Spotlight on Just Meats Cooked Meats: Smoked Texas Brisket...Featuring Streamlined Brisket Queso #justmeats #gamedayfood #homegating #beef #queso

I was recently introduced to Just Meats, an Utah-based company that ships chef prepared cooked meat right to your door! All meats are hand trimmed, seasoned and cooked, then vacuum sealed and flash frozen for shipment. Just Meats offers a wide variety of natural grass fed beef, free range chicken, and pasture raised pork. To use Just Meats products, simply thaw, reheat in a skilled with the included cooking sauce, and use in your favorite recipes. Each package contains a full pound of cooked meat. Super convenient! Just as important as convenience is taste. I've tried Just Meats 90/10 Ground Beef Chuck, Texas Pulled Pork, and Smoked Texas Brisket. Once thawed, the meat is ready to eat in less than 10 minutes and tastes amazing. Just Meats definitely helps streamline my kitchen time.

I used diced Just Meats Smoked Texas Brisket to create a delicious Streamlined Brisket Queso for my family to enjoy while we watched this week's Houston Texans football game. The smoked brisket saved me a ton of prep time, so I was able to spend more time cheering instead of cooking. That's a win! This queso is a snap to make. It has just FIVE ingredients...and a few flavorings you likely already have in your kitchen. 

When I say this flavorful queso is streamlined? I mean it! Gather your ingredients and heat and chop the Just Meats Smoked Texas Brisket. Then assemble the queso and bake. It doesn't get simpler than that!

Vegas Adventure Part 1: Black Tap Craft Burgers, The Sphere Experience, and Minus5 ICEBAR #weekendgourmettravel #lasvegas #vegasfun #whathappensinvegas

This Summer, The Weekend Gourmet enjoyed a quick getaway to Las Vegas for some serious FUN! After a busy few months relocating from San Antonio back to the Houston area, we definitely needed to let off some steam...so Vegas was a perfect destination! Our home base was The Venetian Resort -- I'll share all the details of our amazing stay there soon! Today, I'm sharing all the details of our Vegas afternoon fun itinerary. We started with lunch at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, then we headed to Sphere for a mind-blowing immersive movie experience, and we wrapped up our afternoon with drinks at the uniquely "cool" Minus5° ICEBAR. 

Best of all? We enjoyed all three activities without ever stepping foot in the 110℉ scorching Vegas Summer heat! Black Tap and ICEBAR are both located in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian...and Sphere is connected to The Venetian via a convenient air conditioned indoor pedestrian walkway. This is an afternoon of fun that any Vegas visitor can enjoy...and it's family-friendly to boot!

We started our afternoon fun with lunch at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer for creative craft burgers...and their signature over-the-top Crazyshakes® milkshakes. Black Tap is located steps from The Venetian's casino area, just inside The Grand Canal Shoppes. Black Tap started in New York and has expanded to seven locations -- including Las Vegas. We started our meal by sharing the Hot Chili Fried Pickles appetizer. The pickles were served hot and super crispy...with a definite spicy kick. These addicting little bites are served with cooling house made buttermilk-dill dressing for dipping. With one bite, we couldn't stop eating them!

This big-flavor appetizer was a great start to our meal. Next up? It was time for burgers! Michael chose The Wagyu Steakhouse Burger. This award-winning burger features a half-pound Wagyu beef burger, spicy pepper Jack cheese, bacon, crispy fried onions, A1 sauce, and roasted garlic mayo. It's definitely a two-napkin burger...so flavorful!

For my burger, I opted for the bun-less Black Tap Burger Craft Salad. It includes a medium cooked prime burger patty topped with melted American cheese and bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, a dill pickle spear, scallions, pickled red onions, and a tangy-spicy Special Sauce.

This hearty entree salad has all the flavors that I love in a traditional bacon cheeseburger...with more healthy veggies and fewer carbs. The tart pickled onions really cut through the richness of the burger, cheese, and bacon. I really appreciated that Black Tap offers this salad option! 

