For neighbors and such, I bake gingersnaps or shortbread, cut into a smallish shape that stacks nicely, and place in a canning jar with a ribbon. Imalsomdomthis with chocolate truffles. I also keep an ample supply of bubbly on hand to give out. Rosé Chandon from California is inexpensive, delicious and festive. I just add a bow. Nothing fancy and Martha-worthy, but it works. I am so stinking happy to be heading into a relatively normal holiday season!

I make pistachio walnut baklava -- my own recipe with less sugar and more citrus but based on this recipe from Michael Symon's mom. Once you have the process down, it isn't so hard to make.. i find it relaxing.

Baklava Recipe | Michael Symon | Food Network

I will also be making a trail mix for niece and her family.

A neighbor used to make little rum cakes that were delicious!

In the past I have made refrigerator pickles and smoked chocolate Habanero chili sauce that I have given as presents. My chili sauce is the favorite, but I do not have a crop of chilies this year, and so I won't be making it. It is pretty much impossible to buy chocolate Habanero chilies, unless you happen to find some (very rarely) in a farmers' market. They take about ten months to mature from when they are started as seedlings, but once I get mine started, they make chilies throughout the winter.

You can use regular Habanero chilies (or even milder chilies, if you prefer), but the main thing is to smoke/grill the chilies over hardwood or charcoal for the smoky flavor. When using Habanero chilies, I had some red bell pepper, to cut the heat a bit and make the sauce go further, and I also always grill a head or two of garlic.

Here's a link to the recipe I posted on the Hot Chili forum.

People ask me for refills when I give them this chili sauce, but I only make very limited quantities.

Annie's grandmother's ginger cookies. The best.

I make cinnamin-spiced roasted walnuts or pecans. I can't access my recipes right now but there are many online. They're easy to make and can be stored in an air-tight container for weeks. I put them in a decorative mason jar with a ribbon.

I make white chocolate cranberry pistachio bark. It's easy, delicious, and it's the colors of Christmas.

Sushi, are you teasing us? Can you share the recipe?

I am not so much of a sweets person so i love savory additions to the holiday spread. Maire-Cate reminded me of the Rosemary nuts -- this recipe is for cashews but i use a variety of nuts. I think this year I'll do marcona almonds! The recipe is shared by Ina Garten but it is from the Union Square Cafe.

Rosemary Roasted Cashews Recipe | Ina Garten | Food Network

I second Funky's request. Sushi - is that our Annie Deighnaugh's grandmother? Ginger cookies are DH's favorite and he just mentioned that he wanted to make Sauerbraten one night. He uses gingerbread cookies for the gravy.

Funky - those cashews are tempting and a nice change from my usual walnuts.

This year I'm thinking of making Bizcochitos -- the favorite cookie from my home state (New Mexico). Not sure though since it involves lard, so it's not vegetarian.

One neighbor gives everybody a small bottle of homemade Irish Cream. It is SO good!

Our favorite adult neighbors will get a bottle of coquito. Easy to make and can be put together now or within the next few weeks. I bottle it in wine bottles that have a screw top ( I save these throughout the year). You can use a mason jar and call it moonshine coquito. 😊 Its really good.

Search the web, but basically I mix it up, bottle it and store in the frig.

• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (1 15 oz can) cream of coconut (like Coco Lopez)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup good white rum

Maire-cate - i have fallen in love with Wegman's rosemary marcona almonds-- I think they'd be good in place of the cashews. I usually do a mix of almonds and cashews. I think you can use whatever you like.. whatever you have on hand!

It's from the Cooking forum Annie1992. On this thread.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5332732/ginger-cookies

Thanks for posting the recipe Sushipup- I saved it.

Funky - I've never heard of those almonds before so I had to look it up. I liked the suggestions from The Spruce - and adding them to a baked Brie looks like a winner.

"Marcona almonds can be eaten in the same manner as typical almonds, but with their appealing mouthfeel and unique taste, these nuts turn an ordinary dish into something special. Try the specialty almonds in tortes, sautéed in oil and sprinkled over a salad, served with cheese (especially a Spanish variety), or chopped and added to baked goods, or even crepes.

Make an already delicious recipe extra special by swapping out ordinary almonds for Marcona. A baked honey Brie or baked apple Brie take on a sophisticated slant when garnished with Marcona almonds, and a bowl of spiced mixed nuts is an impressive snack for any gathering. An almond tart becomes even more decadent, and a recipe for almond macarons (the biscuit, not the delicate cookie) will have your family asking for more."

