Homemade Food Gifts for Holidays

As Voltaire rightly said," Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." Most of our festivals and feasts revolve around deliciously cooked meals. Be it any religion or any country, the entire family prays together, sits together and dine together during their religious festivals and feasts.

Our childhood memories date back to the times when we as kids gathered around our grandparents after lunch and dinner to hear stories. They talked about gods who saved humans from demons, ate with their people and brought peace to the world. The good conquered the evil and we toast to celebrate it.

I would like to share a few food recipes that are made to celebrate such special occasions, loved and enjoyed by the kids at the dinner table. For once the tiny tots would not run away from their plates but be hungry for a second helping for sure. You can also give them as homemade Christmas gifts to your friends and they would love it too.

• Vermicelli Pudding-

Required Ingredients-

2 cups raw almonds (sliced)

One-fourth cup raw cashews

One fourth cup unsalted blanched pistachios

2 tablespoons raisins

1 cup vermicelli

5 cups milk

1 cup sugar (you can add more if you have a sweet-tooth)

Half tablespoon rose water (optional)

6 tablespoons butter (prefer unsalted)

One and a half teaspoon cardamom powder

The Process-

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottom pan over low-medium flame and add the vermicelli. Fry till golden brown. Keep stirring constantly so that it does not get burnt. Once done, keep it aside on a plate and let it cool.

In the same pan, add the remaining butter and toss in the almonds, cashews, pistachio and raisins. Fry for less than a minute (until the raisin bloats). Switch off the stove after the nuts are done.

In another pan heat the milk on a medium flame. Once the milk begins to boil, add sugar and stir for a minute on low flame. Add the vermicelli and nuts. Add the cardamom powder. Cook for 5 minutes and let the pudding cool to room temperature. Add the rose water and take it out in a serving dish.

Keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled after lunch or dinner.

• Hot and spicy nuts

Required Ingredients-

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Half teaspoon salt

One-fourth teaspoon pepper

One-fourth teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), you can add a little bit more if you want it to be spicy

2 cups raw peanuts (or raw cashews, almonds)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

The process -

You would have to preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and red pepper in a small bowl and set them aside.

Place nuts in a baking pan and drizzle with oil, stirring them to coat. Sprinkle with spice mixture and toss them lightly.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly toasted, keep stirring them once or twice. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turnout onto paper towels and cool completely. Store them covered in a cool place.

Hot and spicy nuts are ready to be packed and given as a gift. These are a great gift and easy to prepare recipe. For a fun presentation, glue a personalized label on the jar and use raffia to tie a pair of colorful peppers around the rim.

• Easy Cashew Squares-

Required Ingredients-

One fourth cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

Half teaspoon vanilla

1 cup coarsely chopped cashews or mixed nuts

Powdered sugar

The Process-

Preheat the oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a saucepan and melt butter. Now remove it from the heat. Add the remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar. Spread in a greased baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars and let it cool in the pan. Sprinkle the bars with the powdered sugar. These ingredients can make up to 16 bars.

Since these bars require a mere handful if ingredients readily available at any home during thanksgiving and Christmas, you can make them in minutes and offer to family and guests as a snack before lunch or after dinner.

These easy to make and readily available ingredients allow you to enjoy with the family as you turn out delicious snacks to munch sitting by the fireplace and listening to the stories told by the elders at home.

As Voltaire rightly said," Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." Most of our festivals and feasts revolve around deliciously cooked meals. Be it any religion or any country, the entire family prays together, sits together and dine together during their religious festivals and feasts.

Our childhood memories date back to the times when we as kids gathered around our grandparents after lunch and dinner to hear stories. They talked about gods who saved humans from demons, ate with their people and brought peace to the world. The good conquered the evil and we toast to celebrate it.

I would like to share a few recipes that are made to celebrate such special occasions, loved and enjoyed by the kids at the dinner table. For once the tiny tots would not run away from their plates but be hungry for a second helping for sure.

• Vermicelli Pudding-

Required Ingredients-

2 cups raw almonds (sliced)

One-fourth cup raw cashews

One fourth cup unsalted blanched pistachios

2 tablespoons raisins

1 cup vermicelli

5 cups milk

1 cup sugar (you can add more if you have a sweet-tooth)

Half tablespoon rose water (optional)

6 tablespoons butter (prefer unsalted)

One and a half teaspoon cardamom powder

The Process-

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottom pan over low-medium flame and add the vermicelli. Fry till golden brown. Keep stirring constantly so that it does not get burnt. Once done, keep it aside on a plate and let it cool.

In the same pan, add the remaining butter and toss in the almonds, cashews, pistachio and raisins. Fry for less than a minute (until the raisin bloats). Switch off the stove after the nuts are done.

In another pan heat the milk on a medium flame. Once the milk begins to boil, add sugar and stir for a minute on low flame. Add the vermicelli and nuts. Add the cardamom powder. Cook for 5 minutes and let the pudding cool to room temperature. Add the rose water and take it out in a serving dish.

Keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled after lunch or dinner.

• Hot and spicy nuts

Required Ingredients-

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Half teaspoon salt

One-fourth teaspoon pepper

One-fourth teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), you can add a little bit more if you want it to be spicy

2 cups raw peanuts (or raw cashews, almonds)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

The process -

You would have to preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and red pepper in a small bowl and set them aside.

Place nuts in a baking pan and drizzle with oil, stirring them to coat. Sprinkle with spice mixture and toss them lightly.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly toasted, keep stirring them once or twice. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turnout onto paper towels and cool completely. Store them covered in a cool place.

Hot and spicy nuts are ready to be packed and given as a gift. These are a great gift and easy to prepare recipe. For a fun presentation, glue a personalized label on the jar and use raffia to tie a pair of colorful peppers around the rim.

• Easy Cashew Squares-

Required Ingredients-

One fourth cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

Half teaspoon vanilla

1 cup coarsely chopped cashews or mixed nuts

Powdered sugar

The Process-

Preheat the oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a saucepan and melt butter. Now remove it from the heat. Add the remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar. Spread in a greased baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars and let it cool in the pan. Sprinkle the bars with the powdered sugar. These ingredients can make up to 16 bars.

Since these bars require a mere handful if ingredients readily available at any home during thanksgiving and Christmas, you can make them in minutes and offer to family and guests as a snack before lunch or after dinner.

These easy to make and readily available ingredients allow you to enjoy with the family as you turn out delicious snacks to munch sitting by the fireplace and listening to the stories told by the elders at home.