Christmas is .... food.

Our last guest post today is my dear partner in crime from our Cal Poly days, Blake.

The stories I can tell you about our college adventures are many, entertaining and dear to me.

She is a gifted textile designer, dedicated mama, gardener extraordinaire and whiz in the kitchen.

When I go to San Francisco for our visits,she always spoils me with her culinary concoctions. 

Hi friends! It's Blake from Salt, Teak and Fog and I'm thrilled to be with you today, since Miss Nancy is so dear to me and this sweet blog is where I keep tabs on her adorable family from 400 miles away. Thank you, Internets :)

So, I'm here to talk about one of my favorite things about Christmas... FOOD! Not to state the obvious, but there's so much good stuff at this time of year: cookies, special dinners, party food, cocktails... more cookies. The cooking, the baking, the eating. Delicious rituals.

My favorite way to work food into Christmas is to give, give, give. I'm talking edible gifts! They're thoughtful, rarely go to waste and, best of all, are homemade (no trip to the mall, hooray).

I'd love to tell you about my current 

Top 5 Edible/Drinkable Christmas Gifts!

Hungry?

1. Christmas Granola

Last year, my then-boss gave me a big mason jar of cinnamon-y, cranberry-spiked granola for Christmas. It was beautiful, thoughtful (she knows I'm a fan)... but the best part was a post-Christmas string of easy, delicious breakfasts for myself and my little one. I was thanking her every morning.

This will make a big batch of fragrant, nutty granola, which will fill a few quart-size jars. It's based on this Smitten Kitchen recipe. If you don't have the coconut oil (though I really recommend it, it's amazing!), you can use olive oil.

RECIPE

6 c. old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 c. virgin coconut oil, melted until pourable 

(make sure it's the fragrant virgin oil, not the unscented refined stuff)

2/3 c. sliced almonds

1 c. walnuts, roughly chopped if desired

2/3 c. green (hulled) pumpkin seeds

1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar

1/2 c. honey

Generous sprinkling of cinnamon

Big pinch of sea salt

1 c. dried cranberries (or fruit of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350˚F, with rack in upper position. Line two half-sheet trays with foil or parchment. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except fruit and divide between two trays. Bake in heated oven, checking and stirring after 15 minutes, then every 5 minutes until done: golden and toasted. It's easy to burn the granola, so keep an eye out. Mine usually take 25 minutes total. Transfer trays to cooling racks.

When cool, pack the goods for giving: stir dried fruit into granola and scoop into mason jars. Stores best in the freezer (so the fruit doesn't make the oats lose their crunch--really works!).

Make the jars giftable with fabric, ribbons, ornaments. Print the recipe on the tag to help the recipient keep the deliciousness coming!

2. Limoncello, baby!

The first time I had limoncello, it was in Italy, naturally. Rome, I think? (Rough, I know.) Following a big meal of incredible pasta, the waiter came around with a bottle of frozen-looking yellow mystery hooch and, not wanting to be rude, we bravely accepted. When in Rome. Well... Delicious! Lemon-y! Refreshing! Potent!! Hoo-boy, heavy meal... what heavy meal. Those tiny glasses of citrus-y goodness were the perfect closer to a great evening.

Some years after that trip, my husband and I decided to make a dozen or so bottles for holiday giving. Wee sips of delicious, potent hooch, shared with a table-ful of stuffed friends? That's festive in my book.

INFO & RECIPE HERE

(The recipe will say that you need months for steeping. I say just go for it; your limoncello will taste great even with just a couple of weeks of infusing.)

3. Mama's Madeleines

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I like to give edible gifts that I feel a connection to. Yes, madeleines aren't as completely Christmas-y as, say, gingerbread, but there's no denying that 1) they're simply delicious with a quiet cup of tea (who doesn't need that right now?) and 2) most everyone loves them. For me, they remind me of my mom's baking. She used to send me care packages in college, chocked full of homemade madeleines. They've always been my favorite, no matter what season.

So, if you have someone on your gift list who's a fan of these little cake-y beauties, give a tin of madeleines. I think they're just perfect.

My current favorite RECIPE HERE.

4. Honey Espresso Caramels

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A bagful of go-go caramels is the perfect gift for your mailcarrier or UPS driver (who works harder right now??). Each little bite is twisted up in parchment, just like old-timey candies. Plus, hello: they're spiked with espresso. Maybe we all deserve a bag?

Heidi's awesome RECIPE HERE.

5. Linzer Love

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And, finally. A cookie. An amazing cookie! I think that if you're going to bake just one cookie this season (which might very well be my case!), the Linzer Cookie is hard to top. A hazelnut-filled dough, raspberry preserves, pretty peek-a-boo looks. It's the whole package.

A few years ago, I became a Linzer lover. I baked a whole, lattice-topped Linzer tart for my husband's near-Christmas birthday. And I'm not really a big baker. It was the most laborious baking I've ever done. But, let me tell you, every year since, I drop heavy-handed hints about how he can totally request a Linzer tart again. Just say the word, I'll bake one! It was that good.

So, until Tart Part Deux, I think I'll stick with the smaller, easier, cookie-shaped cousins. And I'll give them away for Christmas. Well, most of them.

RECIPE HERE.

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How is that for some inspiration to get in your kitchen and make some home-made goodies?
Mama's Madeleines are finger-licking-good. Blake's Mama blessed me with those for so many years.
Thanks, Blake.
xoxo

Don't forget to enter into Heather's Christmas Card giveaway.
If you missed some of the giveaways or guest bloggers. Go here for the Cliff Notes version.
Friday, the grand finale link up will be here.
Get ready to share. It will be your turn.