This holiday season, gift the valley’s abundance of locally grown food. We already shared a list of regional producers who can ship their products from Idaho to your loved ones. If you’re looking to create the perfect local food holiday gift at home, let us share a few options.
Cranberry Popcorn Garland
A classic holiday decoration, Cranberry Popcorn Garland makes a great local food holiday gift to add to a friend or family members home. Simply string 1,000 Springs Mill Popping Corn and fresh cranberries to your desired length using a needle and twine. It really is that simple!
Caramel Popcorn
This sweet and salty treat is a holiday favorite and its easy to make at home. Conveniently, 1,000 Springs Mill grows and sells organic popping corn that is the perfect base for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 10 cups of popped 1,000 Springs Mills Popping Corn
- Salt to Taste
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
- Remove any unpopped kernels from the popcorn and add a pinch of salt
- Melt 1 cup of butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat. (Be careful not to burn the butter)
- Add 1 cup of light brown sugar and stir constantly until mixed thoroughly
- When butter and sugar are completely combined, increase heat to medium-low and bring the mixture to a low boil while stirring. When you see bubbles on the surface, stop stirring and set a timer for 4 minutes.
- After 4 minutes add the 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
- Stir the mixture for 1 minute
- After one minute, add the 1/2 tsp. of baking soda and mix
- Once the caramel changes colors and bubbles up, take it off the hear
- Drizzle the warm mixture over the popcorn a bit at a time. Folding the popcorn gently after each addition.
- Line a cookie sheet or your counter top with parchment paper and spread the popcorn out
- Allow to cool. The caramel corn will last for a few days in an airtight container
Apple Butter and Biscuits in a Jar
Friends and family members who likes to bake will a appreciate the premeasured biscuit ingredients and the rich, velvety flavor of homemade apple butter.
Apple Butter Ingredients
- 6.5 lbs. apples from Waterwheel Gardens, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Apple Butter Directions
- In a bowl, combine the sugars, spices and salt
- Place apples in a slow cooker and pour the sugar and spice mixture over the top
- Cook on low for 10 hours covered, stirring occasionally
- When mixture is darkened and thickened, stir in the vanilla extract and cook uncovered for an additional 2 hours
- With an immersion blender, puree the apple butter until smooth
- Place the mixture into small jars, cover and refrigerate.
- The apple butter will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or it can be frozen.
For the biscuits, place the following ingredients in a jar
- 2 cups Hillside Grain Sawtooth Soft White flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon
Tie a label around the lid and write.
- Cut 6 tablespoons of cold butter into this mixture until it resembles course crumbs
- Add 3/4 cup of milk and stir until combined
- Place on a floured work surface and work until it comes together
- Use your hands to flatten the dough to 1″ thick.
- Cut into biscuits
- Bake at 425 for 12 minutes
- Enjoy with apple butter
Also, check out our 5B Resilient Digital Resource on food preservation for a great mushroom salt recipe that is perfect for the griller in your family.