How to Ship Christmas Cookies

If you're shipping Christmas cookies this holiday season, it helps to keep a few tips in mind to make sure your baked goods reach their destination safely. Air-popped popcorn makes inexpensive, excellent packing material. Plus, it's environmentally sound. The popcorn will also soften the impact of any bumps your package will encounter along its way. 

Taking time to prepare your cookie tins properly will also minimize the risk of having your cookies crack or crumble in their journey. Line the bottom of a cookie tin with a layer of parchment paper topped by a layer of waxed paper. To achieve a perfect circle, use the top of the cookie tin as a pattern or use a Fiskars Rotary Cutter. Line the inside of the cookie tin with a strip of corrugated cardboard cut to fit the dimensions of the inner edge of the tin and the ends taped together at the seam. Carefully place cooled cookies in tin. Cover cookies with a round of parchment paper. If your cookies are particularly fragile or are a wafer-type cookie, place a round of parchment paper in between each layer of cookies.

To embellish the outside of the tin, tape a strip of corrugated cardboard around the outside of the tin. Secure in place with a ribbon. Add any festive touch you prefer—such as an evergreen sprig or a nonbreakable ornament—and attach a label to the tin.

Place a scoop or two of popcorn into the bottom of your shipping box. Set the tin in the box and cover with a layer of popcorn. If you plan to send several tins, set up your packing materials in assembly-line fashion. Make sure the tin and your packing material fit securely in the box. The less opportunities you allow for shifting, the better chances you'll have to ensuring your baked goods won't get damaged during shipping. Seal the package shut with tape. Reinforce corners of the box with tape. Attach a big label to the box. Complete the label with the required information and send off your package.

Halloween Candy Corn Votives

Jack-o'-lantern bright and trick-or-treat sweet, these easy-to-assemble candy-corn votives will shed a festive orange light on Halloween high jinks. Fill the bottom of a plain glass jelly jar with a handful of candy corn--enough so that when you set a smaller glass votive on the surface of the candy, the top of the votive is flush with the top of the glass. Place a candle inside the votive glass, wick pointed upward. I like to use tea lights, which give off a glow from the center of the votive, since they are shorter than traditional votive candles. Fill in the space between the circumference of the votive and the edges of the jar with candy corn so that the votive itself disappears. You'll need about a cup of candy corn per light. Nibble only when you've blown out the candle.

Vanilla

Vanilla Crescents

Discover wonderful recipes celebrating vanilla, including a decadent Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla-Bean Rhubarb Sauce and Vanilla Crescent Cookies. Plus, more sweet ideas for cooking and baking with vanilla.

Sweet-and-Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Some families often challenge one another to create the year's scariest jack-o'-lantern. Roasted pumpkin seeds, seasoned with a generous sprinkling of salt, are a bountiful by-product of this annual competition.

I've updated this seasonal favorite by using such flavorful seasonings as coriander, cinnamon, ginger and freshly ground black pepper. For best results, pumpkin seeds must be dried in the oven before tossing them in the spices.

Whether for cooking or carving, choose an unbruised pumpkin that feels heavy for the size of the pumpkin; it will keep, uncarved, in a cool, dry place for up to a month.

RECIPE

SWEET-AND-SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds from 1 medium pumpkin (about 5 to 6 pounds)
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Open pumpkin from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Remove pumpkin seeds from flesh and set seeds aside; discard flesh. Spread seeds on baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes. Let cool.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 4 tablespoons sugar, salt, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and the pumpkin seeds begin to attain a golden color, about 1 minute. Transfer seeds to bowl with spices using a slotted spoon and toss seeds in spices to coat. Let cool. Seeds may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Halloween

Pumpkin Carving

Discover a ghoulish beef goulash for All Hallow's Eve. Plus, discover the art of creating carved pumpkin creations and a technique for flavored roasted pumpkin seeds. 

Halloween III

Peanut Brittle

All the tricks and treats you'll need for a bewitching Halloween party: Peanut brittle, spooky sweets and more, including some very scary surprises your guests won't forget.

Halloween

Caramel Apples with Chocolate Coating

Halloween treats and sweets--learn Michael's secret for sensational Caramel Apples with Chocolate Coating. Plus discover a Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern Cookie perfect for trick-or-treating and a haunting way to light up the Halloween sky.

