Homemade gifts of food for the holidays

12/4/2017
BY MARY BILYEU
BLADE FOOD EDITOR
  • FEA-foodgifts5-3

    Snowflake Snack Mix.

    The Blade/Lori King
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  • Homemade, handmade gifts of food are always more special, aren’t they?

    Cookies and fruit cake and gingerbread and fudge. Candies and spiced nuts and popcorn and pickles. In brightly colored packages tied up with strings, these are a few of our favorite things.

    The suggestions we’re offering would make lovely presents at a holiday celebration, as a thoughtful hostess gift or for your office Secret Santa pick. This is food of love, after all, that you’ve prepared with your own two hands and a generous heart.

    But you could also serve the olives at your own festive gatherings, such as a Hanukkah latke-palooza. Bring the snack mix to a potluck. Prepare the rice as a colorful side dish to complement your Christmas ham. Sprinkle the spiced salt — with its ornamental flecks of red and green — over popcorn to enjoy as you watch sentimental seasonal specials. And pour the gingerbread syrup over pancakes at a bountiful brunch.

    To paraphrase the classic song by Perry Como: If you want to be happy in a million ways, for the holidays you can’t beat homemade gifts of food.

    Snowflake Snack Mix.
    Snowflake Snack Mix.

    Snowflake Snack Mix

    Use plain candies, or substitute with peanut, crispy, or other flavors and themed colors

    3 cups rice square cereal

    3 cups corn square cereal

    1 cup small pretzel twists

    1 cup honey-roasted peanuts

    2 16-ounce packages vanilla candy coating

    1 11 or 12-ounce package candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

    In a very large bowl combine cereals, pretzels, and peanuts; set aside.

    Melt the candy coating according to package directions. Pour candy coating over cereal mixture and stir gently to coat. Spread on a large piece of waxed paper, parchment paper, or a silicone liner. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Cool and break into pieces.

    Yield: 16 cups

    Source: Adapted from midwestliving.com

    Fruited Rice Mix.
    Fruited Rice Mix.

    Fruited Rice Mix

    Use this as a guide to make a lovely gift, or prepare the rice to serve as a holiday side dish in your own home.

    1 cup long-grain rice

    1 bouillon cube, crumbled (chicken or vegetable)

    2 teaspoons dried parsley

    1½ teaspoons minced orange zest

    ½ teaspoon onion powder

    ½ cup finely chopped dried apricots

    ¼ cup dried cranberries

    ¼ cup slivered almonds

    In a mixing bowl, stir together the rice, bouillon cube, parsley, orange zest, and onion powder; place into the bottom of a pint jar. Top with the apricots, followed by the cranberries then the almonds.

    Place lid on the jar and be sure to include cooking instructions.

    Cooking instructions: In a medium saucepan, bring 2½ cups water and 2 tablespoons butter or oil to a boil. Add the jar of Fruited Rice Mix. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Serves 6.

    Yield: Makes 2¼ cups

    Source: Adapted from Diane Phillips, The Perfect Mix

     

    Gingerbread-spiced Syrup.
    Gingerbread-spiced Syrup.

    Gingerbread-spiced Syrup

    “Stir a tablespoon into coffee, tea, or cider; drizzle it over pancakes, hot cereal, or yogurt; or use it as a glaze for chicken or pork chops,” says Darlene Brenden.

    2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches), broken into pieces

    16 whole cloves

    3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh gingerroot

    1 teaspoon allspice

    2 cups sugar

    2 cups water

    2 tablespoons honey

    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Place the first four ingredients on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag.

    In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, honey, nutmeg, and spice bag; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes or until syrup reaches desired consistency. (It will thicken as it cools.)

    Cool to room temperature. Discard spice bag; strain syrup into bottles. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

    Yield: 1½ cups

    Source: Adapted from Darlene Brenden, tasteofhome.com

     

    Fennel-spiced Roasted Olives.
    Fennel-spiced Roasted Olives.

    Fennel-spiced Roasted Olives

    For a savory gift in a season of sweets, these olives are perfect. Crackers, cheese, and/or a small serving board complete the set.

    6 cups assorted brine-cured olives

    4 cloves garlic, peeled

    4 3-inch-long strips each lemon zest

    4 3-inch-long strips each orange zest

    ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    ½ teaspoon black pepper

    1 tablespoon fennel seeds

    ¼ cup red wine vinegar

    ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

    Preheat oven to 400F.

    On large rimmed baking sheet, toss olives, garlic, lemon zest, orange zest, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and black pepper. Spread in single layer. Roast 30 minutes, shaking pan once.

    Divide olives, garlic, and zest among 4 jars; add fennel seeds to each. Pour vinegars and remaining olive oil over olives to cover. Store in refrigerate up to 1 month.

    Yield: 5 cups

    Source: Adapted from goodhousekeeping.com

     

    Chili Lime Salt.
    Chili Lime Salt.

    Chili Lime Salt

    Sprinkle on steak, burgers, chicken, fish, french fries, popcorn, or anything else that could use a little bit of festive flair.

    6 limes

    1 cup coarse sea salt

    4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

    Using a microplane zester, remove the outer zest from the limes. Make sure not to peel off the bitter white pith.

    Lay zest on a towel and allow to air dry for a few hours, then combine with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Pour salt into a pretty jar.

    Yield: 1 cup

    Source: Adapted from mommypotamus.com 

    Contact Mary Bilyeu at 419-724-6155 or mbilyeu@theblade.com, and follow her at facebook.com/thebladefoodpage.