For so many of us, the holidays look a little different this year. In a season when we typically run ourselves ragged rushing from parties to school functions to shopping and everything in between, our one silver lining is a bit slower pace this year.
Dreaming up homemade gifts is one of the highlights of this time of year. As I think about a simplified holiday season, one where the laser focus is on family and friends, wouldn’t it be fun to use our creativity to spread a little holiday cheer in a new and fun way?
Here are three ideas to use as a jumping off point. Chocolate drizzled macaroons are so easy to make and feel so special. Wrap up a few in a pretty white box and cheerful ribbon and surprise your neighbors, teachers, hairdresser or mail person with a delicious and decadent treat.
Dried oranges and fresh rosemary make for the most beautiful and special ornaments. Use them as indoor or outdoor decorations, or as a topper on your gift boxes. Take this easy tutorial and run with it in your own direction. Make a dried orange garland for your mantle or outdoor trees. The oranges glisten almost like stained glass in the sunlight, and the sweet wooden beads and twine give these gifts a lovely earthy touch.
And finally, for those special and precious get-togethers this holiday season, make this beautiful chai spiced carrot cake. The chai spice mix alone would make a great gift, but this spicy sweet loaf cake topped with a spiced cream cheese frosting will wow whatever table it graces. For friends you miss or can’t be with this holiday season, a special cake left on their doorstep is a memory they’ll cherish for years to come.
Whatever fun and unique idea you settle on to gift your people this year, I hope it brings as much joy and cheer to your heart as it surely will theirs. My sincerest wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season to you and yours.
Chocolate Drizzle Coconut Macaroons
- 20 ounces sweetened
- shredded coconut
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 14-ounce can condensed milk
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cups dark chocolate
- chips, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl combine shredded coconut, flour and salt. Mix gently with a spatula, creating a well in the center of the bowl. Add the condensed milk, vanilla, almond and egg whites and stir into the coconut, mixing until a dough forms.
My favorite kitchen tool is clean hands. Don’t be afraid to just go ahead and use your hands to mix the dough, that’s how you know you’ve properly mixed the ingredients and everything is well-combined.
Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to form dough balls evenly across the sheet pans. Bake for 14-15 minutes until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown and the bottoms of the cookies have a little color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5 to 10 minutes.
While the cookies cool, microwave the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring between each interval until just melted. Pour chocolate into a Ziploc bag and snip a small hole in one corner. Drizzle the chocolate in thin ribbons over the macaroons. Slide the tray of macaroons into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to set, or leave on the counter for at least an hour. Store in an air-tight container for up to three days.
Homemade Dried Orange and Rosemary Ornaments
- 4-6 oranges
- Twine
- Fresh rosemary
- Wood beads
Slice oranges (I used a combination of navel and blood oranges) in 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay evenly across parchment lined baking sheets and bake in a 250-degree oven for up to four hours, flipping and rotating the oranges at least once.
To assemble the ornaments, use a knife to slice a small slit in the flesh of the orange near the rind. Thread the twine through the orange and loop a piece of rosemary with the orange slice. Trim the rosemary so it’s the same length as the orange. Once the rosemary and orange slice are secured, thread the beads onto the twine and tie the ends to make a loop.
Chai Carrot Loaf Cake w/Chai Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- For the Cake:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chai spice mix
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- (OR sour cream)
- Chai Spiced Cream Cheese frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together vegetable oil and sugars, mixing until sugars are dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs to the bowl and whisk to combine. Gently folding shredded carrots.
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chai spice mix. Whisk to combine. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold together. Stir in the Greek yogurt and continue to mix. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for approximately 60 to 70 minutes or until the loaf cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the parchment paper away from the pan, gently lifting the cake out of the pan. Place it on a cooling rack and let it continue to cool fully. Once cooled, frost with the chai spiced cream cheese frosting. To serve, slice into
eight thick pieces.
Homemade Chai Mix
- 3 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon cardamom
- 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
Combine all the dried spices in a small glass jar with a lid. Use a spoon to mix well. Store extras in your pantry.
Chai Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 4 ounces room temperature cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon chai spice mix
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, cream cheese and brown sugar. Whip on high for two minutes until butter and cream cheese are well-mixed and light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, mixing slowly at first. Add chai spice mixture and mix on high until frosting is light and fluffy. Add a tablespoon or two of milk if frosting is too thick for your liking. Liberally frost chai carrot cake. Store extras in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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Kitchen Captivated: Edible, homemade treats make tasty gifts for the holidays - Yakima Herald-Republic
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