Halloween Pumpkins

Halloween Pumpkins

Join expert Joost Elffers for pumpkin madness. Get fantastic ideas for carving your Halloween pumpkins. Plus, glowing candle creatures and more great and inventive ways to celebrate Halloween.

Halloween-Themed Cocktails: Graveyard Ghoulada and Ice Cube Eyeballs

These glasses are sure to elicit some blood-curdling screams. Plus, toast your Halloween guests with ghoulish flair by adding floating eyeballs to their drinks.

GRAVEYARD GHOULADA

Usually, glasses are rimmed with salt to help flavor cocktail favorites like margaritas. But at Halloween, rims coated with vampire's blood are much more appropriate for the holiday. If you experience any difficulty extracting the blood of an unsuspecting victim, you can substitute 1 teaspoon light corn syrup and about 2 tablespoons red food coloring--a mixture that is sure to give your lips a hideous, vampirish gleam. Pour the corn syurp mixture onto a small plate, slowly twirl the glasses into the mixture to coat the entire rims and turn the glasses upright. Let the "blood" drip slightly for a ghastly effect, then fill the glass with a bloody good drink.

RECIPE

Graveyard Ghoulada

Makes 2 medium drinks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, plus more if needed
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons good-quality rum (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients. Place 1 scoop crushed ice in a blender, and add drink mixture. Blend until the mixture is smooth; add more pineapple if mixture is too thick. Carefully pour drink mixture into prepared glasses; serve.

ICE CUBE EYEBALLS

At Halloween--the one time of year when the gory, grotesque and gruesome take center stage--use the occasion to conjure up your wicked imagination with just the type of drink Dracula might have sipped at cocktail hour. With medium-size radishes and blueberries, you can prepare a batch of hair-raising ice cubes that seem to resemble eyeballs--ideal for a horrifying Halloween martini or in a gruesome glass of flavored water for your young ghouls and gals.

Pumpkin Dinner

Individual Chicken Potpies in Pumpkins

Join Michael for Halloween recipes for an Orange-Pumpkin Flan, Chicken Potpies in Pumpkins and Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Salad.

Fall Desserts

Gingerbread Cake

Bake fruity and spice-laden treats to celebrate the best of the season, including an old-fashioned Gingerbread Cake and an impressive and sophisticated Cranberry Pear Charlotte.

Autumn Harvest

Wild Rice Cakes

Create a luscious soup, brimming with the bounty of the season. Visit Bad River Rice and learn how wild rice is harvested. Plus, tips and techniques for cooking with wild rice.

Asian Delights

Asian Chicken Salad

Learn Michael's version of Thai classics, including the recipe for a fragrant and spicy Thai Soup, plus the way to prepare a refreshing Thai Salad. Plus, all the ingredients you'll need for a Thai pantry and answers to your questions on cooking with lemongrass.

Honey

Honey flows from an extractor.

Honey has been called the nectar of the gods--and it's one of Michael's favorite things. Discover its sweet secrets. Follow the bees in the honey hive, learn how honey is harvested and try the delectable recipes that are drizzled with it. 

Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Sweet Rosemary Pear Pizza

Join St. Paul, Minnesota, radio show host and author Lynne Rossetto Kasper and discover the art of making her signature Sweet Rosemary Pear Pizza, Rustic Jam Shortbread Tart and a Supper Tart of Red Onions, Greens and Grapes. 

Rich Coffee Tart

Rich Coffee Tart

Discover the art of French pastry and learn how to bake a majestic Rich Coffee Tart, and discover the secret to the lightest Sweet Pastry Crust. Plus, answers to your questions about crystallized ginger.

Cooking with Apples



Puff Pastry Apple Crowns

Sweet and savory ideas for apples, including a Pork and Apple Quick Cook recipe designed for busy nights. Plus, join master baker and Chef Michel Richard for a dessert fit for a king.

Maple Sugaring

It's a Maple Sugar Harvest. Visit a family farm in Vermont and discover the art of making maple syrup. You'll learn how to tap trees, gather the sap and refine the syrup as you sleigh through the beautiful forest. Plus, discover how to make homemade maple candy.

