If you want to surprise your loved ones and show that you like to be crafty in the kitchen, but don’t want to break the bank, what could be better than giving them an edible gift? Here are some suggestions that you might want to consider:
Mini Cheesecakes with Sugared Pecans
They are perfect as a dessert or as a gift for Holidays! To prepare them, first preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a a medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, 1/3 cup of finally chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of melted butter. When the mixture resembles wet sand, divide it into 16 muffin cups and bake 5-8 minutes until set.
Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in a cup, 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/4 tablespoon of salt, until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Divide fill in equally the muffin cups and bake until set (about 18 minutes). Then refrigerate cheesecakes for at least 3 hours. Finally, to decorate, you can cook 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and a bit of sugar over medium heat, until sugar melts. Then separate the pecans and, when cool, place them on top of the cheesecake.
Infused Vodkas
If you really want to boost a friend’s holiday spirits, steep vodka with cucumber, horseradish or any flavor you prefer. You can present it in beautiful bottles, which can cost as little as a buck a piece.
For example, to make the cucumber-lime infused vodka, first you have to peel a cucumber and refrigerate its peel. Then place a seedless English cucumber cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and the peel of 1 lime in the bottle and the vodka, and seal the bottle with cork. Finally steep for 24 hours, strain, add 4 pieces of cucumber peel and decant. Since it’s that easy, feel free to try your favorite flavors on those who you want to spread holiday cheer!
Written by Pol Smith
