When my dear friend Rhian got married a few years ago, she didn’t want any wedding gifts. Her wedding was an intimate affair on Cape Cod, where we gathered for a simple ceremony and a laid-back reception. But I’ve known her for nearly 20 years, and I couldn’t let her wedding pass without honoring it with something special — despite her request. Before we headed north to the Cape, I went in search of a unique wedding present that she and her soon-to-be-husband would love. My one goal: to get something for the kitchen that was both functional and beautiful. Although she had no registry, I was sure that I would find just the right gift at a favorite store in a neighboring town.

Arriving at the small local store, I expected to take awhile looking all around to find just the right present. I’ve been there dozens of times, and always found things I love. But I wasn’t expecting to spot the perfect present almost as soon as I walked in. It was just meant to be, I guess, so without a moment’s hesitation I bought the gift.

When selecting a unique wedding gift, you want it to speak to you as something that the newlyweds will love. When I saw this gift, I could see them using it together in their kitchen and knew it was perfect. But you don’t need a favorite local store to find something perfect like that. In fact, the internet gives us access to shops like UncommonGoods, an online marketplace that stocks many handmade and recycled items perfect for gifting to those who love to cook and entertain. The New York City-based company has been making creative, high-quality merchandise accessible to the public everywhere for nearly 14 years.

UncommonGoods recently asked if I might share a little about their wedding gifts and in poking around the site, I fell in love with so many awesome and unique gifts. They have an amazing selection.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Gifts for Cheese Lovers

1. Agate Cheese Sets, $78 | 2. Reclaimed Slate Cheeseboard, $48 | 3. Recycled Wine Bottle Platters, $18

Gifts for Entertaining

1. Recycled Windowpane Bowl, $220 | 2. Multi-Color Erosion Bowl, $98 | 3. License Plate Platter, $64

Gifts for Sipping

1. Coffee House, $75 | 2. Tabula Glasses (set of 6), $50 | 3. Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses (set of 4), $30

Do you like to give unique wedding gifts? What’s your best tip for selecting one?

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Disclosure: I am being compensated by UncommonGoods for this post. All opinions are my own.

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The end of school for this year is almost here and it’s really hard to believe. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was freaking out about catching the school bus, and adjusting to having two kids in school? Surely it was mere days ago that I was figuring out how to pack cool lunches for Will and worrying that he had enough to fill him up at lunch. Right?

Ok, ok. We all know that was really10 months ago. It just went so fast. Where did the time go?

Now that school is ending, we like to give tokens of appreciation to the teachers and bus drivers who made a difference in my kids lives this year. And after three years of having at least one child in school, I have the whole appreciation gift thing in control. (Well, at least in better control than in years past.) Sort of.

I decided on a dual gift for the teachers — something special from my kitchen and a gift certificate.  For Teacher Appreciation Week, I’d given a few of the teachers Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Jar, so that was out (along with anything else in a jar). And I wanted it to be something a little bigger — something they could share if they wanted. Mini-loaves of bread were the perfect solution.

I went with this mouthwatering recipe for Cinnamon Zucchini Bread Mini-Loaves. They have a lighter crumb and a fabulous, rich flavor. If you’ve never had zucchini in bread before, ignore that it’s in the title and try this anyway. As long as you like cinnamon, you will love this bread. The zucchini lends a moist crumb to this bread along with speckles of green — but that’s it. So, don’t fear the zucchini, I swear.

When I was making this, I modeled this bread after my Cinnamon-alicious Zucchini Bread. But really, they are different loaves. This one is a little less sweet, but with a bigger punch of cinnamon. Try it warmed, it’s so good like that.

What’s your favorite food gift to give?

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread Mini-Loaves
yields 3 loaves

1 1/2 all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (preferably fresh)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup organic sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup grated fresh zucchini
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set 3 mini-loaf pans on a baking sheet.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the canola oil, organic sugar and light brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Stir the zucchini and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Divide the batter evenly among the three mini-loaf pans. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack.

Cover tightly and then eat within 3-5 days.

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Peppermint. Dark chocolate. White chocolate. Those flavors together just scream winter and holidays and good times. It’s hard to believe that I went so many years without tasting this delightful combination, but ever since I did, I’ve been hooked. Love it.

In the past few years, I’ve made a delicious (and easy!) Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark, created some simply irresistible Deconstructed Peppermint Bark Cookies and a decadent Chocolate Peppermint Pie. There was also a chocolate peppermint roulade, which I must have never blogged about. In any case, I wanted one more to my chocolate peppermint list: Peppermint Bark Coated Pretzels.