Healthy Game Day Snacks: Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip #gamedayfood #homegating #healthyappetizer #meatless #vegfriendly

Football preseason is underway...and the regular season starts next month. If you're like my crew, that means it's also time for some amazing game day FOOD!! Healthy and delicious snacks are definitely a key component of our Houston Texans games. Today, I'm sharing a delicious healthy hot dip. My Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip is bursting with flavor...but it's lower in fat and calories. It features spicy meatless chorizo crumbles, a quick homemade queso, fiber-rich beans, and lowfat shredded cheese. Once this heart dip is baked, it's topped with pico de gallo and diced avocado. It has all your favorite nacho flavors that's layered, cooked, and served in a cast iron skillet.

Fulton Fish Market Spotlight...Featuring Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Taco Salad #summereats #seafood #shrimp #salad #healthyfood

Today, I'm teaming with New York's Fulton Fish Market to share a healthy Summer salad spotlighting their Wild Colossal Blue Easy-Peel Shrimp. Established in 1822, they're the world's largest seafood market by variety. For more than two centuries, their quality seafood was available only to local chefs...and adventurous tourists willing to brave the early morning hours. However, their convenient online Fulton Fish Market now allows seafood lovers across the United States to order their world-class seafood.

My Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Taco Salad is an ideal dinner for warm Summer evenings! It's quick to make, and it doesn't heat up my kitchen. This entree salad also features multiple layers of flavors and textures. It's exactly how I like to cook during the long, HOT Texas Summer.

Back-to-School Breakfast...Featuring Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats #backtoschool #overnightoats #nocookbreakfast #kidfriendly #healthyanddelicious

 

It's back-to-school time in Texas...with kids all across the country heading back to the classroom in the next few weeks. That means busy parents need quick, healthy breakfast options. Enter overnight oats! If you're new to this chilled oatmeal experience, now's a great time to give them a try. A few minutes of prep time before bed...and you've got a hearty, delicious breakfast ready for the next morning. Saving time is a lifesaver on hectic weekday mornings! 

I've been tweaking nutritionist Joy Bauer's ultra creamy Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats recipe for the past few years. It's a keeper! This recipe uses staple ingredients I always have on hand in my kitchen. After hanging out in the fridge overnight, breakfast literally takes a minute or two to assemble the next morning. For maximum banana flavor, make sure you use a **very ripe** banana for this recipe -- it provides a perfect amount of natural sweetness to the finished oatmeal. If you're not a fan of cold oatmeal, simply warm the chilled oatmeal in the microwave for a minute or two before topping and serving.

Healthy and Delicious...Summery Lemon Basil Shrimp Salad #salad #seafood #shrimp #healthymeals #summerfood

Summer is in full swing here in Texas... and we survived Hurricane Beryl this week with only minimal damage! My Summery Lemon Basil Shrimp Salad is quick-to-assemble dinner. This entree salad features a delicious chunky shrimp salad served on a bed of seasonal veggies and heart-healthy avocado. The end result is filling...without leaving you feeling stuff and bloated. To save time, the creamy shrimp salad can be prepared up to a day ahead and stored tightly covered in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the salad.

Velvet Taco Opens New Location in Webster! #velvetaco #websterdining #theweekendgourmetdinesout

Velvet Taco recently opened a location in Webster, very close to Baybrook Mall. This Texas-based restaurant has a cheeky name...and a menu that features creative globally-inspired tacos. We recently stopped by to try a sampling of their tacos -- along with a customizable appetizer, cocktail, and dessert. Velvet Taco's menu literally offers something for all appetites...including vegetarian/vegan taco options. While we looked over our taco options, we started with their fun Chips & Dip Trio. This shareable appetizer lets you pick any three guacamole, queso, or elote options from their menu. We opted for their Classic Guac, Queso Blanco, and Elote -- which arrived on a large metal tray with each dip nestled in a pile of warm blue tortilla chips. Why pick one dip...when you can enjoy three?!?!? The guacamole was creamy and supremely fresh, and the queso had a nice flavor boost from a drizzle of house-made hot sauce and chimichurri. If you've never tried elote, it's fresh corn kernels flavored with Valentina hot sauce, citrus lime crema, queso fresco, and fresh lime...so good!

