Last-minute gift idea: (Organic) bread or crackers and herbed butter!

December 22, 2:47 PMOrganic Food ExaminerNatalie Rotunda

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Nothing compares to giving a gift of food that you've made. The food catalog companies do a brisk business, and I've received lovely parcels bearing yummy goodies. Wherever possible, though, I like to make something simple and give that as a gift. Another reason: quality control. You know that you're baking with the safest and healthiest ingredients (butter not margarine, for instance), and that truly makes the gift special. Personally, I love giving gifts I've baked---whether it's a batch of chocolate chip cookies, fudge...or homemade bread, and a crock of herbed butter. If time is very short, buy a loaf of organic bread or a box of organic crackers, but do make the herbed butter.

To make herbed butter, here's all you do:

Stir till creamy one pound of room temperature organic butter. Add:

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; or use a garlic press (advantage: garlic juice, which adds even more pizzazz)

2-3 tablespoons of finely-chopped fresh herbs of your choice (rosemary, basil, thyme, dill, parsley, marjoram, or ???) If you use dried herbs, decrease amount by half.

Mix well, and spoon into a crock with matching lid. Place a layer of plastic wrap onto the top of the butter, top with the lid. Or, form butter into a roll and wrap it in waxed paper. Refrigerate until it's time to gift. Type the list of ingredients using a fun font and a bright ink color, print on heavy paper. Trim the paper using a zany-edged pair of scissors, if you have one.  Punch a hole at one end into which you thread a length of raffia, and attach to the lid.

Place the bread or crackers and crock of butter into a small basket lined with tissue paper, or place both in a gift bag. Enjoy the rave reviews!