Oh, these are divine. They take all the goodness of regular peppermint bark and wrap it around a small, salty pretzel. A little crunch, a little sweet, a little salt … oh what a combination.

Make up a batch of these babies and give ‘em away this week. Or, maybe just eat them yourself. They are amazing.

Peppermint Bark Coated Pretzels

9 oz dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups mini pretzel twists
3 oz white chocolate
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Once it’s fully melted and smooth, stir in the peppermint extract. Then drop a few pretzels in at a time, using a skewer or fork to flip and then fish out. Set the chocolate covered pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper to harden.

Once the chocolate is hardened, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Drizzle over the pretzels and then sprinkle with the crushed peppermint. Let harden completely and then package for giving … or just devour them yourself.

The post Last Minute Holiday Treats: Peppermint Bark Coated Pretzels Recipe appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Saturday was going to be a busy day. I knew that before I went to bed on Friday. Will had a birthday party to go to. We had plans of getting a Christmas tree (which didn’t happen … who knew that tree sellers would close before 7 p.m. on a Saturday, two weeks before Christmas. Sigh.). There was cleaning to be done and organizing. But I woke up wanting scones in a bad, bad way. So I made them anyway.

The interesting thing about scones is how unbelievably easy they are to make. You sift (I use a wire whisk – it makes sifting a breeze), beat and stir a little. Then you pat it all down and slice the dough into wedges. It takes 10 minutes, max.

But I have to admit, scone dough can be a little confusing. It’s dry and crumbly in a way that can make you so uncomfortable. You can’t help but wonder if it’s really moist enough to bind together. Even as someone who has made scones in the past, I find myself wondering if it’s just not going to work this time. But the key is to trust – trust that the crumbly dough will hold together once you pat it down and cut it … and really. It will.

I used to only make drop scones – the ones in perfectly deformed mound shapes. The first scones I ever ate came in that shape, so I stuck with it. But honestly, wedge shaped ones are just easier, especially if you use a pizza cutter to slice them. And the wedge shapes are so pretty too.

And one last thing: if you think scones are dry, spit-stealing little hockey pucks, then you’ve never had a good, just-made scone. Sure, they do get that way after a few days. But freshly baked, the crunchy outside gives way to a soft, warm interior. They aren’t sweet like a muffin, instead taking on a more biscuit-like flavor that’s enhanced with the shots of sweet and tart from the mix-ins. With coffee, a scone is just divine.

See also Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins.

Honestly, I blame my slight obsession on the Meyer Lemon Scones on In Good Taste. They got me thinking about buttery, rich, soft but dense scones … and I just had to have them. Not that I regret it. I love these scones … and they are perfect for Saturday mornings, even if it’s a busy one.

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones
yields 8 scones
recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using two knives. Stir in the chocolate chips and raspberries. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the heavy cream and whisk some more until fully combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the egg mixture in. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir until just combined. It will be dry and crumbly and won’t hold together well.

Turn out the dough onto a floured cutting board. Using well-floured hands, pat the dough into an 8 inch circle, about 3/4 inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to slice into eight wedges.

If desired, brush the tops of the scones with 1 tbsp of heavy cream and sprinkle with course sugar.

Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Serve immediately. These are best eaten within two days. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

What I’m Cooking With: a large and a medium-sized metal mixing bowl, a silicone spatula from Williams-Sonoma for stirring, Circulon 11-by-17-Inch Metal Cookie Pan, a KitchenAid® Utility Whisk, a pizza cutter and parchment paper.

Psst! One more thing. Check out my latest posts at Tablespoon: How to Eat Pomegranate and Homemade Soups for Chilly Winter Days

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Here’s a few ideas:

Boxes/Tins

Use for brownies and cookies. Wrap them in parchment or place in a sealed bag before putting into the box or tin. This is best if you are giving one type of treat. (Shown: Ikea, $2.99 for a set of three)

Treat Bags

Use for cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, scones or even small loaves of bread. Some candies could also be contained in treat bags. Tie with a pretty ribbon or seal with a nice metallic sticker. These are best for holiday party favors or for packaging inside a larger basket or bag. (Shown: Michael’s, price varies)

Buckets/Baskets

Use for small cookies, chocolate covered pretzels or candies that are sealed in treat bags. Tie a ribbon around the top of the bucket. Use larger baskets for a mix of treats such as several types of cookies and confections. Buckets are best for gifting one type of treat in a smaller portion.  (Shown: Target, $1)

Ribbons

Use to dress up treat bags, baskets, buckets and cookie jars. Thin ribbons are best for treat bags, while medium to wider ribbons can be a nice touch for buckets and baskets. (Shown: Michael’s and Target, prices vary)

How do you package your holiday treats?

