Gifting 2013 – Recipe Ideas for Homemade Holiday Gifts

As usual, at this season there’s a lot of discussion and advice about what to take to a host or hostess and if making something yourself is or isn’t acceptable. My own answer to that is that a homemade gift is acceptable as long as it’s appropriate for the occasion, the recipient and in its presentation.

For example, homemade gifts other then commemorative ones aren’t’t usually acceptable for ceremonial or formal occasions. They are also considered out of place in a professional relationship, because they signify a more personal connection, unless it is something you know will be specifically welcome. Using some of the recipes I’m giving here, to illustrate, if you served your watermelon pickle at the company barbeque last summer, and your boss raved about it, a jar would be a good thank you gift for a holiday invitation. If you have a client who loves almonds, a tin of roasted ones might be nice. It’s important when considering giving a homemade gift to determine its reception. Otherwise it might be considered at best a cheap way out or at worst a slight.

Even in non-professional situations it’s important to know in advance if your gift will be well received. Make an effort to learn if the person you are gifting has allergies or diet preferences as well as their likes and dislikes. I’m not saying become snoopy dog, but ask others who know this person, or better yet, hold off on the homemade things until you know the giftee better yourself. Incidentally, the same is true of any hosting gift. Many things, scented items for instance, candles, live arrangements and most foods, can set off allergies. So do your homework and don’t just listen to the T.V. gurus suggestions.

Moreover, learning about the recipient might earn you brownie points. I taught a friend how to make the mint sauce for her husband who is diabetic. When she found out that her biggest client’s daughter had it too, she gave him a bottle with a list of suggested uses. Ever since she makes 6 bottles for him every Christmas and the account is hers for life.

Above all, if you are giving a homemade gift, take care with its presentation. Make sure it looks professionally turned out. That doesn’t mean “commercial” but simply that it has “eye appeal” that makes one want to open it. Don’t just grab a jar off the pantry shelf, or stuff the almonds in a bag. If it’s a jar or bottle, cover the top with a nice piece of cloth or paper secured with a ribbon. If using a tin, buy a new one, seal around the closure with neatly applied scotch tape and top with a big bow. Be sure to attach a label or tag identifying the contents and, if necessary, an index card listing suggested uses. Smaller bottles look well displayed on colored “grass” in a basket wrapped much like Easter ones.  Jars can be placed in bottle bags. All of the wrappings can be found in a dollar store and with minimal effort the humblest things can be glamorized.

The last consideration when contemplating giving a homemade gift is quantity. Excess signals that you undervalue the product, too little looks cheap or stingy. The best thing to do is comparative price shop in stores. See what that product, or a similar one, in equal quantity costs. If there are choices, pick the upper range for your calculations. Estimate the price you feel you should spend on that particular gift and translate it into the amount of the commercial brand of the item you are giving you would have to buy to equal it. The answer is how much you should give. It doesn’t have to be just one product either. I often give these products singly, but just as often combine several to lend variety. The gift must suit the individual purpose and each is different.

Below are some of my favorite “gifting” recipes. Please note that none imply they should be shared immediately, all have long shelf lives and only one needs refrigeration. Two, the watermelon pickle and the mint sauce can, and should be made several months ahead by those in colder climates. The Granola and the nuts are the only things with a limited shelf life. The nuts are the priciest commercially as compared to homemade, so the most impressive gift in that respect. The others can be made at any time.

WATERMELON PICKLE:
1 Watermelon- Green rind peeled and meat removed. White rind cut in 1 inch cubes.
1 cup cider vinegar per pound
1 cup water per pound
1 ½ cup sugar per pound
3 inches stick cinnamon per pound
4 cloves per pound
1 Tbs. sliced ginger root per pound
Cover melon cubes with salted water and soak for 2 hrs. Drain and rinse well.  Boil in fresh water until half tender, about 10 mins. Drain again and rinse in cool water. Weigh melon and measure the other ingredients into a pot accordingly and boil them for about ½ hr. until a syrup forms. Add drained melon rind and boil for another 10 mins. or until rind is crisp-tender. Allow to cool and pack cubes with syrup, including spices, to cover, into glass jars with secure fitting lids. Store refrigerated.

