Happy, Happy 2018!

 

After Christmas, I usually post about the gifts we made and sometimes the homemade ones we received.  About five or so years ago, my side of the family decided that we had too much stuff and from that point forward only homemade items would be given at Christmas.   (My mom veers off a bit from the decree but her gifts are always well thought out and appreciated!  🙂 )

I recently found “In My Kitchen” (via Mae’s Food Blog) so I am linking up today and sharing our bounty. Today’s post has a dual purpose:  to show some items we made for gifts and some items received  as well as my inaugural “In My Kitchen” post.

First of all, The Hubs made the most fabulous garden trugs for me, Mom and Sis.   Mine was the prototype but I love it.   I cannot wait to use it this summer to harvest.  (If you want to make one for yourself, the plans can be found here.)

We gave out lots of jams, jellies, hot sauce and pickled jalapenos.  The jalapenos were a special request from my sister.  We harvested TONS this past summer.  She hardly got any.  I also made some perfume and green tea skin toner for gifts. (It’s amazing what one can do with vodka!)  And, I’m venturing off into making jewelry and created some bracelets for Mom and Sis this year.

We received some delicious homemade preserves from both Mom and Sis including homemade ketchup, pear chutney, seedless raspberry jelly, mock pineapple (made from zucchini), salsa, harissa, malt vinegar and chive vinegar.   (That harissa that my sister makes is the best—especially on smoked pork loin.)

Mom also made us some chocolate peanut clusters and a Kansas City spice rub.   I hope it warms up soon so we could grill and try it out.

Sis also got me the Lodge Cast Iron Nation Cookbook.  (OK, this was actually a birthday present but I didn’t get it until the Christmas holidays.)

The recipes in it are regionally classified.  The desserts sound fantastic (White Chocolate Strawberry Biscuit Pudding, Apple-Pecan Clafoutis).  The most interesting dish has to be Hay-Roasted Chicken.  I can’t wait to use it.

Mom had found a partial set (Volumes 1-3) of The Kitchen Grimoire at a garage sale or estate sale. (Going is one of her favorite hobbies.)  I received Volume I for Christmas.   She kept II and gave Sis Volume III.

These are expansive books and are quite interesting.  I don’t know a lot about the author but she must have been a recipe collector.   My copy contains a bit about astrology, beverages (with lots of homemade wine recipes), condiments, preserves (I can’t wait to delve into that section), salads, soups, sandwiches, breads, and barbecue.   I think we should swap volumes next Christmas after we mark up our favorites.   What do you think?

Mom also gave us many seeds, harvested from her garden, everything from pollinator friendly flowers to vegetables.  She packaged up seeds for deep yellow and pink shaggy zinnias, Amish cockscomb, red amaranths, cleomes, Japanese climbing cucumbers and many heirloom tomatoes.   I can’t wait to get these started.

Both of my grandmothers crocheted and I never learned from them.  My sister did, however, and made me the coolest water bottle carrier (after a not so subtle hint of what I wanted for Christmas).

Since she brought her supplies, she also whipped up some pot holders while she was here.

I wish I had listened to my grandmothers and learned how to do this.

Finally, Mom got me this for my recent birthday but it wasn’t until the holidays that we broke it out to use it.

The sheath is on this ulu knife for good reason.   I was chopping peppers (without the bowl) and cut myself almost immediately.  Thinking that it would be safer with the bowl, I later asked The Hubs to chop onions and peppers for a chili we were making.   He sliced his finger pretty badly.  🙁   I still love this knife and bowl but might use kevlar gloves the next time I use it.  🙂

 

 

What cool kitchen things did you receive (or give) this holiday season?

 

 

For more information on “In My Kitchen,” click here.

If you’re interested to see other gifts we have made, here’s what was wrapped up in 2016.