Make crowd-pleasing appetizers from just 3 ingredients

with this easy recipe from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

When I stumbled upon this idea on Pintrest, I had one of those “why didn’t I think of that” moments. I, lover of all things cheesy and fried, should have been making these for years. Just think of the time I’ve wasted!

I’ve added my own little twist, using hot pepper jelly (zapped in the microwave to liquefy) as a dip, but the dip can be whatever you want it to be. Try warm marinara sauce, wasabi mustard, fig jam, or duck sauce.

And yes, you could bake them instead, but what’s the fun in that.

1. Lightly moisten the edges of 1 egg roll wrapper. Place 1 piece of string cheese near bottom corner of wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel until ready to use). Fold bottom corner over cheese. Roll up half way; fold sides toward center over cheese. Roll up tightly to seal, making sure the moistened edges adhere. Repeat with remaining wrappers and cheese.

2. In an electric skillet, heat 1/2″ of oil to 375 degrees. Fry sticks, a few at a time, for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

We’ll soon be moving our headquarters to beautiful central Virginia. We’ll be smack dab in the middle of two of our favorites… wine country and horse country. To celebrate, we’ll be developing a line of gift baskets for horse lovers. Here’s our first installment. Click here for details.  Stay tuned! More to come! 

Make party favors in a snap with this super simple idea from

Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

You’ve gotta love those dollar stores! If you’ve never been to one, consider yourself warned. You will come out of there with all kinds of stuff you never dreamed you needed. (And probably don’t.) Why? Because it only costs $1.00!

For example, I bought several packets of these adorable mini Chinese take-out boxes. Eight boxes, with handles, for $1.00! I’ve found all kinds of uses for them. This weekend they’ll make great little take-home treats for Mother’s Day party guests.

Here’s all you do. Make (or buy) mini cupcakes. Stuff boxes with a little paper shred, tuck in a cupcake, close the lid, and tie up with pretty ribbon. You could also add little name tags and use them for place cards. Dang! Now I wish I’d bought a bajillion more of those little boxes…

Our “Coffee & Cookies for Mom” gift basket has been very popular this year. Click here for details.

Make brownies that are as beautiful as they are delicious with

this fun recipe from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

Rich, fudgy, brownie batter swirled with a scrumptious cream cheese mixture results in little edible works of art!

INGREDIENTS

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Mixture:

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sugar

1 large egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang that extends above the pan on 2 sides.

2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

4. Make the cream cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg until blended.

5. Pour all but about ½ cup of the brownie mixture in the prepared pan. Smooth top with a spatula. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over it and gently spread it to the edges of the pan to create an even layer. Dollop the remaining chocolate batter on top and swirl with a knife to create marbling. (Be careful not to overmix. What you see is what you’ll get when it bakes.)

6. Bake the brownies in the bottom third of the oven until they are just set in the center, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift the foil by the ends onto a cutting board. Remove foil and cut into squares.

Our new “Desktop Picnic” makes a great little pick-me-up for anyone who spends their days sitting at a computer.

Click here for details!

Turn pantry staples into tasty appetizers with this easy recipe 

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

This one’s a no-brainer, but worth remembering for when unexpected guests drop in and you’re clambering around for something to serve with drinks. If you’re like me, you nearly always have a jar of red sauce in the pantry. If you happen to have some fresh basil leaves, they make a lovely garnish.

Cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over toasted or grilled baguette slices. Brush slices lightly with olive oil. Top each slice with a dollop of chunky jarred marinara sauce and a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella. Bake at 450 degrees for a minute or two, just until the cheese begins to melt. Sprinkle with oregano and serve warm.

We just finished designing this “Cocktails & Cuppas” gift basket featuring supplies for teatime and supplies for cocktail hour. Click here to check it out!

Make a sweet treat in no time with this quick bread recipe

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

Leave it to me to take a perfectly rich, moist, delicious quick bread and pile on a few more calories. Needless to say, this loaf cake is divine unfrosted, but if you like gilding the lily, top it with a layer of cream cheese frosting and a sprinkling of toasted coconut.

I like to make mini loaves and hand them out as favors to my dinner guests. If you bake this batter in mini loaf pans, reduce the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cups flour

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

¾ cup sweetened coconut

1/3 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 teaspoon each baking powder and salt

½ teaspoon each baking soda, cinnamon, & nutmeg

2 large eggs

½ cup melted butter, cooled

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

1 cup mashed, ripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, pecans, coconut, oatmeal, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, sour cream, vanilla and zest. Stir in the mashed bananas. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool 30 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

4. Frost with Cream Cheese Icing (click here for the recipe) and top with a sprinkling of lightly toasted coconut.

Everyone loves our dark chocolate-dipped goji berries, featured below in the very affordable “Red & Black Snack Attack” gift basket. Click here for details!

Whip up party favors for all your Easter guests with this special recipe

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

 SANDY CEREAL JUMBLES

These cookies have a sandy texture kind of like Keebler’s Pecan Sandies, but with chewy bits of cereal, almonds and coconut mixed in. I was trying to recreate a cookie made with corn flakes that I remember having when I was a kid, but got carried away and ended up with this.

To make party favors, arrange cookies in small boxes (I found mine here), tie up with pretty ribbon and highlight with Easter embellishments. I actually found the little animals shown here in a Big Lots store, but craft stores like Michael’s are loaded with this sort of thing.   

