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Our Favorite Recipes!

On the following pages you'll find some of our favorite recipes - for holidays and everyday. Some are recipes that have been passed down for years and others are favorite cookbook recipes. If you don't find the recipe you're looking for, e-mail me!

Monin Flavored Syrups with Pumps (So Many Delicious Options!)

September 29, 2022 By Joi Sigers

One of my daughters (brilliant girl that she is) had a Monin Peppermint Syrup (Amazon link) on her Amazon Wish List, along with a set of pumps to use with it.  Another daughter… her sister… saw the syrup and pump and (brilliant girl that she is) added the Monin Lavender Syrup (Amazon link) with pump to her own Amazon Wish List!

Their mother (that would be me) just informed their youngest sister… and, thereby, my youngest daughter…. that she has (at last count) found 7 different flavored syrups she wants!

Pretty clear where they got their brilliance from, am I right? Of course I’m right.

These fun, creative syrups make being your own barista insanely fun – PLUS it can save you trips (and money in the long run) to the coffeehouse.

I have my eye on the lavender (perfect with so many different teas, as well as great for flavoring whipped toppings), raspberry, coconut, toasted marshmallow (!!!), peach, blackberry, and strawberry.

After seeing the recipe for the Peppermint Shake, I’m also pretty interested in the Peppermint Syrup that began the whole obsession. At least that brings it to an even 8 that I have my heart set on. I do appreciate balance in life.

Click through any of the links to take a closer look at these wonderful syrups. These would make absolutely phenomenal gift ideas for the tea, coffee, smoothie (oh my gosh, this just opened up a whole new world to me), or milkshake lovers in your life.


Filed Under: 2022 Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks, Christmas Gift Guide, Daily Gift Ideas for Foodies, Gift Ideas for Cooks, Gifts for Coffee Lovers, Gifts for Tea Lovers, Milkshake Recipes

The Deviled Egg Tray of My Dreams… (Great Gift Idea for Cooks Too)

September 23, 2022 By Joi Sigers

One of the foods we have every single holiday is deviled eggs… except we call them “Kangaroo eggs” because one of my daughters gave them this nickname when she was 4 and, by gosh, it was so cute, it stuck!

Speaking of stick (nice, unexpected segue here), my beautiful glass heirloom tray looks fantastic on the table, but in the fridge is a whole other situation – the plastic wrap I have to use always sticks to the eggs, messing up the paprika sprinkled on top while smooshing the nice little mounds completely.

This is the year I am finally investing in a set of great looking Deviled Egg Trays with Lids (Amazon link). Not sure where this set has been all my life but now that it’s in my sights, a whole new world just opened up.

This wonderful set includes three trays with lids, which means you can make enough Kangaroo eggs for everyone to take plenty home with them!

From Amazon:

  • Lightweight plastic is great for toting from kitchen to party without being too flimsy to ruin your wonderful deviled eggs.
  • Not only do you get high quality but comes in a great 3 pack for extra eggs at your big event.
  •  Keeps your eggs exactly where you need them to be so they aren’t sliding all over the place and making a mess.
  • Easily stack these handy deviled egg trays one on top of another for easy storage in the fridge before the big party.
  • Strong and sturdy foodsafe BPA free plastic makes for a high quality deviled egg carrier that you can use again and again.

One of the reviews left on Amazon pointed out that these are very easy to store also – another plus!

Take a closer look: Deviled Egg Tray with a Lid (Amazon link)

 

Filed Under: 2022 Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks, Christmas Gift Guide, Daily Gift Ideas for Foodies, Egg Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes Tagged With: Christmas gift ideas, Christmas meal prep, Deviled Eggs, Thanksgiving dishes

The Nightmare Before Christmas Dish Set (LOVE THIS!)

September 21, 2022 By Joi Sigers

While this gorgeous, unexpected, and FUN 16 Piece The Nightmare Before Christmas Dish Set (Amazon link) is frighteningly perfect for Halloween, I can’t help thinking that it’d make a perfect gift idea for some lucky movie fan.

My youngest daughter and son-in-law love and collect this particular film, so their names are all over it.

Well.. so to speak.

