Note - this post contains affiliate links.

Happy holiday shopping season everybody!

I don’t know about y’all but I do NOT go Black Friday shopping. I try not to even leave my house on that day. I do support Shop Small Saturday and encourage everyone to support their local businesses as much as they possibly can! And for the things you can’t find locally I recommend getting the best deals you can. That’s what this blog post is all about. 

If you know me (and/or Barry) you know I love food - good food. We love to cook, entertain and eat. I am going to share with you a few of my favorite food gifts and links for you to purchase.

This Anova sous vide is a perfect gift for the foodie in your life for multiple reasons. One - the price point is fantastic right now. Two - they will use it every week I bet. Three - sous vide is the best way to cook whether you know how to cook or not! I'm dead serious about number three. (If you're not familiar with sous vide here's the skinny - it's a way of preparing food, usually meat, in which you place the food in a bag and cook in water that is set at a constant temperature.) Cooking with sous vide ensures you won't overcook your food. You can't. You set the temperature and it won't go over that temperature. 

I first became familiar with sous vide preparation through the chefs we work with in restaurants. A lot of restaurants use this type of food prep - that's why your food can come out so quickly. On a day the restaurant is closed someone will come in and sous vide all the protein for the week and then when you order it, they just throw it on the cooktop or grill and bring it to temperature. And you can do that in your own home. That's another reason sous vide is so great. You can prepare all your protein in the sous vide, say, on Sunday in a batch cook situation and then keep it in the fridge until you want it. Then it's a quick way to enjoy a delicious weeknight meal with your family.

Here's the link to the granddaddy of them all. My all-time favorite cooking vessel. I use the Lodge Enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven at least every other day (and they should be embarrassed by all the free advertising they get from me but apparently they're not because they never respond to my social media tags or emails). I do love it. You can use it with your sous vide. You can use it on your smoker. On your grill. On your cook top (my cooktop is glass and I use it all the time and have for 15 years). In your oven. Anywhere you have a heat source. They clean up easily and weigh so much you don't have to work out after you cook! Also the price point is always good and right now it's fantastic.

This is the second Cuisinart Food Processor I've had. This one has an updated design and a smaller footprint for storage. It packs a punch and I use it a LOT. I just used it this week to make the last round of basil pesto for the winter. I also use it for my southwest spinach dip, shredding cheese when I'm too lazy to do it by hand, making cole slaw and shredding Brussels sprouts to trick people into eating them (there's a story in our cookbook about that if you're interested). You cannot go wrong with a food processor. I'm not big on kitchen gadgets but this is one I swear by.

I have to confess. I have the professional version of this Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I adore it! I love it so much I have even named him - Noel. He is red and my parents gifted him to me years ago and I love him. And when I looked at the price point for the professional version I almost dropped my teeth. So I am now recommending this version. It's the same powerhouse just slightly smaller. My mom has this one. This version has the tilting head which I really love and the bowl that locks in. My version lifts the bowl to the mixer and is slightly bigger. If you have the disposable income I guess the professional one is better BUT it's also over $300 right now. . . . I would recommend either.

I have been through a bunch of measuring sets and I thought they were all the same until I got these. Here's what I love about sets like these. Notice how the measuring spoons are longer and not round? That helps get in the little spice jars as well as the tall baking soda containers when you're almost out (as opposed to pouring the baking soda out and all over your counter while trying to get it in the spoon). Also the cups don't spill over but actually stand balanced on your counter so the liquid doesn't spill. And the amounts are stamped into the cup/spoon as opposed to printed on it - let's be honest. We're all putting those things in the dishwasher and then the print wears off and you don't know if you're using a tablespoon, half a tablespoon or a teaspoon. Which is important, so you throw it away or push it to the back of the drawer never to use again. These are better. And less than $20 so it's a great stocking stuffer.

These tart pans are so cute - I love them! I'm actually using them for Thanksgiving this week because I'm making two different tarts for different dietary needs for our family. With this size I can use the same crust recipe and just different fillings and everybody will be happy. Plus I won't be left with so many leftovers. . . . Great price point for a gift on this one, too.

I love these deep dish bakers! I do chicken pot pie a lot as well as baked pasta dishes and these just make everything so pretty. Plus you have one to keep and one to give when you take food to someone who needs a pick-me-up. Also a great price point right now.

I got these for Barry and he loves them. They're a great stocking stuffer!

Another great stocking stuffer! I use this as a topping on fried rice, noodle bowls and Thai chicken and rice soup. It's so so so good. Just make sure everybody eats it or no one eats it. It's delish and powerful. 

And finally this orange fig spread. It's great on a charcuterie board, on toast, on crackers or in a syrup. You can't go wrong with this as a stocking stuffer.

So there you have it! Ten picks of my favorite items that I believe will make amazing gifts your foodie will be thankful for, love and USE. I hope you find something on this list you like and will buy.

Cheers and happy holidays!

Aliceson