Last year, I decided to make gift jars of homemade cocoa mix decorated with red ribbons and peppermint candy canes. I bought recipe cards and copied the recipe on a card for each jar. It was a big hit, so this year I decided to make creamy garlic dressing as well.
These items make great gifts to give to special co-workers, teachers, friends, and as a little party gift for the hosts without breaking the bank. You can also consider putting the cocoa mix in small resealable plastic bags and putting it in a mug with little chocolates and a cinnamon stick.
Hot Cocoa Mix
- 2 cups nonfat dry milk
- 3/4 cup good, unsweetened cocoa
- 3/4 cup dry nondairy hazelnut creamer
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons instant coffee, finely ground - Dash salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Dash cayenne pepper, optional
Mix ingredients and put into nice glass containers, mason jars work really well. Attach a label to the front of the jar with the preparation instructions. To prepare cocoa, combine 1 to 2 tablespoons of mix with 8 ounces of boiling water. You can also add mini-marshmallows, candy canes, or cinnamon sticks in the jar as a little extra treat.
Creamy Garlic Dressing
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 3/4 cup good olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
Put all ingredients except half-and-half in a food processor and blend well. Add half-and-half, blending it until it thickens. Pour into gift bottles. Decorate and refrigerate until ready to give or serve!
