12 Days of Edible Gifts: Cigar Goodie Box

This is my absolute favorite gift to make.

It's simple, fun and unexpected.
Not to mention inexpensive. Most cigar stores will let you grab the empty cigar boxes for a $1.00 donation.

There is nothing to it.
Here's how:

Air out the box. To do this, keep them in a well ventilated area for a few days.
Once they are free of the cigar smell fill them with your favorite goodies.

For cookies line the inside of the box with tissue.
For candy I use cupcake tins.

When using candy, think variety. You want items that differ in color and texture but keep cohesion with the same type of theme. For instance, this candy box will be going to Dad, a lover of old fashioned candy. The lemon drops, nonpareil, and strawberry suckers all have a nostalgic theme, but differ in variety and texture.
For Easter I made the candy box using all pastel colored candies. Still keeping variety with different colored pastels and different textures.

You could always fill these with an assortment of nuts.

Or all different types of chocolate.

Or all red and pink for Valentines day....

Did I mention I love putting these together?

You get the idea.

Wrap them up with a pretty bow and voila!

Enjoy!

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Cinnamon Bun Goodie Bag

This is a great gift if you are really crunched for time.

All you need to do is put together a bag of 3 items plus a recipe card for these
cinnamon-sugar delights

Think buttery doughnut meets cinnamon sugar buiscut!

They are the perfect treat for Christmas morning.

Or any other morning for that matter.

Enjoy!

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Almond Joys

Sometimes you feel like a nut...

And sometimes you feel like a nut in the center of a coconut nugget covered in chocolate. 

AKA, homemade almond joys. 

I could make these forever. They are very simple  and oh-so delicious. 

The perfect little pick me up. (Also the perfect gift to bring over to my neighbors.)

Here's how:

ingredients

30 or so almonds 

2 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut 

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar 

about 20 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips 

pinch of salt 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Spread almonds onto a separate (unlined) baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Be careful they don't burn! Remove from oven and cool. 

In a medium bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the unsweetened coconut until combined. The mixture will be thick. Place mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes. 

Remove the coconut mixture. With clean hands shape one tablespoon of coconut into a ball.

Pressing firmly, place the balls on the lined baking sheet and continue until you've gone through the remaining coconut mixture. 

Press an almond on top of each coconut ball. Place baking sheet in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate. 

Add about 2 inches of water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water. 

Make sure the bowl is about 1 inch from the boiling water. Stir the chocolate as it melts. Turn the heat off once the chocolate has melted. Keep the bowl of melted chocolate over the hot water. 

Remove candies from fridge. Place one coconut almond ball on a fork. Use a spoon and cover the candy in chocolate. Place back on lined baking sheet. Repeat until all coconut balls are coated. 

If chocolate gets thick, just turn the stove back on and heat slightly.

Let dipped candy harden in the fridge for 45 minutes. 

{Recipe adapted from Celebrations at Home}

Enjoy!

12 Days of Edible Gifts: Rosemary Nuts

Are you a fan of the Barefoot Contessa? I'm a huge fan.

In college, I actually sent her a letter professing my love. Dorky I know. I wonder if she ever received it?

If you have never tried one of her recipes I suggest you start with this one:

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

ingredients

1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 375.

Place nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed though. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts into the rosemary mixture until they are completely coated. 

Serve warm. (They are also good room temp.)

For this recipe and more Ina specialties click here! 

Enjoy!

Weekly Cravings: The Apps

Is your head still above water??
Can you believe Christmas is two weeks away!?  I thought for sure it was three. I'm still floatin' though. But in case you completely forgot to even think about what to make for appetizers,  I've rounded up my favorites found via the web.


I will definitely be making these pancetta crisps with goat cheese and pear for this years Christmas! Served this way, or this way, I can't decide.

There's nothing Ina Garten can't do. Her roasted shrimp with feta (above) are no exception. It's the perfect preview to the main meal.

Figs wrapped in bacon, a go-to appetizer for our holidays. The salty bacon wrapped around the sweet and juicy fig....YUM!

Marinated feta with olives and roasted red pepper? Yes please! These would last two seconds in this house!

Such a cute way to serve your crudite!

And just in case you have any gluten allergies in the house, gluten-free potato sticks with roasted tomato salsa.



XO,

12 Days of Edible Christmas Gifts: Apple Pie Cookies

I'm not sure if its the flaky-buttery crust or the gooey-cinnamon-sugar filling, but I love apple pie.

So when I saw this Apple Pie Cookie recipe at Smitten Kitchen, I just had to try it.
It's a dieters dream; portion controlled sweets!

