Dear Miss d'Arcy: With Christmas coming I like to give gifts from my kitchen.

I would like to have a recipe for peanut brittle and maybe something for the small toddlers. -- T.M., Sandys.

Dear T.M.: I will be sure to include Christmas gifts in my column each week and you can select the ones you like. Here is one recipe for peanut brittle. I would like to mention that any kind of brittle should not be attempted when the humidity is very low or the brittle will become very sticky.

PEANUT BRITTLE 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. baking soda 11 cups salted cocktail peanuts LIGHTLY grease a cookie sheet and metal spatula. Mix sugar and corn syrup in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring often. Boil 10-12 minutes, stirring often until a candy thermometer registers 300 to 310 degrees F. (If you do not have a thermometer, a small glass of ice water can be used. Drop a small amount of the syrup into the ice water and when it separates into a hard brittle thread, it has reached the hard ball stage).

Remove from heat. Add baking soda and butter. Stir rapidly until butter melts and baking soda dissolves. The mixture will foam a bit. Add peanuts and mix well. Immediately pour onto prepared cookie sheet and press down with the greased spatula. Press to 1 inch thickness. Let stand until it is cool and hard. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.

TODDLERS' FOREST MIX 1 9-oz. box of graham cracker teddy bears 1 small box fruit-flavoured corn puff cereal 1 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips 1 cup seedless raisins 1 6-oz. package multi-coloured mini marshmallows MIX ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: My mouth's watering for some good gingerbread. I am always a buyer at fairs. I'd like to make my own. Please give me a recipe. -- C.D., Hamilton.

Dear C.D.: Gingerbread is a favourite on cool evenings and goes very well with a nice steaming pot of tea. Here's your recipe: OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD 4 cups flour 2 tbsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. baking soda 11 tsp. salt 1 cup margarine (not a spread) at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar, packed 3 large eggs 11 cups dark molasses 1 cup sour milk or non-fat plain yogurt 1 cup seedless raisins (optional) MIX flour, ginger, baking soda and salt. Beat margarine and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat for few minutes longer until mixture has slightly increased. Slowly beat in molasses and sour milk or yogurt (Mixture may look like it's breaking apart or it may look like it's curdled). Gradually beat in flour mixture until just blended. At this time you may want to fold in some raisins. Pour batter into two greased loaf pans. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool in pans on a rack.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: During the cooler weather we like crock pot cooking so we can have a good hot meal when we come home at night, but is there a way we can have something other than soup or stews? -- S.J., Hamilton Dear S.T.: You can have a good rice, meat and vegetable meal ready for you at the end of your day by using one part rice to two parts liquid of your choice.

Put your combination in the crock pot with meat and vegetables. It is important that your meat is cut into small, bite-size pieces and the vegetables are covered with water. I usually layer my foods by putting vegetables in first, then the rice, with the meat on top. I then add the water. When using ground meat, first brown the meat and add all the juice. I also make up packages of vegetables and meat the night before and refrigerate them until the next evening when I come home. I pop the packages in the oven and do some chores while they are cooking. It is very easy for you to create your own combinations.

QUICK DINNER PACKAGES 2 lbs. small, red skinned potatoes, cut into 1 -inch slices 2 medium onions, sliced thin 1 large stalk broccoli cut into small florets, stems sliced thin 2 peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise 3 tbsp. olive oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2 tsp. Italian seasoning 11 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese TEAR off four 16-inch lengths of heavy duty foil. Divide potatoes, onions, broccoli and peppers evenly on the lower half of each piece of foil. Drizzle vegetables with 2 tbsp. olive oil and turn vegetables to coat. Arrange each chicken breast over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of oil, Italian seasoning, salt and Parmesan cheese. Fold top half of foil over chicken, bring side edges together. Turn bottom edge up to meet top edge and make a double fold. Smooth with fingers. Double fold each side securely. Put packages in refrigerator until the following evening. Take out packages and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F. 45-50 minutes. Serve on a plate with a criss-cross cut in the top of the foil. Turn ends back and enjoy.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: Are any of the recipes on packages and cans really good? -- J.T., Warwick Dear J.T.: Yes they are. In fact, they are some of the most famous recipes, created by master chefs. They are all tested in some of the most modern and up-to-date kitchens. It's the cheapest way you can get a good recipe, especially if you are buying the product.