Slices of fresh goat cheese are topped with marinated sundried tomatoes, and you can serve them in several ways:

 
And it’s so easy to make.

You can buy whole sundried tomatoes, or make your own topping. dice them and marinate them in olive oil with oregano and other herbs*.

Deck the table with goat cheese rounds. Photo courtesy Bella Sun Luci.

The Bella Sun Luci brand of sundried tomatoes has done all the hard work. Look for their jars of:

Ingredients

 
Variations

 
_________________________________
*You can use basil, black pepper, marjoram,oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sea salt and/or thyme.
†If you use rosemary, garnish with very small pieces, as guests may be wary of eating a larger sprig.

If you come up with other uses for “Christmas goat cheese,” please share!

We received scores of pitches, but here’s what caught our eye (in alphabetical order).

DeLEÓN TEQUILA: CUSTOM-ENGRAVED BOTTLES

You may or may not know that Sean “Diddy” Combs is the co-owner of the DeLeón tequila brand, which he acquired along with Diageo, his partner in Ciroc vodka.

His part is to give DeLeón a similar sheen, making it the luxury vodka (he drinks it on the rocks). The packaging is gorgeous, the empty bottles demand to be repurposed. But that’s not all:

Bottles of DeLeón Platinum ($55) and DeLeón Reposado ($65) can be custom-engraved with your personal message. It is engraved on the back of the bottle facing the front, so it can be seen whenever the giftee looks at the bottle. You have 10-25 characters on two lines in 14 point type, or 10-30 characters on 3 lines in 10 point type.

Each bottle comes beautifully wrapped and accompanied with custom drink stirrers and a personal note from Mr. Combs. Start composing those messages, then head to ReserveBar.com.
 
 
DIY: HOMEMADE GIN KIT

TOP PHOTO: Engrave a message on the back of the DeLeón tequila bottle. BOTTOM PHOTO: Make homemade gin with this kit from DIY. And homemade tonic water, too.

How much fun is this? The Homemade Gin Kit (photo above) lets you transform a generic bottle of vodka into your very own home-blend of gin in 36 hours. The kit contains everything you need—except the vodka—to make a like craft distillery-like gin in just 36 hours.

It’s $54.95 at Williams-Sonoma.com (online only). You can combine it with a DIY Tonic Water Kit, $24.95.

TOP PHOTO: Pop the cork of limited edition
Chandon Champagne. MIDDLE PHOTO:
Rolling Stones fans will want these
commemorative tequila bottles from Jose
Cuervo. BOTTOM PHOTO: Samuel Adams
Utopias, beer aged to a cognac-like state.

MOET ET CHANDON: CHANDON LIMITED EDITION HOLIDAY BOTTLE

Celebrating its third year of limited-edition holiday bottles, the 2015 bottle is white with gold script phrases like “Nonstop Fun” and Bestie Wishes.” It’s available at retailers nationwide, or online from Chandon.com.

The suggested retail price is $24 for a 750-ml. bottle, $288 for a case.

Not grand enough? For $449 you can give a Dom Pérignon 3-Pack: three bottles of the The King of Champagne’s 2005 vintage, with an engraved glass ice bucket.
 
 
JOSE CUERVO TEQUILA: ROLLING STONES LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE

Jose Cuervo has released two limited edition tequila bottlings of Especial and Reserva de la Familia. They commemorate “the pivotal role that Jose Cuervo played in fueling The Rolling Stones notorious 1972 North American tour” (dubbed the “Tequila Sunrise Tour”).

For those who don’t know their Stones legends, the tour kicked off with a party at The Trident bar in San Francisco. According to an article in National Geographic, Mick came up to the bar and asked Bobby Lozoff, inventor of the Tequila Sunrise,for a Margarita. Bobby suggested a Tequila Sunrise instead and the rest, as they say, is history.

Both bottles feature the iconic Stones “lapping tongue” logo and a limited-edition label. The Special Edition Rolling Stones Jose Cuervo Especial has a suggested retail price of $16.99.

The Ultra Premium Rolling Stones Reserva de la Familia Collectors Edition—the private Extra Añejo tequila reserve of the Cuervo Family—has a suggested retail price of $149.99.
 
 
BOSTON BEER COMPANY: SAMUEL ADAMS UTOPIAS

What’s a $200 Samuel Adams like?

Like cognac, it’s is a blend of previous vintages. The complex aroma has notes of wood, toffee, cocoa, raisin and maple; on the palate there’s molasses, earthy wood, dates, and toffee.