Maire

My recipe for orange sugar walnuts is in this thread.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6032930/recipes-for-consumable-holiday-goodie-gifts

Trader Joe's sells two flavors of Marcona almonds, rosemary and truffle. I'm addicted.

Every year my husband makes about 40-50 loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread. He is a native San Franciscan and the recipe, originally from the Ghirardelli chocolate company, is one his family has been making for many many years. We give it out to friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and various service industry people whose businesses we frequent,

Caramel Corn. My friends call it CRACK.. Typically, I add peanuts.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/173309/classic-caramel-corn/

The year I didn't cook I bought cute Rae Dunn creamy ivory ceramic boxes and jars that had a very small red tractor and red line, they were very nice- Marshals-and I bought a bunch of different sizes and filled them all with various Ghiradelli squares. They were my most well received casual gift across the board!

Thanks to all for the many great suggestions! I’m looking forward to trying some of these recipes.

For nonfood gift item, I had fun making these ornaments last year...so easy and so rewarding....Not sure what I'll do this year...

Orange scented dark chocolate almond bark here - or macadamia nuts instead of almonds. I used to make chocolate truffles, but the bark is so much easier and faster - yummier too, IMO.

And Christmas cookies, of course 😊

Annie, those are so pretty! How did you make them? I looked for an online tutorial but couln’t find anything that looks as nice.

SeattleMCM, I love bizcochitos. If you find a good recipe, please post it.

Beaded ornaments:

@Lars, my DSIL loves chiles and has just started growing his own. Where can I buy the seeds for Chocolate Habenero Chiles? I think that would be a perfect stocking stuffer for him, along with your sauce recipe.

bbstx: This shop at NMSU benefits the students, and they do good research too. I do see some chocolate seeds listed: Chili Pepper Institute.

FWIW, I like the quality of Tomato Growers Supply Co.. They have a very good selection of hot peppers. They sell a brown habanero, but do not call it 'chocolate'...

https://tomatogrowers.com/collections/peppers-hot-peppers

As we all know, chiles come in many varying degrees of spice. I've grown a habanero lookalike that's not hot, called Aji Dulce - it has the same fruity flavor, but is mild, so you can use a lot more of them in a dish.

https://tomatogrowers.com/search?type=product&q=aji+dulce

@talaveran, the only chocolate I saw was a brown bell pepper. Did I miss it?

Thanks, Carol. Knowing nothing about ”chocolate habaneros,” I’m hoping @Lars will wade in and tell me if the “chocolate” refers to color or flavor.

bbstx: Doesn't look like it's there - no - sorry, I just skimmed. You could call them - they could advise you.

Thanks, talaveran. If Lars doesn’t chime in, I’ll give them a call. If the chocolate habaneros prove too elusive, NMSU had some others that looked interesting. I like supporting student run programs!

I've grown 'chocolate' habaneros and sweet peppers too - it refers to the color, since peppers are never gonna taste like chocolate, IMO.

Funny tho, apparently there are now a number of chocolates flavored with chili peppers. Ann Reardon's latest video did taste tests of a number of them. She also explains how spicy peppers taste hot to our tongues.

Apologies for the hijacking, but OTOH, this could be a gift idea...

I buy the seeds from Baker Seeds, and their seeds are very good at sprouting. If all else fails, I can mail you some seeds, but they would not be quite a fresh as what you can buy.

You don't get many seeds from one packet from Baker, and so you might want to buy a couple.

This is a very good seed company and has gotten good reviews from the hot pepper forum.

Chocolate Habanero chilies have a very distinctive (and to me unique) smoky, earthy flavor that a lot of people love, including me. They are hotter than regular Habanero, and so they have to be handled with care. If you buy them, make sure you send the link to my recipe, as it contains some warnings.

If he is in Houston, he should start sprouting them in January or February, as it will take a couple of months before they will be ready to put outdoors, and they will need six to eight months outdoors without frost to make chilies. I think that can be done easily enough in Houston. They need heat but not light to sprout, and then they need light to grow properly. The seeds are cheap enough to experiment with.

Be sure to read the reviews of these seeds.

Carolb, I make habanero truffles every year. I think habanero pairs particularly well will chocolate, and I usually add only enough to get the flavor of the habanero but only mild to moderate heat (it varies from year to year because the peppers vary in heat).

Thanks, Lars. The seeds are ordered. Got 2 packages, just in case.

4Kids, would your husband part with his pumpkin bread recipe?

I make chocolate peppermint biscotti, as well as caramel corn with peanuts, cashews, and drizzled with both white and milk chocolate. Both are crowd pleasers every year.

I’ve been wanting to try this … besides sounding delicious, it’s so unique and different:

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pickled-garlicky-spaghetti-squash