By Libbie Summers for Better Homes and Gardens
Photography by Andy Lyons

With the holiday season approaching, here are some homemade gift ideas to create from your kitchen quarantine. 

In a large mixing bowl combine both flours, salt, and baking powder. Stir in seed mixture. Add oil and stir until combined. Add water and stir until a loose dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 times until smooth. Divide into 8 portions; cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll dough into a very thin rectangle, about 11×5-inches. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Bake each for 4 minutes; turn. Bake for 4 minutes more or until browned and crisp. Cool completely. Break into irregular shapes. Store an airtight container up to 5 days.

Strain, reserving syrup (place in clean bottles for gift-giving*). Arrange ginger slices on a wire rack set over a shallow baking pan. Allow to dry overnight (ginger will still be sticky).

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add ginger and toss to coat. Divide into four 4-oz. jars. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

Spiced Bourbon Cherries
Spiced Bourbon Cherries are one of the best ways to add boozy fruit to your favorite cocktail. (Hint: They taste especially amazing in whiskey drinks!) Sweeten up your next cocktail hour with a batch of bourbon-soaked cherries. Not a drinker? Spoon some over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and thank me later. 

What you need:
1 ¼ cups water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ¼ cups bourbon
1 pound fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries

What to do:
In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean paste, cayenne, and cinnamon. Bring just to boiling over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon. Cool slightly. Add cherries and let stand 30 minutes. Divide into four 8-oz. jars. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Toasted Seasoning Salts
Whip up a big batch of these savory seasoning blends and give them to the meat-lovers in your life to season their steaks. Vegetarians can toss this no-cook food gift with popcorn, nuts, or roasted chickpeas.

What you need: 
Regular:
1/2 cup flaked sea salt
1/2 cup coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup garlic powder
Smoky Hot: 
1/2 cup flaked sea salt
1/2 cup coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder

What to do:
In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients…yep. That’s it.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Use to season meats before grilling or roasting or combine with flour to coat chicken before frying.

More Gifts From the Kitchen Ideas:
Candied Ginger Syrup
Sweet Maple Mustard
Spiced Ketchup
Everything Bagel Topping Mix

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
On Libbie: Cuisine Apron Dress in White Linen from Yum Yum Smile Shop
Gingham Napkin: Yachtie Linen Napkin Set from Yum Yum Smile Shop

I had a nostalgic craving…for French Onion Dip. So, I made some and then I made it again and again! The BIG flavor tip is patience. Be patient while caramelizing your onions -don’t rush them.

Slow and steady wins this flavor race. 

Homemade French Onion Dip
makes 2 cups

What you need:
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups diced yellow onions (about 1 1/2 medium onions)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4 shakes hot sauce
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Ridged sturdy potato chips for dipping (I used Ruffles®)

What to do:
1. Caramelize Onions: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add butter, onions, pepper, salt, onion powder and hot sauce. Cook, stirring about every 5 minutes, until rich and brown in color (about 25-30 minutes). Allow to cool.
2. Finish Dip: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream until combined. Don’t worry about a few lumps! Fold in cooled onions.

To Serve: Serve room temperature alongside sturdy potato chips!

By Libbie Summers (recipe inspired by Epicurious)

This ain’t your Italian meatball! Minimal ingredients, full of delicious flavor, overly moist, gluten free and on the table in under 20 minutes. Use them as a main dish or appetizer with a simple sweet and sour sauce.

Ginger Scallion Meatballs
makes 16

What you need:
1 pound ground fresh pork
1 egg
6 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced pickled ginger (sushi ginger), can substitute 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
2. In a large wooden bowl, stir together the fresh pork, egg, scallion, pickled ginger, ONLY 1 tablespoon oil and salt. 3. Stir mixture together pretty vigorously until it has lightened in color and shaggy (about 3 minutes).
3. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over a baking sheet. Working one at a time, use a small portion scoop or heaping tablespoon to scoop out portions and roll into balls; arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake meatballs until cooked through and browned on top, 8–10 minutes. 5. Serve warm as an appetizer with a simple Sweet and Sour Sauce or as a main course over jasmine rice with a Spinach Curry Sauce (recipe below).

Spinach Curry Sauce

What you need: 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup store-bought or homemade Thai green curry paste
1 (5.4-oz.) can coconut cream
1 (5 oz.) container baby spinach
Juice from one lime

What to do: 
1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add oil, onions and salt. Cook, stirring until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). 2. Stir in curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in coconut cream and bring to a low boil.
4. Stir in spinach and cook, stirring until spinach is wilted.
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
6. Add in lime juice and pulse until combined.

By Libbie Summers

Challenge: Carrots and Kale. 
Challenge Accepted: An Indian-inspired Roasted Carrot Soup with Spiced Kale Chips. This creamy soup is packed with smooth flavor and the kale chips…well, they aren’t your average kale chip so they make the perfect garnish!

Indian-spiced Roasted Carrot Soup with Spiced Kale Chips
serves 4

What you need: 
For Kale Chips:
4 stalks kale, washed and thoroughly dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon nut butter (I used almond)
1 teaspoon oil (I used a garlic olive oil)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch sea salt

For Soup:
1 pound carrots, washed and sliced into 1/4″ rounds
1/2 onion, quartered and broken into pieces
5 cloves garlic, left in skins and lightly smashed
small sliver of jalapeno
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used a garlic olive oil)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (can sub 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger)
3 cups vegetable stock, hot
Flake sea salt

What to do: 
1. Make Kale Chips: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet tray with foil. Place kale in the middle of the sheet tray. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Spoon mixture over kale and massage into kale with your hands, coating every piece evenly. Separate the coated kale pieces on the sheet tray and bake until crisp (about 10-12 minutes). Set aside.

2. Start Soup: Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet tray with foil. Add carrots, onions, garlic, jalapeno, olive oil, garam masala and a heavy pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Spread mixture out over the tray, separating all the pieces. Roast just until carrots can be pierced with a fork (about 20-25 minutes). Remove from oven and remove skins from garlic and place garlic back on tray.
3. Finish Soup: Add the roasted vegetable mixture to a blender along with the coconut milk and stock. Place lid on blender and cover with a towel. Process until smooth. Salt to taste.
To Serve: Divide soup between bowls, drizzle with olive oil (optional) and garnish with spiced kale chips.

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Photography by Teresa Earnest

A rich DELICIOUS vegan paté that will make any meat lover a plant based believer.

Mushroom Nut Paté
makes about 1 1/2 cups

What you need: 
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
Flake sea salt or Kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup roasted cashews
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Nut based crackers for serving

What to do:
In a large sauté pan over medium heat add the coconut oil and heat until melted. Stir in onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, just until onions are translucent. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked onions and garlic to a bowl leaving the coconut oil in the pan. Add mushrooms into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from heat.

Add the cashews to a food processor and process until finely ground. Add in mushrooms, onion mixture, garlic and parsley. Process until smooth. Serve with crackers.