Gift From the Kitchen - Cookies in a Jar (White Chocolate Chip Cookies Revisited)

 A few days ago, I mentioned I would be focusing on holiday related topics for the remainder of December.  Gift giving is a big component during the holiday season and what better way to bring a smile to a loved one's face than with a gift from the kitchen.  These gifts need not be complicated or expensive but rather they are a gift from the heart :)

So it is with cookies in a jar!  In November of 2009, I shared a very easy white chocolate chip cookies in a jar recipe, perfect for holiday gift giving.  The complete instructions can be found in that post.  A jar of the white chocolate chip cookies in a jar was gifted to one of our kids who still has it on display in their china cabinet!  It brings a smile every time I see it.

Any cookie recipe can be used for a cookie in a jar gift.   Just follow the basic instructions for the white chocolate chip cookies in a jar.  In general, drop cookie recipes with nuts, baking chips, or other chunky ingredients work best for the layering effect. 

Cookies are not exactly health food but you can substitute healthier ingredients if desired.  Use organic granulated cane sugar rather than plain granulated white sugar.  You can substitute any sugar with a sugar replacement like Truvia (natural) or Splenda (artificial).  If you use Truvia, the conversion is ½ c Truvia equals 1 c sugar.  If you use Splenda, it is a 1 to 1 substitution.  Use organic, unbleached flour or substitute organic spelt flour.  The healthier ingredients will increase the cost of each jar slightly but not enough to make them cost prohibitive.   On average, a cookie in a jar gift will cost about $2 in ingredients.  Healthier ingredients will add about 50¢ or less per jar.  You can save on the cost of the ingredients by buying them at a bulk food store. 

The decorative mason jar lids are available year round at Canadian Tire and Home Hardware or online from Bernardin.  Bernardin also sells plastic storage lids for mason jars in standard and widemouth sizes, also available year round.  The one litre mason jars are available year round from the same sources as well as Walmart Canada, and many grocery store chains.  They can often be found on sites like Kijji, or at yard sales and thrift shops.  Older mason jars with glass lids are also suitable for this application giving a retro touch sure to please.  I do not recommend using older mason jars with glass inserts (eg. Gem jars) as these jars are more valuable for home canning use.  Vacuum sealing of the cookies in a jar is optional but a nice touch to keep the mix fresher longer for the recipient.

If you need a few last minute gifts, then cookies in a jar may be just for you! 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Eco-friendly Tips for Gifting Kitchenware

Last week's Frugal Kitchens 101 discussed a few ways to save on buying small kitchen appliances and equipment, specifically the best time to buy these items.  During the pre-Christmas season, the end of January and the two weeks before Mother's Day, great bargains can be found on all things kitchen related.  This is the best time to buy kitchen items for your home as well as gift giving.  Gift giving usually involves some type of wrapping because let's face it part of the gift includes the surprise of opening it.  Traditionally, the wrapping is some type of themed wrapping paper with a bow and card or tag.  Unfortunately, wrapping paper is not only expensive, it is not eco-friendly.  Wrapping paper can't be curbside recycled and while there are some novel ways to reuse wrapping paper, you are essentially paying for something that you know will end up in the landfill.  The same is true of gift cards.  A frugal kitchen seeks to reduce waste wherever possible including gift giving.  There are many ways to 'wrap' small kitchen appliances and kitchenware without resorting to wrapping paper and cards although a homemade gift tag is still a nice touch.  Here's a few tips for wrapping those kitchen items for gift giving without breaking the bank while being eco-friendly:

• baskets - Baskets are an ideal way to give small kitchen items like mugs, tea balls, milk frother and those types of things.  Add in a jar or two of homemade jam or coffee mix, or tea bags to compliment the gift.  Tuck in a recipe to go with their coffee, tea or hot chocolate.  The basket can be reused by the receiver for a multitude of purposes.  The best places to find baskets in order of price are: resale shops, dollar stores, department stores (eg. Walmart, IKEA).  Keep in mind, you can spray paint baskets or dye wicker baskets for a personalized touch.  Larger baskets with or without cloth liners are perfect for holding some small kitchen appliances.  Picnic baskets are an ideal way to gift someone with a set of dishes, glasses and cutlery.  
• metal/plastic containers - Metal containers are usually used for food items like fruit cake or cookies when gift giving.  The dollar stores usually have the best price on these containers.  However, there are metal storage containers with lids meant for the office that could be used to wrap kitchen utensils or gadgets, t-towels, and smaller items.  Plastic totes come in all sizes and colours, just perfect for wrapping all types of gifts in pluse the plastic tote is very useful in the pantry.  Think outside of the box.  One year we bought a stainless steel kitchen waste can then stuffed it with all kinds of kitchen essentials (eg. dish soap, t- towels, dishcloths, garbage bags, etc.) for one of our kids that was just setting up their kitchen.  A new recycle bin can be used much the same way as a basket.  
• textiles - Textiles (eg. t-towels, tablecloths, cloth napkins) can be used to wrap a kitchen item for gift giving much the same way you would use wrapping paper.  Reusable cloth shopping bags are ideal for wrapping small kitchen appliances.  Smaller cloth bags are available for potpourie, soaps, and wine but you could use them to gift a wide range of kitchen related items.  They are available at dollar and department stores but if you are handy with a sewing machine, make your own.  Be sure to buy the material on sale.  If you crochet, there are several nice, free patterns available online for shopping and gift bags making your gift and wrapping personalized.  If you happen to know the receiver also needs a sheet set, use it to wrap small kitchen appliances or you can use sheets bought on sale to make gift bags.  

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Saving on Gifts From the Kitchen

The past two Frugal Kitchens 101 have focused on when the best time is to buy all things kitchen related.  As a reminder, the best times are just before Christmas, the end of January and the two weeks before Mother's Day.  It's not that you can't find good bargains on kitchen related items the rest of the year, just you have a better chance of getting excellent deals during these time frames.  This week's Frugal Kitchens 101 will focus on how to save money when making gifts from the kitchen, and we all know these are some of the best gifts to give or receive.

Gifts from the kitchen require raw ingredients and containers.  That means you need to do a bit of planning and frugal shopping prior to making your homemade goodies.  It is a bit easier than you would think though.

• sales - Traditionally, about 6 weeks prior to Christmas the baking ingredients will go on sale and they will remain at reduced prices until at least Boxing Day.  Take advantage of any of these sales to restock your pantry and make gifts from the kitchen like cake mixes, cookies in a jar or regular holiday baking.
• buy in advance - Certain ingredients can be purchased on sale well in advance of the actual assembly process for mixes.  
• buy in bulk - The bulk food stores are a perfect resource for making up several batches of your favourite mixes (eg. hot chocolate, seasoning mixes, cake and bread mixes) for gift giving.  You can buy as much or as little as you need.  If you do not have a bulk food store, opt for the largest sized package with the smallest unit price for those ingredients you need a lot of to put your homemade mixes together (eg. flour, sugar, pasta, etc).
• plan ahead - I know it is hard to think of Christmas gift giving in May but if you are home canning with the intent of gift giving you need to.  Make a batch of whatever specifically for gift giving and keep it away from your own pantry stock.  Know how many containers you will need and what you will be using as far as containers.  In general, two quarts of berries will give a yield of 4 - 250 ml/half pint jars.  So when canning for your home needs, simply make a separate batch for gift giving.  If you are making mixes, assemble all the ingredients then it is easy to make them in about 15 minutes of time.  Making dry mixes is as simple as assembling the ingredients unless you are using an ingredient that has been home dried.  In that case, you will need to dry enough of that ingredient in addition to your own needs.
• KISS - When it comes to homemade gifts from the kitchen, use a bit of creativity but rely on KISS (keep it simple silly).  
• containers - Buy these ahead as you can find them on sale.  Mason jars are the norm for home canned foods but can also be used for homemade mixes.  They will cost between $5 and $12 depending on the style and if bought on sale if bought new but used mason jars work just as well.  You can find these through freecycle, Craig's List and resale stores.  Just be sure you aren't paying more than new would cost.  New mason jars come with lids and rings.  If buying used, you will have to buy these separately.  A dozen box that includes both will cost about $3.50 but if you have a lot of rings, the cheapest source I have found for canning lids is Dollarama at $1.25 per dozen.  The dollar and department stores are also the least expensive places to buy gift style plastic and metal containers although specialty craft store (eg. Michael's) also have rather good prices.  