Lets be honest, eating six small cookies is about the same if not more than a slice of pie.
That's why these are the perfect edible Xmas gift for your neighbors or coworkers. They are too dangerous to keep all to oneself.

ingredients

crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose-flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold

1/2 cup water, very cold

filling

3 medium apples

1/3 cup granulated sugar

apple pie spice(found here)

to finish

1 large egg

sprinkle of sugar

The dough: 

Chop butter into small chunks. (If the butter is a little warm, put it in a bowl and replace in refrigerator for a few minutes.) Whisk flour, sugar and salt in a the bottom of a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, work the butter into the flour until the biggest pieces of butter are the size of small peas. Gently stir in ice water with a rubber spatula, mixing it until a craggy mass forms. Knead it with your hands two or three times to form a ball. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and flatten a bit, like a disk. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour and up to two days. 

Roll out pie dough onto a well-floured counter. You want the dough to be thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Lift and rotate your dough as you roll it, to ensure that it rolls out evenly and it doesn't stick. Use a cookie cutter and cut out the cookies. Transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets and keep them in the fridge until you need them. Repeat with the second packet of dough. 

The apples:

Peel apples. Slice apples from one side of the whole apple, stopping when you hit the core. Repeat on opposite side. Once you have apple slices from all apples place on a cutting bored and chop into very small pieces (see picture above). Put apple pieces in a bowl and mix in the apple pie spice. If at any point the apples begin to brown you can squeeze on a little lemon juice. 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Assemble!

Grab the first tray of chilled dough from fridge and lightly dampen it on one side with water. Using a spoon, add about a teaspoon of filling to the middle of half the cut out dough cookies. Be careful not to add too much filling or it will seep out the sides while the cookies are baking. Place a second piece of dough on top of the cookies. Cut decorative slits on your cookies using the tip of a knife. Dip a fork in flour and use it to crimp the sides of the cookies. 

Brush on a little egg wash (one egg beaten with one teaspoon of water) and sprinkle with sugar. 

Place baking sheet back in the refrigerator and prepare second sheet of dough. 

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and bronzed. Cool on a cooling rack. 

Enjoy!

12 Days of Edible Christmas Gifts: Apple Pie Spice

Need a quick and inexpensive gift ?

How about Apple-Pie-Spice.

You can mix it into all kinds of things...

pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, vanilla ice cream, granola etc.

You can even mix it into room temp butter to make apple pie butter!! 

(click here for tips on making your own butter.)

Increase the proportions to fill up your jar. You can even mix in sugar to make it extra sweet!

ingredients

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground clove or ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

sugar (optional)

Enjoy!

Not Your Average Chocolate Chip Cookie

So freshman year of college I got mono, which let's be serious, was kind of a good thing. I had never looked better. If it wasn't for mono I would have gained the freshman 50.

I was in over my head with all the beer, cheese steaks, pizza, fries, and my grandmothers care packages, which contained the ULTIMATE chocolate chip cookies.

These things are legendary.

Now don't even think for a second they are just your average chocolate chip cookies. Although the recipe could not get more basic, the taste is divine. I have been trying to replicate these things for years. I'm almost there.

ingredients

2 1/4 cups all- purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, softened 

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temp

2 cups Nestle TollHouse Semi-Sweet Morsels

Preheat oven to 375. 

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla extract with the second egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Using an ice cream scooper or tablespoon place cookies on ungreased baking sheets. 

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cook completely. 

I added a little vanilla ice cream and crushed candy cane to make these holiday-ish. 

Run a spoon under hot water and then scoop out ice cream and place onto one cookie. Run a butter knife under hot water and then smooth ice cream on top and sides. Place another cookie on top. Roll the sandwich in smashed candy cane or using your hands place the candy cane on the rim of the sandwich. Wrap in plastic and freeze for at least 30 minutes. 

a gift for you...

Enjoy!

Quinoa Fried Rice

I am obsessing over quinoa.

It is so easy and yummy, not to mention healthy.

It is the perfect ingredient for your between holiday detox. If you're into that kind of thing. And if you are someone who doesn't need to worry about taking it easy on the calories between November and December 24th (lucky!), I'm pretty sure you will still enjoy this!

Especially when it is stir fried with peanut sauce and pineapple.

ingredients 

2 cups quinoa 

4 eggs

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped 

1 cup pineapple, chopped 

1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 TBSP peanut butter

1-2 TBSP hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger (or fresh ginger minced)

2 tsp sesame oil 

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
Meanwhile whisk together soy sauce, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, and ginger. Taste and adjust to your preferences.

Heat sesame oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add eggs and scramble. Add rice, veggies and pineapple. Add sauce. Stir fry until ingredients are heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

For more recipes featuring quinoa, click here!

Enjoy!