Product Description from Amazon:

  • Trendy dinnerware: This spellbinding kitchen dish set is a must-have for fans of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
  • Spooky style: The entire dinnerware set features designs inspired by Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, including a spider web border that ties all the pieces together in a cohesive style.
  • Quality construction: Made of a durable ceramic material, this Nightmare Before Christmas kitchen dinnerware set is both microwave and dishwasher safe.
  • Complete dinnerware set contains: 16 pieces, including 4 complete place settings. The entire dish set comes with a total of 4 dinner plates (10.5 inches), 4 salad plates (8 inches), 4 bowls (7 inches), and 4 mugs (10.5 ounces).
  • Fun & functional: Featuring amazing designs and practical for everyday use, this dinnerware set is crafted with true Nightmare Before Christmas fans in mind. This ceramic dish set is a perfect gift for fans of Tim Burton and the iconic Disney movie.

See 16 Piece The Nightmare Before Christmas Dish Set (Amazon link) for more information. I can’t tell you how much I need this for Halloween!

Filed Under: 2022 Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks, Christmas Gift Guide, Fall Favorites, Halloween Decorations Tagged With: Christmas gift ideas, halloween dishes

Gorgeous Soup Bowl and Sandwich Plate Combo (Great Gift Idea for Cooks)

August 21, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Mentally and emotionally I have turned the corner…. I’ve left summer behind and have launched myself right into Autumn’s crisp leaves and gentle breeze!

The house is already decked out with creepers, happy ghosts, pumpkins, and bears dressed up for Halloween. We’re all ready for fall.. now all it has to do is show up!

I’m also making the summer to fall transition in the kitchen as soup and chili begin to replace salads and grilled burgers. In fact, today marked the first day that a pot of chili returns to the home. I served it with pimento cheese sandwiches and it was fantastic.

As I thought about the number of times (during fall and winter) that we take our soup or chili and hot dogs/sandwiches into the den to watch football (Go UK Wildcats! and Go Broncos!) or October baseball (Go Cardinals!), it occurred to me that I needed to find handy coup and plate trays. Truth be told, I wasn’t even 100 percent sure such a thing existed, I just knew what would be extraordinarily cool.

I went directly to Amazon to see if the coolness existed and badabing!… of course Amazon had just what I was looking for.

They always do.

The Artena Bowl and Sandwich Plate Combo (Amazon link) is EXACTLY what I need. I love that it’s available in different colors (I honestly had no idea I’d find any this gorgeous).

  • Available in teal blue, lake blue, mint green, and soft pink.
  • Ideal size – perfect for fitting a sandwich or chili dog on in addition to the generous mug of soup or chili.
  • I also love the options these would provide for breakfast food – grits or oatmeal with French toast or biscuits yum!
  • When you click through and take a closer look at the colors, be sure to check out the video that’s available – you’ll get a better idea of just how gorgeous, well-made, and roomy these are.


Filed Under: 2022 Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks, Christmas Gift Guide, Daily Gift Ideas for Foodies, Fall Favorites, Gift Ideas for Cooks, Soup, Stew and Chili Tagged With: chili bowl, gift ideas for cooks, soup bowl and sandwich platter, soup bowls

Gorgeous Halloween Candy Dish (MUST have!)

August 19, 2022 By Joi Sigers

I love to decorate HEAVILY for each season and each holiday. It’s just a wonderful, colorful way to celebrate and embrace each moment we’re currently living in.

While Christmas is my Super Bowl, I have to say that Halloween is right behind it. As I’m typing these words, I already have the house and yard decorated with Halloween colors and characters. Am I early this year?

I am RIDICULOUSLY early this year! But, as I explained in the last post, I have two daughters who all but live for this time of year and three grandbabies (all boys under 4) who I live to entertain and amuse… so early it is!

I found this gorgeous Halloween Candy Dish (Amazon link) earlier, online, and I am completely in love. One of the Halloween things I collect are what I call “Happy ghosts,” that is to say ghosts that aren’t scary or looking for trouble. This one absolutely fits the bill and I love her pumpkin friend and candy corn.

You can find this beauty on Amazon – as well as a LOT of other Halloween decorations and dishes to make your world come alive with the season.


