It's rather like any other birthday, a successful gift is one that shows knowledge of the recipient. As one who would prefer a certificate to a bookstore (any bookstore) and has so informed family, I think sometimes the unexpected can make a great gift: A little lemon tree already in pot and looking for love. The Meyer dwarf is the best known, and extremely tolerant of homes that might be difficult for other plants. I lived with one for several years -- and here it is forty years later and I still remember it and the giver. (Only several years because it didn't survive being beside a storm-broken window during a blizzard.)

I cook the sausage in a very old, very seasoned cast iron skillet, using a slotted potato masher to squish it down, then scrape it with a wooden flat beveled spoon - spatula. I continue doing this while it cooks over med high heat. It breaks up nicely and you can easily get it to the size crumbles you want quickly with very little clean up. This is a recipe I have cooked for years and adapted it to our ever changing tastes. It came from a magazine that adapted it from "The New Chili Cuisine" by Nancy S. Hughes. I am cooking this for dinner tonite as the rain, chill and gloom just won't seem to leave. ~* My changes (almost the entire recipe, but I do not want to take credit for the original ~ which I have included) SAUSAGE, WHITE BEAN AND PASTA CHILI 1 lb mild Italian sausages, casings removed ~* Hot Italian 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained ~* Del Monte Petite diced tomatoes w/ jalapenos ~* Onion - coarsely chopped 14 oz chicken broth ~*32 oz homemade chicken or turkey broth 4 oz chopped green chilis, rinsed & grained ~* 1/2 c(?) chopped sliced jalenpoes from jar I always have - amt - to taste so not to spicy 2 tsp paprika ~*omit 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ~* Chipotle red pepper (McCormicks) 2 T ground cumin ~* Chipotle Tabasco sauce to taste 15 oz can Cannellie beans, rinsed & drained 2/3 cup tiny pasta, cooked - makes 1 1/3 cups ~* omit often Cook sausage breaking it into small chunks until lightly brown. * Remove sausage and blot excess grease Saute the chopped onion and chopped jalapenos in the same skillet until tender. In a small dutch oven or heavy saucepan, add the tomatoes and their liquid, chicken broth, green chilis, and spices. Add the sausage & onion. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer, uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in beans & pasta ~ * I add the pasta to the individual bowls. Reheat & serve. ~ Top with fresh Parmesan. Serve with cornbread and or tortilla chips. This is very quick and easy. I hope all my changes don't intimate you. You can make this as spicy as you want - or not! It also freezes very well!

I actually use my pewter bread basket a lot. Something I have, which I also LOVE, is a special bread basket linen piece that is designed to go in and easily fold over the breads. It is embroidered and says "hot rolls" on the folds. It came from my grandmother and I just love it. It doesn't fall out like some of my heavier little towels or napkins. I'd do the bread basket, a linen for it, and put a gourmet bread mix in the basket. Another thing that might be nice, if they entertain, is a set of jam servers. I make a lot of my own home made condiments and I have a couple of those that I really like. Of course I only use them when entertaining, so they don't get much use these days . . . ymmv. Another idea is a serving tray with a nice set of cocktail forks. We used to have them and I thought cocktail forks were very passe, but now with covid, I could really get into cocktail forks, etc. One can always buy disposable ones, but I'm waxing nostalgic about the old fancy stainless or silver ones, even pewter would be ok if it was just to spear stuff . . .

I went through this last week. What a time su*k it was. I've ordered from iGourmet, SuperMarketItaly, and Eataly. Just during the initial lock-down. iGourmet twice. They are all fine but doubt i will order again. Expensive with shipping. Eataly i used an old gift card. My BIL and his wife will be visiting family in SC this week from Portland. MIL and SIL live together. Nephew and his wife with young child live within walking distance. BIL loves to cook so wanted to sent something. Last year i sent them a big box of wild caught salmon to share. Easy and pretty perfect with a newborn and not yet vax*d. iGourmet does have some gift selections with free shiping but not specific to Keto. Though gift baskets always seem be overpriced. A good selection a-la-cart. 25$ shipping for perishables. We did not care at the time since we could not get anything delivered, not even a curbside timeslot. Long lines, no masking. A hundred dollar budget would allow 2 or 3 cheeses and some salami type charcuterie. Then i had a semi-brilliant idea to send them a big selection via WholeFoods. Treats they would not normaly purchase. (they don't need a bow). : ) So, duh, i did what i sent my parents when my sister and her husband visited Thanksgiving and my brother and his family a month earlier...(we have been taking turns visiting) Misfits. Selections i know they will like. A big box of veg and another box of sweet and savory treats. A double of gulf shrimp and a double of halibut. Delivered monday. My BIL will have at least two meals to plan and enjoy making. They all have the sweet tooth gene. We don't care for panettone type stuff but my MIL will love it. Just a few of the things i selected. My SIL is not much of a cook but BIL will know what to do with fennel, celerac, watermelon and purple radish, golden beets, bok choy, etc. The other option i gave up on is searching their location for locally delivered gift baskets. I'm sure Miami has similar.