Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you have been invited to enjoy a feast at someone else’s house, you may want to bring a host gift. Anytime you are invited to dine at someone’s home, it is a great idea to bring a gift. Why not put together a gift basket with wine, cheese, crackers and homemade strawberry jam? It’s a nice touch to add something homemade. Strawberry jam is so easy to make. This gift can be opened and enjoyed right there as an appetizer. You could also put some fresh bread and biscuits into the basket for the host to enjoy for breakfast. Here is a recipe that will fill a beautiful jar of strawberry jam as a gift and still leave a little for your refrigerator as well.

Strawberry jam:

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

2 ¾ C. sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp pectin (I have included a You Tube video with a pectin free recipe)

Mash the strawberries with a potato masher. Pour the strawberries into a pot on high heat. Add the sugar, pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook as it boils, stirring constantly, for ten minutes. Skim off the foam. Turn off the heat. Pour into jars. This will last for three weeks in the refrigerator.

You may also enjoy:

·         Homemade peanut butter

·         Homemade pizza

·         Homemade everything

1. Whip your cream in a big mixing bowl. For those of you not sure about when it is whipped, generally it is when you can make little peaks by pulling the whip out of the cream.
2. Squeeze approximately 2 large lemons or until you have half a cup of lemon juice.
3. In a separate bowl from the cream, empty the can of condensed milk and add the lemon juice. Mix this in well. You will see it separates slightly so as soon as it is done grab your cream.
4. Fold the condensed milk mixture into the cream and if you can’t resist, now is a good time to have a taste!

For the biscuit base, follow the steps below:

1. Put about 10-20 biscuits (depending on how much base you like) in a freezer bag and tie it up.
2. Smack the bagon the counter until the biscuits magically turn into crumbs!

Then add it all together like so:

1. To make the base, take a pie dish (or something similar) and add the crumbs to the base. Spread it evenly and if there are some bigger lumps still left, it adds a bit of chunk so no worries.
2. Spoon the cream/mixture in and level it off. With the back of the spoon spread it to the edges.
3. As a final step sprinkle any left-over crumbs over the top.
4. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours to allow to set.

Please note that it does not set solidly, but is oh so yummy. Also remember that you don’t have to add so much lemon if you don’t like lemon, but it thins it out a little and gives it a tang. I’m not a lemon fan either. Enjoy!

Now, it has become a favorite with children everywhere. It’s great in a sandwich, on celery, and in cookies. There are so many different brands of peanut butter available at the grocery story. Many have added sugars and preservatives. If you are trying to guide your family toward a more natural diet, stick to the peanut butter with very few ingredients, like peanuts, oil and salt. However, if you want to take it one step further, make homemade peanut butter. It is simple and tastes better than the store bought brands. Besides, you will know exactly what is in it. For more homemade recipes please visit my blog.

Homemade peanut butter:

(1 C. peanuts = ½ C. peanut butter; so, adjust accordingly)

1 C. unsalted, dry roasted peanuts, shelled

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 ½ tsp. honey/brown sugar

1 Tbsp canola/peanut oil

Pour the peanuts into a food processor. Blend well. Add salt and sugar or honey. Blend again. Pour in the oil and blend again. It should be creamy and delicious. Pour into a jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Enjoy!

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Crisp rice balls

Prep time: 45minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes; makes: 6 servings.

1 cup uncooked rice; 2 cups water; 6tabsp parmesan cheese or any processed cheese; 2 eggs; 1 cup breadcrumbs; 1 cup orange juice; salt and pepper ; ½  cup shredded cooked chicken, ham or salami; 12sprigs of  pudina; Oil  for frying; 2tbsp cream

1. Bring pan of water to a boil and cook and cook rice until just tender. Drain excess water. Rinse rice and spread it out on a plate.
2. Stir cheese, lightly beaten eggs, half the orange juice, salt and pepper into rice.
3. Mould mixture into a ball, forming a hollow in centre.
4. Fill the hollow with shredded chicken and close ball…Repeat to make 12.
5. Gently roll balls in breadcrumbs to coat.
6. Heat oil and fry rice balls. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Garnish with pudina.
7. Thin remaining orange juice with the cream and serve as a dipping sauce with the rice balls.         

Pati shapta

Prep time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 20 minutes; makes: 6 servings

For crepes: ½ cup rice flour; ½ cup suji; 2 cups Maida; 3 cups milk; 5-6tbsp condensed milk; oil to fry.

