AA Gifts & Baskets Idea Blog

Got a little train lover in your life? If so, a train birthday party can be really special for him or her. You can really play up the theme to make it unforgettable.

Do you have a working train near where you live? See if they offer rides for kids. Most times, any working trains do offer rides at special times. You may have to work your party around those times, but imagine the guests’ faces when they see that they are about to embark on a real train. If your train line allows you to bring a party on board, you’re all set. In some areas, Thomas the Train comes to town at different times of the year. See if you can book your party during those times.

If you don’t have a working train in your area, do you have a train museum? That’s the next best thing. If they have a party room, you can bring your whole group, cake and birthday gifts there and also get a tour of the museum. Short of that, you can have your party at home and still make it exciting and interesting.

Trains are your main theme, so you have to have a train cake. Ask your bakery to build one for you. Nowadays, bakeries do all sorts of 3D cakes, so see if you can get them to do at least the first car on a track.

Another cute idea is to make train cupcakes decorated like cars and then line them up on real toy train tracks across a table or in a circular track. Kids will love it.

If you have toy trains all over your house, make a working toy train track setup as your centerpiece. You can run the trains around the track while the party is going. Have trains as your party favors. Get little trains at a dollar store. As an activity, you can purchase pine wood trains and have the guests paint them and let them take them home as favors.

There’s so much more you can do to carry out the train theme. Have everyone come dressed in overalls and give out engineer hats, which you can find online by the dozen cheaply. Play Thomas the Train videos in a continuous loop in the background.

When it’s time to eat, have train shaped sandwiches. These are easy to do with a big train cookie cutter. Just make peanut butter and jelly or cheese sandwiches and then cut them with the cutter. You can, of course, do any kind of sandwich you like, but stick to ones that kids will be most likely to eat without complaint.

The more you put into your train party theme, the better it will all come off. Sing train songs and pretend you’re a big train by having everyone join together in a long line and jog around the room. Make train noises, see who can imitate a train whistle, and just generally make the train theme come alive by moving the party along in interesting ways.

A child who loves trains will go crazy for a train theme. And chances are, he or she will get many train related gifts, so be prepared for lots of oohing and ahhing as presents are opened.

Related Articles:

Thomas The Train Birthday Party Theme

Train Themed Shower Favors

If you’ve ever bitten into a decadent, molten, sweet and gooey truffle, you know how rich this favorite gourmet chocolate treat is. You may have thought you could only get them in specialty shops or at a fancy restaurant. But the truth is that you can make truffles at home very easily. In fact, it’s even simpler than some cookie recipes. You’ll start making them all the time and experimenting with flavors. You’ll give them as gifts and start dreaming about different toppings and versions.

Consider packing your truffles into Chinese takeout-type boxes that you can get in a craft store. They stand up straight and the sides will be stiff enough to ensure that they don’t get smashed on the way to the recipient. Anyone would love to receive these delicious dessert gifts!

Here are some recipes to try. You will laugh at how easy it is to make a treat that looks and tastes over-the-top gourmet.

Ghirardelli® Dark Chocolate Truffles (from allrecipes.com)

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Servings: 30

"These impressive candies are so easy to make, and are a stunning addition to a dessert tray."

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1/3 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.

2. Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.

3. Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the cocoa or nuts. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Truffle Recipe (from famousfrenchdesserts.com)

Truffes au Chocolat… Divine Pleasure Source!!! This is the basic recipe; you will find all variations at the end of the recipe.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (for about 1.5 pounds):

1 cup Crème Fraîche (or heavy cream)

14 oz. Dark Chocolate (use very high quality, 70% cocoa, chocolate - or very high quality unsweetened baking chocolate)

8 oz. Additional Dark Chocolate

1 1/2 cups Cocoa Powder (the highest quality you can find)

3 tbsp. Butter (optional)

How to Make It:

Batter (Ganache):

1. Break chocolate into small pieces and put in a large bowl.

2. Bring cream slowly to a light boil.

3. Pour boiling cream over chocolate and keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted and the batter is homogenous.

