From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
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There are many reasons to make Christmas gifts of food. The gift is much more personal, you can save money and control nutrition for those on specialized diets, and you really do give a bit of your heart.

These recipes for gifts can be given individually, or develop a theme and group a number of them in a large basket wrapped with cellophane paper and ribbons. If you're giving cookies, for instance, tie a big bow on a beautiful basket and include several kinds of cookies along with some cookie cutters, a few recipes, and a cookie mix in a jar. Gifts of homemade liqueur would be great in a beautiful wooden box with a few pretty glasses, a shot glass for measuring, and some homemade snack mixes. Wrap up a few quick breads along with some beverage mixes, a few mugs, and a cutting board for a gift of breakfast in bed. And I really like the idea of giving a crockpot, filled with soup mixes and lots of different recipes.

Find decorative jars online and in specialty shops (make sure they are food safe) and antique stores. Purchase some holiday recipe cards for the recipes. And be sure to think about the recipient when making your gifts: do they enjoy baking or would they prefer a food gift that's ready to eat? Are they on a special diet or do they have food allergies? This kind of thoughtful touch is waht makes these gifts so special.

A food safety note: do not make flavored oils. The oxygen-free environment that exists around herbs, spices, and other ingredients placed into oils is the ideal place for botulism to grow. If you want to include a flavored oil in a gift basket, purchase commercially made flavored oils and do not transfer them to another bottle.

With everyone watching their budgets this year, save some money, unleash your creativity, and give a few gifts from your kitchen and your heart. Enjoy.

Gifts in a Jar

• Starlight Surprise Cookie Mix
• Make Your Own Mixes
• Brownie Mix in a Jar
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix In a Jar
• Oat Bran Muffin Mix in a Jar
• All Homemade Mix Recipes
• Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix In a Jar
• Chocolate Crunch In a Jar
• White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Mix in a Jar

Beverage Gifts

• Mulling Mix
• Russian Tea Mix
• Chocolate Coated Spoons
• Toffee Coffee Mix
• Flavored Coffee Creamers
• Flavored Syrups
• Cafe Vienna Mix
• White Hot Chocolate Mix
• Cafe Bavarian Mint Mix
• Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
• Chai Tea Mix
• Cappuccino Mix
• Cafe Mocha Mix

Liqueur Gifts

• Hot Buttered Rum Mix
• Mocha Cream Liqueur
• Chocolate Liqueur
• Almond Cream Liqueur
• Coffee Liqueur

Snack Mixes

• Chex Party Mix
• Real Original Chex Party Mix
• Sugared Crockpot Nuts
• Gingerbread Caramel Corn
• Tex Mex Snack Mix
• Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
• People Puppy Chow
• Crockpot Snack Mix
• Swedish Nuts
• Praline Cherry Munch
• Cherry Orange Snack Mix
• Crockpot Spicy Pecans

Quick Breads

• Perfect Gingerbread
• Zucchini Bread
• Lefse
• Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
• Banana Bread
• Pear Bread
• Blueberry Muffins
• Cheesy Herb Muffins
• Quick Granola Bread
• Cranberry Oatmeal Nut Bread
• Irish Soda Bread

Flavored Vinegars, Preserves, Condiments, and Pickles

• Pineapple Chutney
• Flavored Vinegars
• Apple Mint Chutney
• Grainy Honey Mustard
• Lemon Curd
• Crockpot Apricot Preserves
• Blueberry Salsa
• Marinated Olives
• Pickled Peppers
• Freezer Cherry Jam

Candies and Confections

• Cocoa Divinity
• Cashew Truffles
• Gumdrops
• Tootsie Rolls
• Cookie Cutter Fudge
• Caramel Crisp Marshmallows
• Coated Candy Canes or Pretzels
• Nut Goodies
• Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
• Pistachio Brittle
• Double Dipped Sandwich Cookies
• White Chocolate Swans
• Chocolate Nut Toffee
• Easy Chocolate Nut Toffee
• Microwave Peanut Brittle
• Coconut Drops
• Haystacks
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bonbons
• Cooked Fudge
• Meringue Mushrooms
• Million Dollar Fudge

Gift Tags

• Free Printable Holiday Gift Tags
• Santa's Kids Gift Tags
• Shaped Gift Tags
• Kitchen Gift Tags