Gifts From The Kitchen

By Christy Rost, December 2004

Homemade gifts from the kitchen are always appreciated by friends and neighbors. Busy moms with little time to bake, elderly neighbors who no longer have energy to cook, and special friends who feel pampered by your thoughtfulness - these are the ones we love to remember during the holiday season.

We're all busy at Christmastime, but it's still possible to surprise friends with homemade treats from the kitchen. Timesaving recipes, confections that start with packaged items, and easy-to-make recipes that feed a crowd can transform a long gift list into an enjoyable and manageable task.

One of my favorite semi-homemade gift ideas comes from my dear friend, Nancy Upson. During a recent morning of tea and conversation, she served beautiful, swirled butter cookies dipped in dark chocolate and topped with finely chopped almonds. They were pretty-as-a-picture and absolutely delicious, and when I asked how she made them, Nancy admitted she started with a good-quality packaged cookie, then dipped one end in melted chocolate and sprinkled it with almonds.

A few days later, I expanded on my friend's recipe during a television appearance devoted to last-minute gifts. Not only did I dip butter cookies in dark chocolate, but I dipped them in white chocolate and dusted them with edible holiday confetti and colorful sparkling sugar. Another quick idea is to dip large Dutch-style pretzels face-down in white chocolate until one side is completely covered, then sprinkle with multicolored nonpareils. Pop them into the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. Look for nonpareils in your grocery store's cake decorating aisle.

Homemade caramel apples drizzled with dark and white chocolate are positively decadent and make a beautiful holiday gift. After dipping each apple in melted caramel, place it on a tray coated in nonstick cooking spray and chill until the caramel has hardened. Drizzle the apple with dark chocolate and chill until the chocolate is firm; then drizzle it with white chocolate and chill again. Place each apple on a decorative paper plate, wrap it loosely in clear cellophane, and tie with a gold ribbon.

Everyone loves caramel corn and it's so quick and easy to make your own. Best of all, one batch of my recipe for Hazelnut Caramel Corn makes enough for multiple gifts. And what would the holidays be without buttery Sugar Cookies cut into bells, and trees, and snowmen? Decorated with icing and a dusting of sparkling sugar, the memory of these holiday cookies far outlasts the final crumb. Look for both of these much-loved recipes on the Recipes page of easyentertain.com.

When your holiday shopping is done and you still need gifts for neighbors and friends, it's time to get in the kitchen. With simple ingredients and only a few pleasurable hours, you can create delectable gifts you'll be proud to give.

Happy Holidays from our home to yours!