We paired our appetizer trio with one of Velvet Taco's cocktails -- the frozen Sangrita Swirl! This frozen fuchsia drink is perfect when you can't decide between ordering sangria and a margarita...because it combines BOTH drinks in one glass!  

Up next was a sampling of Velvet Taco's expansive taco menu...which features literally something for everyone. Tacos are available with chicken, pork, beef, fish, and vegetarian. Our tacos arrived at our table beautifully presented in metal taco holders. Remember...we eat with our eyes first!

Tacos we tried included Chimichurri Steak, Slow-Roasted Angus Brisket, and the Mexi-Cali Shrimp. The Chimichurri Steak is served in a flour tortilla with grilled flank steak, buttered cilantro basmati rice, chimichurri, avocado, pickled Fresno chiles, queso fresco, and cilantro.

The Slow-Roasted Angus Brisket is prepared with barbacoa-style beef, red chili aioli, avocado, roasted corn pico de gallo, queso blanco, and micro cilantro. The compté cheese-encrusted flour tortilla adds an extra bit of crunch and flavor depth to the finished taco.

 

Dutch Bros Coffee Comes to Webster, Texas! #dutchbros #coffeelover #weekendgourmetdinesout

Popular coffee chain Dutch Bros recently opened its new location in Webster, Texas. The location is great...at the intersection of NASA Road 1 and Highway 45, not far from NASA's Johnson Space Center! If you're not familiar with Dutch Bros, they were founded in 1992 in Oregon. Brothers Dane and Travis Boersma started Dutch Bros with a single pushcart. Since then, they've expanded to 800+  locations in 17 states -- including Texas! We've had a Dutch Bros in our San Antonio neighborhood for a couple of years, so we were thrilled to see a location opening in our new Webster/Alvin neighborhood! Dutch Bros is easily recognizable by its signature blue exterior...and the windmill logo. We love that Dutch Bros offers delicious coffees using beans they roast themselves...at a reasonable price point compared to their competitors. We recently visited the new Webster location to try a duo of their coffees. 

Dutch Bros offers a large menu of hot and cold coffee drinks...both limited-time seasonal offerings and popular Dutch Faves. Coffee drinks can be prepared Hot or Iced...and most can be made into a Blended Freeze. During our visit, I had their new Salted Caramel Protein Iced Latte with Soft Top. It was rich and filling...with zero added sugar in the base latte. The soft top I added to my drink is lightly sweetened, thick, and creamy. As you drink your coffee, it lightly flavors every sip you take! 

Michael opted to order from the Dutch Faves menu, choosing a Caramelizer Blended Caramel Mocha...also with soft top. Chocolate and caramel are a natural pairing, so it's no wonder the Caramelizer is a classic Dutch Bros flavor. One thing I especially appreciate about Dutch Bros is that they offer customers a ton of drink customizations. They have at least a dozen sugar-free Torani flavoring syrups; plant-based milks like almond, coconut, and oat; custom sweetness levels; and the ability to add extra coffee shots.

Not into coffee? No worries! Dutch Bros also has plenty of non-coffee beverage options on its menu -- including Rebel® Energy Drinks, creative Lemonade flavors, Iced Tea, Chai Latte, Shakes, Hot Cocoa, Smoothies, and Sparkling Soda.

Dutch Bros has two ways to quickly order your coffee and other beverages: a convenient and efficient drive-through process AND walkup windows. No matter which option you choose, you'll interact with friendly staff...who are known as bro-istas. They make your custom beverage while you wait...and there's fun music playing while you wait. 

The new Webster location is already quite popular with locals...whether Dutch Bros is already familiar to them like are...or if it's a new coffee option. Word of mouth is spreading quickly, and everyone we talked with during our visit was very impressed with the drinks, and the efficient order process. Because of NASA JSC, Kemah Boardwalk...and the new Great Wolf Lodge opening this Summer...the Webster area is a prime Summer tourist destination. This Dutch Bros location is perfectly located to satisfy locals AND visitors!

Disclosure: Dutch Bros recently invited us to visit their new Webster, Texas location to sample some coffee beverages and check out their setup. All opinions shared are solely my own.

