A Few Herbal Gift Ideas

When we visited our favorite nursery last week, I spent a lot of time looking at all the pots of herbs. When I plan to buy herbs, I always love to think ahead to Christmas and try and select those herbs that I use the most in cooking, and then add a few extras that will be good for gifts. Here are a few simple ideas to think about for possible Christmas gifts...

BOUQUET GARNI

Mix equal parts of sage, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, winter savory, tarragon, kosher salt, and peppercorns. Store in small jars, muslin bags, or in small cheesecloth pouches tied with a long string to hang over a pot.

HERB FIRE STICKS

When frost has stripped your basil, savory, and oregano of their leaves, harvest the bare stalks and tie them in bundles with red or green cord. When they are tossed on the fire, they give off a wonderful fragrance, and will also gently flavor anything grilled above them.

ROSEMARY BASTING BRUSH

Tie three or four long sprigs of rosemary together with cord, and use to baste your Christmas goose or turkey.

Gift Giving Ideas

"The heart of the giver makes the gift dear and precious."


~ Martin Luther

It's been quite awhile since I added something here. I've been busy working on a few handmade Christmas gifts, making lists, and thinking about other gifts to make for the holidays.

As I've worked on my gift list, there are some changes and additions ~ a few younger family members who will be graduating from college this year, and another "20 something" family friend who'll be getting married after receiving his PhD.

If you have some of these young people on your list, here are some ideas for gifts that I've accumulated in my notebook:

GIFTS FOR THOSE RECENTLY GRADUATED AND ON THEIR OWN

~ A date book or wall calendar with all the family birthdays and anniversaries filled in, plus an assortment of greeting cards for those occasions
~ Picture frames
~ A simple, easy-to-follow cookbook and some kitchen supplies
~ Scrapbooks or scrapbooking supplies
~ Personalized address labels
~ Travel accessories if they'll be traveling on business, including the travel size items
~ Subscriptions to their favorite magazines
~ Gift certificates to home stores or large department stores
~ Gift certificates to restaurants
~ A coffee maker and supply of specialty coffees (maybe even a coffee bean grinder) so they can save some money and make "fancy" coffee at home
~ A big box of their favorite homemade cookies
~ Tickets to a concert, show, or sports event
~ Holiday decorations for their new home
~ An emergency "basket" filled with flashlights, batteries, matches, candles, a small fire-extinguisher, and a first-aid kit

GIFTS FOR THE NEWLY MARRIED

~ A tool set for household repairs
~ Picture frames
~ Calendar or date book with the family birthdays and anniversaries ~ from *both* sides of the family ~ filled in, and a supply of greeting cards
~ A handmade recipe book from both sides for the new bride
~ Houseplants, or gardening items and seeds and a book on gardening
~ Cookie cutters or a cookie press and recipes for your favorite cookies
~ Picnic basket filled with supplies for a picnic for two
~ Specialty coffees or teas
~ Subscriptions to favorite magazines
~ A scrapbook or scrapbooking supplies
~ Items in their favorite patterns (china, crystal, silver, etc.)
~ An emergency "basket" filled with flashlights, batteries, matches, candles, a small fire-extinguisher, and a first-aid kit
~ Holiday decorations
~ A special Christmas item to start them off with a new collection they can add to throughout their years of marriage

Linzer Cookies

"The great acts of love are done by those
who are habitually performing small acts of kindness."

~ Author Unknown

Whenever I see Linzer Cookies I'm always reminded of an old friend and co-worker. She absolutely loved them, and would often stop for one at a wonderful old New York City bakery on her way into the office. This recipe produces a cookie similar in taste and texture to the delicious ones I remember from that bakery.

Our daughter made a large batch of these cookies last evening (photo above) to take into an Honors Capstone Seminar class that meets tonight. She's a senior in college, and this class is small ~ about ten students and two professors who team-teach. One of the professors has been bringing snacks each week since the class meets from 6 to 9 PM, and our daughter volunteered to do it this evening. She loves to bake, so this gave her a good excuse :) She's stopping at the market this afternoon to buy some fresh fruits to make a fruit plate (they had some delicious looking berries in there the other day!), and also some specialty cheeses and crackers. She's looking forward to being the "hostess" tonight, and I think the foods will be very welcomed by hungry students!


