The gift of giving

Christmas comes around all too soon and here I am yet again with the quandary of what gifts to get. I am frantically cutting out ideas from catalogues and writing a note on my phone of who wants what.

My youngest has made his list which keeps on chopping and changing unlike last year when he said he had everything he needed- god bless him, but this then left us with no idea what to get him and left a mad rush just before Xmas.

Our eldest, a typical teenager just wants money.  I have continued to tell him that Christmas is about giving and money does not come into it. The man of the house is easy to please with something for the boat or footy tickets to watch his beloved footy team.

I have put my request in to  Santa for a sat nav for our Jeep. Our previous cars had one and as much as I love the Jeep I am always getting lost and running up the Internet on my phone using the GPS! Santa, I have been a very good girl this year!

For wonderful moreish homemade  xmas gift  give this Coconut Rough recipe a try. The man of the house loves making this recipe and it does not last long at home.

Coconut Rough

½ cup self raising flour

½ cup plain flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
125g butter, melted

For the topping:
1 cup icing sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon softened butter
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup condensed milk

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 20 x 30cm slice tin. Line with baking paper.

Sift flours and cocoa powder into a bowl and stir through sugar and coconut. Make a well in the centre and pour in melted butter. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, sift icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Stir through softened butter and then coconut and condensed milk. Spread over cooled base and refrigerate until set. Cut into pieces and enjoy.