More Food from the Heart
Be creative and have fun this holiday season by presenting friends and family with custom-made gifts from your kitchen--and from your heart.
Gifts can be as simple as a batch of mixed nuts or as elaborate as a ready-to-cook frozen meal that can be popped into the oven on a busy night. Package gifts in pretty jars, bowls, bags or baskets and be sure to include instructions for use.
Spiced Mixed Nuts - these are equally good with a glass of fresh cider, hearty beer, sherry or drinks of your choice. Amounts are up to you.
Combine various nuts, such as almonds, walnut halves and cashews (or others of your choice) in a bowl. Douse them with excellent olive oil and sprinkle on a little cayenne, coriander, cumin, cardamom and sea salt. Then roast them in a 350 deg. oven for 6-8 minutes, or until they just start to brown. Wonderful served warm.
Homemade Cracker Jacks - nice to give a family to enjoy together. Package in a large bowl, well wrapped with plastic. A batch of cocoa mix would go well with this also.
Ingredients:
8 cups plain popped corn
1 cup combination of peanuts and sunflower seeds or all peanuts
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Line a shallow 9x13-inch baking dish or two small pans with parchment paper. Combine popped corn and nut-seed mix in a large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat completely. Spread in prepared pan and bake in oven for 15-18 minutes, or until dry and crispy. Remove and let cool before packaging or serving. Makes about 9 cups.
Homemade Boursin-Style Cheese - package this in a crock or bowl, along with several kinds of favorite crackers and a cheese spreader. Cheese may be kept refrigerated up to a week.
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz.) carton cottage cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh chives, minced (dried can be used if fresh unavailable)
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 small onion, minced
Blend all ingredients well in a food processor. Refrigerate overnight before packaging or serving with crackers. Makes about 4 cups
Apple Bread - thanks to Monica at Peterborough branch Ocean National Bank for this tasty recipe that makes 2 loaves, one for giving and one for keeping.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups oil
3 eggs
3 cups chopped apples, peeled and cored
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bake in preheated 350 deg. oven for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.
"Cherried" Cranberries - thanks to friend Jane in MA for this tasty recipe. Package in jars and use to serve over ice cream, pudding or pound cake. Or try some served on a block of cream cheese with crackers, or alongside poultry, game or pork dishes. This sauce should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep 2-3 weeks.
Ingredients:
4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan; stir well. Heat over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirrring frequently. Once mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and cover tightly. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly; don't remove cover until it is well chilled. Makes about 4 cups sauce.
The apple bread is a favorite, and if you use the mini loaf pans you can spread the joy even more! I like to add chopped nuts and at least double the recipe. It freezes well too.
Be creative and have fun this holiday season by presenting friends and family with custom-made gifts from your kitchen--and from your heart.
Gifts can be as simple as a batch of mixed nuts or as elaborate as a ready-to-cook frozen meal that can be popped into the oven on a busy night. Package gifts in pretty jars, bowls, bags or baskets and be sure to include instructions for use.
Spiced Mixed Nuts - these are equally good with a glass of fresh cider, hearty beer, sherry or drinks of your choice. Amounts are up to you.
Combine various nuts, such as almonds, walnut halves and cashews (or others of your choice) in a bowl. Douse them with excellent olive oil and sprinkle on a little cayenne, coriander, cumin, cardamom and sea salt. Then roast them in a 350 deg. oven for 6-8 minutes, or until they just start to brown. Wonderful served warm.
Homemade Cracker Jacks - nice to give a family to enjoy together. Package in a large bowl, well wrapped with plastic. A batch of cocoa mix would go well with this also.
Ingredients:
8 cups plain popped corn
1 cup combination of peanuts and sunflower seeds or all peanuts
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Line a shallow 9x13-inch baking dish or two small pans with parchment paper. Combine popped corn and nut-seed mix in a large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved and mixture thickens. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat completely. Spread in prepared pan and bake in oven for 15-18 minutes, or until dry and crispy. Remove and let cool before packaging or serving. Makes about 9 cups.
Homemade Boursin-Style Cheese - package this in a crock or bowl, along with several kinds of favorite crackers and a cheese spreader. Cheese may be kept refrigerated up to a week.
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz.) carton cottage cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh chives, minced (dried can be used if fresh unavailable)
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 small onion, minced
Blend all ingredients well in a food processor. Refrigerate overnight before packaging or serving with crackers. Makes about 4 cups
Apple Bread - thanks to Monica at Peterborough branch Ocean National Bank for this tasty recipe that makes 2 loaves, one for giving and one for keeping.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups oil
3 eggs
3 cups chopped apples, peeled and cored
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bake in preheated 350 deg. oven for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.
"Cherried" Cranberries - thanks to friend Jane in MA for this tasty recipe. Package in jars and use to serve over ice cream, pudding or pound cake. Or try some served on a block of cream cheese with crackers, or alongside poultry, game or pork dishes. This sauce should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep 2-3 weeks.
Ingredients:
4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan; stir well. Heat over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirrring frequently. Once mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and cover tightly. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly; don't remove cover until it is well chilled. Makes about 4 cups sauce.
The apple bread is a favorite, and if you use the mini loaf pans you can spread the joy even more! I like to add chopped nuts and at least double the recipe. It freezes well too.