Last Minute Gourmet Gifts f...

With only 9 shopping days until Christmas people are starting to get a bit frantic about wrapping up their gift lists.  I generally like to get everything done well ahead of time but invariably something comes up forcing me to have to add 3 or 4 more things to my list.  You know how it goes...someone you barely talks to at work brings you a bottle of wine with a Christmas card, your family decides to do "gag gifts" or "stocking stuffers" in addition to the annual gift exchange and now you're faced with the prospect of braving the crowds at the 99 Cent store or looking through your closets for stuff to regift.

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Fear not for I bring you tidings...(oops, wrong story). I do have a great gift for people that like food and you don't have to be Martha Stewart to make this work.  Gourmet oil and seasoned salts are easy and inexpensive but they look like you went to a lot of trouble.

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Garlic Chili Oil

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• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1 Tbs red chili flakes
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 5-6 dried red chili peppers

You will need a nice looking glass bottle for this.  Recycled dressing bottles and even drink mixer bottles with the labels removed work well or you can pick up bottles at a craft store for a dollar or two.  There are 2 ways to make this infusion depending on how much time you have and how much flavor you desire.  The easiest way is to put the chili flakes, garlic cloves, and red peppers into the bottle first then slowly pour in the oil and cap it off.  For greater flavor you can heat the oil on the stove until the first signs of smoke form, then remove from heat, add the ingredients and let it stand until cool before bottling.  (It is harder to get everything in the bottle this way but the flavor is much more intense)

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Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 1-2 Rosemary Branches

This is the same process as the chili oil.  Stuff the garlic and rosemary into the jar then slowly pour the oil in and cap it off. You can really do this with nearly any spice you wish...Cilantro, thyme, peppercorns, basil, sundried tomatos, or whatever you desire.

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Gourmet Sea Salt

• 2 cups sea salt

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• 1 tsp dried sage

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 1 tsp garlic powder