Wednesday, December 10, 2008


There’s nothing like a homemade gift to say you really care about someone. At the holidays things are always busy, but it’s so nice to make someone feel extra special. When you’re baking your favorite cookie recipe, make an extra batch of dough, freeze it, and bake them for a special gift for someone—tie them in a pretty box, put them on a festive plate (look at yard sales and flea markets year-round for odd plates), or put them in a jar with a nice ribbon.

What could be better than a thoughtful gift that’s also easy? The following Amaretto recipe takes all of half and hour—even if you multiply it, then just pop it in a pretty bottle (pick these up through the year too, or save your wine bottles) with a stopper (also in abundance in kitchen stores) and a ribbon. It stores at room temperature, and you probably have all the ingredients in your house already! It’s perfect for a hostess gift or a special friend.

Amaretto
(from allrecipes.com)

1 c water
1 c white sugar
½ c brown sugar
2 c vodka
2 T almond extract
2 t vanilla extract
Combine water, white sugar and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until boiling and all sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Pour in vodka, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix well and store in a sealed bottle.

3 comments:

  1. I had made this for gifts and made it this week for book club. I have extra, what is the shelf life? Does it need to be refrigerated?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yummy, isn't it?!

    Nope, no shelf-life to speak of (though it doesn't last long in my house), and nope, it doesn't need to be refrigerated either.

    I enjoy it with orange juice over ice (it's more of a winter drink, so try it on a cooler or rainy Spring night).

    What did your book group read?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Katie - Thanks again! it was the hit of the New Years party we went to last night. Most enjoyed it with ginger ale. They had the real stuff and the homemade was far better. Thanks as always for great recipes.

    ReplyDelete