Holiday Food Gift Guide Part 4

Oh am I bad? I promised a daily gift guide and I didn't follow through. Well, I'm snowed in right now, so I'm going to do today's and I promise to finish it tomorrow.

Ok, where did I leave off with? Oh yeah...

Idea #16

Two Piece Truffle Gift Boxes from Neo Cocoa ($5 for a box of two)

Yes, there has to be chocolate every day. Who doesn't like truffles? These type are shell less and look yummy and at this price, you need to buy two or more boxes!

Idea #17

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle from Made to Crave ($5.99 for a 5oz bag)
Who loves cookies? I do. I do. When it comes in "brittle" form, it's even better.

Idea #18

Chevre Goat Cheese & Honey Gift Box from Belle Chevre($45 a box)

Honey and fresh Chevre are a perfect match! This gift box includes with an

-8oz Belle Chevre Fromage Blanc

-Greek Kiss Chevre

-A 12-16oz hand-cut Honeycomb from Savannah Bee Company

-Gourmet crackers from Rutherford & Meyer.

Idea #19

Orange & Honey Fleur de Sel Caramels from Das Food ($6.99 a box)

Natural carmel is the best. It's always soft and chewy and, well, the best thing ever to find under a candy lover's tree!

Idea #20
Dark Chocolate Cocoa Beans from Aequare Chocolates ($4.99 a bag)

Chocolate covered cocoa beans-need I say more?

Now, come back tomorrow and check out the last part of our Holiday Food Gift Guide!

Holiday Food Gift Guide Part 3

Day 3 of my Holiday Food Gift Guide. You can find it from the start here.

Idea #11

Jam from Sunchowder's Emporia. (price varies)

You might remember my first review was done from this company. Their jams and spreads are awesome and I am planning on giving a trio set with some homemade bread to one lucky relative this Christmas.

Idea #12

30 Piece Low Fat Donut Hole Sampler from Holey Donuts!($13.95)

This is the best source for donuts that won't make you feel guilty. You can keep them in the freezer until you need one to feed that craving for something sweet. They'll love you for this.

Idea #13

Spice Bazaar from Olio and Spices.($39.95 per box)

I love spices-who doesn't? Having different blends on is helpful to any cook. This package contains the following spice blends:

Sugar & Cinnamon Blend

Salt & Pepper Blend

Summer Blend

Tuscan Blend

Cajun Blend

Provence Blend

Grilling Blend

Ocean Blend

Santa, if you are reading this, send me one!

Idea #14

Sweet Tooth Popcorn Sampler from 479 Popcorn. ($38.00 for 5 boxes)

Ok, anyone can give popcorn, but this is no ordinary popcorn. This popcorn is made in small batches by hand and the flavors sound scrumptious!

This sampler flavors are the following:

Fleur de Sel Caramel: Delicate French salt sprinkled over caramel-drenched organic popcorn, for an interplay of sweet and salty.

Ginger Sesame Caramel: Buttery caramel infused with organic ginger and generously sprinkled with toasted organic sesame seeds. A display of tingly heat, gentle sweetness and nutty finish.

Chipotle Caramel + Almonds: A blend of rich caramel, chipotle, and spices. Roasted almonds add crunch to this sweet, spicy snack.

Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar: Our Madras curry blend, toasted coconut, and spiced cashews. A delectable savory delight.

Get your favorite person one of these and a movie to go with it.

Idea #15

Napa Valley Blend Coffee from Paupaiz Coffee ($10.00 for 14 oz bag)

I love coffee and when someone wants to give me a bag of organic and flavorful coffee, then I'm there. Five different beans from Central and South America are roasted individually at different temperatures, then blended together, producing a heavenly flavor, some detect a hint of honey sweetness. Served at several wineries and has a strong following at a local Napa market.

Now, go start your Christmas shopping!

Holiday Food Guide Part 2

Today's continued Holiday Food Gift choices come from Foodzie. (you can see 1-5 here) I love this website because it gives small food businesses an opportunity to sell online and get more exposure then if they just had their own website. So, here it goes...

Idea #6

Cocoa Nib, Coffee Bean, & Pecan Artisan Brittle from Morning Glory Confections. (2 oz $5/5 oz $10) This isn't your grandma's brittle! This brittle consists of cocoa, coffee and pecans to add a kick to traditional brittle. Any peanut brittle lover would love this as a gift!

