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Italian Feast Gift Basket

November 30, 2011 By Jeanne Leave a Comment

This is a gift I have been wanting to put together for probably ten years. Now that I found the time and opportunity to do it, it was so amazingly easy! Most likely because I have spent so much time thinking about it, all the problems have been worked out. And also because I have the tomatoes all canned, the pesto all made and in the freezer, and the big plus - I harvested a nice big crop of oregano this year. You can make your Italian Feast Baskets as easy or as complicated as you want; you can … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Christmas & Holiday, Condiments & Flavorings, Featured, Food & Drink, Herb & Spice Mixes, Holidays Tagged With: basket, canning, christmas, food, gift, holiday, homemade, labels, Occasions, recipe

Biscotti & DIY Gift Bag

June 30, 2011 By Jeanne 3 Comments

Biscotti means ‘twice baked’. They are a very old type of baked goods; probably among the oldest, because the way they are made make them excellent for keeping for long periods of time. Originally made without sweetening, they were crackers or hardtack, designed for long journeys. With sugar added, they become a crunchy sweet treat, and with other good things added like nuts and cocoa, they become a very special creation worthy of gift-giving. Use these biscotti for hostess gifts or anytime gifts, … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Christmas & Holiday, D.I.Y. Ideas, Featured, Food & Drink, Holidays, Unique Packaging Ideas Tagged With: chocolate, cookies, craft, dessert, food, gift, holiday, homemade, Occasions, recipe, tutorial

Sourdough Starter

June 6, 2011 By Lindsay 2 Comments

If you are looking for a thoughtful gift to give a friend who is fond of baking, you may want to consider preparing a culture of sourdough. Sourdough, or wild yeast, has been used for thousands of years to leaven bread (long before packages of commercial yeast were readily available in supermarkets), and can take anywhere from one to three weeks to prepare. You can use a sourdough starter to make all sorts of breads. In fact, anything that can be leavened with commercial yeast will also have the … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Featured, Food & Drink, Holidays, Mother's Day Tagged With: food, gift, homemade, labels, Occasions, recipe

Simple Gifts: Baguette Toasts

April 20, 2011 By Jeanne Leave a Comment

This is a ‘next morning’ technique to transform something from a compost-bound discard, into an savory, crunchy, wonderful treat. Use up what’s left of a baguette after a dinner party to make these toasts, and serve them at your next gathering or bring a packet of toasts as a special homemade treat. They are easy as can be to make. And they are so good that there have been times I have not waited for leftover bread, but made a special trip to the store to buy a baguette and sliced it up fresh … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Featured, Food & Drink, More Ideas, Simple Gifts Tagged With: food, gift, homemade, labels, Occasions, recipe

A Gluten Free Pantry

March 25, 2011 By Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

We're excited to welcome our very first guest blogger to My Own Ideas! Teresa Beyer, lives here in Portland, Oregon. She is 22 years old and a recent graduate from the University of Portland. She now works as a registered nurse and has plans to enter the US Army as a trauma nurse later this year. In the mean time, she is cooking, crafting, volunteering at the Red Cross and other various activities that she missed out on during nursing school. She also writes her own blog called Sweetpea where she … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Featured, Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, More Ideas Tagged With: baking, food, gluten-free, homemade, labels, Occasions, recipe

Guinness Beer Bread

March 16, 2011 By James Leave a Comment

Well faith and begorrah it's almost St. Patrick's day! That means one thing for me and my buddies - Guiness. And who knew there were so many ways to enjoy this great Irish tradition. I came across this recipe here and it looked so delicious I had to try it. Let me tell you, they say soda bread is Irish, but nothing is more Irish and more delicious to me than Guiness beer bread. Ingredients: • 3 cups self-rising flour* • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1/3 cup molasses • A pinch of salt (roughly … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Featured, Food & Drink, Holidays, St. Patrick's Day Tagged With: beer labels, beverage, food, gift, guiness, holiday, homemade, labels, Occasions, recipe, st. patrick's day

Cilantro Fettucine

December 17, 2010 By Jeanne Leave a Comment

If you've ever been to Italy you know the magic of freshly made pasta, the foundation of Italian cuisine. This traditional Fettucine recipe breaks from convention with the addition of cilantro, which evokes the flavors of Latin America and goes well with anything from Italian marinara to salsa fresca. Our production manager, Alan K., gave this fettucine as a holiday gift and received the tough-to-get family seal of approval. Introduce old world Italy to its new Latin partner, turn on some Rosemary … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Christmas & Holiday, Featured, Food & Drink, Holidays, Occasions Tagged With: food, gift, holiday, homemade, Occasions, recipe

Homemade Pumpkin Loaf

November 15, 2010 By Lindsay 6 Comments

Like most people, I purchase small pumpkins every October from local grocery stores or Farmer's Markets. However, instead of carving them up and using them for Halloween decorations, I wait until the first of November to roast them in the oven for homemade pumpkin puree. Because of this tradition, I usually have enough puree to bake all of the pies I need for Thanksgiving and Christmas, with enough left over to experiment around with other pumpkin-inspired baked goods. Needless to say, I've tried … [read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breads, Crackers & Pasta, Christmas & Holiday, Featured, Food & Drink, Holidays, Thanksgiving Tagged With: dessert, fall, food, gift, holiday, homemade, Occasions, packaging, pumpkin, recipe