Holiday recipes that make great gifts

Food gifts are always welcome at holiday time. They’re inexpensive and are always appropriate gifts to offer neighbours, your kids’ caregivers or as hostess gifts.

You’ll always impress with a plate of homemade holiday cookies or muffins, served in a beautiful basket or plate that they can keep.

But not everyone has room for more food in their fridge at holiday time. So here are a few dry mixes you can give away along with a recipe card that allows the recipient to cook it up whenever they have time.

Holiday Cranberry-Pecan Muffin Mix
 
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar 
1 tablespoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
3/4 cup dried cranberries 
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and carefully pour into a clear cellophane bag big enough to hold about 5 cups. Top the mixture with the dried cranberries followed by the pecans. Seal the top of the bag with clear packing tape. Tie on a ribbon and this recipe card:

Cranberry-Pecan Muffins recipe card

1. Preheat oven to 375º F and grease a muffin pan or use muffin tin liners.
2. Pour the muffin mix into a large bowl and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk 2 large eggs. Then blend in ¾ cup of milk, ½ cup of orange juice and 1/3 cup of vegetable oil.
3. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and stir just until smooth. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes for regular muffins. Serve warm and enjoy!
   
   

Mocha Coffee Mix

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup powdered coffee whitener (such as Coffee-mate)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1/3 cup instant coffee
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Stir all ingredients together and spoon into decorative jars. Decorate with fabric and/or ribbon and tie on this recipe card:

Mocha Coffee Recipe Card
Spoon out 1/4 cup coffee mix into a mug.  Add 3/4 cup boiling water and stir until dissolved. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Spiced Cranberry Cider Mix

1/2 cup dried cranberries
12 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. crushed whole cloves
2 Tbsp. whole allspice

Stir all ingredients together and spoon into decorative jars. Decorate with fabric and/or ribbon and tie on this recipe card:

Spiced Cranberry Cider Recipe card
In a large saucepan combine Spiced Cranberry Cider with 2 quarts apple cider.
Heat through but do not boil. Serve warm, garnished with orange slices.

- Angela Mulholland

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