Are you giving any food gifts this year? You might want to think about including a card with instructions or ideas about how to use your fabulous gift. You may use your signature spice rub or vanilla-infused liquor every week, but other people might not catch on so quickly!
We've been on both ends of this scenario: we've received gifts of enticing ingredients that lingered in our cupboards for months because we couldn't figure out how to use them, and we've given gifts where the recipient takes one look and says, "Thanks! Um...what do I do with this?"
With gifts like beer-bread kits or hot cocoa mixes, it's natural to include the instructions written out on a pretty recipe card. We also like to do this when giving a special ingredient or rare food find to a fellow cooking friend. We'll write up a favorite recipe using the ingredient or list a few ways that it might be used. Hopefully we give enough inspiration that our gift will actually be used!
Here are some of our favorite recipe cards:
• Downloadable Recipe Cards from Etsy
• Recipe Cards from Two Over Zero
• Free Recipe Card Templates
What food gifts are you giving this year?
• Image with DIY Muffin Mix Idea: BBC Good Food
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How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
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I stopped giving certain "kitchen" gifts to family as I would find it on their pantry shelves months/years later. I worked too hard to pickle and perserve things to have them linger on the shelf.
So now, it's a cookie tray. Pretty trays and plates they keep and cookies to enjoy during the holiday season.
And I savor the jams, jellies and pickles I produce.
I'm highly considering giving gluten-free baking mixes to my mom and a gal at church who has also gone gluten-free. I just started this journey in August and I feel like I've already learned so much. I want to help others in my life to make the transition successfully.
I'm definitely considering chocolate chip cookie mix (or possibly frozen dough since both my giftees are local). I will probably also make a few pizza crusts and freeze them.
My other friends are getting bath products.
Just bought the new Donna Hay magazine and it suggests a gingerbread mix,complete with instructions and gingerbread cookie cutter.