Best of The Weekend Gourmet: No-Bake Easter Egg Mini Cakes #easterdessert #nobakedessert #kidfriendlybaking #easterfun

I’m sharing a fun Easter treat today -- one that’s no-bake simple to make ahead of your Easter celebrations! I shared these versatile and festive No-Bake Easter Egg Mini Cakes a few years ago. They went viral then...so I'm sharing them again this year! The secret to these no-bake cakes? Frozen pound cake cut with an egg-shaped cookie cutter! My mini cakes come in two flavors: peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut. The cakes are topped with cute Easter candies for simple no-fuss decorating. 

Perfect for Lenten Friday: Zesty Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail #lentenfridaymeals #gulfshrimp #seafood #spicyfood

Today, I'm sharing a recipe for Zesty Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail. It's super simple to whip up a batch of this appetizer or light lunch/dinner in no time. That makes it perfect for serving on Lenten Fridays! Because it's served chilled, all you need is 20 minutes to prep everything...then you can store in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead, until you're ready to serve. If you've never tasted Mexican-style shrimp cocktail (aka coctel del camarones), it's a bit different from the American-style shrimp cocktail you may be used to. This Zesty Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail is my personal spin on a dish that has a zillion variations. Everyone who tastes this appetizer goes crazy for it!

Perfect for Lenten Friday Dinner: Smoky Grilled Lemon-Basil Salmon #lentenfridaymeals #grilledseafood #salmon #omega3

During the Lenten season, I'm always looking for healthy and delicious ideas for our Friday seafood dinner. If you love salmon, you'll go crazy for the Smoky Grilled Lemon-Basil Salmon I'm sharing today! It features bright lemon and garden-fresh basil in both the simple marinade and the flavor-packed spice rub. The end result is fish that's bursting with flavor...and a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Super Bowl Game Day Apps...Featuring Roasted Tomatillo Salsa #gamedayfood #superbowlfood #homemadesalsa #chipsandsalsa

The Super Bowl is coming up in a couple of weeks...and that means I'm serving up some yummy game day snacks! I always serve chips and salsa...salty, crunchy, and spicy in one delicious bite. However, I rarely make salsa from scratch for some reason. Luckily, the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa recipe I'm sharing today is incredibly easy to make at home. It features tangy tomatillos and is ready to serve in minutes. If you're like me and don't typically make your own salsa? I promise this one is super easy to make...and economical too. I paid about $3 for the four simple ingredients needed to make this spicy-tangy green salsa! Best of all? It can be made a couple of days ahead of the big game and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

Easy Elegance for New Year's Eve...Featuring Lobster Salad in Puff Pastry Cups #newyearsevefood #puffpastry #easyappetizers #seafood #holidayfood

The 2023 holiday season is quickly coming to an end. If you're planning a low-key celebration at home this weekend to ring in 2024, I've got a perfect appetizer recipe for you. My Lobster Salad Puff Pastry Bites are the epitome of easy elegance! Bite-sized frozen puff pastry cups are filled with a creamy, flavorful lobster salad. The ingredients are minimal, so the sweet chunks of lobster truly take center stage. Best of all? Your guests will never know you whipped them up in no time! Last year, I made the lobster salad a day ahead, then stored in the fridge. I also baked the puff pastry cups early in the day on New Year's Eve. I simply assembled the bites just before serving. Talk about stress-free entertaining!

Healthy Holiday Sipping: Zero Sugar Peppermint Mocha Steamer...Featuring Peet's Coffee and Jordan's Skinny Syrups #zerosugarcoffee #athomebarista #lowcarbcoffee #skinnypeppermintmocha

For many of us, the holiday season isn't complete without sipping on warm beverages that feature festive flavors like peppermint! Unfortunately, most of the drinks from my favorite coffee shop have way too much sugar and carbs to fit into my current healthy eating...err sipping...plan. To enjoy the flavors of the season in a healthier way, I typically make my own coffee creations at home!