4. If you want to add butter, do so now, before the batter cools, and thickens.

This batter is called ganache and is the base for all French truffle recipes!

When the ganache is warm, it is very creamy. You can thicken it

1. by whisking it (the oxygen causes it to thicken) or

2. by putting it in the refrigerator.

You want the ganache to be just thick enough to easily form the truffle balls…

Forming Truffles:

1. Using two spoons (or a baking sac) form even and round balls. Place them on parchment or wax paper.

2. Melt the rest of the chocolate in a bain-marie (double-boiler).

3. Dip each ball in the melted chocolate and then roll it in the cocoa powder.

Voilà!

Do you know the difference between spaghetti and vermicelli? How about ziti and penne? Fettuccini and fettucelli? They do have one thing in common; they are simply delicious. But often, the type of pasta you choose has a big impact on the quality of the dish you serve. It is important to complement the shape of the pasta and the texture and taste of the sauce. This can be hard because there are hundreds of different choices! You don’t have to stick to the old favorites – macaroni and cheese or spaghetti and marinara sauce. Try something new! Here are some of the most popular pasta shapes defined.

There are more than five hundred different pasta shapes. Some, like spaghetti, are much more common than others, but if you have wanted to try something different, do it. There are no strict rules regarding pasta, and experimentation can do wonders for your palette. One of the things to consider, though, is the size and shape of your pasta compared to the type of sauce you will be using.

For instance, if you have a very thick, hearty meat sauce, you want a noodle that can hold its own! Thicker pastas like fettuccine (which is broad and flat) and tagliatelle (which is a bit thinner than fettuccine) will hold up nicely. If you are making a sauce with meat or chunky vegetables, also consider:

• Fusilli. This is “corkscrew” pasta. All those twists and turns are perfect for catching chunky sauces.

• Farfalle. This bowtie pasta is perfect for thick sauces. It is a small but sturdy noodle.

• Penne. These are cylindrical and hollow in the center.

• Rigatoni. This is like penne’s big brother. This tubular pasta is too small to be stuffed, but it makes a hearty addition to meals, especially baked dishes.

• Rotini. The spiral shapes make these perfect for holding bits of sauce, veggies, meats, and cheeses.

• Pipe rigate. This is hollow and curved, resembling a snail shell. A smaller version, pipette rigate, is also good for chunky sauces.

• Stuffed shells, like manicotti. These make a terrific complement to any thick sauce.

Look for a noodle that is thick enough to be used with your chunky sauce without being overwhelmed. Textures and shapes, like twists and spirals, are great for scooping up the delicious sauce. Take a look through the pasta aisle at the grocery store and see what fits the bill, or the sauce.

Some pastas are better suited to oil-based sauces, rather than tomato-based sauces. Linguine, spaghetti, and tagliatelle work very well with olive-oil sauces that coat the pasta without drowning and creating a greasy mess. These types of pastas – especially when fresh – are wonderful served with a simple olive oil and herb sauce or pesto. Stuffed pastas, like ravioli or tortellini, are also delicious with an oil or butter based sauce.

Finer, more delicate pastas call for an equally delicate sauce. Angel hair, for instance, which is much thinner than spaghetti, is perfectly paired with simple sauce made with diced tomatoes, olive oil, and basil. This type of pasta also works well with seafood. For instance, use sea scallops, lemon juice, butter, parsley, and fresh basil for a terrific and very easy to prepare meal.

In general, use a thicker pasta when you have a thicker sauce, and a thinner pasta when you have a lighter sauce. When you are making things like soups or salads, find the shape and size that appeals to you and will help you capture the perfect flavor with each bite. There is no possible way to do pasta wrong; experiment with different shapes. You’ll be glad you did, and you will undoubtedly come upon a fabulous combination that becomes your new favorite.

When you put together an italian gift basket, be sure to put in different types of pasta and sauces. You could even put in a recipe or two with suggestions for the types of pastas and sauces you chose.

