December 3, 2015 – Gifts from Your Kitchen

In This Issue:

Printable Gift Tags and Jar Toppers
RECIPE: Cranberry-Pistachio Granola
Gift Ideas
RECIPE: Spicy Mocha Nuts
RECIPE: Kalamata Olive Tapenade

INTRO   

“Gifts to Share – Made in Your Kitchen”

INTRO TEXT   

In a season of sweets, sometimes a bit of savory is a welcomed treat! And, in this very busy season, time is at a premium. We’ve assembled three recipes that are super quick to make and designed to delight your family and friends! Try one of these delicious gifts to make: Cranberry-Pistachio Granola, Spicy Mocha Nuts, or Kalamata Olive Tapenade. PLUS, printable gift tags for you!

Thumbnails
“fast & festive”

Holiday Hours

Gift Cards

MAIN BODY:

Holiday Tags & Jar Toppers – PRINTABLE Tags
Make, Package, Ribbon and Tag!

Cranberry-Pistachio Granola 
A worthy snack on its own or as a topping, granola offers great crunch and flavor! You’ll find that homemade granola tastes different and so much better than commercial preparations – it’s truly a treat! We’ve spiked this granola with red and green for the season thanks to the dried cranberries and pistachios. It looks festive when jarred, ribboned, and tagged – a welcomed gift by anyone lucky enough to receive!

Enjoying this Gift:
Top yogurt with a scoop
Enjoy as a midnight snack
Turn it into a better breakfast

Personalize It:
Granola is very adaptable. Follow a couple of ratio rules and you’ll realize success with all kinds of combinations.

3 cups of grains
1 cup of nuts
1/2 cup sweetener
1/2 cup oil
Spices of your choice
Dried fruits

Try freeze-dried fruits for crunchy tanginess; add to cooled granola.

Mix up your nut choices for variety: cashews, sunflower seeds, pepitas (pumpkin) seeds, sesame seeds, or hazelnuts. If the nuts are salted, you may wish to reduce the amount of added salt.

How to Make Chunky Granola
The secret to making chunky granola, is to increase the amount of oil and sweetener, firmly pat it on the baking sheet, and do not stir it while baking. The layer of granola should be somewhat thin so that the ingredients toast evenly.

To Make These DIY Gifts

CUISINART FOOD PROCESSOR
This machine’s your secret weapon in the kitchen! New features make it time to upgrade.

MICROPLANE FINE ZESTER
Zest citrus, garlic, cheese and more into a fine grate. Classic grater is a kitchen essential!

CANNING JARS
Not just for canning or preserving, these jars can hold your special gifts, too!

USA PAN RIMMED HALF SHEET
Whether roasting nuts or granola, this pan takes the heat and does the job!

ROSTI MIXING BOWL SET
A basic set of mixing bowls comes in handy when getting creative in the kitchen.

WOODEN SPREADERS
Add a wooden spreader to your gift of tapenade. A memento of the season after the treat is gone.

Spicy Mocha Nuts

Gift a bag of these nuts, and you’ll suddenly be very popular! Ok, a bit dramatic, but we predict that recipients will enjoy them greatly, and will be asking you for the recipe! Or, simply make a batch of these nuts and have them around informally for gatherings. But watch out, they’re addictive! The combination of chocolate and coffee is a classic combo, but becomes even better when enhanced with some heat from cayenne pepper powder. This potent hot pepper – only a quarter teaspoon in this recipe – is just the right fiery kick for making these nuts irresistible!

Enjoying this Gift:
Serve alongside a cheese plate
Pair the nuts with a nice glass of bubbly
Chop and top a scoop of ice cream

Personalize It:
Instead of three nuts, use just one nut type for the whole batch.
If the situation is right, label the tag “from one nut to another!”

Make the package part of the gift!
Fill a mug, bowl, or special dish with nuts, wrap, ribbon, and give.

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

A jar of freshly made tapenade is a delicious hostess gift, or as a gift for your sugar-free, gluten-free, or just hungry friends! Two kinds of olives combined with capers, garlic, lemon, and spices, makes this spread an especially delightful blend of Mediterranean flavors. Assemble this tapenade in literally just a few minutes – no cooking, no baking, very little chopping – it’s a piece of holiday magic. This recipe is easily halved or quartered, if desired.

Enjoying this Gift:
Spread on crostini
Add a little to salad dressings, dips
Toss a tablespoon of tapenade with roasted vegetables.
Top a grilled steak.
Serve as a dip for crudités.

Personalize It:
Pair with a gift of a complementary fresh goat cheese.
Add a wooden spreader to the gift jar as part of the gift.
Couple the tapenade with a box of gourmet crackers

Graphic Footer:

MAKE lovingly, SHARE gladly, GIVE affectionately, CELEBRATE happily, THANK joyfully!