Give friends who enjoy flavorful food a selection of herb seeds or small herb plants for a window box. Flavored vinegars can round out this holiday gift. Make your own by adding dried herbs to white, red, or wine vinegar. Always use clean, sterilized bottles. (See recipe for Raspberry Wine Vinegar below.)
Fitness Fanatic
Personalize a water bottle with your friend's name and recent personal fitness records. Give the bottle along with their favorite sports drinks and energy bars.
Packaging Food Gifts
With the array of packaging materials available, anyone can package a food gift beautifully. For ideas, check out the various gift wrap, party supply, and craft stores. Scout out unique treasures at your local flea market, yard sale, or dollar-store. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Holiday-themed bags, boxes, tins, baskets, glass or plastic jars, and containers
- Seasonal platters, bowls, and crocks
- Foil wrap, waxed paper, and plastic wrap (make sure they're food-safe)
- Ribbons, bows, holiday paper and fabric, and festive napkins or towels
- Colorful cellophane wrap
If time permits, you can customize boxes by covering them with colorful holiday paper or fabric and affixing some sparkling sequins. Before arranging food inside, line your container of choice with brightly colored papers, tinsel, foil, festive napkins, or holiday towels for a "professional" appearance.
Recipes
Nine Bean Soup Mix Mix together one pound each of dried black beans, red beans, pinto beans, navy beans, great Northern beans, lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas and barley pearls. Combine all beans. Divide into ten 2-cup packages for gift giving. Include the following recipe with your gifts:
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2 cups Nine Bean Soup Mix
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1 onion, chopped
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6 cups water
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16-oz. can tomatoes, chopped
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| 1 pound lean ham, diced |
4-oz. can green chilies, chopped |
| 1 large carrot, peeled & chopped |
1 clove garlic, finely chopped |
| 1/2 tsp. salt, to taste |
1/4 tsp. pepper, to taste |
Sort and wash bean mix. Place in a 4-quart saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 2 minutes, cover pan, remove from heat, and let soak for 1 hour. After soaking, drain off the water using a large strainer. Return beans to the large saucepan; add 6 cups water, ham, carrot, onion, tomatoes (with juice), chilies, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1-AAA½ hours until beans are tender. Add more water if needed. Yield: 8 cups of soup.
Raspberry Wine Vinegar
Fill 3/4 of a clean, sterilized decorative bottle with red wine vinegar. Add frozen raspberries so the bottle is full. Place the cap on tightly. Store in the refrigerator.
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