Idea #7

Butter Cup Collection from Ococoa Chocolates. (9 piece $22)

I love the name of this company! How cute! I'm partial to chocolate. I dream chocolate. I cannot live without chocolate. When I saw this collection of chocolate cups, I was all, ooooh and ahhhhh. Any chocolate lover would be crazy not to want a delicous box of these!

Idea #8

Holy City Chocolate Hot Chocolate Gift Set from Holy City Chocolate ($20)

This company has "cool" written all over it! Their hot cocoa is all natural combined with high-quality dark chocolate chunks, which comes packaged in a 16 oz silver tin with a retro-inspired label lined with witty sayings and ‘50s graphics. You also get an oversized hot chocolate mug with their logo on it. A perfect treat for anyone!

Idea #9

Specialty Mushroom Basket from Gourmet Mushrooms Inc. ($27)

What to give that person that loves to cook and experiment? Why, a mushroom basket of course! This baby contains two pound assortment of fresh organic certified specialty mushrooms - five to seven kinds (depending on harvest)which are arranged beautifully in a wicker basket-shipped overnight to insure freshness. A product guide with information about the mushrooms, how to store and clean, and delicious recipes is included with the basket. How awesome is that?

Idea #10

Balsamic Vinaigrette with Dark Chocolate from Ravenous Chocolate Vinaigrettes (8oz bottle $5.50)

Ok, I have to end my Christmas gift ideas for the day with something that contains chocolate. Have you ever heard of this before? What a cool idea and you can use it on salads, as a marinade, and even over Ice Cream. Something you can put on your salad AND your mint chocolate chip ice cream? These people should be given the Nobel Peace Prize for making such a product. Santa, please put a bottle under the tree this year.

Tune in tomorrow for my next section in my Holiday Food Gift Guide!

Halloween Recipes Reviews

Halloween is fast approaching, and there are so many cute recipes you can do to celebrate!

I've done some searching and found some great Halloween recipe ideas:

Witch Cupcakes

courtesy of Parents.com

Ingredients :
1-1/2 cups chocolate frosting
1 package (4-3/4 ounces chocolate cones (Nabisco Oreo Cones)
Orange nonpareils
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting, divided
Neon-green food coloring
12 cupcakes, removed from paper liners
Chocolate chips
Green and red tube icing
Mike and Ike Tangy Twister candies
Chocolate Jimmies
Directions
1. Place chocolate frosting in a freezer-weight zip-top bag and snip off a small corner. Pipe base of cones, dip in orange nonpareils, and set aside.
2. Place 1/2 cup vanilla frosting in a another zip-top bag and snip off a small corner. Tint remaining frosting green and frost cupcakes.
3. Turn cupcakes on sides, then place decorated cones on top. Using vanilla frosting, pipe eyes on cupcakes. Attach chocolate chips for pupils and pipe a dot onto chips. Use red icing for mouths, green icing for warts; shape candies into noses. Pipe chocolate icing onto cupcakes for hair and sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.

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Pumpkin Spice Roll

courtesy of Kraft.com

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon CALUMET Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts
4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping, thawed
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Line with wax paper; grease and flour wax paper. Sprinkle clean towel with 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar.
Mix flour, spice, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until thickened. Add pumpkin; mix well. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Spread evenly into prepared pan; sprinkle with walnuts.
Bake 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately invert cake onto towel; remove pan. Carefully peel off paper. Starting at one of the short sides, roll up cake and towel together. Cool completely on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipped topping; mix well. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar just before serving.
Yield: 10 servings

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Chocolate Mice

courtesy of Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

1/3 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
24 silver dragees decorating candy
1/4 cup sliced almonds
12 (2 inch) pieces long red vine licorice

DIRECTIONS
Melt the chocolate, and combine with sour cream. Stir in 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
Roll by level tablespoonfuls into balls. Mold to a slight point at one end (the nose).
Roll dough in confectioners sugar (for white mice), and in chocolate cookie crumbs (for dark mice). On each mouse, place dragees in appropriate spot for eyes, almond slices for ears, and a licorice string for the tail.
Refrigerate for at least two hours, until firm.