{Gift Guide} GIVE foodie gifts, RECEIVE a homemade jam trio and gourmet toffee!

Feast your eyes on the best gourmet gifts to GIVE all the foodies on your list, brought to you by FOF food guru Cathy Barrow of the brilliant blog, Mrs.Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen.

Then comment below to enter to RECEIVE two of the treats: a trio of homemade jams from Sunchowder’s Emporia and a pound of almond toffee from Enstrom’s. (One FOF will win.)

Homemade Jams and Chutneys from Sunchowder’s Emporia. Available in 4 oz. or 8 oz. jars. $4 to $8.

FOF Wendy Read cooks her jams in copper kettles the old-fashioned way–without pectins and thickeners. Can’t decide on a flavor? Sunchowder’s Emporia offers a jam of the month club, $145 for twelve 4 oz. jars or $180 for twelve 8 oz. jars. The love will be spread all year long.”These are exceptional, hand-crafted jams,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow.

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Almond Toffee from Enstrom’s. Available in milk or dark chocolate. 1 lb., 2 lb., 3 lb. and 5 lb. boxes. $19.95 to $79.95.

“Quite simply, the best toffee you’ll ever have,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow.
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Around My French Table cookbook by Dorie Greenspan. $40.

“Dorie’s cookbook is really approachable. Every time you try her recipes, they work and make you look like a superstar,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. “And Dorie is a fellow FOF! My favorite recipe from the book is the garlic and lemon version of ‘Chicken in a Pot’ on page 206. It’s great for families or dinner parties, easy and satisfying.”
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Recyled China Earrings and Necklaces from The Broken Plate Pendant Company. $20 to $120.

Did you break your Great Aunt Myrtle’s favorite serving plate? Send Broken Plate owner Juliet Ames the shards and she will craft a custom wearable delight. Talk about re-gifting! “The handcrafted earrings and necklaces are charming.” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. “What a great reuse of broken plates.”

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Heirloom Beans from Rancho Gordo. Available in 33 varieties. $4.95-$5.95 for a 1 lb. bag.

“Steve, who started the company, is dedicated to making sure heirloom beans are getting attention, and we have more than just kidney beans and black beans in our repertoires,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. “These are super fresh and a practical gift. They cook up really creamy and make this great pot liquor. My favorite is the black and white Vaquero variety.”
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Recipe Cards from Pink Bathtub Designs, $4.50 for a set of 5.

“I think recipe cards are a fun, old-fashioned idea to bring back,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. “Anyone who cooks gets asked for their recipes. It’s nice to have sweet ones to give out. They’re also great for those just starting to cook, a great way to begin their recipe collections.”
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Martha Stewart Makes Cookies, iPad App. $4.99.

“I’m a baker and I think Martha Stewart’s cookie app is fantastic,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. It has shopping lists, recipes, fantastic photos and it’s very approachable… just made for the home cook.”
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Rugelach from Perl Girl Baking. Available in cinnamon and sugar, fig jam and almond, jam and chocolate and peanut butter and jelly. 1 lb., 2 lb., 3 lb., 4 lb. and 5 lb. boxes. $20 to $100.

“Made a from a family recipe and hand-rolled in small batches, these cookies are the perfect combination of sweet and savory.” –FOF Founder, Geri Brin
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KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers. Available in 28 colors. $299, or $270.96 (after mail-in rebate).

“Best price ever for KA mixers this year, $299 with a $30 rebate at many stores,” says Mrs. Wheelbarrow. “This is the year to get your favorite baker a mixer and there are so many gorgeous colors to choose from… I have the silver one because I couldn’t decide.”

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Cathy Barrow is the brains and kitchen hands behind the delicious blog, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen, and she teaches cooking classes from her D.C. home. NPR’s Morning Edition featured her in a segment on canning; Al Roker made her Thanksgiving stuffing on The Today Show, and her Sour Cherry Pie earned a blue ribbon for Overall Best Pie in the DC Metro Area.
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To enter to win a trio of homemade jams from Sunchowder Emporio and a pound of almond toffee from Enstrom’s, comment below and answer: What holiday treat do you most look forward to?

Contest closes December 13, 2010.

(See all our past winners, here.)

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

{Quiz} Which Thanksgiving “trimming” has the most calories?

“Trimming?” Yeah right! We found these traditional Thanksgiving side dishes to be anything but lean. Which holiday side dish has the most calories? (the answer may surprise you!)

[QUIZZIN 4]

Did you know? A typical Thanksgiving meal, including drinks, appetizers, meal and dessert, has 4,000 calories!

Sources: About.com, ThatsFit.com

Images via My Recipes, Daily World Buzz, Iain Bagwell for Sunset and The Daily Meal (McCormick)