We like to wait until after Thanksgiving to really start decorating or celebrating the Christmas season, although we recently found out on our Page on Facebook that some of you feel differently. We will gladly suspend this rule when giving homemade gifts is part of our holiday plan. In that case, it's always best to start thinking early, right?
This kind of early planning was what we had in mind when we selected this week's Cookbook of the Week to share with you. Even if you won't start making gifts until December, we're hoping to get you thinking and inspire your creativity with...
The sequel to our cookbook, Gifts for Giving, this cookbook is filled with a wide variety of recipes...those that you'll enjoy warm from the oven, plenty to wrap up and give later and even a few that aren't for eating at all!
Let's take a look at the chapters inside...
Each chapter inside is home to a different kind of recipes. In More Gifts for Giving, you'll find everything from the sweets & treats we all love to give (and receive!) to the savory snacks, spreads and seasonings that make tasty gifts at the holidays or any time of year.
In addition to the yummy recipes in each chapter, you'll find lots of quickie tips (45 extra ideas in all!) on the chapter pages too...they look just like the table of contents above with tips sprinkled all around. These are in addition to the tips on every page that we always include.
Many of the page-by-page tips apply to any gift but, as you'll see below, lots of them are geared toward giving the recipe that's on the page. We're aiming to make giving homemade goodies easier than ever!
Here's one from the Soups & Snacks chapter...so tasty any time of year.
Tortilla Soup Mix in a Jar
2 T. chicken bouillon granules
1 t. lemon pepper
1 t. dried cilantro
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. dried, minced onion
1 c. long-grain rice, uncooked
2 to 2-1/2 c. tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
5-oz. can chicken
10-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
Combine the first 8 ingredients in a plastic zipping bag; set aside. Layer rice in a wide-mouth, one-quart jar; pack seasoning bag on top. Fill remaining jar with crushed tortilla chips, packing gently; secure lid. Tape can of chicken to the top of the jar, if desired. Tie jar of mix to the can of diced tomatoes; attach instructions.
Instructions:
Place tortilla chips in a small bowl; set aside. Remove seasoning packet; set aside. Add rice to a stockpot; stir in 10 cups water. Mix in chicken and tomatoes with chiles and seasoning packet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes. Add tortilla chips; cover and simmer 5 additional minutes. Spoon into bowls while hot. Makes 3 quarts.
Bonus tip:
Tuck this soup mix, the can of chicken and the can of tomatoes into a basket lined with a festive towel. Add a jar of your homemade (or storebought) salsa and a bag of tortilla chips for scooping and you're ready to give this meal to anyone on your list!
So, with hundreds of geared-for-giving recipes, the 250+ tips & ideas and tons of inspiring illustrations to get you started, what ELSE could we include in More Gifts for Giving?
Gift tags, of course!
At the end of every chapter in the book, and scattered throught the book as well, you'll find two pages of gift tags that you can copy and embellish for YOUR holiday gifts for giving this year!
Click below to get a look at a few of these pages...lots more inside the book.
Stay tuned all week long for lots more goodies from our Cookbook of the Week...join us on our Page on Facebook and you won't miss a single one!
Ready to add More Gifts for Giving to your collection?
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