Head to the kitchen to create the best gifts of all

 

A homemade pizza making kit includes two sauces and frozen dough, too.

When I was little, my mom always had a gift closet. Down­stairs in the spare bedroom was the tall dark wood-paneled cabi­net with shiny brass knobs that she’d open up to reveal little boxed treasures she’d picked up in her travels and tucked away, just in case she had the need for a last-minute gift. I always thought it was such a great idea, having a gift closet.

As for me, I’d need a gift freezer, being the baker that I am. I’d fill it with freshly baked loaves of breakfast braids, bag­gies of pizza dough, homemade pesto cubes and cookie-making components to compile into do-­it- yourself gourmet gifts to give to friends and family on my Christmas list.

It’s always nice to have a plan for breakfast, especially if you’ve got guests staying with you. But with all the hubbub of the holi­days, it’s a challenge to think up new and different things to make. Who wouldn’t appreciate a freshly baked breakfast braid, with diced honey ham and cheese woven into the softest of bread doughs, to pop in the oven and serve to house guests visit­ing this time of year?

Busy families might enjoy an at-home pizza party waiting to happen thanks to the pizza-mak­ing kit, complete with ready to bake pizza dough, homemade pesto sauce and roasted tomato marinara sauce. Tuck in a pack­age of fresh mozzarella, and let the pizza-making begin.

And we can’t forget Jolly Old Saint Nick, now can we? Whip up some cookie dough and stash it in the freezer to give to the cookie-baking friends or families with small children on your list.

Already formed into a log, it’s as easy as slicing and baking with minimal cleanup. Heck, let the kids bake for Santa this year.

May your holidays be merry and bright and your freezer filled with gourmet gifts to give.

Happy baking!

BREAKFAST BRAID

 1 cup warm water

 1 tbsp. sugar

 1 tbsp. yeast

 5 cups flour

 ½ tsp. salt

 2 tbsp. butter

 1¼ cups milk

 2 tbsp. butter, melted

 1 cup diced honey ham

 1 cup cheddar cheese

In a large mixing bowl, com­bine warm water and sugar, stir­ring to combine. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir to dissolve. Allow yeast to rise and get puffy. Add flour and salt to yeast.

In microwave, heat butter and milk until butter melts. Add melt­ed butter and milk to mixture and stir until combined and dough forms a ball.

Add a bit more flour if dough is too sticky or a bit more warm water if dough is too dry. Knead dough for five minutes. On a lightly floured board, roll out dough to 9-by-21-inch rectangle.

Brush dough with melted but­ter. Sprinkle ham and then cheese over dough. Cut dough into three equal rectangles, each about 3 inches by 7 inches.

Take one rectangle at a time and bring edges together, press­ing to seal. Repeat for other two rectangles. You now should have three long dough ropes.

Braid the three ropes together and place on greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Bread can be cooled, wrapped tightly in foil and frozen for gift giving at this point.

Slice and serve hot out of the oven. Or, wrap in foil and reheat briefly in 350° oven.

 

SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES FOR SANTA

 ¾ cup butter, softened

 1 cup sugar

 2 eggs

 1 tsp. almond extract

 3¼ cups flour

 1 tsp. baking powder

 ½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375°.

Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until well mixed. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add almond extract.

Stir together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture, mix­ing just until combined.

Gather dough into a ball on a lightly floured board and cut dough in half. Form each half into long logs, about 15 inches long. Flatten sides of each dough log to make triangular shaped logs.

Freeze for 30 minutes or until ready to bake.

At this point, you can wrap tightly in plastic wrap for gift giv­ing later.

Remove from freezer.

Roll dough logs in green sprin­kles to coat outside. Slice into ½­inch cookies and bake in pre­heated oven for about six min­utes until lightly browned on the edges.

Makes two logs of cookie dough, yielding two dozen cook­ies each.

PIZZA-MAKING KIT

 

Pizza dough for two crusts:

 2 cups warm water

 1 tsp. honey

 2 tbsp. yeast

 5 cups flour

 ½ tsp. salt

 ½ cup olive oil

Stir together warm water and honey to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast on top of water and stir to com­bine. Let yeast proof, or rise and get foamy.

In large mixing bowl, add flour, salt and olive oil. Stir to combine. Add yeast mixture and work into ball.

If dough is too dry, add a bit more warm water. If dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about five minutes.

Coat mixing bowl with olive oil and place dough back into bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until dou­bled in size, about 20 to 30 min­utes.

Divide dough in half. Wrap tightly in plastic or in a Ziploc bag and freeze until ready to use or give as a gift.

Make the pesto.

HOMEMADE PESTO SAUCE

 4 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves, stems removed

 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

 2 cloves garlic minced

 ½ cup walnuts (or pine nuts, if desired)

 1 cup olive oil (plus 2 tbsp.)

 Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until basil is finely chopped and ingredients are mixed.

You will have a thick paste texture when finished. Add addi­tional olive oil, if necessary.

Transfer pesto mixture to two small jars, leaving ½ inch of room at top of jar.

Pour about 1 tbsp. olive oil on top of pesto in each jar.

Cover with lids and store in refrigerator until ready to use (or gift). Makes two pint jars of pesto.

ROASTED TOMATO MARINARA SAUCE

 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

 2 cloves garlic, chopped

 1 tsp. dried basil

 1 tsp. dried oregano

 1 tbsp. olive oil

 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil

 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°.

Brush baking pan with olive oil. Spread diced tomatoes and garlic on pan and roast in pre­heated oven for 30 minutes, stir­ring if necessary.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine remain­ing ingredients and simmer while tomatoes are roasting.

Add roasted tomatoes when they are lightly browned and stir to combine.

Divide into two quart jars.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (or gift).

To assemble pizzas: Remove pizza dough from freezer and let thaw for about 30 minutes before assembling.

Roll pizza dough out on lightly floured surface.

Spread dough with a light layer of marinara or pesto sauce or try half on one side and half on the other.

Customize your pizza with your favorite toppings.

We had shrimp on hand, so I lightly sauteed them and added artichoke hearts, too.

Top with sliced fresh moz­zarella or grated mozzarella and bake in 450° oven for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Sydne George is a freelance writer specializing in recipe devel­opment, food writing and food photography.