Italian Home Cooking

Discover the secrets for authentic southern Italian cooking, with a tour of one of New York's oldest Italian markets. Plus, learn Patty Beebout's tips and techniques for canning tomatoes and much more.

Harvest Basket and Simple Salsa

As autumn begins displacing summer, the garden is offering up the last few vegetables of the season. After many weeks of harvesting, you may have a few garden items that you'd like to share with others. One idea to use the bounty is to bring a simple salsa to a friend's house during a weekend visit.

To make a similar version, chop up a white onion, a red onion and several tomatoes; you might use a couple of cherry tomatoes, and one each of the red and green variety. Squeeze out the seeds. Add a few sprigs of parsley and cilantro to taste. To give the salsa some bite, chop up one jalapeño pepper and one serrano and habañero chile. Add the juice of a lime, and allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Apples II

Pork and Apple Quick Cook

Discover some unusual varieties of apples and learn which apples to use for cooking and which are best enjoyed eaten out of hand. Plus learn how to make sweet Apple Fritters and a Quick Cook recipe--Pork Chops with Apples and Sautéed Cabbage.

Healthy Cooking with Michael Milken

Join cancer survivor Michael Milken to learn the importance of soy as he creates a rich Spinach Cannelloni in Tomato Sauce and tosses a Caesar salad. Plus, Michael's taste test and learn some surprising ways to change the way you eat.

Italian Pot Roast Dinner

Italian Pot Roast

Master Italian Pot Roast, an acclaimed dinner classic, sweet vegetables, including carrots, potatoes and fennel. Plus, boneless pork shoulder, simmered in a rich broth. Learn about a rare and unusual tool for enjoying savory marrow.

Grilling Tomatoes with a Grill Pan

Grilled whole tomatoes, a summertime favorite, can be prepared indoors on your stovetop with the aid of a grill pan. The ridges on the bottom of the pan replicates the effect of an electric indoor grill or a charcoal outdoor grill. Rub ripe, juicy tomatoes with olive oil, and cook them in the heated pan until they're slightly charred and fragrant. For a delicious sandwich, layer grilled whole tomatoes with basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar between two thick slices of hearty bread.

Grill pans are widely available in department stores, cookware stores and chef's catalogs.

SOURCES

11-inch square Calphalon grill pan
12-inch round Claphalon commercial nonstick grill pan

Available at cooking-supply stores

Garden Harvest

When late summer rewards gardeners with a bounty of fresh produce, they can finally savor the fruits of the labor that began last winter when they planned their gardens. Now is also the time for gardeners to contemplate their successes and failures, and start thinking about next year's gardens.

Enjoy a colorful array of eggplants, like violet-colored Japanese, orange-tinted Turkish, and crisp white varieties like Solanum melongena 'Snowy.' Or try exotic 'Blue Cocoa' string beans, which turn a familiar green when cooked. Experiment by making a simple stew of white and orange beets flavored with celeriac. Your own vegetable garden should foster pride and offer any culinary possibilities.

Preserve your cornucopia by canning, pickling, or freezing--come January, you'll be very happy that you did. And don't forget your friends, who will appreciate baskets of vine-ripened treats that are still warm from the summer sun. A summer harvest also frees up space for a late planting of baby lettuces and herbs, which mature quickly, or hearty cabbages and root vegetables like radishes and carrots, which can withstand the first frost.

SOURCES

Heirloom seeds

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
P.O. Box 170
Earlysville, VA 22936
800-973-4703

Preserving Herbs with Salt

If the advent of winter leaves you longing for fresh herbs, this Tuscan technique will preserve plenty of basil, rosemary and sage--even as snow covers your garden. Alternate half-inch layers of herbs in a covered glass container, beginning and ending with coarse salt. The salt absorbs mold-breeding moisture and stalls the action of enzymes that turn fresh herbs brown. Refrigerate. Before using, rinse the herbs with water, and pat dry. You'll be savoring the flavors of August well into December.

From Garden to Table

Discover our freshest recipes and culinary good things from the best of Michael Vyskocil's Suite101 Recipes articles.