One of my favorites this holiday is my Zero Sugar Peppermint Mocha Steamer, so I'm sharing the recipe with y'all above. This warm mocha packs a perfect peppermint punch -- without being overwhelming -- thanks to using a Peet's Coffee Peppermint Mocha K-Cup®Pod and Jordan's Sugar Free Peppermint Bark Skinny Syrup. The end result reminds me of liquid chocolate peppermint bark. 

By keeping an assortment of flavored K-Cups® and a wide variety of sugar-free flavoring syrups on hand, I've created 100+ sugar-free/low-carb coffee beverages...hot, iced, and frozen blended! Peet's Coffee is a brand I often use when creating these lightened-up coffee drinks. Their flavored blends like Hazelnut Mocha and Caramel Brȗlée don't overwhelm the flavor of the coffee beans, and they always brew up smooth. I also have a collection of Jordan's Skinny Syrups on hand for adding sugar-free flavor...and sweetness...to my coffee creations. My favorite flavors include their White Chocolate Mocha, Cinnamon Dolce, and seasonal White Chocolate Peppermint.

Happy Holidays...from my house to yours! I'll be back next week to share a fun Italian Charcuterie Board that's perfect for at-home New Year's Eve celebrations. In the meantime, I hope you give my Zero Sugar Peppermint Mocha Steamer a try over the holiday weekend. It tastes just as decadent as the coffee shop version...but it's definitely easier on your waistline!

Disclosure: Peet's Coffee and Jordan's Skinny Syrups sent me sample products to facilitate recipe development for this post. As always, all opinions are solely my own.

A Festive Holiday Mocktail...Featuring First Watch's Citrus Hibiscus Punch #firstwatchrestaurant #holidaymocktail #citrus #hibiscus #holidaycheers

The holiday season is heading into the home stretch, which means the next two weeks will be Celebration Central! If you're looking for a festive alcohol-free mocktail to serve, I've got a perfect drink courtesy of my friends at First Watch restaurant. They're serving a fruit-forward Citrus Hibiscus Punch on their Season's Eatings menu. It's flavored with a cinnamon-infused Hibiscus tea, cranberry, orange, pineapple, lemon, and ginger...and it's garnished with a cinnamon sugar rim. First Watch was kind enough to provide the recipe for this sweetly tart punch with me to share here! 

First Watch Citrus Hibiscus Punch

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup Cold-Brewed Cinnamon Hibiscus Tea
• 3/4 cup Simple Syrup
• 1 cup Cranberry Juice
• 1 cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 2 TBS ginger juice

For the cold-brewed Cinnamon Hibiscus Tea -- makes 2 quarts:

• 2 quarts Cold Filtered Water
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 cup Dried Hibiscus Flowers

Directions:

Step 1: Brew the tea the day before you plan to mix and serve the punch. Add all tea ingredients to a large pitcher, and mix with a large spoon. Cover pitcher and place in the fridge overnight...or up to 24 hours. Strain the finished tea into a container to remove the flowers and cinnamon sticks. 

NOTE: after making the punch, the remaining tea will last in the fridge for up to week if tightly sealed.

Step 2: Add the chilled tea, simple syrup, and juices to a large pitcher. Mix with a large spoon to completely incorporate the ingredients. Serve punch over ice with garnish of choice. First Watch serves this punch in a glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar, with a slice of orange for a garnish.

This versatile punch is a delicious holiday mocktail as is. But? First Watch Chef Shane Shaibly says individual servings can also be mixed with a shot of vodka or rum to transform it into a festive seasonal cocktail. 

In addition to their Citrus Hibiscus Punch, First Watch's Season's Eatings breakfast/brunch menu features Sunny Seoul Hash, a Steak and Bacon Breakfast Burrito, a Cinnamon Chip Pancake Breakfast, Gingerbread Spice Donut bites, and sweet-savory Million Dollar Bacon. These seasonal menu items are available at a First Watch location near you through January 7th. 

