Mealtime.org :: Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen!

The holidays are rapidly approaching and everyone is crunched for time. Looking for an easy gift that's great for a gourmet, home cook or anyone who's hard to buy for? Give the gift of health - baskets brimming with great-tasting, healthful eating. Try these ideas:

Italian Gift Basket: Fancy-shaped or flavored pasta, canned tomato or pasta sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, a wedge of Parmesan cheese, an Italian cookbook, a bottle of wine and a red-and-white checkered tablecloth.
Breakfast in a Basket: Homemade nut bread or bagels, gourmet marmalade with a unique spreader, canned grapefruit sections or berries, special-blend coffee or herb tea and unique beverage mugs.
Bean Basket: Cans of different legumes (kidney beans, black beans, navy beans and more) with a great recipe for homemade bean soup. Tuck in other recipe ingredients, such as onions, garlic, canned chilies or vegetables, pasta or containers of dried herbs if you'd like. You can also add some fun soup bowls or mugs.
Fireplace Supper Basket: Canned chili or hearty soup, cornbread mix, gourmet salad dressing, cocoa mix, CD of dinner music and fireplace matchsticks.
Kitchen Warming Basket: An array of gear for first-timers in the kitchen. You can include measuring cups and spoons, a can opener, a wooden spoon, a cheese grater, colorful potholders, dish clothes, tongs, knives, a cutting board and more. Also, start filling the pantry by adding canned vegetables, fruits, meats, soups and broths. A basic cookbook or list of culinary Web sites, such as www.mealtime.org, would be great too.
Salad Fixin's Basket: Cans of artichoke hearts and olives, herbed or balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic bulbs, a wedge of Parmesan cheese, herbed croutons, decorative salad tongs or utensils, a can opener and a pepper grinder with a jar of colorful peppercorns.
Mexican Olé Basket: Canned salsa, flavored wheat tortillas and a CD of salsa music.
Light Nibbles Basket: Canned seafood (crabmeat, shrimp or oysters) with a recipe for seafood dip or spread, gourmet crackers, a bottle of wine or non-alcoholic sparking juice, two inexpensive wine glasses, a unique spreader and fun, paper napkins.