CHAI TEA
Although there are plenty of recipes out there for instant chai tea, I think they miss the mark. They require several powdered commercial products, including the tea, are pre-sweetened and you end up spooning a finished mixture into water. This is fine if  you want to make it for yourself, but as a present, it’s like giving someone  a jar of instant coffee. It’s far more elegant to give a jar of actual tea with spices that can be steeped and flavored to order, and more economical too– those commercial add-ins cost money. Use black tea leaves or if you can only find blended, opt for the breakfast  one. Avoid green tea. Its flavor is too weak to stand up to the spices.
1 cup tea leaves
12 whole cloves
12 cardamom pods – slightly crushed
4 cinnamon sticks broken in pieces
2 inches of peeled ginger root chopped
6 whole black peppercorns (optional)
6 whole allspice (optional)
The two options are nods to the fact that chai tea is popular throughout Asia and the recipe differs from country to country. FOR A GIFT: place everything together in a jar with a tight lid and attach brewing instructions. TO BREW: Sprinkle 2 Tbs. tea over 1 cup cold water. Allow to boil for 30-45 secs. Then steep for 4 mins. Strain and pour into 2 cups. Add milk to equal 2 cups and sugar to taste—both are

GRANOLA
This is another “gourmet” food that is expensive to buy commercially but inexpensive and easy to make.
The beauty of this basic recipe is that you can include “add-ins” to personalize it.
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar packed
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½ cup water
Pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Whisk the dry ingredients together, and  the butter into the water, then pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well, incorporating any add-ins . Use as many of them as you like. Spread the batter out on cookie sheets and bake until light brown and crisp, about  ½ hr. Cool on the sheets and break into pieces. Store in air-tight containers.  I find tins do well for this.
ADD-INS; Shredded coconut, raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruits, peanuts, almonds or other nuts, sunflower or  toasted sesame seeds, and/or spices like cinnamon and nuts.

MINT SAUCE:
4 cups fresh mint –tough  stems removed
Cider vinegar to cover
Sugar or substitute such as Splenda to taste
Simmer the mint and vinegar in a pot until the leaves are cooked, about 8 min. Add sweetener to taste as the mint cooks. Do not over do. This should be sweet-sour when finished. Remove from heat, cool and process or blend until the mint is finely ground. Correct seasoning and pour into clean bottles. Let stand, uncapped until completely cool, cap and store in a dark, dry, cool place. Keeps for two years or more.
Use in salads, on cooked vegetables and to marinate or baste meat.
NOTE: I use sterilized salad dressing bottles—but only glass ones.

ROASTED ALMONDS:
You need to buy the Raw, Natural Almonds in skins for  this
1 tsp. butter per pound of nuts
Salt to liberally cover-several tablespoons
Cover the almonds with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 -4 mins until some nuts start to float. Working a batch at a time rinse the nuts under cold water and remove the skins by squeezing them. The nut will pop out of its skin. Preheat the oven to 350 degs. Melt the butter on a foil covered cookie sheet. Toss the skinned nuts in the butter and bake them until golden to light brown, tossing occasionally, about 30 mins. Watch carefully toward the end because they will burn quickly. Roll the nuts onto paper towels  and liberally sprinkle with salt. Cool and place in jars. Allow to stand uncovered several hours. Cover and store in a cool dark place. Will keep about 6 weeks. I use glass jars for storage, but for gifts I buy tins that hold either 1 or 2 pounds.  At Christmas, I fill decorative mugs with nuts, seal them with plastic wrap and top with a bow. They make great token gifts.

CHUTNEY: Makes 1 1/3 cups
2cups peeled, cored and chopped apples
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup raisons
1/3 cup cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbs. candied citron
1 Tbs. curry powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp, ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2cloves garlic-minced
Put everything into a pot and cook over low heat for 50 mins. stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cool and pour into jars of about 4 oz. each. This keeps for months in a cool dry place but once opened , refrigerate.