Filed Under: Candy, Fall Favorites, Halloween Decorations Tagged With: Halloween, Halloween candy dish

Review: New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka HoneyNew Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey

August 13, 2022 By Joi Sigers

New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey

New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey

Are you familiar with Manuka honey? If you’re as obsessed with honey (and for that matter, bees) as I am, I’m sure you have heard of this delectable honey before – whether you’ve had the opportunity to try it or not.

When I was contacted about reviewing Manuka Honey from the New Zealand Honey Co. in exchange for telling my readers all about it, I absolutely jumped at the change, with my cup of tea in hand. I use honey many ways in my kitchen (literally every day) and stirring it into a cup of hot tea is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. I also combine it with my chocolate obsession on the daily as well – more about that in a minute.

The New Zealand Honey Co. is a wellness company that considers my beloved worker bees a key asset to their company. Manuka Honey is so rare, it is only able to be harvested for two to eight weeks each year!  In fact, The Manuka Honey UMF™ 26 is considered one of the rarest superfoods in the world.

You can absolutely taste the exclusive goodness.

From New Zealand Honey Co.

The brand has a complete line of Manuka Honey, a complex and high-strength raw honey from the native New Zealand Manuka tree. As the bees gather nectar from the tree’s flowers, they’re helping bring a vital superfood  to the lives of thousands who love what goes into their bodies to boost immunity and overall wellness. Plus, it tastes sweetly delicious!

The result is an end product bringing pure goodness to consumers worldwide. It tastes great, is a terrific natural sugar alternative, and delivers amazing health benefits (gastrointestinal, immune support, skincare, haircare, first-aid, wound care, and oral health). Even dogs and other animals benefit from Manuka Honey.

(Review Continued Below…)

Manuka Honey and Giant Sunflower

New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey

The Manuka Honey I was sent to sample is pictured here (with tea, chocolate, and one of my beloved “giant sunflowers” from my sunflower bed this summer… the jar of honey is not small, the flower is simply enormous) and I can 100 percent say this about it: It is extraordinarily delicious and so completely unlike any honey you will find in the store. Not only in taste, but in nutritional value as well.

Health Benefits of Manuka Honey

Manuka honey has far superior antibacterial strength than other honeys. While honey is a healthy food, when it’s Manuka honey, it’s basically a superhero. Manuka honey has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant superpowers.

People actually use manuka honey to treat wounds, it’s that potent. It’s also said to improve your oral health, soothe a sore throat and treat ulcers. I used some a few days ago when allergies had given me a sort of annoying cough. Just half a teaspoon of the deliciousness chased the ticklish cough away faster and more effectively than any cough drop.

Manuka honey is also a natural source of energy.. and who couldn’t use a little more energy in their days (says a MiMi to three boys all under 5 years old!). For more health benefits of Mauka Honey, as well as MANY creative and wonderful ways to use it, please see New Zealand Honey Co.’s excellent resource, 176 Ways to Use Manuka Honey.

(Review Concluded Below…)

New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka Honey and Chocolate and Ghee

New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka Honey and Chocolate and Ghee

How I’ve Been Enjoying Manuka Honey:

  • Even a tiny amount stirred in hot tea is excellent. It pairs especially well with citrus tea!
  • I’ve been using it as part of one of my favorite “good fat” treats. I take a square of dark chocolate and add a little great-quality ghee (Ancient Organics Ghee is BY FAR the best I’ve ever had), a little honey, and either flaky sea salt or pink Himalayan salt on top. The combination of flavors will blow your mind.
  • Another healthy snack I’ve always loved is a sliced banana, topped with either peanut butter or almond butter with a drizzle of honey. Manuka brings even more flavor and health benefits than my regular “go to” honey.
  • I’ve also enjoyed a little manuka honey added to Vanilla Greek Yogurt.
  • I love to add a little, along with butter, to my gluten-free oatmeal.
  • 176 Ways to Use Manuka Honey has many, many, many other uses and recipes… easy homemade beauty products, recipes, pet uses, hair masks, throat lozenges made with manuka honey (saving this one for cold and flu season, y’all).

Yes, Manuka honey is more expensive than regular honey – but, the good thing is, you can taste the difference and it is absolutely worth it.

