Hey, oh! It’s just a few days from Christmas. You know what that means. Panic! Or not. Let’s go with the second option. Chances are that you have things on hand to make some pretty fun last minute gifts – and that will save you a hellish trip to the mall.
Whether it’s an easy foccacia dough, infused booze or jars of spice blends, give the gift of your kitchen. Here are some of my favorites.
Spice Rubs and Blends
I love giving spice mixes for gifts. They’re pretty and aromatic, and work on everything from chicken to beef, to tofu.
Seasoned Salt
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika, or 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
Mix it all together in a small jar or in a resealable plastic bag.
It makes an incredible seasoning on popcorn, and is amazing in everything from soup to stews, or even as a chicken rub. Warning: It’s really addictive. Seriously. A friend of mine even puts this in his chocolate chip cookies, which makes them sweet and savory, and crazy good.
Spanish Rub Or “Frote Especias Español” (According to Google Translate)
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons hot smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried cilantro (or parsley)
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Mix together in a small jar or in a resealable plastic bag.
(Note: Maybe you’re thinking, “A resealable plastic bag? What am I, an animal?” Hey, there’s nothing wrong with working with what you have. That’s actually a joke in my husbands family, they call it “mad wrapping.” I came from a family where I was taught to wrap tight, pretty packages. My husband’s family wraps everything in aluminum foil or torn tissue paper. Duct tape is encouraged, but optional. It definitely keeps the stress level at “nil.” And that’s a wonderful thing.)
Booze
Mmmm, booze. The gift that keeps on giving. Infusing your own vodka is fun, and easy. The Kitchn has a great little tutorial on fruit vodkas here,
My favorite is pepper vodka. Do you have some hot chilies around? Some peppercorns? Bam! Hello, pepper vodka! It’s perfect as a Bloody Mary base.
Cayenne Pepper Vodka Ingredients:
- 1 pint vodka
- 1-2 cayenne peppers (Or a jalapeno)
- 6-8 whole black peppercorns
Instructions:
Cut a slit in the hot peppers. Place the chili pepper(s) and peppercorns in the vodka. Let sit at room temperature for 5 days. Strain, and discard solids. Will keep for at least 6 months. (We had a very large batch last for a year.)
Savory Baked Goods:
This time of year people love to give the gift of cookies. But I love to give savory baked goods, because it’s a little unexpected, and even the most ardent fan of cookies and candy, will enjoy a tin (or resealable bag) of crackers, fruits and nuts for salad, or ready made focaccia dough.
Fruit and Nut Topping For Salad
Once upon a time, I was a sad lass who had no idea what a “good” salad was. I thought it was lettuce and vegetables with dressing. And then I met my father-in-law. The first salad he served me was overflowing with nuts and toasted seeds and dried fruit. It was an eye opener.
Now I like to make bags of salad topping for gifts. All you need for a delicious meal is greens.
Salad Topping Ideas:
- Dried fruit: Cranberries, apples, raisins, apricots are all good.
- Nuts: Peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans etc.
- Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds etc.
And if you have any kicking around, sesame sticks are wonderful in the mix.
Just combine everything in a jar or container. Easy!
Crackers:
I’m partial to these Swiss Cheese and Olive crackers.
Oven-Dried “Sundried” Tomatoes
These are one of those ingredients you feel is kind of played out, until you taste one and remember how good they are.
It’s as simple as putting them in the oven on low heat, and just letting them reduce to their sweet essence. They’re great on cheese and crackers and make great party food.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Cut tomatoes into ½-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt.
Bake for 1 ½ hours or until lightly browned and caramelized, but still slightly juicy. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Focaccia
I think this is a fun gift, because it’s easy to freeze, and the person who receives it only has to let it defrost for a half an hour before rolling it out. Hello, homemade bread for dinner on a Wednesday night!
Focaccia Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups warm water
- 4 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
Instructions:
Stir the yeast and sugar together in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the water, and stir again. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy.
Add 1 cup of the flour to the bowl, along with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and knead with the bread hook attachment for 2 minutes. Add additional cups of flour one at a time and let process for 2 minutes. Once the dough has formed a ball, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel.
Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled.
Divide into 2 pieces, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Pour remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl, and roll each piece of dough in the oil.
Place dough in 2 resealable plastic bags and freeze, until it’s time to play Santa.
Voila! Easy holiday food gifts that everyone should love.
(Photos by Launie K.)