The post How to Package Homemade Holiday Treats appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Before it does though, I wanted to tell you about a great organization that brings a little something extra to the lives of people who are down on their luck. While it might not fill a clear-cut need, I think something that brings a smile to faces fills an absolute need of delivering a little happiness … a little feeling of being special … to people who really need it.

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Lydia Walshin of The Perfect Pantry at the BlogHer Boston conference. She is a food writer and founder of Drop In & Decorate, a Rhode Island-based, tax-exempt nonprofit organization. This organization provides support for cooking decorating events held around the country and abroad, with the cookies produced being donated. This year, the nonprofit has support from some major companies who are making it easier than ever to just drop in.

What’s it all about? Here’s the basics, direct from Lydia:

The idea behind Drop In & Decorate is simple: bake some cookies; gather a group of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, your worship group or book group to decorate the cookies together; donate the cookies to a nonprofit agency serving basic human needs in your own community. It’s a simple idea in a complicated world, and  something anyone can do.

If you’d like to host your own Drop In & Decorate® event, Pillsbury and Wilton would like to help. Pillsbury has donated 50 VIP coupons, worth $3.00 each, off any Pillsbury product — including sugar cookie mix, icing and flour — to be distributed, first come, first served, while supply lasts, to anyone who plans to host a Drop In & Decorate event (max. 5 coupons per person). And we’ll include a Comfort Grip cookie cutter, donated by Wilton, while our supply lasts.

Write to lydia AT ninecooks DOT com for more info on how to get your free coupons and cookie cutters.

It’s such a simple thing: to bake and decorate cookies. But it can mean so much. If you are looking for something charitable to do as a family, group or school this holiday season, check into Drop In & Decorate.

The post Holiday Project Idea: Drop In & Decorate appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Look at those colors. I loved the way this looked when I was measuring out ingredients, so I had to snap a picture. It was these same colors that seduced me into buying too many peppers at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago. Fresh. Tasty. Just picked.

At first, I thought I would just cut up all the peppers and use them for stir-fries and salads and maybe just snacking . . . But then I got an idea. And when I get an idea like that, I have to do it. What was it? Relish. A fresh relish for burgers.

Of course, I have never made relish before. So I consulted Preserving Summer’s Bounty for method guidance. When I bought that book, I wasn’t so enthused. At the time, I was simply looking for jams, jellies and preserves to make and can. But these days, my aspirations have expanded. And with the rising costs of food, home heating, and more, canning as much as possible this summer is simply a must.

Think I’ve lost it? Believe it or not, making relish is really easy. Just chop, mix and cook. If you use a food processor for the chopping, it’s even easier. In fact, I made a second batch of this while holding Paige. Anything that you can make one-armed is definitely easy.

Spicy Three Pepper Relish
yields 1 pint/2 half-pints

1 green pepper, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
2 banana peppers, finely diced
(peppers should total 2 cups)
1 large onion, finely diced
4-6 scallions, finely diced
(onion and scallion should total 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vinegar (I used Cider with a dash of herb)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes, stirring a few times.

To Can: Pack into hot 1/2 pint jars with 1/4 inch headspace. Cover and tighten as much as you can. Place in a hot water bath — as in a pot of boiling water — for 5 minutes. Be sure to handle hot containers with care. I use rubber tipped tongs.

Let cool before packing away in your cupboard.

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1. Organic Style: Organic Style has a variety of eco-friendly suggestions from trees to journals to chocolates. They were nice enough to let me sample their Heavenly Chocolate Trio, which were delicious (especially those almonds). But do heed the warning on the site that although the chocolates are shipped overnight, weather conditions could cause them to arrive melted, as most of mine did. My husband was home when the shipment arrived, so the meltage happened enroute. If this is a concern, avoid the perishables.
2. Soda Club: Chances are, this one won’t arrive by Father’s Day, but they will end an email letting dad know it’s coming if you order. This is totally cool — it’s an easy, counter-top make-your-own soda kit . . . perfect for the gadget-loving dad.
3. Fair Trade Coffee: Does your dad love coffee? How about some fair trade coffee and a French press. With the French press, you just add hot water and let the coffee brew and then press it. Save energy and get a tasty cup of coffee. Check out this site for a list of where you can get fair trade coffee.

