Tag Archives: giftmas

It’s Giftmas Time Again – Holiday Gift Guide 2022

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Oh, the weather outside is frightful…not really here in Vegas…but it is time to shop for the Holidays! Here are my top picks for shopping for your fave foodie, cook, or wannabe cook. All these Holiday gifts are non-denominational and perfect for any time of year, not just the Holiday Season.

My Favorite Cookbook of the Year

Dinner in One by Melissa Clark

Dinner in One by Melissa Clark is fantastic! Each recipe is intended to be made in one pan, pot, or casserole dish. To date, I have made 11 recipes from this book and not a dog in the bunch. There are so many veg-centric dishes that I actually find myself cooking more vegetarian dishes! Support your local bookstore when purchasing. The link above is to my local bookstore and they ship! $30

For the Gardener

Photo from Reel Steel website linked below

I always aspire to grow the perfect herb and/or vegetable garden and rarely do I succeed. If I had these adorable little garden gnome plant markers maybe I would! They are made of steel, so they will hold up in all kinds of weather and there is a huge variety to choose from. As I type, they are on sale and if you use the code “holidaygifts” you save an additional 40% off your second one. $8 each for the small ones (approx 12″). They MAY not arrive in time for the holiday, but they will be there in plenty of time for spring planting.

Eat Healthier for the Holiday

Image from their website

I have tried a LOT of food delivery services and so far, this one is my fave! The organic produce is insanely fresh and some of the most beautiful I have ever seen! Use this code to save when you sign up LEAN4665 *. Prices Vary depending on what you order, how large your box is, etc. What I like best about this is that there is NO COMMITMENT! You order when it is convenient for you. The “box” is totally customizable. Remove things you can’t or won’t eat and add in those that you want. It’s not available in all areas yet.

*Moment of truth – when you use my referral code, I get a bonus too.

Reduce Single Use Plastics

Image from Hydaway – linked below

I love the portability of these collapsible “sippy cups” from Hydaway. You can fold them up, jam them into your handbag or carryon and refill them at any convenient water source. A lot of airports now have fountains that are designed to refill water bottles, so you’ll never pay $5 for a single bottle of water again. Available in 17oz and 25oz in a variety of colors. Starting at $20 and grab a carrying case while you’re at it.

Stylish Storage

Image from Calamity Ware linked below

If you have seen the pics of my completed kitchen, you may have noticed these FANTASTIC canisters in the background. I have all three sizes, but get the ones that fit your needs. What makes these so cool and special is that they are covered with what looks like a damask pattern. When closely inspected you can see it is a damask design made of “witchy” things like bats, newts, frogs, etc. Check out their other offerings like dish towels, dishware, and other kitchen goodies. Medium is $36 on sale right now and linked above.

When in doubt, or if shopping for the person who has everything, think about a donation to charity in their name. Of course, my favorite charity is my local food bank – Three Square. If you aren’t sure what your recipient’s food bank is, you can look here and use their zip code to find their local Feeding America partner.

The Giftmas Guide 2021

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

It’s Giftmas again and time for the Holiday Gift List. A few of these will be repeats because they have either updated their products or now offer free shipping or just because I love them and think if you missed it the first time, a gentle reminder will help. And it’s just in time for the first night of Chanukah and Cyber Monday. And everything on the list is under $100

Plymouth Artisan Cheese

What I love about Plymouth Artisan Cheese is that it is small batch, family owned, and the product is great. Based in Vermont, they only use local dairies for their milk, so purchasing from them is supporting more than one independent business. They now offer free shipping on orders $65 and above. My faves are the Hunter and the East Meadow and the gift set comes in this awesome crate!

Assorted Cheese Box – you choose which flavors to include – $98 and free shipping – Image from their website above

My Favorite Uni-tasker

Like Alton Brown, I can’t stand a tool that only has one use…but I make an exception for this one. If you have watched any of my cooking demos, you will have seen me use this and it’s in the top drawer in my kitchen because I reach for it ALL THE TIME. It makes fast work out of several cloves of garlic, dishwasher safe, and a breeze to use, even if you have arthritis. Under $12 and comes with a few other useless tools, this garlic rocker is a fab stocking stuffer.