Utopias a limited edition, limited release brew. Only 15,000 bottles are made each year. It’s packaged in a ceramic brew-kettle-style decanter.

This year’s batch is 28% ABV, and is best enjoyed at room temperature, as a two ounce pour in a snifter.

At a suggested retail price of $199, you probably can’t give it as a gift to all your beer-loving friends; but connoisseurs of craft beer will really appreciate a taste. Buy a bottle and invite them for a sip.

Here’s where you can find it.

For holidays, we always spring for special crackers. We have our year-round go-to favorites, but a special occasion deserves special crackers with the hors d’oeuvre, soup and cheese courses.

Raincoast Crisps is one of the finest cracker lines made.

Lesley Stowe spent years as a caterer before the demand for her crisps grew so great, she realized there was a different opportunity to pursue. She went into the crisps business full-time.

Perfect for antipasto, dips, cheeses, pâtés or eating by themselves, these crisps are a perfection of flavor, texture and eye appeal. They’re packed with seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame), nuts, fruits and herbs.

There are now six year-round flavors and a pumpkin edition for the holidays.

These small batch crackers* are made from scratch, using the finest-quality, all non-GMO ingredients. While Lesley could make them flat naturally, she creates a slight curve in the crisp to make them even more special (and great for dipping).

Much time was spent in the development of Raincoast Crisps. There’s a lot of hand labor required to get them just so. As a result, they’re pricier† than production-line crackers. But as a splurge, don’t hesitate to spend your money on them; they’re worth it. The products are certified kosher by OU.
 
*In the U.K. and Canada, crisps are something small and crunchy. Potato chips are called potato crisps.

†We have seen them for $7.99 to $11.99 for a 170 g (6-ounce) box, depending on the retailer.
 
THE GLORIOUS RAINCOAST CRISPS AND IDEAS FOR
PAIRINGS

As a caterer, Ms. Stowe had the experience to develop cracker flavors to pair with popular nibbles. Her choices follow, although your own preferences should guide your way.

Original Raincoast Crisps

With four types of seeds—no nuts, no fruits—this savory crisp is match anything, but Lesley favors it with:

TOP PHOTO: Use Raincoast Crisps as the base for canapés. BOTTOM PHOTO: The flavors and textures of Raincoast Crisps. Photos courtesy Lesley Stowe.

 
Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps

This sweet and fruity crisp, with plump cranberries and toasty hazelnuts, is a natural with:

 
Fig & Olive Crisps

Pair this savory and salty crisp, made with Adriatic figs and Kalamata olives (no nuts), with:

TOP PHOTO: Rosemary Raisin Pecan crisps
with blue cheese. BOTTOM PHOTO: The
filling of a New Orleans mufffuletta sandwich
is turned into a dip. Here’s the recipe. Photos
courtesy Lesley Stowe.

Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crisps

Try this sweet and savory crisp, balancing sweet Thompson raisins with pecans and fresh rosemary, with:

 
While you’re at it, check out Lesley’s recipe for Caramelized Onion & Blue Cheese Dip. We couldn’t get enough of it.
 
Salty Date and Almond Crisps

Made at the request of customers for a saltier crisp, this combination of dates and almonds is topped with a dusting of coarse sea salt. Try it with:

 
There are also two flavors exclusive to Whole Foods Markets: Apricot Fig & Lemon Crisps and the seasonal Pumpkin & Spice Crisps.
 
WHEAT-FREE, NUT-FREE CRISPS

So that more people can relish the crisps, there’s a wheat- and nut-free line made with oats, in:

There’s a store locator on the website, and they are sold online at Dean & DeLuca, iGourmet and other specialty food sites.

However, reading the reviews on Amazon raised an issue we need to point out. While almost every comment called them the “best crackers ever” (while bemoaning the high price), the majority reported that the crackers arrived in crumbs, that the packaging wasn’t good for shipping.

If you can’t find them or can’t afford them, several people have recreated their own copycat recipes—much to the chagrin of Ms. Stowe who spent so much effort developing them. (“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” she says.)

We can’t think of a better holiday gift for a foodie—along with a fine piece of cheese.

Learn more at LesleyStowe.com.

 
Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps photo courtesy Dean & DeLuca.
  

TOP PHOTO: Pretty pinwheel sandwiches
from Hidden Valley. BOTTOM PHOTO:
Cranberry-feta pinwheels in tomato tortillas.
Here’s the recipe from Food.com.

We delighted in them, and were even happier when the bread was baked in red and green loaves for Christmas, pink and blue for baby showers.

