Savory Gift Ideas

Lemon Rosemary Salt

Ingredients:Makes about 1 cup
Grated zest of 2 lemons (about 2 Tbsp.)
Fresh rosemary leaves from 2 (5-inch) branches (about 3 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup coarse sea salt
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process lemon zest, rosemary leaves, and pepper until finely chopped, about 1 minute. Add salt and pulse until salt forms smaller crystals and mixture is blended, about 30 seconds.

Pack into glass jars with tight-fitting lids and store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months. Attach a ribbon and gift tag with serving ideas, such as "Terrific sprinkled on roast chicken, grilled meats, fish, or steamed vegetables."

Lemon Vinegarette

1 C olive or canola oil

1/2 C white wine vinegar

2 lemons -- juice and zest

1/2 C sugar

1 TBSP poppy seeds

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and pour into pretty glass bottle, add a few slices of fresh lemon. On the label print, "Great served with over a spinach, strawberry, and toasted almond salad."

Milk & Cookies

I love this idea!! I found milk packaged in glass bottles at Whole Foods and paired it with one of my favorite Christmas cookies, White Chocolate Ginger Snaps.

Ginger Snaps

2 1/2 C butter
3 C sugar
3 eggs
3/4 molasses
6 C flour
6 tsp baking soda
3-6 tsp ginger (depends on how gingery you like them)
3 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt

Cream together softened butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add molasses. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet. Roll into balls and roll in white sugar. Place on cookie sheet and barely flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. If desired melt white chocolate, dip half of cookie in white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let cool and package.

Hot Cocoa Mix

Hot Cocoa Mix

4 1/2 C Nestle Quick

3 1/2 C creamer

2 C powdered sugar

11 C instant powdered milk

3/4 tsp salt

Mix together. To serve mix 1/3 C cocoa mix to 1 C hot water.

Variations:

For different flavors add part plain creamer and part flavored creamer, i.e. vanilla, mint, hazelnut, whatever you like!

Mexican Hot Chocolate:

Add cinnamon to the mix.

Hot Cocoa Stir Sticks

Peppermint Softmint Sticks

Milk Chocolate

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave on med heat. Stir until smooth. Dip sticks in chocolate about 2/3 way up. Place on wax paper or parchment lined baking sheet and let cool. Package in cellophane treat bags. Enjoy!

Spiced Cider Mix

2-3 C Country Time Lemonade Drink Mix

1 C Tang

1 TBSP Crystal Light cranberry drink crystals

1/2-1 TBSP cinnamon

1/2 TBSP cloves

This is one of those recipes where I just tossed together ingredients until it tasted right to me. So you may choose to adjust some of the amounts.

To prepare, mix 1 tsp cider mix with 1 C hot apple juice or cider.

I packaged all of the drink mixes in tea tins I found at SpecialtyBottle.com. By the way if you are a friend or neighbor, no stealing this idea. The pregnant girl wants this easy treat for Christmas giving this year!!

Black Licorice Caramels

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon anise extract
black paste food coloring

DIRECTIONS
Line a 9x9 inch dish with buttered foil.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to heat, without stirring, to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in anise and food coloring. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool completely, several hours.
To cut, turn out of pan and peel away foil. Cut with a buttered knife. Wrap pieces in waxed paper or candy wrappers. I wrapped my caramels in white polka dot cellophane.

Variation:

For cinnamon flavored caramels. Add 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract, instead of anise, and red food coloring instead of the black.

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter

1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
16 oz Wilton Melting Chips

Directions
1 Mix first 3 ingredients together.
2 Roll into 1" balls and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
3 Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. (if you are in a hurry put them in the freezer.
4 Melt chocolate chips in double boiler with oil.
5 Stick toothpick in center of peanut butter ball, dip in chocolate about 3/4 of the ball, leaving a small amount of the peanut butter ball showing. Put back on waxed papered cookie sheet, remove toothpick. Refrigerate until set.
6 Keep in sealed container in cool place. The yield depends on how large you make the balls. Cooking time is actually refrigeration time.

Christmas Goodies

White Chocolate Popcorn

2-3 bags Light butter microwave popcorn

1 bag white melting chips, white chips, or almond bark

Melt chips slowly in the microwave. Pour over popped corn in a large mixing bowl. Add mix-ins -- caramel bits, peanuts, almonds, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, craisins, pistachios. Spread out in a wax-lined pan and drizzle with melted dark or milk chocolate. Let cool. Break up and package.

New Variations:

Tropical Popcorn

Mix in coconut, dried pineapple chunks, and chopped macadamia nuts

Cran-Orange Popcorn

Mix 1 tsp cinnamon into the white chocolate after melted. Mix in craisins, almonds, and candied orange peel., or dried cherries and pistachios. YUM!

Fall Treats

Pumpkin Cookies

Cream Together:
2 C sugar
2 C butter
2 eggs
Add:2 tsp vanilla
2 C pumpkin
Combine:
4 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
Combine wet and dry ingredients
Grease cookie sheet and drop cookie dough on pan. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.
While cookies are baking make the icing:
In a saucepan combine:
1C butter
2C brown sugar
1/2C milk
Stir constantly and let boil for 1 minute.
Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Pour into a glass bowl and refrigerate until cool.
When cool whip in icing sugar until you get a nice thicker consistency (but still can be easily spread) This makes a really large batch of cookies, perfect for sharing with friends and stashing a few extras in the freezer. I packaged these goodies in some tall white gift boxes with a clear window in the front that I had found at Michaels. Add some cute ribbon and a tag and you have a great little gift.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels...better known as Monster Toes

Pretzel rods (in the photo I used the smaller pretzel twists, that are the perfect "toe"size)
caramel bits
evaporated milk (water can also be used)
green chocolate melts (Wilton brand)
Melt 1 pkg of caramel with 1-2 tbsp evaporated milk in the microwave on med heat, cook for 1 min then stir, repeat until smooth. Dip pretzel rods about 2/3 up and set on wax paper lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool in fridge. Melt chocolate in double boiler or slowly in microwave. Dip pretzels in chocolate. Cut black, purple or red "DOTS" cnady in half and use as the nail. After green color has hardened. Melt some darker green chocolate in a ziploc bag, snip the corner tip and drizzle on some knuckles. Let set, package in cellophane treat bags and top with a cute tent tag.

Pumpkin Spice Popcorn

Light butter microwave popcorn--popped, or any popped popcorn. About 6-8 Cups.
1 bag pumpkin spice Hershey Kisses--unwrapped
Heath Toffee Bits
Cashews or Almonds
Milk Chocolate -- melted
Pop popcorn, slowly melt pumpkin kisses in a glass container in the microwave. Do it on a lower temperature, taking out to stir every 30 seconds or so. Pour over popped corn in a large mixing bowl. Add mix-ins. Spread on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and refrigerate. When it has hardened drizzle with some melted milk chocolate. Let harden again. Package in cellophane bags or clear acrylic paint cans (also found at Michaels or other craft/scrapbook stores) Enjoy!