LINZER COOKIES

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 14-ounce package blanched almonds, finely ground
3-1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
seedless raspberry jam
Confectioners sugar

~ In a large mixing bowl, cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in ground almonds. Set aside.

~ In another mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually add this to the creamed mixture, stirring well after each addition.

~ Divide dough into fourths; cover and refrigerate overnight.

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Between 2 pieces of waxed paper, roll one portion of the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Repeat this procedure with the remaining portions of dough.

~ Cut out small hearts from the center of half the cookies, saving the cut-outs.

~ Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool, and sift confectioners sugar over the cookies with the small heart removed. (These are the "tops".)

~ Spread a small amount of jam on each solid cookie. Place a "top" on each. Make sandwich cookies from the small heart cut-outs by placing a spoonful of jam between two and sprinkling the top with powdered sugar. OR, melt some chocolate, and dip half of each cookie in the chocolate. Place on rack until chocolate is hardened.

~ Store the cookies in an air-tight container.

Keeping Christmas

It is a good thing to observe Christmas day.
The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom.
It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life.
It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.

But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day,
and that is keeping Christmas.

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people,
and to remember what other people have done for you;
to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;
to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance,
and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;
to see that your fellowmen are just as real as you are,
and try to look behind their faces to their hearts hungry for joy;
to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;
to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness ~
are you willing to do these things even for a day?
Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children;
to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old;
to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;
to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;
to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;
to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;
to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open ~
are you willing to do these things even for a day?
Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world ~
stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death ~
and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?
Then you can keep Christmas,

And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?
But you can never keep it alone.

~ Henry Van Dyke

Miniature Lace Wreaths

White florist's wire
1/2- to 3/4 inch-wide white or ecru lace (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 yard per wreath)
Dried herb blossoms or rosebuds, seeds or berries
1/8-inch wide satin ribbon
Craft glue or hot-glue gun

~ Using the florist's wire, form a 2- to 3-inch diameter circle. (Use a bottle or other round object to help make your circle.) Don't fasten the ends together, but make sure they overlap about 1 inch.

~ Thread the lace onto the wire until you have a full-gathered circle. Now loop the ends of the wire together to fasten, and trim the ends.

~ Decorate your wreath with blossoms, seeds or berries using the glue or glue-gun.

~ To complete your wreath, attach a loop of ribbon and a bow in your favorite color.

A Family Heritage Gift Basket

This is a fun idea to work on throughout the year. You can make the family scrapbooks or recipe journals mentioned in a previous entry, and include them with the items mentioned here.

Find a large basket or hatbox... if you have some old family baskets or boxes, these would be perfect! Line the basket or box with a pretty cloth ~ something in patchwork, or hand-crocheted, would be lovely. Add your scrapbook or tape, a keepsake or two, and a pretty antique style picture frame. Include a personal letter to the recipient, telling them how much they mean to you. You could also add a pretty fabric-covered journal and pen for them to start recording their memories. Wrap the basket or box with some tulle or netting, tie with a silk ribbon, and add a dried or silk rose to the bow.

If you decide to do a recipe book, this would be nice included in a gift basket with a homemade bread cloth, as well as some samples of the recipes (cookies, breads, or preserves). Add a few cookie cutters, wooden spoons, recipe cards, and some measuring spoons or cups. Wrap in red plaid or checked homespun fabric, tied with a red ribbon or raffia, and add a cookie cutter or two as a decoration.

Apple Butter Nut Bread

"I am going to learn to make bread to-morrow.
So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up,
mixing flour, milk, saleratus, etc.,
with a deal of grace.
I advise you if you don't know how to make the staff of life
to learn with dispatch."

~ Emily Dickinson

APPLE BUTTER NUT BREAD

NOTE: This is also good with other flavors of fruit butters.

1-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup chopped nuts

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

~ In a mixing bowl, sift 1-1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center. In the well place the egg, melted butter or margarine, apple butter, milk and cider. Using a fork or mixing spoon, combine the mixtures until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened... don't overmix.

~ Combine remaining 2 tablespoons flour with the chopped nuts and fold into the batter. Turn into pan and let stand for 15 minutes.

~ Bake for 45 minutes. Turn out of pan onto a rack and cool completely before storing.

~ Wrap and keep refrigerated.