Fast forward 30 years: Tortilla wraps have taken over; and since they are made in different colors/flavors, there’s no need to tint dough and bake bread. Pinwheels are as easy to make as any wrap sandwich, so we now enjoy them regularly.

(We used up our Thanksgiving leftovers in pinwheel sandwiches. The combination of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce can’t be beat!)

For the holidays, serve them with cocktails, or bring them as your contribution to a party. Make a double or triple recipe. They go fast, and you can freeze any leftovers. BONUS: They can be made the night before.

The following recipe from Hidden Valley has bits of red and green accents for the holidays, but you go whole hog with the variation below.

RECIPE: PINWHEEL SANDWICHES

Ingredients

*The 2¼ ounces equals about 4 tablespoons. We prefer the flavor of loose olives to many canned slices, which can be bland. We buy quality pitted olives from our market’s olive bar and slice them ourselves.
 
Preparation

1. MIX the cream cheese, dressing mix and onions until blended. Spread on the tortillas. (If the tortillas are not room temperature or not pliable, warm them briefly in the microwave to prevent tearing when you roll them.)

2. BLOT dry the pimientos, chiles and olives on paper towels. Sprinkle equal amounts of over the cream cheese mixture.

3. ROLL up the tortillas tightly, and cover them in plastic wrap or foil to hold their shape. Chill at least 2 hours.

4. CUT the rolls into 1-inch slices. Discard the ends (we discarded them right into our mouth). Plate with the spirals facing up. Garnish the plate as desired and serve.

You can further provide a dip: guacamole, onion or ranch dip, salsa, etc.

If you need a video, here.

Start by considering your favorite ingredients (ours: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers), then an accent or two (dill, salmon caviar). Fresh herbs (dill, for our sandwich) really bring up the flavor.

Alternatively, think of your favorite cuisine: French, Greek, Italian, Mexican? Assemble your ingredients on that theme.

Another option: Take a look at all the varieties in Google Images, until you find the combination of ingredients that you like.

Here’s a generic starter list:

Main Fillings

 
Spreads

 
Accents

 
For Kids

 
Have fun with pinwheel sandwiches, and make them often!

TOP PHOTO: Ham and cheese pinwheel sandwiches with holiday colors. Here’s the recipe from Lynda’s Recipe Box. MIDDLE PHOTO: Five different flavors and colors from The Pioneer Woman. BOTTOM PHOTO: Think of how you want to present your pinwheels. Maybe form a Christmas tree? Photo courtesy Nancys.com.

Dehydrate lemons, limes oranges and grapefruit to make tree ornaments. TOP PHOTO: An orange slice ornament. Photo courtesy Specialty Produce. BOTTOM PHOTO: Red or pink grapefruit make pretty slices. Photo courtesy Good Eggs.

You—or your kids—can make these dehydrated citrus ornaments in your oven. You don’t need an electric dehydrator, but if you have one, great.

The fruit slices become translucent after drying, adding color and textural interest to any display.

A convection oven is better than a conventional oven, but the latter works, too.

In addition to tree ornaments:

 
MAKE YOUR OWN CITRUS CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting, usually 140°F. (To use a food dehydrator, set the temperature to between 125°F and 135°F and dry for 2-12 hours. Remember to rotate your dehydrator trays for even drying.)

2. CLEAN the skins of the citrus with a damp towel.

3. CUT the citrus into slices from 1/4″ to 3/8″ thick. If using the cloves, use an ice pick to punch holes for them in the surface skin (not in the white pith). TIP: Pressing in cloves can create a sore spot on your finger. Use a thimble.
 
*If you need a lot of cloves, it’s best to buy them in bulk (e.g., a one-pound bag).

4. PLACE a wire rack atop a baking sheet(s), and arrange the slices on the rack. Place the sheet(s) in the oven, but leave the door open 2 to 4 inches. This enables the air to circulate and the moisture to escape, dehydrating the fruit. If you are preparing more than one tray, rotate the trays halfway through for even drying.

TIP: You can set a fan just outside of the oven to supply further air circulation, and to help speed drying.

5. DRY the orange slices in the oven for 6 to 12 hours, or until the peel is hard and the fruit is brittle. Allow the slices to cool completely; then store in an airtight container until ready to create the hanging loops or otherwise use them.

6. USE an ice pick or other sharp implement to puncture a hole for hanging through the flesh of each piece. Use string (the metallic wrapping string is great here) to create a loop for hanging on tree branches. If you’re using a gift card, place it on the string before tying the knot.