Garlic Rocker $12 on Amazon – images from the listing linked above

The Vermont Country Store

There is so much to love about this catalog/online store! First of all it’s family owned & operated. They carry gorgeous wreaths and garland from hand tipped Vermont trees. And OH! the weird stuff you thought they didn’t make any more. Hard to find nostalgic items, like ribbon candy that no one eats, it just looks pretty. But these are two items in my kitchen that everyone on your gift list should have.

Toaster Tongs

One of John’s clients happily gifted us a set of these toaster tongs that he hand made and I LOVE them. Because not everyone has access to someone who works with wood on their friend list, I went in search of them for you. The little magnet that helps it stay RIGHT where you need them is the perfect touch.

Maple toaster tongs – image from the link above $13 – Vermont Country Store

Butter Bell

I have had one of these for years and I have gifted them to folks as well. One of the things about eating toast is that the hard butter always tears it up, or when making grilled cheese, you want spreadable butter to coat the outside of the sandWISH, right? This little doohickey keeps the butter at room temp and safe from bacteria with a water seal. Buy two, one to keep and one to give away.

French Butter Crock $30 – image from the link above – Vermont Country Store

Instant Read Thermometer

It doesn’t matter what you are cooking, sometimes you just need to know the exact temp. Roasting that holiday bird? The correct temp is 165 F in the thickest part of the thigh. Making fudge? The correct temp is 115 (the soft ball stage). It’s so much better to know exactly than have to guess. This tool from The Pampered Chef will handle it for you. It’s digital, easy to use and compact in your drawers. And you support an independent sales consultant when you click the link above.

Instant-Read Food Thermometer
Pampered Chef Instant Read Thermometer $51 – photo from the link above.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day

Let’s face facts, NO ONE (except Friend Karen B) likes to do dishes. But what if it at least smelled great while you were doing them? This product line is the answer. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but I think the scents alone are worth it. They have fantastic seasonal scents like this Orange Clove, Apple Cider, Snowdrop, and others that are just the pick me up you need when you have to tackle a sink full of dishes. $4 at Target. And try their hand soap and room fresheners too!

Mrs. Meyer’s Orange Clove Dish Soap

Anything from Blue Q

If you know me at all, you know I love a snarky dish towel, a funky apron, or anything that truly shows my personality in the kitchen. This apron does it for me! In fact, just about anything from Blue Q makes a great gift. I crack up when I get one as a gift. Here’s a bonus – free shipping on orders $40 or more and they frequently have “free stuff” they toss into your order. Little magical surprises you didn’t know you needed!

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Fuck Off Apron –
Image from Blue Q $35

Mexican Hot Chocolate

If you have never had this treat, you don’t know what you are missing! Just trust me on this one. There are loads of options out there, but this one is as pretty as it is functional and it arrives in a sturdy box that you can wrap and give as a gift immediately. Bespoke Post has all sorts of gifts geared for men, but I find just as much cool stuff on the site for me. (Disclosure – this is my referral link to Bespoke Post, so I get a bonus if you join up).

Image from Bespoke Post – Mexican Hot Chocolate set $45

My Cookbook Choice This Year

Friend Christine gave me this as a gift and I love it. Six Seasons focuses on produce, but there is plenty in there for the omnivores in your life as well. This is perfect for folks who get veggies from a co-op when everything is seasonal and they don’t know what to do with some of the stuff they get. My fave dish in there is the pumpkin bolognese (pg 384). This book is based, and laid out, with the seasons and it will definitely challenge the cook in your life to include, try, or adopt new favorite veggie forward recipes. And while you are at it, buy from your local bookstore and support a small business. This is the link is to MY local – The Writer’s Block, and they ship!

Six Seasons

What you can get ME…

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