Food Gift Recipes
Cajun Seasoning
This classic spice blend mixes up quickly with common herbs and spices and adds a savory kick to a wide variety of recipes, from simple grilled chicken and shrimp to eggs, rice and beans, and popcorn. A good spice blend offers one of the easiest ways to inject nuanced flavor into your cooking with…
Beer Bread (whole wheat or white)
Tender and lightly chewy, this fuss-free, one-bowl bread has the yeasty flavor of a risen loaf – and takes just 5 minutes to prep. Every summer growing up, I went to camp in Maine. I made wonderful friends there, and several of those friendships are still going strong. One winter, I got to visit…
Cranberry Simple Syrup (and bonus cocktail recipe)
This easy-to-make syrup adds festive color and seasonal flavor to a variety of cocktails and mocktails. Makes a lovely gift too! Taking a few minutes to prepare an infused simple syrup is an easy way to create the type of cocktail that garners big bucks at trendy restaurants. And while I most often use…
A Few of Our Favorite Things －Holiday Gift Edition
Ready or not, it’s that time of year again, and we’ve got you covered with a list of holiday gifts for all your favorite people! 🎁 Holiday shopping is easy. Coming up with the perfect gift ideas for all the special people in our lives is often the tricky part. With that in mind, we’ve…
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Muffins
The classic flavor of banana bread meets wholesome baked oatmeal in these personal-size muffins that are ideal for busy mornings. There’s an option for added protein, and the muffins freeze well too! I’ve been sitting on this recipe for years, regularly whipping up a batch for grab-and-go breakfasts and hearty snacks whenever a couple of…
Viral Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Rice Cake
The viral recipe gets an easy upgrade for a better ratio of peanut butter and chocolate to rice cake. And with one tablespoon of peanut butter and just two teaspoons of chocolate per rice cake, it’s a mostly healthy snack too! I don’t often follow the trends—although my kids wouldn’t likely call me a…
Big Batch Zucchini Bread or Muffins
Perfectly spiced and classically sweet zucchini bread can be made as loaves or muffins – or both! Last summer, I gave a batch to my brother and his family, and these were the texts I received after they had eaten them: “These zucchini muffins were the best I’ve ever had. They were pillowy fluffy…
Maple Crisp Granola Bars
These crunchy bars are very lightly sweet, nutty, seedy, and delightfully satiating. Perfect for breakfast-on-the-run and convenient snacking anytime! Several years ago, my husband Jack discovered a crunchy, seedy, very lightly sweet (with a hint of salty) granola bar made by a local bakery. He quickly became a fan, and often enjoyed the bars…
Homemade Hot Honey
Hot honey is the buzz-worthy condiment that adds spicy-sweet appeal to all sorts of sweet and savory dishes. It’s easy to make at home—and cheaper than store-bought—and is a great gift! Traditionally used over fried chicken and biscuits in the south and more recently to flavor the likes of gourmet pizzas and fancy cocktails…
Grandma’s Rugelach
This two-bite cookie is hearty, subtly sweet, and can be filled with a variety of jam, chocolate, and/or nut fillings. It’s easy to make and perfect to bring to a Hanukkah party or any gathering! When Ann and I first started working together she asked me if wanted to share any of my own…
Snowballs
The cookie itself is lightly sweet and similar to a pecan sandie. A dusting of confectioner’s sugar provides the finishing touch of flavor and looks so pretty, too. (And for those with allergies–no eggs and a gluten-free option!) In the world of cookies, snowballs are neither cold nor wet, but they do pair well…
Classic Gingerbread Cookies
The only gingerbread recipe you will ever need, these perfectly-spiced cookies have stood the test of time and are as fun to make as they are to eat! As a kid, gingerbread cookies were all about the creative endeavor. After bringing the cut-out boys and girls to life with eyes, nose, striped skirts, polka…