For more information, please visit their wonderful website: New Zealand Honey Co. When you arrive on the website, you’ll even be given a chance to receive a discount on their extraordinary products. This wonderful honey would make a VERY thoughtful gift idea this Christmas!

Manuka Honey

Manuka Honey

Filed Under: Christmas Shopping, Gift Ideas, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Food Reviews, Health Food Reviews Tagged With: Food Reviews, honey, Honey review, Manuka Honey

Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder: Delicious, Nutritious, and So Easy to Enjoy (Review)

August 6, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder Review Pic

Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder

I have an extraordinary new discovery in my world of smoothies, shakes, and smoothie bowls, but first a few words about why this “world” exists in the first place. I have always loved smoothies – even BEFORE “green smoothies” became a thing. When smoothies took off in popularity years back, I kept thinking, “What? Y’all are just now discovering smoothies? Where have you been?”

I can be pretty judgmental when it comes to such things.

For as long as I can remember, a smoothie is as big a part of my mornings as coffee and cats. I love the convenience, the taste, and the ease of digestion after my digestive tract’s long night off. With both Celiac and a hiatal hernia, I like to make things as simple on my insides as possible. Keeps all of us happy.

I made a few adjustments to my smoothie ingredients a few years back when a little thing called a pandemic blindsided all of us and reminded us that our health is not something to be taken for granted or something to be taken lightly.

Yes… absolutely anyone can get covid (or the flu or cancer…) BUT the healthier we are going IN greatly determines the story we have to tell when we come OUT. Healthier individuals and those with their weight under control simply fare better with diseases – in fact, many diseases won’t even show up on their doorstep. I switched from regular milk to using either almond or coconut milk and began experimenting with healthier forms of sweetening. I also began adding healthy ingredients into the smoothie and found that flaxseed and chia seeds are as delicious as they are healthy.

Not even diseases, truth be told. How about falls and other injuries? I hate to brag but I’m a ridiculously accident-prone individual. My best guess is that it’s because I mind and feet go 99 mph, regardless of the speed zone. Last summer, on a rainy afternoon, I fell on a slope while feeding my outside cats. I happened to fall on my ribs on the edge of a steel bowl. The bowl didn’t give an inch and one of my sons-in-law and I could literally HEAR my ribs crack.

Accidents happen all the time in life (I mean, I don’t hog ALL of them), and like facing down diseases from the common cold to cancer, the odds of winning GREATLY swing in our favor when we are as close to “fighting shape” as we can get.

We’re all human, we can all get sick – even athletes get sick – but think of it as a zombie attack. If zombies attack a particular town (before you laugh, consider the news headlines we read every day!), who are the individuals that stand the best chance of surviving?

The ones who can run away (preferably without falling and cracking their ribs)! If thinking about diseases and falls don’t inspire you, maybe the brain eaters will. I’ll try anything to keep you healthy.

When I was contacted about trying one of the Naked Shake Vegan Protein Powders in exchange for telling y’all about it, I jumped at the chance (and, no, I didn’t fall down).  As a card-carrying chocoholic, I chose the chocolate flavor to review.

(Review Continued Below…)

Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder Smoothie with Oat Milk

Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder Smoothie with Oat Milk

I have enjoyed using Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder in smoothies and smoothie bowls (simply thicker versions of smoothies with your nuts, fruit, and seeds alongside the goodness rather than blended in). I’ve used coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk and honestly can’t decide which one is best.

While 12 oz of the milk of your choice and one scoop of the protein powder is easy enough in a blender, it’s especially simple if you have a blender bottle (Amazon link) – I mean, really, does it get any simpler than pouring in the milk, adding a scoop of chocolate goodness, shaking it like you’re on American Bandstand (just aged myself, didn’t I??), and getting on with your day?

If you go the blender route, you’ll find that it’s a lot of fun experimenting with ingredients – though, make NO mistake about it, there’s plenty of chocolate deliciousness without adding anything. I love adding a tablespoon of almond butter or peanut butter, especially when I’m making smoothie bowls.

(Review Wrapped Up Below…)

Blender Bottle

Blender Bottle

While, as a cook and foodie, I’m concentrating primarily on the fun and deliciousness of the Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder, I do want to emphasize the best thing about this product is the fact that it contains ONLY the necessary ingredients – simple ingredients. Pure ingredients. Healthy ingredients. There are no artificial sweeteners or additives. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy free, and vegan… so it is about as easy to digest as it gets.

