Homemade food gifts for the holidays

[GotGarlic]

Hi, all. Wondering if anyone else is making food items for holiday gifts. I just started a batch of whole-grain Dijon mustard. The seeds will soak in wine and vinegar for two days, then I'll add honey and salt, grind them coarsely, bottle them and get them in the mail next week with a couple of recipes.

Here's the recipe: Whole Grain Dijon Mustard | Serious Eats

What have you got going on?

 

[Andy M.]

We gift Christmas cookie assortments. Haven't done much with non-dessert homemade foods.

 

[GotGarlic]

It seems like half the people I know are either gluten-free or on a diet or something, so I thought a condiment would work well.

 

[Dawgluver]

This sounds really good, GG. Great idea.

I've sent pickled green beans and pickled beets, done like my Gramma used to make. My dad used to make his own horseradish sauce. Burn-your-eyes-out pungent, but delicious. BIL and one of his ex-wives made up a beautiful gift basket one year that consisted of little jars of sugar with a vanilla bean, coarse salt with dried rosemary and other herbs, vinegar with a couple chili peppers, along with chili pepper napkins and dish towels. Super cute.

 

[medtran49]

I probably won't this year, except for maybe a few favorite cookies our DD and GDs love. I've made the Epcot cheese bread in the past for gifts and they've always been well received. Actually have had people ask me to teach them how to make them, non-bread bakers. Besides assorted cookie gifts, used to make candy-type bourbon balls with my mom. I think 1 year we made 52 dozen and gave nearly all of them away. That's a lot of balls. Just not really in the mood this year, even with decorating the house and Christmas shopping for the GDs.

Oh, and the mustard does sound good. It's fun to experiment with making mustards.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I'm going to make a couple of quart sized jars of Kim Chee for Mr&Mrs DF's in Northern Arizona. It seems that we will be joining them for New Years rather than Christmas this year.
I am also going to take A Kahlua Cake for them and a very large can of assorted cookies.
I still have a jar of my homemade Cherry Vodka in the freezer, I MIGHT safe that with Mrs.DF, she really likes the stuff.

 

[Kayelle]

It seems like half the people I know are either gluten-free or on a diet or something, so I thought a condiment would work well.

That mustard is a really great idea GG! I think most any diet would allow mustard.
It's so hard for me to stay low carb at this time of year, I would not welcome gifts of carb goodies. If we get any, the SC is told to store it in Tupperware and keep it in the garage where he can eat it.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm going to make a couple of quart sized jars of Kim Chee for Mr&Mrs DF's in Northern Arizona. It seems that we will be joining them for New Years rather than Christmas this year.

I am also going to take A Kahlua Cake for them and a very large can of assorted cookies.

I still have a jar of my homemade Cherry Vodka in the freezer, I MIGHT safe that with Mrs.DF, she really likes the stuff.

K-girl, a while back I made my own Kahlua. It was delicious, but since DH and I don't drink much coffee, we were both up until 3 am! He had 2 iced coffees, and I had 1 white Russian. Never again! If you're good with caffeine, it will be fine.

That said, homemade Kahlua makes a nice gift, if you're sadistic, as does homemade Baileys.

 

[Cheryl J]

For the past few years, I've been making candied pecans for my daughter and SIL - they love homemade foodie gifts, and these are so delicious. Last year I doubled the recipe and gave some out in pretty little cellophane Christmas bags to neighbors and friends I knew would enjoy them.

I change up the recipe a bit and lightly toast the pecans first, and add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to the egg whites. I'm thinking about making a double recipe again, and making half sweet and half savory - maybe a little cumin, chili powder and a dash of cayenne.

Swedish Nuts II Recipe - Allrecipes.com

 

[Kayelle]

We have a great little rustic place not far from here out in the country called "The Nut House" As you can imagine they have all sorts of nuts and I loved making both sweet and savory nuts for gifts in days gone by. Hmm, come to think of it, I could enjoy making and eating the savory again, although not the sweet. Thanks for the light bulb moment Cheryl.
Here's their website...cute place.
http://www.somisnuthouse.com/

 

[Cheryl J]

We have a great little rustic place not far from here out in the country called "The Nut House" As you can imagine they have all sorts of nuts and I loved making both sweet and savory nuts for gifts in days gone by. Hmm, come to think of it, I could enjoy making and eating the savory again, although not the sweet. Thanks for the light bulb moment Cheryl.
Here's their website...cute place.
Somis Nut House: your source for nuts, dried fruits, gift baskets, candies, and trail mix

Wow, Kay...thanks so much! I just looked at their website, and I think I'm going to order my pecans from them!

 

[Bookbrat]

I can jams and savory sauces throughout the year, then pile them in a basket for my neighbors, staff, volunteers, the guy who plows our snow, the mailman. Everybody picks their own.

Packing a box for my sis with apricot-pineapple, peach-chipotle and strawberry jams, ketchup, pickle relish and salsa verde. Maybe salsa if I can stuff it in the flat rate box.

Also have some rum balls ready to roll and a batch of amaretto hot buttered rum mix to pack into jars. I always intend to make cookie trays but reality always blows my good intentions out of the water. I'll be doing good if I can make a batch or two of fudge next weekend.

GotGarlic, I do a similar mustard but with some horseradish added.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm adding my name to your list, Bookbrat! Everyone likes home-canned stuff! My brother and sister both called themselves "sinkies". They both admitted to decimating the whole jars of pickled green beans over the sink!

 

[GotGarlic]

Bookbrat, I can only imagine being that ambitious. I want to be on your list, too

 

[Bookbrat]

Bookbrat, I can only imagine being that ambitious.

Ha....not ambitious at all. It's the lazy woman's way out. A batch here and there through spring and summer and I'm done by first snow.

 

[freyaskitchen]

I sometimes give chutney to friends, it's fairly easy to make and you get it that little better every time, mango and other sweet flavors work well.

 

[GotGarlic]

I sometimes give chutney to friends, it's fairly easy to make and you get it that little better every time, mango and other sweet flavors work well.

I've made apple chutney for gifts before. My good friend likes to serve it with roast pork for a holiday spread.

 

[GotGarlic]

I puréed and jarred the whole-grain Dijon mustard today! It's really delicious! I quadrupled the recipe and got a dozen half pints, plus a four-ounce jars for us! And I still have mustard seeds left for more experimenting

 

[Dawgluver]

I puréed and jarred the whole-grain Dijon mustard today! It's really delicious! I quadrupled the recipe and got a dozen half pints, plus a four-ounce jars for us! And I still have mustard seeds left for more experimenting

This is exciting, GG! Mustard is always a great gift!

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks, Dawg! I forgot to post pictures!