• Fourth of July Cookout
• Fresh Summer Dessert Recipes
• Casual Cookouts
• Great Grilled Summer Supper
• Cooking with Sweet Bell Peppers
• Cherry Clafouti Dessert
• Baking Seasonal Peach Cobbler
• Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich Recipe
• Sweet Cabbage Relish and Refrigerator Pickles
• Country Apricot Tart
• Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad
• Cooking with Summer Tomatoes

Made with Love

Carrot Column Cake

Discover favorite wedding how-tos and inspiration from Michael Vyskocil's Suite101.com Recipes articles.

Recipes

• Chocolate Dessert
• Disney Cruises & Baked Pineapple Sundaes
• Napa Valley Destination: Wine Country Cuisine
• Carrot Column Cake

DIY Weddings



Heart Sandwich Cookies

Get ready for the big day with simple, beautiful wedding ideas and delicious recipes from Michael Vyskocil's Suite101.com Recipes articles.

Recipes

• Baking Madeleines
• Heart Sandwich Cookies
• Bavarian Food Specialties
• Selecting Champagne
• Crystallized Pansies
• Coeur a la Creme Heart

Tips

• Tips for Baking Cakes
• Making Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Icing

Picnic-Perfect Menu

Plan a delicious outdoor feast with favorite warm-weather mains and side dishes from Michael Vyskocil's Suite101.com Recipes articles.

Recipes:

• Country Apricot Tart
• Creating a Quick and Easy Summer Picnic Menu
• Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich Recipe
• Star Shortcakes
• Classic Fried Chicken Recipe
• Cooking Quesadillas on the Grill
• Quick Cook Summer Dinner Recipes
• Recipes for Memorial Day Cooking
• Memorial Day Picnic Basket Staples
• Summer Vegetable Side Dishes
• Fourth of July Cookout
• Basics of Pickling Vegetables

Best Breakfasts

French Crepes with Cardamom Cream

Start your day off right with quick and delicious breakfast recipes from Michael Vyskocil's collection of Suite101 Recipes articles.

Recipes

• Old-Fashioned Pancake Brunch
• French Crepes with Cardamom Cream
• French Toast Stuffed with Blueberries
• Herbed Scrambled Eggs
• Cafe Style Coffee
• Breakfast Sweet Breads
• Scones for Teatime
• Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
• Homemade Fruit Butter

How-tos

• Preparing Hard Boiled Eggs
• Brewing the Perfect Pot of Tea
• How to Make Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Spring Entertaining and Mother's Day Recipes

Welcome, Spring

Fresh Spring Asparagus

Celebrate the spring season with fresh seasonal dishes from Michael Vyskocil's Suite101.com Recipes articles.

From Suite101.com Recipes

• Spring Vegetarian Rice Recipe
• Old-Fashioned Deviled Eggs
• Pecan Strawberry Shortcake
• Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
• Asparagus Frittata
• Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast
• Spring Puff Pastry Frangipane Fruit Tartlets
• Spring Recipes - Orange Sauced Carrots, Pineapple Bread Pudding

Celebrate Mom

Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast

Show how much you care this Mother's Day with edible gift ideas from Michael Vyskocil's Suite101.com Recipes articles.

• Preparing French Crêpes with Cardamom Cream
• Preparing a Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed
• French Toast Stuffed with Blueberries
• Orange Meringue Cake
• Lasagna with Lobster
• Scones for Teatime
• Baking Madeleines

Kitchen Spice Grinder

Toast and grind your own spices in a spice grinder to assure the freshest, most potent flavors.

Coffee grinder for grinding fresh spices.

Coffee beans and spices have something in common: Since their delicate aromatic oils break down quickly, they taste their best when freshly ground minutes before use. However, to keep this morning's coffee from tasting like last night's curry, you might want to consider this simple solution: two grinders. Designate one for coffee and the other for spices; label each accordingly to avoid confusion.

To keep your grinders in top condition, remove loose grounds and residue with a pastry brush. Place a large piece of soft bread in the bowl of the grinder, grind thoroughly, and remove the oil-absorbing bread crumbs.