INGREDIENTS

3 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 ½ cups Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds cereal

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup shredded coconut

½ cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together. Add the egg, oil and vanilla to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth.

2. Add flour mixture in increments, beating smooth after each addition. Stir in the cereal, oatmeal, coconut and almonds. Mix well.

3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet. Mash balls down gently with you fingers or a fork. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Note: This recipe makes about 8 dozen cookies. You may wish to halve the recipe or freeze some of the dough for later use. I found a swell website that will halve, double, or triple a recipe for you. You can find it here.

Trivia Question: When a recipe calls for 1 egg and you want to cut the recipe in half, how do you halve an egg?

Answer: Crack the egg into a teacup, beat with a fork, then use half of the beaten egg.

With bathing suit season just around the corner, we decided to design a basket filled with snacks on the lighter side. Click here for details on the “Healthy Hamper” shown below.

Thrill your Easter dinner hosts with this DIY Easter basket idea   

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

I have no problems with jellybeans and Peeps. There’s nothing finer than a plump, yellow Peep (gotta be yellow) dipped in hot fudge and eaten while hovering over the fondue pot. However, some occasions call for a more sophisticated approach. Here are my thoughts on how to make the perfect Easter hostess gift for grown-ups. Use it as a springboard for your own ideas.

Line a pretty basket with a crisp, new tea towel. Fill the basket with:

• Homemade Focaccia. Click here for my recipe for Rosemary-Sage Focaccia with Caramelized Onions. Again, just use this as a springboard. For the one in the photo I simply pressed out a wad of storebought pizza dough and topped it with olive oil, caramelized onions, black olives, fresh rosemary and sea salt.

• Bottle of wine. Yes, this wine was chosen solely for the fact the there are ducks on the label. However, turns out it’s a pretty good wine. It’s a 2009 Maxwell Creek Sauvignon Blanc from a small winery in the Napa Valley. It’s fruity and crisp with a long, smooth finish that pairs nicely with the focaccia. Here’s one place to find it.

• Craft store bird nest filled with malted milk robin eggs. Here’s one place to find a bird nest.

• Vintage paper mache egg container filled with individually wrapped chocolate truffles or, OK, jelly beans! Here’s one source for the containers.

• Brown speckled artificial eggs. Here’s one place to find the eggs.

Tie on a pretty ribbon, add a card and you’re good to go! Happy Easter!

The very affordable “Daisy Doozy” (below) is just one of our many Easter gift basket ideas. Click here to see them all!

Make a moist, cinnamon-y coffeecake for Easter brunch with this classic

recipe  from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

For several glorious years, I lived on a farm in Vermont overlooking Lake Champlain. Among the magical discoveries I made in “the green mountain state” was the King Arthur Flour company, located in Norwich. They sell just about everything a baker could possibly need and their recipes are carefully written, accurate and reliable. And, the results are scrumptious! Here is one of their tried and true coffeecake recipes. Don’t be put off by the length of this recipe. It’s very easy. It’s just that they explain things really, really well.

INGREDIENTS

Streusel topping

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)

1-1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, light or dark

1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Cake

3/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt (1-¼ teaspoons if you use unsalted butter)

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1-1/4 cups milk (anything from skim to whole)

3-3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS

Administrative Professional’s Day is April 25. You can’t go wrong with our elegant wreath, tea, and sweets gift basket. Click here for details.

Whip up colorful, double-chocolate cookies in a heartbeat with this surprisingly easy recipe 

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!

How did she do it? How did she get all those sprinkles arranged in a perfect circle? My photo is intentionally deceiving. None of the sprinkles in the little bowl ever touched these cookies. The secret is Cocoa Mill’s milk chocolate nonpareils, which I placed in the center of each cookie before baking.

One of the perks of having a gift basket business is the samples of goodies that we receive from candy and snack vendors. Whether you make the cookies or not, I suggest you check out Cocoa Mill. Everything we tasted was divine!

INGREDIENTS

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup flour

18 to 20 (1-inch) chocolate nonpareils

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla with an electric mixer until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cocoa, then the flour.

2. Form dough into walnut-sized balls and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet(s), spacing them about 2 inches apart. Place a nonpareil in the center of each ball and press down gently.

3. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Check out our newest St. Patrick’s Day gift basket, “Greenie Appletini.”

Click here for details!

Give classic American comfort food an Indian twist with this fun recipe

from Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets

This dish was inspired by a Sloppy Joe recipe developed by Indian chef, Aarti Sequeira. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list. This is actually a very simple dish to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoonpaprika

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

For the Pie:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

¼ cup each raisins and shelled pistachios

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 serrano chile pepper (keep it whole unless you want a super spicy dish!)

1 pound ground beef

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup half-and-half

Small handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

2 to 3 cups mashed potatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chile pepper and cook about 1 minute. Add the garam masala and paprika and cook 30 seconds more. Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the raisins and pistachios and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raisins swell up and the pistachios toast slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the cumin seeds and let sizzle about 10 seconds, then add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chile pepper and cook 2 more minutes, seasoning with salt. Add the ground beef, breaking up the big lumps, and cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the prepared sauce to the beef-and-onion mixture in the skillet and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove the whole chile pepper and stir in the honey, half-and-half, raisins, pistachios and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings. Divide the mixture among 4 to 6 ramekins and top each with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

A bonsai tree in a gift basket? Why not! It’s the perfect gift for that know-it-all who has everything! Click here for details.