Homemade gifts are the best, and there can be nothing more delicious for a variety of occasions than popcorn balls. These crunchy treats can be made to satisfy a sweet or savory craving, and they are popular with kids and adults alike. Who can resist popcorn? Not Americans, it seems. We eat billions of quarts of popcorn a year, and assembling our favorite treat into another form just adds to the fun. Popcorn balls aren’t hard to make, are perfect for snack baskets and they are always crowd-pleasers: that is a recipe for success!

Traditional Popcorn Balls, courtesy of AllRecipes.com

You need:

• 2 cups unpopped popcorn

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup molasses

• ½ teaspoon salt

Put one tablespoon of oil in a saucepan, and heat. When the oil is hot, add ½ cup of popcorn kernels. Keep the saucepan moving – just like you would if you were popping Jiffy Pop. When the kernels stop popping, remove from heat. This recipe calls for you to continue doing this ½ cup at a time until all the popcorn is popped; if you want to do it all at once, go for it. If you have never popped in a saucepan before, you may want to go at the gradual pace to avoid burning.

Butter a bowl, and put the popped corn in it. Put this to the side, and melt your butter in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar, molasses, and salt. Boil this mixture on medium heat, and insert a candy thermometer. When it reads 260^o, you’re done. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, just wait for the mixture to boil. Pour the syrup over the popcorn, and make sure all of the corn is coated. Butter your hands, and shape the popcorn into balls.

There are other variations, which call for corn syrup that you may want to try.

Caramel Popcorn Balls, from Cooks.com

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 3 cups unpopped popcorn kernels

• ¾ cup white Karo syrup

• ½ cup butter

Start by popping the kernels and picking out those “old maids,” or unpopped kernels. Put the popped corn into a bowl and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients, save the popcorn, in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil this for about five minutes. Pour the syrupy mixture over the popcorn, making sure to coat it evenly. This mixture will be hot, so be careful. This recipe calls for you to dip your hands in cold water now and then to prevent burning and sticking. Other recipes, such as the one above, recommend buttering your hands. Experiment and see which works best for you. Shape the popcorn into balls, and enjoy!

Rocky Road Popcorn Balls, from AllRecipes.com

This variation adds a touch of sweet to these excellent treats.

• 3 cups mini marshmallows

• ¼ cup butter

• 8 cups of popped popcorn

• ½ dry roasted unsalted peanuts (but if you use salted, we won’t tell)

• ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Start by putting the marshmallows and butter in a saucepan on medium-low meat. Keep stirring them to keep them from burning. When they are melted and smooth, which should take about five minutes, remove from the heat. Working quickly, stir in the popcorn and peanuts. Stir them gently and make sure the popcorn is as evenly coated as possible. Stir in the chocolate chips. Butter your hands or grease them with a bit of oil, and shape the mixture into balls.

If you’re not going to eat or serve these immediately, wrap them in plastic. They make wonderful treats around Halloween or Christmas, and you can always customize the ingredients to add a little holiday flair: try red and green M&Ms instead of chocolate chips for the Rocky Road recipe, for instance. Whatever the flavor, these are a perfect item for gift baskets for kids of any age.

There are many different types of nuts available for snacking. They are all delicious and come in many different forms. Here are some of the most common forms of nuts that people eat. Try your hand at a recipe or two for yummy nut snacks after you discover which class your favorite gourmet nuts belongs to.

Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can be good for your heart. Nuts, which contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients, are a great snack food, too. They're inexpensive, easy to store and easy to take with you to work or school.

The type of nut you eat isn't that important, although some nuts have more heart-healthy nutrients and fats than do others. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts — you name it — almost every type of nut has a lot of nutrition packed into a tiny package. If you have heart disease, eating nuts instead of a less healthy snack can help you more easily follow a heart-healthy diet.

The Drupe

Almonds are from a class of one seeded plants. They are called hard-shelled endocarps. After the outer shell is removed, the inside nut meat contains one nut. That nut is called a drupe. Other types of drupes include pistachio nuts and date palm nuts. Still other drupes are the walnut and macadamia nuts.

Bacca, or Berry-Like

Berry-like nuts include a seed inside a more fleshy outer portion. Seeds in this family are many and include Brazil nuts and cashew nuts. It’s easy to see why cashews and other berry-like nuts cost so much. Each one grows on a single stem and has to be removed from its casing. The outer shell of many nuts like the cashew is actually poisonous and can cause skin reactions. So only experts should venture out to pick this sort of nut.