SOURCES
Cuisinart coffee grinder
(DCG-20), $30

800-726-0190

Available at local retailers

Making Homemade Vanilla Extract

For the best flavor in all your baked goods, homemade vanilla extract is incomparable. Learn how to make your own batch of vanilla extract.

Vanilla Extract

The smooth flavor of vanilla in baked goods can be as soothing to the tongue as aloe is to sunburned skin. Homemade vanilla extract makes a great present, especially for someone who has a penchant for baking.

Vanilla bean pods are the product of an orchid species, Vanilla planifolia. These orchid varieties are native to areas of Mexico, Madagascar, Java and Tahiti. In order for the orchid to produce its edible treasure, the vanilla bean pod, the plant must flower and the flower must be pollinated. However, the flower only opens once each year; the only known animal pollinators are certain species of ants, hummingbirds and the Melipona bee. To make pure vanilla is a laborious and highly exacting process. The vanilla beans must ripen or cure from anywhere between three and six months. During this time period, the vanilla bean pods shrink tremendously--about one-quarter of their length before curing. They also dry, losing about 85 percent of their moisture content, and intesify their signature aroma.

Making your own vanilla extract isn't difficult. You'll need vanilla beans, which you can obtain from specialty food stores or in some large supermarkets. First, run the dull side of a knife up and down the vanilla beans several times to loosen the seeds. Next, split the beans in half lengthwise and place them inside a bottle of bourbon, vodka or some other similar flavored liquor. For best results, use the best liquor you can find. Seal the bottle and place it in a cool, dark place for five to six months. During this infusion stage, give the jar a shake every few months to redistribute the vanilla bean seeds in the liquid. As the months pass, the liquor will assume the flavor of the vanilla bean seeds. If you're using vodka or other similar clear liquor, the color will darken during the aging process. After six months, the vanilla extract is ready to use. Since you'll only need small amounts of vanilla extract in recipes, it's best to transfer the vanilla extract into small containers. Clean and sterilize small bottles or jars with lids, and, using a canning funnel, fill the bottles or jars with the vanilla extract. To store, keep vanilla extract tightly covered in a cool, dark place.

Michael's Classic Christmas Ideas for Holiday Entertaining

I've collected my favorite ideas for everything you'll need for a delightful Christmas holiday. Peruse these ideas below for Christmas and holiday entertaining inspiration:

• Appetizers for New Year's Eve
• Baked Ham with Raspberry Glaze
• Christmas Dinner Side Dishes: Twice-Baked Potatoes and Jeweled Winter Salad
• Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner
• Cookie Decorating Techniques
• Cookie Gift Boxes for Christmas
• Fudge Tarts, Christmas Snowmen Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookie Boxes
• Gingerbread Roll
• Mediterranean Crown Roast of Lamb
• Selecting Champagne for New Year's Celebrations
• Setting Up a Holiday Baking Pantry 101
• Tian of Root Vegetables and Squash, White and Sweet Potato Swirls

Michael's Classic Thanksgiving Ideas

I've collected my favorite ideas for everything you'll need to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Peruse these ideas below for Thanksgiving Day dinner inspiration:

• Au Gratin Potatoes and Carrots
• Green Beans and Fennel
• Herb Rubbed Turkey and Spicy Pear Stuffing
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Homemade Pies from Your Kitchen
• Savory Rice Pilaf
• Thanksgiving Stuffings
• White Cheddar Biscuits

Preserved Lemons in Oil

Learn how to prepare Preserved Lemons in Oil with Chef Jody Denton of the Restaurant LuLu in San Francisco, California.

Preserved lemons are an essential ingredient in Moroccan cuisine. You can purchase preserved lemons in oil in specialty shops, but they are just as easy to make at home.

Chef Jody Denton of the Restaurant LuLu in San Francisco, California, shares his recipe for Preserved Lemons in Oil.