For filling: ½ cup khoya; 3 cups grated coconut; 1/2 cup sugar.

1. Mix coconut, sugar and khoya. Cook over medium heat till mixture begins to soften and edges turn brown.
2. Makes a butter of pouring consistency with rice flour, Maida, suji and milk. Let it stand for ½ hour.
3. Smear non- stick pan with oil. Pour a ladle of batter and spread like a small dosa. Let it set and curl at the edges.
4. Flip crepe. Fill with 1 tbsp coconut mix. Fold into a roll; cook 2 minutes on both sides. Spoon condensed milk over.

Greek rice ring

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time; 30 minutes; Setting time: 1 hour; makes: 6 servings.

1 cup basmati rice; salt pepper; lemon juice; 2 large tomatoes; 2 tbsp (level) of chopped chives or  spring onions; 2 tbsp parsely or dhania; 8 olives, chopped; 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs; 1 capsicum, cut into strips; 2 tbsp vinegar.  

1. Cook rice foe 15 minutes or until tender, in double the amount of salted water adding 1 tsp of lemon juice. Drain over with a cloth to absorb steam.
2. Skin tomatoes in boiling water and chop finely. Scald capsicum in hot water and cut into cubes. Add chives, olives, and herbs to capsicum and tomato. Add salt and pepper.
3. Mix it into (still warm) rice. Blend oil and vinegar and add to mix. Check seasoning and add lemon juice.
4. Press rice into a ring mould; set for one hour. To serve, unmould, fill centre with chutney, put kebabs around ring. 

Stuffed capsicum

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 40 minutes; makes: 6 servings.

6 capsicums; ½  cup cooked rice; 1 small onion; ½  cup mushrooms; 2 rashers bacon; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 4-6chicken livers; salt pepper; chopped parsely; 1 egg; ½ cup parmesan or processed cheese (Britannia or amul), grated;. 

1. Deseed capsicum, stand in hot water for 5 minutes; drain Cook rice until tender; drain. In butter, fry onion till pink. Add mushrooms and bacon, and cook for few minutes. Add chicken livers. Chop livers after frying; return to pan.  
2. Stir in rice. . Lightly beat egg and add to rice mix. In greased baking dish, arrange capsicum; spoon rice; sprinkle cheese. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180*C (350*F) for 35 minutes.

1 can refried beans

1 container guacamole

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 large container sour cream

1 jar salsa (how spicy it is depends on your taste)

2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese or cheddar

1/2 chopped black and green olives

A medium-sized square see-through container or pan

Tortilla chips

Bite-sized vegetable pieces, such as raw carrots, raw peppers, raw broccoli, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. For the first layer, spread the refried beans across the bottom of the dish, making sure it’s as even as possible on all sides.

2. For the second layer, spread the guacamole over the beans, making sure that they don’t blend together. drizzle the lemon juice over the guacamole so it keeps its bright green color.

3. Spread the sour cream over the guacamole, again making sure that the layers don’t mix and are evenly spread across.

4. Next, spread the salsa. Since the salsa is lighter than the previous ingredients, don’t dump it on top. Instead, spoon a little at a time and then very gently spread it across.

5. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the salsa.

6. Top with the olives.

7. Serve with the tortilla chips and vegetable pieces.

1. Cream the first 4 ingredients and refrigerate for 20 mins
2. Mix and cook until thick
3. Add cornstarch, sugar, juices and prunes
4. Add nuts and cool
5. Take dough and roll in strips
6. Cut in 2 1/2″ squares; dampen edges
7. Fill with prune mixture and seal using fork tines
8. Bake at 350
9. Ice while hot

Mix together all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips.  You may adjust the level of spiciness, depending upon the type of salsa you use.  If you prefer a more chunky guacamole, you may cube the avocado instead of mashing it.  I prefer this over most other guacamole recipes because the onion flavor (which is necessary) isn’t overpowering and you will never bite down on a large piece of “too strong” raw onion.  The onions in the salsa are just right.  This only makes a small portion (probably for 2 or 3 people) so you may want to double up. Dig in!

preheat the oven to 350 degrees

mix all the ingredients together until they are spread evenly throughout . then take a walnut sized piece roll it up and lay it on the pan and repeat the process until out of ingredients, then bake for 10-15 minuets or until golden brown