I could go into further detail about the purity of the ingredients and the health benefits of Naked Nutrition products, but frankly.. I’d rather get you on their website for yourself! I very much want you to see their story and to see how they can greatly benefit your story.

Where can you buy Naked Shake?

You can find the wonderful Naked Shake products (as well as all of the Naked Nutrition products) on their website, in many stores (including Wal-Mart and Target), and Amazon (Amazon link).

Here are a few pages of their website I know you’ll especially enjoy:

Naked Shake Smoothie Bowl Recipes

Foods that Naturally Increase Collagen (because we all want to look good, right??)

Keto Friendly Collagen Coffee Cake Recipe

Naked Shake Supplements

You’ll find so much information, great articles, and amazing recipes on their website, I hope you’ll visit them right away. And don’t forget to check out my new obsession… the Naked Shake Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder!

**** I’m happily experimenting with different smoothies and smoothie bowl recipes and will add them to the food blog as I hit upon my favorite combinations!


Filed Under: Chocolate Recipes, Chocolate!, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Food Reviews, Health Food Reviews, Milkshake Recipes, Reviews, Smoothie Recipes Tagged With: Naked Shake review, protein smoothies, smoothies

Feeling ALL Kinds of Salty: Why You Need Cornish Sea Salt Company Salts in Your Life

July 9, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Freshly Cut Avocado with Cornish Lemon & Thyme Sea Salt 

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I am an Amazon addict. Not complaining. Not bragging. Certainly NOT looking for intervention… just merely and merrily stating a fact. There are many reasons for this happy addiction (I love buying things for my large family, I’m an avid reader, I collect old movies on dvd…) but the main thing I use Amazon for these days – as in right up there with books – is for salts, seasonings, and other food items I can’t get in stores.

Seriously, using Amazon for food-related goodies is one of the absolutely most enjoyable rabbit holes you’ll ever find.

It’s all in keeping with something I’ve always preached, to be a good cook…

  • You need a passion for it.
  • You need to practice regularly – and, not only with food(s) you’ve never made before, but with those you regularly make. You can always find new tricks, tweaks, and tools to make regular meals more enjoyable and maybe EVEN tastier.
  • Get creative! Never be as boring, predictable, or stale and for crying out loud, never be average.
  • Your food will only be as good as the tools you surround yourself with. Make sure your knives, pans, pots, blenders, mixers, etc are all in tip top shape.
  • Use the best ingredients you can afford. Some items are simply WORTH paying more for – garlic powder and vanilla come to mind.
  • Life (and a kitchen) without seasoning and spice is BORING!

The outrageously delicious and crazy fun salts I want to tell you about today tick off quite a few of the aforementioned requirements. They’re also very affordable and, if I can get super girly for a hot minute, they look amazing sitting on the counter.

Well, they do.

Using different salts, peppers, seasonings, oils, vinegars, and sauces is a huge passion (obsession) of mine. I just counted and we currently have 12 salts in our kitchen. TWELVE! If I were to use full disclosure, there are about to be thirteen (more about the one on the way in a minute).

I recently came across a company who really knows their salt and they have a fan for life. I first spied the Cornish Sea Salt Company on Amazon about a month ago when I was (as I can often be found doing) shopping for fun salt blends.

(Salty Conversation Continued Below…)

Cornish Sea Salt And Pepper Pinch Salt

Cornish Sea Salt Company Salt & Peppery Blend

The first one of their blends I saw and ordered is pictured above, the Salt & Peppery blend (Amazon link). The Cornish sea salt is accompanied by four wonderful peppers and the result is a beautiful and delicious thing. I’ve used (and loved) this blend on burgers, eggs, bacon, chicken, baked potatoes, fried potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, pinto beans… basically anyplace I’d add regular salt and pepper together, this allows me to add them at once in a knock-out blend that brings even more flavor to the moment. Used as a finishing touch, it adds a great deal to the food’s presentation – in addition to tasting fantastic.

When I saw that they had another blend, Fresh & Zesty: Lemon, Thyme & Cornish Sea Salt (Amazon link), I ordered a tub immediately.

