Rookie Cookery

More Food Gifts To Give: Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

After the house is decorated, put some holiday music on and snuggle up to a hot cup of cocoa. Here's Alton Brown's recipe for homemade instant hot cocoa mix. It's delicious, free of additives, and mixes up in a jiffy. Make an extra batch and give them away as Christmas gifts. Simply fill half your mug with the mix, add hot water and stir. MMmmmmmmm. This recipe includes a little heat from a pinch of cayenne pepper. I added more of a dash, which was a little too much for my son Ethan, although he is eagerly drinking it up. Add it conservatively at first.

HOT COCOA MIX RECIPE

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk (I used low fat)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 pinch cayenne pepper or more to taste

Hot water (add when ready to use)

Seal the unused mix (without the water) in an airtight container. Will keep in the pantry indefinately. For a richer drink, you can also use the mix with warm milk.

To give as a gift, package in decorative tins, or jars with decorative fabric wrapped on the lid with a rubber band. Add a small card with instructions for use, such as "Fill mug half full with mix; add hot water and stir."

Food Gifts To Give: Candied Pretzels and Apricots

Here's a super simple way to dress up pretzels or dried apricots for a festive touch at a party or for holiday giving. All you need are pretzels, chocolate chips, and dried apricots.

Any shape of pretzel will work, but the "rod" or stick style is easiest. Simply melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave (be careful not to scorch it!) and apply the melted chocolate to the pretzel. Then roll it in decorative sprinkles, and set it aside on waxed paper to dry.

I found that it was best to pour the sprinkles into a long and narrow, flat-bottomed plastic container. If you use a plate, be sure the rim does not get in the way of the pretzels when you roll them in the sprinkles. To apply the chocolate to the pretzel, I rolled it across the end of a rubber spatula that held a generous blob of chocolate. Shake the excess chocolate off the pretzel before rolling it in the spriinkles.

Chocolate dipped dried apricots are an elegant and tasty gift. For variety and a little more color, dip some of them in sprinkles too.

Making these treats is so simple, and children love to help!

Food Gifts to Give; Date Nut Treats

Hand crafted gifts are the most satisfying to give and receive. These Date Nut Treats are a simple and elegant dessert for that special party or to give as a hostess gift. My Mom made these years ago, and I remember them for their delicious simplicity and the reliance upon nature's sweetness. Note: you can omit the confectioner's sugar on some of them for a bit of variety on the plate or in the gift bag. Do let your guests who might be allergic know about the nuts, or omit them.

Come back for more home made gift ideas in the days ahead!

DATE NUT TREAT RECIPE

whole pitted dates
shelled peanuts
conectioner's sugar

With a paring knife, cut a slit thrugh one side of the date, lengthwise, and open up. Place one or two peanuts inside the date, then press it closed again. Roll the date in confectioner's sugar and shake off the excess. Place in air tight container until ready to eat or serve.