salad

She went on and on about how wonderful the salad was and how sweet I was to make it for her. Later that year my Girl Scout troop decided to make a recipe book for Mother's Day. I didn't need to ask my mom for a recipe. I knew the perfect one: Hot Dog Salad. After all, Mom loved it. Needless to say, my hot dog salad looked pitiful next to the other girls' baking recipes handed down from their grandmothers.

I see why teenagers and young adults audition for American Idol and actually think they can sing. Sweet old Mom has been clapping for them for years!

A botched cross-stitch piece or poorly constructed card is precious when you are young. Here the thought really does count. Once you are an adult, well... My first adult-made gift: a homemade recipe book for my new sister-in-law.

I knew my sister-in-law loved cooking, and my husband and I didn't have a lot of money for Christmas presents, so I decided to cut recipes out of magazines for a few months leading up to Christmas. Then I bought a small scrapbook and glued them in. On the front cover, I made a title and glued on a wooden spoon. Sounds wonderful, right? Problem is I didn't know what kinds of foods she liked, so it was a hodgepodge of recipes. Add to that my complete lack of skill with creative projects, and it was pitiful. I tried, and I hope that counted for something.

Come to think of it, she never did mention the recipe book. And I didn't have the guts to ask. I'll assume it still has a place of honor among her other loved recipe books. It makes me feel better.

I feel my best homemade gifts are behind me. But, I do make a mean chocolate chip banana bread that lots of neighbors will receive this holiday season. That counts as homemade, and I guarantee grandmother's recipe will make people happy.

My gift to readers, trust me you will love this:

Grandma's Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup AP flour (Mom swears by King Arthur flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, well beaten
3 ripe bananas, broken into pieces
1/2 bag of mini chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat again. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and beat again. Pour half a bag of mini chocolate chips (big ones will fall to the bottom) into the batter and stir. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours.

Gluten-free version: Substitute King Arthur Gluten-free flour for AP flour (same amount). It's wonderful!

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When was the last time you made a gift? Was it a success?