The tubs may look small, but these salt blends last a really long time. The flavor is so concentrated, it hardly takes any at all to make a big impact.

I knew the minute I smelled the Lemon, Thyme & Cornish Sea Salt blend that I had another winner on my hands. I’ve used this one on pasta, garlic toast, hummus, salmon (it’s amazing in salmon patties!), shrimp, and other fish. One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is also one of the simplest, on freshly cut avocado. The flavors it brings to the avocado party are unbelievable.

Remember when I said I currently had 12 different salts in my kitchen and they were about to be joined by salt number 13? Well, we can blame the Cornish Sea Salt Company for this one, too! They have another blend that sounds as wonderful as these two… Cornish Roasted Garlic Sea Salt (Amazon link) and it is sitting in my Amazon cart as we speak. 

I honestly cannot wait to get creative with this one. I mean, are you kidding me? Garlic!? The possibilities are endless.

I hope you’ll give these salts a try – they’re outstanding! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Cornish Sea Salt Fresh and Zesty on Avocado

Fresh & Zesty: Lemon, Thyme & Cornish Sea Salt (Amazon link)


Filed Under: Food Reviews, Gift Ideas for Cooks, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Food Reviews, Herbs in Recipes, Reviews, Spices Tagged With: become a better cook, cooking on a budget, cooking tips, salt review, sea salt

Kentucky Pimento Cheese: Budget-Friendly, Easy, and Delicious!

June 13, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Pimento Cheese Makings

Pimento Cheese, Fixing to Happen

Okay, so why do I call this Kentucky Pimento Cheese?? Well…

  1. It’s Pimento Cheese
  2. I live in Kentucky

Mystery solved! Actually, I thought the words Pimento Cheese looked kind of lonely and wanted to give them a friend.

This is my go-to recipe for pimento cheese because it’s easy, simple, and (most importantly) delicious. It’s creamy and a little sweet (thanks for all you do for me, cream cheese). You can add a little jalapeno and/or cayenne pepper (just a little, don’t get crazy with it) to it if you’d like to balance the sweetness, but as a true southerner, sweetness floats my boat, so I take him as he is.

A few quick notes…

  • Make this your own by adding more cheese if you like, as much salt and pepper as you prefer, and adjusting the mayo to fit your personal tastes.
  • It’s always a great idea (with any food, actually) to shred your own cheese rather than buying it shredded. It simply tastes a lot better. A LOT better.

Kentucky Pimento Cheese on Bread


Filed Under: Cooking on a Budget, Cream Cheese Recipes, Gluten Free, Southern Cooking Tagged With: cream cheese recipes, Easy Pimento Cheese Recipe, Pimento Cheese, southern recipes

Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion

May 14, 2022 By Joi Sigers

Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion
Inevitably, after months of shopping and planning, my best-received gifts are the cookies and candies I’ve made for my loved ones. That’s why, in the days leading up to Christmas, you can only find me if you look in my kitchen. I’m the one covered in powdered sugar, chocolate, and corn syrup – dancing around to Christmas music.

Man, I love this time of year!

If you love giving gifts you’ve made in your own kitchen, too, here’s a cookbook you’ll want to add to your library right away.  Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion, by Annie Rigg (Amazon link) is an uncommonly beautiful book. As a cookbook collector, one of the first things I notice about a cookbook is how good it feels about itself –  the cover, artwork, and photographs let you know, right off the bat, if the cookbook feels really good about itself or if its heart is only half in it.

Gifts from the Kitchen (Amazon link) feels amazingly good about itself – we’re talking “supermodel” confidence, here.

Naturally, for a book to be a great book – there has to be more than just great looks going for it. Thankfully, Gifts from the Kitchen comes through in the personality department, too  – it’s not just a pretty face.

{Continued Below…}

Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion
The book covers all celebrations and all seasons. Not only can you use the beautiful delicacies for gift-giving, you can also use them to celebrate special occasions.

