Food Blog: Homemade Food Gifts

Monday, November 30, 2020

Homemade Food Gifts

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Monday, November 30, 2020

Good morning!

More than any other holiday season, I suspect this year we're going to be thinking about packable homemade food gifts -- the ones we can ship in boxes to people we haven't seen in way too long and the ones we can leave on the stoops of lucky family and friends. I love to think a bit outside the usual on this stuff. I mean, cookies are non-negotiably delicious, obviously, but what about a homemade hot chocolate kit? What about a chilled jar of your favorite thing to scoop up with a cracker? What about a carafe of the coziest cocktails you know how to make? I've rounded up a few below. It's not the same fun as a noisy holiday party but sending things we love to friends has a way of making a modified holiday season feel like less of a bummer this year.

Cheers!
Deb

Fresh and New

sour cream and chive fantails

New: A simple dinner roll that springs open in the oven like a fan with buttery pull-apart segments is the best argument I can come up with for more fancy rolls in our life, more often.

chilled treats for local deliveries

walnut pesto

Not even exaggerating when I say this is one of the best things I know how to put on toast: crunchy, salty, tart with a little kick, it is always a hit. Put it in a jar, throw in a wedge of your favorite cheese and a baguette, drop it off on a friend's stoop, and you will absolutely make their day.

peppermint hot fudge sauce

One of my absolutely favorite things to surprise ice cream-loving friends with, this takes 10 minutes to make and is better than anything you can buy. It keeps for weeks in the fridge; just briefly rewarm it whenever your ice cream needs a little something extra.

Shippable gifts

s ugar-and-spice candied nuts

The secret to making unsticky perfectly-spiced nut mixes that pack up perfectly for gifts with a long shelf life? An egg white. These are a decade-plus favorite for gifts and treats.

parmesan black pepper biscotti

Tired: Biscotti to dip in tea or coffee. Wired: Biscotti to serve with cocktails. These crisp, perfect-every-time, savory biscotti that make a delicious homemade addition to a gift of a bottle or wine -- or even instead of it.

decadent hot chocolate mix

Cocoa, sugar, ground bittersweet chocolate, a hint of vanilla and salt (trust me, it brings it all together) make the perfect hot chocolate mix, ideal for gifts (keeps in jars for up to 2 months) or just arming your pantry for the cold weather ahead. Bonus: this frees recipients to make this with coconut, almond or another non-dairy milk of their choice, so it truly works for almost everyone.

springy, fluffy marshmallows

Puffed and lightweight marshmallows that bounce off one another as you toss them into a container are totally something you can pull off at home. Yes, you. This recipe never fails.

graham crackers

These homemade, whole-grain honey graham crackers have a cinnamon-sugar finish and if you pair them with homemade marshmallows and a bar of chocolate, your friends will know exactly what to do next.

blondies, infinitely adaptable

Square, sturdy baked goods pack and ship particularly well and everyone loves blondies. These, my favorite, are quick, one-bowl, require no butter to be softened or advanced planning, and are infinitely adaptable with chocolate or nuts or dried fruit or, yes, all of the above.

homemade irish cream

I used to think that people who made their own Bailey's-style irish cream were crazy. Then I tried it (it takes 5 minutes, has basically 3 ingredients) and it's so unbelievably good, I haven't bought the bottled stuff in years. Instructions included for bottling it up for delivery at the doorstep of some very lucky friends and family in this socially distant holiday season.