The post More Eco-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Well, stop-scrambling and get buying! There are a lot of great options out there for the eco-friendly dad. Over the next three days, I will tell you about some of the coolest, Earth-conscious gifts you can find.

Today, I’m highlighting a few TLC items for the hardworking pops in your life.

1. Goatboy soaps – These all-natural soaps are made from goat’s milk in Connecticut. The small batch process all started in an attempt to help the owner’s son have a soap that didn’t irritate his ultra-sensitive skin. And they come in a variety of manly scents too. The soap is supposed to be great for dry or irritable skin (it’s working for me, so far). Available online and at some farmer’s markets in Connecticut including the Sandy Hook Village Farmer’s Market on Sunday.
2. Every Man Jack Beginner’s Luck Kit – It’s surprising how much comes in the Every Man Jack Beginner’s Luck Kit. Shave gel, face wash, face lotion, body wash, and three body bars — plus a small bag to hold it all. The scent? A fierce mint. The products are made from vegetable extracts, not chemicals and things you cannot pronounce. Each container has it’s own wacky question like “Will this make me look like a model?” and tongue in check answer “Sure — if you are one.” They also each say “Please recycle.” Take it as a good sign . . . men’s face care with a conscience. Available at Target and through the link above. See above for a photo
3. 100% Recycled Envirope Hammock – After a hard day of yard work, there is nothing more relaxing than laying in a nice hammock and reading a good book. This white hammock is 100% recycled and comes mostly from old soda bottles. Get the family size so the kids can climb on with dad too . . . You know . . . Hop on Pop. Available online.

Check back tomorrow for more gift ideas . . .

The post Eco-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts: Part 1 appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

I spent Tuesday morning doing something I despise. Ironing. A sheet. It seems that despite the expensive price of this sheet set, the manufacturer couldn’t quite make something that would come out of the dryer without deeply embedded wrinkle lines. Ugh. So, section by section, I ironed, starched and ironed again until it was all done … about an hour later. Who has time for this??

While ironing, a funny thought popped into my head: I originally wanted to name my blog something along the lines of Sarah, The Domestic Goddess. What a joke that would have been! I love to cook and all, but I am a major failure at chores. I hate cleaning (but do it), hate ironing (and rarely do), hate laundry (which my husband kindly does) and don’t like dishes (but do them anyway). My former and current coworkers can attest that I am not the best at keeping a clean desk either. But, I always know where everything is and I made a solid effort (and it’s pretty successful) to keep a clean house too. Still, I hate it.

I’ve always said that someday I would have a cleaning woman to help handle all the chores. But when it came down to it recently, I realized I don’t really want one — at least not right now. Why not? Because in order to have someone come clean, I would have to dedicate more time to clearing clutter so that they could clean. And at this point in my life, I don’t have time to add that to the agenda. Maybe later. So, perhaps someday I will get to that point. Hopefully.

In the meantime, I am up to here (picture hand at nose level) in baking and cooking for Christmas gift baskets. My husband needs three for his coworkers and I need at least three, though I have been cautiously ignoring an actual count — the plan is to get the first four done (three for him, one for me) and then evaluate how many more need to be made.

The first order of business? Biscotti. For those who aren’t sure, biscotti is a traditional Italian cookie that is baked twice — once as one big piece and a second time as individual slices to dry them out. It is fantastic served with coffee. Apparently, biscotti means “twice baked” or something close to it in Italian. And it’s plural. A single piece of biscotti is a biscotto. Interesting stuff.

Anyway, my inaugural batch of biscotti was crafted last December when making gift baskets. I don’t know what possessed me to try it, but it turned out to be a super easy and impressive looking basket filler. It does take some time, at least cooking time, but it’s totally worth it.

First up for this year’s baskets: Chocolate Chip Biscotti, which I think will really appeal to Shawn’s coworkers. He already gave it his seal of approval (stealing several pieces . . . “But they were the ends!” he insisted).

Chocolate Chip Biscotti
yields 24 cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 baking powder
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, whisk together water, vanilla extract, egg and egg white. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Stir together until all the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will be crumbly.

Carefully turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until a solid dough forms. Form the dough into a 16 inch log.

Place the log onto the baking sheet and flatten out to about one inch thick. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti loaf to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer back to the baking sheet, cut sides down. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 10 minutes on each side.

Place biscotti on the wire rack and let cool – they will harden as they cool.

The post Homemade Gifts: Chocolate Chip Biscotti appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.