The Perfect Basket: Make Your Own Special-Occasion Baskets
Although nothing says "I care" more than a homemade gift, would-be donors should at least ensure that both talent and time are available to make presents from scratch. San Diego cooking-school instructor Phillips has compiled a fairly comprehensive array of gift baskets, all centered on a theme--from a new pet to a weekend breakfast celebration. Obviously, she's best at creating food ideas; her 30 container gifts, with more than 125 recipes in total, are easy-to-make luxuries, including some unusual dishes like candy cookie mix, wild rice soup, banana chocolate chip streusel bread, and beef brisket marinade mix, among others. The second half of the book--special occasion assemblages--is more routine, composed of simple lists and a sentence or two of explanation for each of 30 gift packages.Barbara Jacobs