RECIPE
Preserved Lemons in Oil
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 3 lemons
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Scrub the lemons well under running water. Cut off ends of the lemons. Cut lemons into 1/4-inch-thick slices and remove the seeds.
2. In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, toss the lemon slices with the salt. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour lemon juice over the slices. Cover and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the lemons are slightly dry and the skin is tender, stirring lemon slices around in baking dish occasionally.
3. Remove lemons from oven and let cool completely. Transfer lemon slices and roasting juices to an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 days.
4. To make preserved lemons in oil, transfer lemon pieces and juices to the bowl of a food processor. Cover and process until the mixture is finely chopped. Add olive oil to lemon mixture; cover and blend just until the oil is combined. Store, uncovered, up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

SPECIAL THANKS
Jody Denton

Restaurant LuLu
816 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-495-5775
Fax: 415-495-7810

Sweet Dessert Bruschetta

Food for Thought

The bruschetta (broo-SKET-ta), originally from the olive-growing regions of Italy, started out as the typical lunch of the olive grove workers. The classic bruschetta included olive oil and vegetables, such as red sweet peppers or ripe plum tomatoes, and perhaps fresh mozzarella or creamy goat cheese. Here we present a sweet dessert version.

Sweet Dessert Bruschetta

RECIPE

Sweet Dessert Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 6 slices (about 3/4 inch thick) Italian country bread or crusty sour-dough bread
• 3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread*
• 3 medium bananas, thinly bias-sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• Chocolate shavings or curls (optional)

Directions:

Toast bread and let cool. In mixing bowl combine nuts and sugar; set aside. Spread cooled bread slices with chocolate hazelnut spread. Layer banana slices on top of spread. Brush banana with melted butter or margarine. Top with nut mixture.
Broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat about 30 seconds or till bananas just begin to glaze and nuts are toasted. Garnish with chocolate shavings or curls, if desired. Makes 6 bruschetta.
*Note: Purchase chocolate hazelnut spread in specialty food stores or large supermarkets.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe



Michael displays a tray of pumpkin seeds.



When eaten out of hand, pumpkin seeds make a healthy, flavorful snack. Learn how to turn the remnants of pumpkin carving into a seasonal treat.

Full of vitamins A and C, pumpkin seeds are nutritious. They don't require much but a sprinkling of salt to bring out their natural nutty flavor. If your pumpkin is particularly striking, you may choose to save some seeds for planting in the garden in the spring; the rest of the seeds can be turned into a delectable snack. After you've finished carving out your pumpkin, separate the seeds from the pulp and spread the seeds in one layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Discard any seeds that appear shriveled or pitted. Avoid the temptation to wash the seeds with water--washing will only take away the inherent flavor from the seeds. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds lightly with coarse salt or, for a sweet alternative, use granulated sugar. Place the pumpkin seeds in a 350 degree F. oven for 5 to 10 minutes. The fragrance of the toasted seeds will indicate when they're ready to be removed from the oven. Let cool and enjoy a tasty autumnal snack.

Mulled Cider for the Holidays

Hot mulled cider is a warm and comforting treat to serve to guests at the holidays. Find out how to make this spicy cider.

Gather around your Christmas tree this year with a steaming mug of hot apple cider infused with some of your favorite flavors. Try such spices as cinnamon, star anise, cloves and lemon peel for a delicious aroma and flavor.

Hot Mulled Cider

Serves about 20

Hot Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

• 4 whole star anise
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 4 whole cardamom pods
• 1 orange
• 1 small apple
• Cloves
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Place star anise, lemon zest and cardamom pods in a square of cheesecloth and tie to secure.
2. Stud orange and apple with cloves.
3. Place apple cider in a large pot. Add cinnamon sticks, cheesecloth bundle and the orange and apple studded with cloves, and place over medium-low heat.
4. Bring the apple cider to a simmer and allow the cider to steep for 1 hour.
5. Serve warm in mugs, garnished with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

SOURCES

Star anise, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon sticks
Penzeys Spices
12001 West Capitol Drive
Wauwatosa, WI 53222
800-741-7787
Fax: 414-760-7317

Present Food Gift Baskets for Christmas

A food gift basket is a Christmas gift that's sure to be treasured by its recipient. Of course, you can purchase food gift baskets already assembled, or you can create your own gathering items that your friends and family will love. For the friend who loves hosting cocktail parties, include a book on hors d'oeuvres and garnishing tools. Or, for a delicious way to start Christmas Day, pack a basket with all of the fixings for Christmas morning breakfast.

