Homemade Christmas Gifts

This year we decided to give gifts to family and friends that could be made with love from our kitchen, using many ingredients from our gardens.  

Citrus Zest Sea Salt

Zest lemons, limes & oranges

Allow zest to dry on a towel, then place in oven at 200 degrees to remove remaining moisture.

Mix dried citrus zest with sea salt.

Place mixture into containers.

Sun Dried Tomato Pecan Pesto

Mix Parmesan, Sun-dried tomatoes, Basil, Garlic & Pecans in food processor.

Pack into jars, and top with a layer of EVOO.  This gift must be refrigerated and used within a week or frozen.

Cinnamon Dusted Pecan Pralines

Brown Sugar, Dark Karo Syrup, Evaporated Milk, Butter & Vanilla

Cook...

...until soft ball stage

Drizzle with milk chocolate and dust with cinnamon.

Winter Solstice Green Tomato Salsa

I plucked the last of the remaining tomatoes on December 21, the Winter Solstice.

Cook chopped ingredients.  Remember to add appropriate amounts of acid (lime/vinegar) since you will be canning the salsa.

Mix cooked ingredients in food processor and fill cleaned jars.

Seal jars, and follow steps for your method of canning.

Herbs de Provence

Rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme from our garden.

Clean herbs, cut herbs and place them on a cookie sheet to bake.

Bake on low temp until brown.

Grind finely in food processor.  Here I added other herbs that I did not have in my garden at this time of the year including lavender & marjoram.

Agave Vanilla Extract

Gorgeous vanilla beans.  I bought these at Whole Foods, but if I would have planned ahead I would have purchased in bulk online for a much lower price.

Slice open vanilla beans and place about two in each container.  Add a few tablespoons of agave nectar to the bottom of the jars.

Fill with your choice of Vodka or Rum.  Here I used 3/4 Vodka to 1/4 Rum. 

Instruct gift recipients to allow to sit for 6-8 weeks before using.  When the extract runs low, more alcohol can be added to the beans to replenish.

Apple Cider Reduction

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Pour Apple Cider in large pot.  Cook on medium for 3-4 hours until reduced to the consistency of honey. For each of the squeeze bottles below I used 2 1/2 containers of apple cider.

This is fabulous to keep in your kitchen!  You can use it like honey in teas and other recipes.  Also top various dishes with it for a sweet & tangy kick.

Leftover Brisket Nightmare

As always, we found ourselves with tons of leftover brisket.  Sometimes (always) we get overzealous with the amounts of food we smoke for only two people.

Let's see...what an I throw in a pot with the brisket??

Various greens from our winter garden.

Why not some Jack, too??

Simmering low and slow

Adding greens to onion & bacon mixture.

Garden greens

My sous chef chopping the brisket

Those are Alex's hands and arms chopping.  My hands may be large, but not that manly.

Garden Greens & BBQ Brisket Sandwiches

Grilled Pork Chops with Cranberry Apple Sauce & Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Homemade Cranberry Applesauce

Baked sweet potatoes, hollowed out and mixed with butter green onions & gruyere

Preparing onion straws for frying

...And it's chunky applesauce & pecans (of course)

Short Ribs & Tenderloin

Sauteed Spinach & Cipollini Onions, Tenderloin, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs & Cauliflower Gratin

Searing the short ribs to seal in the juices and get a browned outside

Nice and browned

Red wine sauce ready for the short ribs to take a long bath in the oven in

Mushrooms, Spinach, Bacon & Cipollini Onions

 

 

 

Perfectly Poached Eggs

Arugula with Poached Egg, Homemade Croutons, and Lemon Sherry Vinaigrette

 

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Gratin - Made just like Mac & Cheese, but with Cauliflower rather than pasta