2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers, Part 2 #holidaygiftguide2023 #giftsforfoodies #kitchenandfoodgifts #holidaygifts

It's time for Part 2 of my 2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers. This installment includes a pair of gift suggestions for the entertainers and party hosts on your gift list...as well as a fantastic family-friendly gift idea. This year, I'm also including a bonus holiday thank-you gift suggestion that's perfect for teachers, mail carriers...and other people who help make your life easier throughout the year. It's also a great stocking stuffer. Let's get started!

(1) For the Gourmet Entertainer: DeLallo Italian Entertaining Gift Collection. If your holiday shopping list includes people who are known for being excellent party hosts/entertainers, DeLallo's Italian Entertaining Gift Collection ($123.95) is an ideal gift to give them! 

This comprehensive gourmet Italian gift box includes:

• DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• DeLallo Sesame Breadsticks
• Italian Pitted Olive Medley
• DeLallo Roasted Red Pepper Strips
• DeLallo Imported Italian Tomato Bruschetta
• DeLallo Fig Spread
• Sweet Casalingo Dry Cured Sausage
• DeLallo Mini Genoa Salami
• DeLallo Imported Italian Granino Cheese Wedge
• Merlot VellaVitano Wedge

This deluxe gourmet gift set can be used to assemble an Italian charcuterie board for at-home celebrations ranging from New Year's Eve...Super Bowl Sunday...a romantic date night...or even a Girls Night In!

A charcuterie board curated from this gift set offers savory and sweet flavors...as well as multiple textures. It can also be augmented with nuts, dried/fresh fruit, warm bread, or a few cruditè to accommodate larger get-togethers. 

DeLallo has been producing and distributing quality Italian foods for more than seven decades. I'm always impressed with the quality of their products! Their gift sets are carefully arranged inside a blue logo box...and can easily be shipped across the U.S. For local gifting, simply ship the present to yourself. Add a festive bow and gift tag...and it's ready to gift! Be sure to check out DeLallo's entire line of Italian gift sets. There's literally something for all tastes...and a wide range of budgets. 

(2) For the Stylish Party Host: Lynn & Liana Designs Cheese Boards and Accent Trays. If your holiday shopping list includes someone who's both stylish and likes to assemble beautiful food displays...Lynn & Liana's stunning serving pieces will knock their socks off! They offer custom boards and platters that also serve as art. Every piece comes in nine color options...and no two boards are exactly alike. That's because Lynn & Liana uses eco-friendly resin and a production process that creates gorgeous designs unique to each item.

Their Medium Acacia Cheese Board ($89.95) combines beautiful Acacia hardwood with their eco-friendly resin to create a board that's a uniquely beautiful centerpiece for any appetizer table. This board is 8" x 16" x 5/8" -- including the handle. That's the ideal size to serve 2-4 people...perfect for small dinner parties, date night, or a fun girls' night in.

I love my Lynn & Liana Small Ceramic Resin Tray ($39.95). They originally designed these trays as bathroom accent decor to display toiletries and jewelry. But? I use mine to organize and display condiments when entertaining! For example, I've placed small bowls of dipping sauces on it to pair with appetizers for game day. 

Lynn & Liana's line of serving pieces also includes ceramic resin coasters, baguette Acacia boards, and large acrylic serving trays. These items pair perfectly with both items featured here! To check out Lynn & Liana's entire line of gorgeous items, be sure to check out their online shop.

2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers Part 1 #holidaygiftguide2023 #foodlovergifts #holidayfoodgifts #giftsforfoodies

After another, l-o-n-g, hot Texas Summer, temps are finally falling...and the holiday season is once again upon us! That can only mean one thing around here: it's time for my annual Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers -- my handpicked ideas for gifts that your fellow food lovers will LOVE to receive! This year, I'm featuring curated gift sets that can be shipped nationwide OR come to you boxed and ready to give...ideas for custom gift sets you can tailor to your spending budget...family-friendly gift suggestions...and perfect gifts for the party hosts on your shopping list. So? Let's get started with Part 1! 

(1) For the Peppermint Lover: Stonewall Kitchen's Peppermint Collection. For many people, peppermint is the signature flavor of the holiday season! For the peppermint lovers on your holiday shopping list, Stonewall Kitchen offers a fantastic variety of peppermint-infused holiday goodies...as well as festive peppermint print kitchen linens. Stonewall Kitchen's peppermint items include Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Mix, Chocolate Peppermint Sauce, and a coordinating peppermint fabric pot holder and dish towel. Items featured here range in price from $8.95 to $17.50. 

