Holiday Gifts From Your Kitchen
By Nanette Blanchard
Homemade gifts of food are my favorite holiday offerings. Anyone can go to a store to pick up a gift, but it takes someone special, someone who cares about you, to give homemade gifts. Be creative when you plan Christmas and Chanukah offerings for family and friends. Don't forget to give a little something to those other people in your life: your mail carrier, the paper deliverer, your secretary, your babysitter, your child's favorite teacher, and your plumber. Just a few baked goods wrapped in colored cellophane or recycled giftwrap, or a basket of homemade condiments, can go a long way in promoting good will at this time of year.
Homemade gifts of food are the perfect holiday offering.
Every year in December my neighbors have an annual tradition. We all swap holiday pies. It is a fun way to try new flavors and a really nice way to improve community relations. Holiday gifts of food don't have to be anything fancy — try fixing some homemade herb seasoning mix tied up with a bow. I also try to make some edible gifts for my husband's co-workers, the UPS deliverer, the local used bookstore manager, and my friendly veterinarian. And don't forget to make an extra batch of goodies to drop off at the nearest nursing home or children's ward at a local hospital.
By giving smaller gifts and not buying any expensive items, I can afford to recognize most everyone who has been important in my life. Dressing up baskets is the really fun part of doing holiday gifts. Sometimes it's nice to use a practical container such as a big Pyrex measuring cup, a colorful colander, or a cute teapot to wrap up homemade goodies. A children's toy such as a large fire engine or lunch box is a nice container to give to the younger ones on your list.
Save old bottles, jars, and other containers for packaging your homemade gifts. They can easily be decorated with ribbons, stickers, small ornaments, and gift wrap. I buy fabrics for covering gift jar lids. A nice way to present trail mixes is to cover a cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels with wrapping paper and tie at both ends with ribbon.
MOCK MINCEMEAT
(Makes about 4 cups - Serves 8)
Put Mock Mincemeat in a pretty jar or crock. It can be heated and served plain or can be used as a topping for frozen desserts. To make Mock Mincemeat Pie, pre-bake a pie shell until light golden brown and fill with one recipe Mock Mincemeat. Then bake an additional 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
3 large Red Delicious apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
In a heavy saucepan, simmer all ingredients over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Total calories per 1/2 cup serving: 141
Fat: 4 grams
HERB SEASONING MIX
(Makes 2 Tablespoons Mix - Serves 12)
This no-salt recipe is fun to make if you have a mortar and pestle. If you have any old spice bottles, fill them with this mixture and include some serving instructions. Herb Seasoning Mix is tasty over baked potatoes, in bean soup, over brown rice, and with sweet potatoes.
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Crush all herbs and spices together well in a mortar and pestle or in a blender.
Total calories per 1/2 teaspoon serving: 3
Fat: <1 gram
SPICY GARBANZO NUTS
(Makes 2 cups - Serves 4)
An unexpected bonus of making this recipe is the wonderful aroma that will fill your kitchen as the garbanzo beans bake. Don't drain the garbanzo beans too well or the spices won't stick to the beans. Fill a half-pint mason jar with Spicy Garbanzo Nuts for gifts.
2 cups pre-cooked, drained garbanzo beans
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
Mix ingredients well on ungreased nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to let cool.
Total calories per 1/2 cup serving: 143
Fat: 1 gram
CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER
(Makes about 7-1/2 cups - Serves 60)
This recipe for Crockpot Apple Butter makes enough for several gifts and the long, slow cooking guarantees a smooth, delicious butter. It keeps several weeks in the refrigerator and can also be frozen.
12 cups sliced and cored tart green apples
2 cups apple cider
1-1/2 cups apple juice concentrate or to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Cook apples and cider in a crockpot, covered, 12 hours over a low heat. Drain off any excess juice. Puree in batches in food processor until smooth. Add apple juice concentrate to taste and cinnamon and allspice. Return mixture to crockpot, cover, and cook on the low setting for 1 - 2 hours.
Total calories per 2 Tablespoons serving: 32
Fat: <1 gram
HERB AND SPICE VINEGAR
(Makes 2 cups - Serves 16)
This flavorful vinegar is a delightful seasoning for steamed vegetables. Kitchenware stores now stock a wonderful selection of colored and sculptured bottles that are perfect containers for flavored vinegars. Now that fresh herbs are available in stores year round, you can make herb vinegars anytime.
2 cups red wine vinegar
3 dried small chili peppers
3 sliced garlic cloves
2 (3-inch) sprigs Italian parsley
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
Bottle all ingredients together and let sit for 2 weeks in a dark, cool place. Strain and use.
Total calories per 2 Tablespoons serving: 7
Fat: 0 grams
CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE
(Makes 2-1/2 cups - Serves 5)
This simple sauce is a wonderful change from bottled or canned cranberry sauces. Serve Cranberry Orange Sauce as a filling for baked acorn squash or as an unusual dessert topping.
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 4 oranges)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup apple juice concentrate
12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 teaspoons minced orange peel
Bring all ingredients to boil in a heavy saucepan and continue cooking over medium heat until cranberries pop and mixture becomes foamy. Cool, pour into serving dish, and cover. Refrigerate until serving time.
Total calories per 1/2 cup serving: 128
Fat: <1 gram
Nanette Blanchard is a freelance writer from Durango, Colorado.