Pusateri's Fine Foods

As a family of foodies we often gift each other with gourmet foods.  These tend to be foods that the person would not buy for themselves but not always.  When we wed almost 35 years ago, my husband's parents still had kids at home.  They started a Christmas tradition of giving a chocolate initial to each family member along with an institutional sized container of their favourite food (eg. dill pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup).  We continued with the large sized containers of food but one of our kid's and spouse took over getting the chocolate initials.  The good news is no one picked up on giving a live piglet in a dog carrier so that was a one year only foodie gift.  Our BIL was ecstatic with the piglet for starting his dream of becoming a pig farmer.  Two more piglets joined the lone one because not knowing anything about pigs, they need other pigs for the heat to stay warm in the winter.  But I digress.  Onto my foodie gifts...

One of our kids gifted me with food from Pusateri's Fine Foods with three locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  I'm not a shopper as in department and grocery stores unless I have to but I sure do love the kitchen and gourmet food shops!  I have not been to Pusateri's myself but after perusing their website, it is on my list of shops to visit the next time we are in the GTA.  Apparently they have in-store sushi and olive oil bars!  Pusateri's has a catalogue for convenient ordering or you can order online as well as visit one of their locations.

There were four items in the gift bag.  The tall box contained Olearia San Giorgio extra virgin, cold extracted olive oil made in Italy.   This light fruit flavoured olive oil won the Sial Calad Olive D'or 2011 gold medal as well as International Recognition Olio Award 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.  I can't wait to savour this olive oil!  The taller jar contained Corte Donda Giardiniera made in Italy.  Giardiniera is a mixture of preserved vegetables with this one being French beans, pepper, fennel, onions, cabbage, celery, carrots, sunflower oil and vinegar.  The larger squatty jar to the front contained Mint & Pistachio Pesto from Bella Cucina Artful Food of Atlanta, Georgia.  This pesto is a winner of the Outstanding Product Line in the International Fancy Food Show.  I grow a lot of mint so this will be a product I will try to duplicate.  The smallest jar was Essence of Niagara White Ice Jelly produced by the Niagara Vinegar Co.  The Niagara region of Ontario is one of our favourite areas.  It is home to many ward winning wineries.  Actually the entire region from the Niagara spanning west along the Talbot Trail (Highway 3) close to the banks of Lake Erie to almost Windsor is a mecca for small wineries, produce stands, mushroom farms and so much more.  It is a beautiful drive!  We always come home laden with a multitude of foodie finds.  Ice wine is made from grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine then picked at the coldest moment of a Canadian winter's night.  Each frozen grape only produces a drop of icewine which explains why icewine is so expensive.  Icewine is one of the very few wines my husband will drink.

