The holiday season is a wonderful time to give, receive, eat, drink and be merry.
A great way to combine all of these activities is to create delicious foods, creatively package them in baskets and give them to everyone on your holiday gift list.
The trick to creating a memorable gift basket is to choose a theme and then make foods that complement the theme.
For example, a gourmet basket for your favorite chef, a dessert basket for your favorite sweet tooth, a breakfast basket for your next door neighbor, or an English basket for your dear Anglophile.
No mater what foods you make, everyone will love a gift made with TLC.
A homemade, delectable gift is always well-remembered and appreciated by the recipient.
All of the following recipes may easily be assembled and eaten at anytime.
Menu
A Gourmet Basket
Curried Cashews
Flatt Breads*
Herbed Vinegar
Herbed Oil
Honey Mustard
Quick and Easy Brownies*
Culinary Architect Dip
*Recipe Not Given
Curried Cashews
2 tblsp. butter
1 cup unsalted cashews
1 tblsp. curry powder
salt to taste
1. Melt butter in a skillet, stir in nuts, saute. Add curry powder. Cook over moderate heat, stirring often until nuts are browned sightly.
Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
Herbed Vinegar
2 cups vinegar (red, white
or cider)
5 tblsp. fresh herbs (Basil,
Oregano, Tarragon, Thyme,
Mint, etc.)
1. Place herbs in a glass bottle with a cork. Pour in vinegar, cap and let sit at least 5 days before using.
Herbed Oil
2 cups oil (use good
quality olive oil)
6 tblsp. fresh herbs (Basil,
Oregano, Tarragon, Thyme,
Mint, etc.)
1. Place herbs in a glass bottle with a cork. Pour in oil, cap and let sit in a dark cupboard for at least a week.
Honey Mustard
1/2 cup apricot jelly
2 tsp. curry powder
3 tblsp honey
2 tblsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tblsp. ginger
2 tblsp. sherry
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Place in crock and refrigerate.
Culinary Architect Dip
1 jar Margo chutney
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tlbsp. curry
1 8 oz. block cream cheese
In a food processor, fitted with a steel blade, process all of the ingredients until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Process for 2 pulses.
TO ASSEMBLE BASKET:
1 Basket
Cellophane
Ribbon
Mason Jar
Tape
Chinese Food Take-Out
Container
Place Curried Cashews on a sheet of cellophane, tie up with a ribbon.
Place Honey Mustard in a fresh mason jar.
Place Dip in a Chinese Food take-out container
Carefully place all of the items in a basket. Wrap the whole basket in cellophane and tie with ribbon.
Alexandra Troy is president and owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 33 year old Greenvale-based company,specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties. Articles by her and about her have appeared in Vogue, New York Magazine, The New Yorker and Newsday. She lives in Manhasset with her husband and son.