Cones

The pine nut is a nut that grows inside the spiny cone of a pine cone. The soft meat is the portion that is eaten when removed.

Seed Coat

Nuts with seed coats include the ever popular peanut. When shelling a peanut, you can see the red papery seed coat inside. Remove it before you eat the peanut.

Want to try a new way to enjoy a nutty snack? Read on.

Almond Coffee Walnuts

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup Almond paste -- room temp

2 tablespoons Coffee liqueur

1 teaspoon Instant coffee powder (not granules)

72 Walnut halves

8 ounces Semisweet chocolate -- melted

PREPARATION:

Mix the almond paste, coffee liqueur, and coffee powder until smooth.

Spread 1/2 tsp of the mixture on the flat side of a walnut half and top with another walnut half, forming a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining almond paste and walnuts.

Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. Dip one end of the walnut in the melted chocolate and set on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filled walnuts walnuts and chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigeration.

Avery Island Hot Nuts

Serves/Makes: 4 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups assorted unsalted nuts*

*such as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, whole unblanched almonds, macadamia nuts

PREPARATION:

Heat the oven to 250 degrees with the rack in the center position. Melt the butter and garlic together in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and salt to the butter and cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. Spread the nuts over the bottom of a roasting pan and pour the butter mixture over them. Stir well to coat the nuts, then respread them in a single layer.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

To freeze: Place cooled nuts in a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Defrost, covered, and refresh on a baking sheet in a 250-degree oven for 10 minutes.

With either recipe, package them in decorative bags and create a healthy gift basket around them, the recipient will love the thought and effort!

Have you ever had a cheesecake that’s savory instead of sweet? You may have been at a fancy restaurant or a dinner party and wondered how this delectable concoction was made. What goes into a savory cheesecake versus a sweet one? Usually, it’s a mixture of different cheeses like bleu cheese, gorgonzola, ricotta, or other smooth choices. You can easily whip one up, too.

Here’s a recipe for a gorgonzola cheesecake with a cornmeal crust that you can actually serve as a meal or would make for a wonderful dessert gift idea. Better make copies of your recipe as everyone will be asking you for it after they taste it!

Gorgonzola Cheesecake (whatscookingamerica.net)

12 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cornmeal Crust (see recipe below)

1 pound gorgonzola cheese, room temperature*

5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

5 eggs, room temperature

* Blue Cheese may be substituted.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roasted Garlic: Peel the outer skin of the garlic only; leave garlic bulb whole. Slice 1/2-inch of the pointed end of the garlic bulbs. Pour 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over the top of each bulb and let it sink in between the cloves. Wait 2 minutes and then repeat with another 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each garlic bulb. Cover and bake 1 hour or until cloves are browned at the exposed end and soft throughout. Remove from oven. Allow garlic to cool and remove cloves from head. Garlic may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days.

Prepare Cornmeal Crust

Cornmeal Crust:

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoons dried basil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Grease a 10-inch spring form pan.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil; stir in cornmeal, garlic, salt, and basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Press warm cornmeal mixture onto the bottom of the spring form pan. Smooth the surface and set aside.

To make filling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. and position baking rack in center of oven.

In a large bowl, place gorgonzola cheese and cream cheese; mix together until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, while beating to incorporate.

Pour the cheese filling into prepared Cornmeal Crust. Tap lightly on counter to remove air bubbles. Place roasted garlic cloves around the perimeter of the pan at equal distances.

Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until internal temperature is 160 degrees with a cooking thermometer or until the center is almost set, but jiggles slightly when gently shaken. NOTE: Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking as drafts can cause a cheesecake to fall or crack. Remove from oven and allow to cool on counter for at least 1 hour, after which you may either serve or store in the refrigerator.

Serve warm or at room temperature with toasted baguette bread or crackers.

To serve later, store in refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, simply slice and warm for 5 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven.

This is one cheesecake you would love to give to a friend with a beautiful wine gift.