We use a lot of olive oil in our heart healthy recipes.  I will be using the olive oil as a dip for homemade breads, in pesto and in homemade salad dressings.  The pesto will be used in a sauce as well as a spread, possibly for dipping breads as well.  The icewine jelly will be used as a glaze for brie of which I forgot to mention the package of Castello Rosenborg Brie (made in Denmark) for this purpose. The giardiniera will be used as a condiment similar to pickles.  Thanks so much to the gift givers.  You know who you are.  These wonderful foodie gifts are very much appreciated!  I can't wait to visit Pusateri's the next time we are in the GTA!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - 'Tis the Season

Today is November 25 aka Black Monday which really ushers in the holiday season.  All the stores put on the best possible sales hoping to get you to part with your hard earned money in lieu of wonderful gifts to bless your family and friends with.  The Home Hardware and Canadian Tire sales flyers came out last week and oh my gosh, it is time to do a bit of power shopping for kitchen inspired gifts.  This week's Frugal Kitchens 101 discusses how to make frugal choices when buying kitchen gifts.

• know the home cook's cooking style - If you don't know how a person cooks then don't buy a kitchen gadget or small appliance for them. Back when my husband brought me home a bread machine courtesy of the Christmas sales he knew I would use it.  Sadly many rather expensive bread machines ended up in the garbage or second had stores because their owners were gifted with an appliance the neither wanted or would use.
• know the person - It is far easier to gift a person with the perfect gift if you know them.  Those who are elderly or who have health problems may need specialized kitchen equipment.  Ask to see what they need.  It can be something as simple as an ergonomically designed paring knife, easy lid remover, grip extender and even a kitchen step stool.  Seriously, if I were gifted with a bag of unbleached flour, I would be elated!  It's all about know who the gift is going to.
• avoid the gimmicks - Most home cooks will not use a lot of the gimmick small appliances like cotton candy machines, chocolate fountains, individual pie makers and that type of thing.  My rule of thumb when buying someone a small kitchen appliance is to ask what they need.  I honestly have the fondue set that our kids were gifted with as a wedding present that I have yet to use but it has moved with us twice.  These types of things tend to add kitchen clutter.
• don't buy knives - Knives are a very personal choice that are best left to the individual person rather than gifting unless you know that person well.  The knife must meet the hand feel for the user.  My husband and I both love cooking but the knives that work well for him are too bulky for me.  I particularly have a knife requirement that it must be one solid piece tip to handle end but that is because of a horrid family event.  
• choose neutral - If buying kitchen textiles or serving ware go neutral so it will match if the person receiving the gift decides to change their kitchen decor.  Classic white or black always works with most decor as does clear glass.
• collectables - I collect antique kitchenware, canning jars and glassware so I am alway very appreciative when someone gifts me with that.  The problem is if that person does not know what they are buying they can easily get burned.  This is the time to definitely ask.
• gift certificates - These are my personal favourite.  Whenever I'm in doubt I give a kitchen/food gift certificate but only to a place where I know that person shops.  If someone gave me a gift certificate to the Bulk Barn I would be in seventh heaven!
• culinary classes - One year for Christmas a couple of our kids were gifted with enrollment to culinary classes. 
• brand name - Some including myself are very much brand name oriented when it comes to small kitchen appliances.  Be observant or ask.  If a person has all Hamilton-Beach small kitchen appliances that is a good sign you should buy them Hamilton-Beach if buying a small kitchen appliance.  If however, they have a hodge podge of brands for small kitchen appliances choose the best fitted appliance for their needs.
• gifts from the kitchen - Homemade gifts from the kitchen (eg. jams, preserves, bread, mixes, cookies in a jar, cookies and etc.) are always welcomed.  I like to include the recipe as well in case the recipient would like to duplicate it.

A Wonderful Foodie Gift From a Friend

Last Saturday evening in the midst of a horrid winter storm we well, actually my husband hosted the guys game night.  Normally I take care of most of the hostess duties but as mentioned previously I'm not very mobile at the moment.  The first to arrive was one of our friends who owns a grocery store franchise.  They are undergoing a store remodel and found a box of canning jars that were not going to be used so he brought them down to me.  These are the really cute, squatty,  wide mouth Elegant mason jars part of Bernardin's Collection Elite line.  There are nineteen boxes each with four 250 ml jars for a total of 76 jars!  I am doing the happy dance, all be it on one leg, but still dancing for joy!