If you're putting the baskets together, begin with the essential materials: You'll need an appropriately sized basket, packing material, ribbons and gift tags. Pack all the items securely. If the basket doesn't have a lid, wrap it in cellophane or tissue paper, then tie it with a ribbon.

Our food gift basket suggestions can be tailored to suit other tastes and interests. You can adapt this idea to other areas, including gardening with a basket filled with seed packets, garden gloves and a few tools.

FOOD GIFT BASKET IDEAS

Hot Cocoa Gift Basket

• Individual packets of cocoa
• Cellophane bag of cookies or biscuits
• Stainless-steel whisk
• Jar of preserves
• Stoneware mugs

Breakfast Gift Basket

• Bag of pancake mix
• Pure maple syrup
• Reversible cast-iron griddle
• Juice glasses
• Spatula

Hors D'Oeuvres Gift Basket

• Hors d'oeuvres cookbook
• Pastry brush
• Mini muffin tins
• Pastry bags with couplers and assorted tips
• Garnishing tools
• Serving tray

Homemade Chicken Stock

This recipe makes more than you'll need for many recipes, but the stock can be frozen for up to five months. The gelatin from the chicken bones is released during the long cooking time yielding a rich, flavorful stock.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
Makes 8 Cups

Ingredients:

• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 large onion, washed, cut into thirds
• 3 carrots, scrubbed, cut into thirds
• 2 stalks celery, leaves attached, cut into thirds
• 1 four-pound chicken, cut into 6 pieces
• 4 pounds bony chicken parts (backs, necks and wings)
• 12 cups water

Directions:

1. Place the peppercorns, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, onion, carrots, celery, whole chicken, chicken backs, necks and wings into a large stockpot. Add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook for 50 minutes. The liquid should just bubble up to the surface. A skin will form on the surface of the liquid; skim off the skin with a slotted spoon and discard it. Repeat the skimming process as needed during cooking. After 50 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot and set the chicken aside until it is cool enough to handle.
2. Remove the meat from the chicken bones, set the cooked chicken meat aside and return the bones to the stockpot. Shred the chicken meat and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Continue simmering the stock, on the lowest heat possible, for 3 1/2 hours, skimming any skin from the surface of the stock as needed. The chicken bones will begin to disintegrate. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a layer of cheesecloth into a very large bowl. Discard the solids. Place the bowl in an ice bath and let the stock cool to room temperature. Divide the stock into airtight containers. The stock may be refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for 5 months. Refrigerate for at least 10 hours or overnight. If storing, leave the fat layer on top to seal the stock. Before using, remove the fat layer that collects on the surface of the stock. 

Flavored Whipped Cream

Keeping whipped cream stiff can be a challenge. Find out how to thicken and add flavor to whipped cream with honey or melted quince jelly.

Just like a toddler, whipped cream has a tendency to be troublesome. Sometimes it cooperates with you, forming fantastic stiff peaks. Other times, it stubbornly throws a wrench in your plans, refusing to fluff up and whip itself into proper form. But like a baby sound asleep, whipped cream is a sight to behold because of its sweet nature.

One day, I was in the kitchen, and I couldn't find any sugar to sweeten some whipped cream. So, I decided to use honey instead. Later, with a second batch, I used melted quince jelly. Both of these items added sweetness to the cream, but the jelly provided an additional component. The high pectin content in the jelly acted as a thickener, keeping the whipped cream stiff for hours. Another way to increase your success of making whipped cream is to place the bowl and whisk (or mixer beaters) in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then, when you whip the cream, the fat molecules around the bubbles of air in the beaten cream will stay strong, holding up the foam.

RECIPE
Flavored Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy cream, chilled
• 1 tablespoon buckwheat honey, or
• 3 1/2 tablespoons quince jelly, melted

Directions:

1. In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with a balloon whisk until stiff. Alternatively, whip the cream in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. If using quince jelly, gently melt it in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Fold the sweetener of your choice into the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
2. Save any remaining cream by transferring it into a sieve lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Place the sieve over a bowl, cover the bowl and sieve tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Chocolate Butter Cookies

Chocolate Butter Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the butter, sugar, egg and chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and vanilla; mix well. Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter. Place the cookies about one inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.