Special Occasion Recipes Include

  • Fortune Cookies (Chinese New Year)
  • Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes (Valentine’s Day or Anniversaries)
  • Love Heart Sugar Cubes (Valentine’s Day)
  • Double Dark Chocolate, Pecan and Ginger Cookies (Father’s Day)
  • Easter Nest Cupcakes (Easter)
  • Rugelach (Jewish Celebrations)
  • Baby Shower Cakes
  • Wedding Cake
  • Stained Glass Snowflake Cookies (Christmas)
  • And More…

Recipes for Gifts That Fit Any Occasion Include

  • Chocolate Truffles
  • Peanut or Macadamia Brittle
  • Creamy Vanilla Fudge with Chocolate and Nuts
  • Pickled Beets
  • Pickled Shallots
  • Spiced Cranberry Jelly
  • Florentines
  • Chocolate-Coated Candied Almonds
  • Mango Chutney with Chili Pepper and Ginger
  • English Muffins
  • Cherry Jam
  • Strawberry and Vanilla Preserves
  • Chocolate and Hazelnut Spread
  • Honeycomb (look especially perfect for Halloween)
  • Pesto
  • And Many more….

In addition to the clear and simple recipes, Gifts from the Kitchen (Amazon link) provides beautiful examples of ways to present many of these food gifts to your lucky foodie.

This is not a “gluten free” cookbook, but many of the candies and other recipes are, in and of themselves, gluten free. I have not tested any of the other recipes with gluten free flours, so I can’t say how well they’d take to substitutions. It is, however, in my opinion, more than worth having in your collection. The candies, spreads, jellies, etc. outnumber the cakes and cupcakes… and even they provide inspiration and ideas for the gluten free cook.

I’m especially excited about a recipe for “Wholegrain Honey Mustard.” Wholegrain mustard is an obsession of mine – I add it to more recipes than you can imagine (potato salad, BBQ sauce, deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, salad dressings…). I can only imagine how amazing this homemade Wholegrain Honey Mustard will be!

See Gifts from the Kitchen (Amazon link) for more information.

While you’re on Amazon, check out the other beautiful cookbooks by Annie Rigg!

Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion

Filed Under: Christmas Gift Guide, Christmas Recipes, Christmas Shopping, Cookbook Reviews, Daily Gift Ideas for Foodies Tagged With: Cookbooks, gift ideas for Christmas, homemade food gift ideas, homemade gift ideas

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Welcome to the Get Cooking Food Blog

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and Get Cooking is where I celebrate some of my greatest passions: Recipes, kitchen gadgets, gluten free food reviews, gluten free recipes, pig collectibles, chocolate, cookbooks, and coffee.

Lots of coffee…

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  • Rice Noodles, Bok Choy, and Red Bell Peppers
  • Air-Fryer Jicama Fries and Dipping Sauce Ideas
  • Gorgeous Textured Drinking Glasses: I LOVE These Vintage-Looking Beauties.
  • Short Message For Anyone Who Has to Eat a Restricted Diet: Tips and Advice from the Front Lines
  • Chef Michael Symon’s 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners (Raving Review)
  • Beautiful Drink Lids for Keeping Critters Out of Your Drinks this Summer…
  • Salmon Patties with Green Onions and Red Bell Pepper

Gluten-Free Recipes

Wedge Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, Bacon, Chia Seeds, Sauteed Onions, and Ranch Dressing

Wedge Salad, Starring Roasted Tomatoes

CauliPower Linguine Pasta with Meat Sauce

Caulipower: Quite Possibly THE Best Gluten-Free Pasta

A Wonderful Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Cookbook: Whole Bowls by Allison Day

Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles

Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil (No Boil!) Noodles

Tostadas with Refried Beans and Tomatoes

Fast & Easy Summer Meal: Meatless Tostadas

Gluten-Free White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

Gluten Free Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Air Fryer and Rotisserie in One!

Instant Vortex Plus 10 Quart Air Fryer, Rotisserie and Convection Oven (Amazon link)

A Reminder for all Cooks…

Kitchen Accident Tracker

If my accident can prevent you, a pet, or a child from being hurt, it will have been worth it to me… read more here!

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T-fal… As Good as Good Gets

The T-Fal Cookware Set (Amazon link), above, is absolutely one of the best cooking sets you’ll ever find. It’s on Amazon and available in several gorgeous colors.

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Contact me through e-mail at joitsigers@gmail.com and/or connect with me through social media (see above). ~ Joi (“Joy”)

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