holiday food gifts

It is no secret that I love to bake (it runs in my family!). The entire process is therapeutic for me – the whole idea of taking raw ingredients that are not especially noteworthy (think flour, sugar and butter) but when combined together, result in something quite divine.

Usually in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I make multiple kinds of cookies – melt-in-your-mouth chocolate gingerbread rounds, cream cheese sugar cookie "trees", perfectly tart lemon bars with flaky shortbread crust... the list goes on and on. I strategically plan what I am going to make so each treat will play well off the other – a bit of chocolate, something tart, and something white. I then package stacks of cookies in cupcake liners and place everything in a cute gift box (usually one from the Martha Stewart line at Michael's) and finish it off with a red ribbon and label.

This year, however, I needed to make food items that would still create an impact but take a fraction the amount of time I normally spend. Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips to the rescue! I baked multiple double batches, wrapped each warm loaf in parchment paper, securing with a festive ribbon and walked them around to neighbors. One holiday "To Do" checked off the list and onto the next....

Another holiday food gift we like to give to our friends is chips and salsa. Through trial and error, my husband, Charles, has perfected his salsa-making technique – I could eat an entire bowl at one sitting. He doesn't use a recipe, rather he just adds a little of this and a little of that (which includes chipotle peppers for kick and peaches for a bit of sweetness). One of these days, I will have to track what he puts into a batch so we have a recipe to pass down to our girls!

I buy bags of lime tortilla chips from Fresh & Easy (I love the packaging) and clear plastic containers from Smart & Final. With the addition of a few specially designed labels, the gift is complete. We started this tradition a few years ago and it met with rave reviews. With the overabundance of sweets during the holidays, I have to believe this gift is a welcome respite.

Comments

[Yolanda]

Tortilla chips and salsa! Genius. I make an awesome salsa. It's never occurred to me to pack it up and give it away.

[missy]

the chips and salsa is phenomenal! so many sweets being handed out this time of year that the salt-lovers get overlooked. and everyone could use homemade salsa in their life. will you ever share the recipe?

[Iva]

so supper cute!! Merry Christmas!!