Because these items can be purchased individually, you can easily utilize them to create affordable personalized holiday gifts. For example, the Peppermint Hot Chocolate ($13.95) pairs great with a colorful mug and homemade holiday cookies. It's a thoughtful DIY gift that can be enjoyed during the holidays...and into the new year! You can also select several items from the collection, then arrange them in a basket lined with their festive Peppermint Kitchen Towel ($10.95). Be sure to visit Stonewall Kitchen's handy online store to check out these great peppermint items...and their entire holiday line!

(2) Perfect for Movie Night, Date Night, or Winter Binge Watching: Popzup Popcorn. The quintessential at-home Family Night...or Date Night...is Movie Night. That means one thing: popcorn! I was introduced to Popzup Popcorn this Fall, and now I'm hooked! This family-owned company is based in New Hampshire, where they make delicious popcorn by hand using pure, simple ingredients straight from the farm: popcorn kernels, butter, and cheese. I'm sharing two great Popzup options for the holiday season: bags of delicious ready-to-eat popcorn...and their fun Movie Time Popcorn Box Kit.

The Try Them All - Family Size set ($28) features four 5-oz bags of Popzup's signature ready-to-eat flavors: Butter Me Up, Cheddar Head, Maple Cinnamon Toast, and Cheesy Herbie. With both savory and sweet options, there's something to please everyone! I love all these flavors, but the classic Butter Me Up...flavored simply with sea salt and sweet cream butter...is my personal favorite. For maximum movie theater vibes, I warm my bowl in the microwave for 10-15 seconds!

For those who prefer to pop their own popcorn, Popzup offers a Movie Time Popcorn Kit that's available for microwave popping ($29) OR stovetop popping ($25). Both kits include a dozen individual packs of popcorn kernels and Popzup's signature Real Butter & Sea Salt Seasoning. 

The microwave Movie Night Kit also includes Popzup's innovative reusable microwave popcorn popper. This eco-friendly popper is made with virgin paperboard that's printed with vegetable-based ink. It can easily be recycled or composted when you're ready to discard it. What a perfect gift for those who prefer to use Earth-friendly products! You can find these two gift ideas...and more...by visiting Popzup's online shop. For my Texas readers, I also have purchased bags of Popzup at my local Central Market.

(3) For the Coffee Lover: DIY Coffee Set With Peet's Coffee K-Cup® Pods, Skinny Mixes Holiday Sugar Free Syrups, and a Meaningful Mug. Coffee lovers on your holiday gift list will go nuts for a gift set featuring their favorite K-Cup® pods and yummy sugar-free flavoring syrups. Peet's Coffee has a line of K-Cup® pods  ($9.99 per 10-pod box) that includes their 2023 seasonal Holiday Blend and Peppermint Mocha...as well as year-round favorites Caramel Brûlee, and Hazelnut Mocha. 

Next, select a duo of delicious sugar-free Holiday Skinny Syrups ($7.99/bottle) that coordinate with your selected Peet's Coffee flavors. 

Flavors in Jordan's Skinny Mixes 2023 Holiday Collection include:

• Sugar Cookie
• Peppermint Bark
• White Chocolate Peppermint
• Eggnog
• Chestnut Praline
• Spiced Cranberry
• Gingerbread Latte
• Naturally Sweetened Peppermint Mocha -- sweetened with stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol

Once your coffee and syrups are selected, add a fun coffee mug that matches your recipient's personality or favorite hobby. Finally, add everything to a clear cellophane gift bag...and tie with a festive holiday ribbon. Boom! A DIY coffee gift that's customized to their personal favorite flavors.

Be sure to come back Monday for Part 2 of this year's Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers! I'll be sharing a trio of gifts that are family friendly...or perfect for the entertainers on your holiday shopping list.

Disclosure: These makers of these items provided me with sample items to try out before recommending to my readers. All opinions are solely my own.