Until now I only had four of these adorable jars.  I guarded them something fierce since the cute jars tend to develop legs.  Regular mason jars and even extras find their way back home but the cute jars continue to wander about.  I reserved these four jars for mango chutney.  Now that I have all the new jars, I won't have to worry so much.  I'm already making a list of what I want to fill them with.  A few filled jars will make their way to our friends as a thank-you for the very generous gift.

Hubby's Gift Basket

I don't know when gift baskets became a popular holiday gift but somehow they did likely because they can be a last minute gift idea tailored to the recipient's tastes. I suspect they started as a nice way to present gifts from the kitchen. My husband received a lovely gift basket from one of his clients.

Don't let the word basket throw you. Quite often the actual basket is not a basket in the traditional sense. Just about any container can be used for the basket including but not restricted to decorative metal baskets, decorative boxes, serving bowls, metal bowl, wicker baskets and so much more. The general composition for a gift basket is the container, some type of filler and the goodies and/or accentsall wrapped in clear or coloured cellophane wrap allowing the lovely goodies to peak through.

Hubby's Gift Basket

Hubby's gift basket (pictured) was chock full of goodies from Orange Crate Food Co. (no online store) and Canadian Herb & Spice Company (online store, US only). Both are Canadian companies specializing in gourmet foods and mixes that are sold in gourmet and specialty type stores. Both companies have the little extras that can give your homemade gift baskets a little extra pizzaz. Tucked in the decorative plastic serving bowl was: 4 herb & spice dip/salad dressing mixes, 3 gourmet hot chocolate mixes, 2 cranberry cider mix, 3 herbal and 1 breakfast teas (5 bags each), gourmet popcorn, peppermints, mulling spice, cinnamon sticks and a chocolate Santa. Each of the curled ribbons on the outside had a chocolate bumble bee in the centre that I'm sure the grandbabies will love!

My Christmas Foodie Gifts

I just love gifts that say hey I understand you as a person! To me they speak volumes beyond the gift itself because someone has taken their time, trouble and money to gift me with something they know I will use and cherish. I am extremely fortunate in that the majority of the gifts I receive fall under this category. This Christmas was no different.

How to be a Better Foodie

Well now I didn't know I could be a better foodie but How to be a Better Foodie (ISBN 978-1-84400-641-0) by Sudi Pigott is going to tell me how. Can you think of a better gift for a foodie? According to the title this book offers a glimpse into the rarefied world of the expert gastronome. Oh my! A quick peek through this book promises to be a good read. I'm looking forward to becoming a better foodie in 2010! I promise to share what I learn with you. Many thanks to the gift givers for this wonderful, thoughtful gift.

The Cook's Garden

The same gift givers also gifted me with Canadian Gardening The Cook's Garden (ISBN 1-55278-347-2). This book promises to be a wonderful gardening and cooking resource in a unique presentation! A quick peak through shows various garden fruits and vegetables arranged according to season. Each fruit or vegetable is then discussed in detail with varieties and tips on growing. Following each discussion is several recipes using that fruit or vegetable. The book is "lavisly illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs"! The photographs of fruits, vegetables and recipes are quite stunning. Expect to see more on the recipes on this blog and the gardening aspect on my gardening blog, Garden Gnome Wanderings. Again many thanks for such a wonderful and thoughful gift.

Café Italia Coffee Set

Part of the enjoyment of indulging in espresso, cappuccino, lattes and other specialty tea and coffee drinks is the specialized cups to serve them in. A couple of gift givers gifted me with this adorablecappuccino set. There are 4 porcelain cappuccino cups with saucers, 4 small porcelain spoons and a coffee canister. The cheery deep reds, black and checks fit nicely with the other red accents in my kitchen. I can't wait to enjoy a morning cup of cappuccino in these cute new demitassse cups! Thanks so much to the gift givers of this wonderful present that I will be sure to enjoy for many years to come.