12 Edible Gift Ideas and 8 Great Holiday Recipes!

Don't miss the new December 2023 magazine issue. [Food Gardening Network Preview]( December 18, 2023  [Enjoy Gardening Gifts Galore – and a Garden Fresh Holiday Feast!]( Don’t miss this delicious 8-course holiday meal straight from the garden! [Magazine Cover] Gain full access to this premium magazine issue—and an entire Library of food gardening advice—with a [Charter Gold Membership in Food Gardening Network!]( Dear Gardener, December is a special time for gardeners. Here in New England, we’re harvesting the last of our late fall and early winter crops, like carrots, potatoes, kale, Brussels sprouts, and other cool-weather vegetables. And while the outdoor garden may be heading into dormancy for a few months, there’s still a lot to be excited about. Many of those root vegetables and winter squashes we’ve stashed away will feed us for a while longer. We’re cleaning, sharpening, and storing our gardening tools. And in the coziness of our homes, we have our indoor gardens, the heavenly aromas in the kitchen, and our dreams of gardens yet to come. One of the things I love most about winter is that I can spend time in the kitchen, creating hearty, healthy meals for friends and family. There’s no happier place for me than when garlic and rosemary are simmering on the stovetop, butternut squash is roasting in the oven, and I’m sharing a glass of wine with good friends. As a matter of fact, that’s where the inspiration for the December issue of Food Gardening Magazine comes from. We put together some of our favorite holiday recipes for an 8-course holiday meal that highlights the flavors of the season. You’ll find homemade Cranberry Sauce, Italian Bread Stuffing with fresh herbs, Garlic Confit Roasted Bird, Maple Sage Baked Pear, and more, for a meal you won’t forget! Plus, since this is gift-giving season for many of us, we’re sharing some of our favorite gardening gift ideas, gifts from the garden, and 15 homemade spice mixes that you can make in your kitchen to give – or keep! The December issue of Food Gardening Magazine is abundant with the flavors of the season. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside. [8 Recipes for a Garden-to-Table Holiday Dinner] In all, you’ll find five featured articles, eight delicious recipes (plus many more in the guides), and explorations of our three featured herbs and fruits: Sage, Lemons, and Oranges. And, as always, there are some additional delightful gardening articles and recipes in store from the gardening guides highlighted in this issue. Take a look at the fun ahead in the December Issue of Food Gardening Magazine. [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( Here are some exciting articles and videos to look forward to in the Holiday Celebration December Issue of Food Gardening Magazine: - How to Keep Gardening in December: Why wait until spring to exercise your gardening muscles? Amanda is sharing five gardening activities you can do right now in the comfort of your home, no matter how cold it is outdoors. Take the plunge into hydroponic gardening, or start planning your outdoor garden for when spring rolls around. - Heirloom Gardening Gifts: Whether you're buying for yourself, or for a favorite gardener in your life, there's something extra special about an heirloom-worthy gardening tool. These tools may be new or antique, and you may find them brand new, or in the wild at an estate sale or flea market. What they all have in common, however, is that they are built to last. Some are handmade, while others are factory-forged. But either way, you'll find these tools are sturdy and durable, with quality manufacturing at the fore. - 12 Edible Gift Ideas From Your Garden: Herb blends, jelly and jam, salad dressing, tea, and hot sauce are just the beginning! Your garden is a gift waiting to happen. Is there a better gift than homemade pickles? - 8 Recipes for a Garden-To-Table Holiday Dinner: This year for Food Gardening Magazine, we made a number of recipes straight from the garden. In this article, Amanda put together a whole holiday meal plan that incorporates those recipes and a few new ones that you can prepare with ease for your next holiday meal or Sunday supper with family. - The Trowel That Keeps on Giving: This article comes from our sister publication, GreenPrints Magazine. In this story, writer Julie Foley reminds us of the beauty and stories behind garden tools as they are passed down through the years. - 15 Homemade Spice Mixes for Gifts: Who doesn't love a gift of homemade goodness? Amanda goes all in on this one and shares 15 of her favorite homemade spice mixes, along with herb blends and herb and spice blends. Get spicy with a Cajun Spice Blend, celebrate the season with your very own Pumpkin Pie Spice mix, travel the world from the comfort of your kitchen with Greek Seasoning, and so much more. And yes, these are "gifts," but no one said you have to give them away! [15 Homemade Spice Mixes for Gifts] [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( The latest issue of Food Gardening Magazine also features our deep dive collections on Sage, Lemons, and Oranges. You’ll get tons of tips for growing these three exciting plants, from choosing the type you want to grow to prepping your garden and all the way through harvesting and enjoying them in your kitchen. Here are some of the articles you can look forward to. Check out 10 Sage Companion Plants to discover 10 excellent garden neighbors for sage. You may already know about some, like rosemary and oregano. But did you know sage can repel some of the pests that like to feed on kohlrabi and collard greens? Or that carrots and sage both help each other in the garden? Number 10 on the list is a match made in heaven, both in the garden and in the kitchen. How big do lemon trees get? You might be asking this if you're thinking about growing lemon trees. The “average” height of a mature lemon tree is around 20 feet tall. But some can reach up to 30 feet, while container lemon trees may top out around 5 feet. Find out which variety is right for you and how to manage its growth, in How Big Do Lemon Trees Get? Considering an orange tree? In How to Grow an Orange Tree in Your Yard, we’ll show you how to grow orange trees at home under the conditions they’re meant for, in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11. We’ll answer questions about growing in flood zones and more. Take a look at the December Issue of Food Gardening Magazine for the full articles and start thinking about your garden! [How Big Do Lemon Trees Get?] We hope you enjoy the December edition of Food Gardening Magazine as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it. Open up the December Issue today and join us in creating and tending the garden of your dreams.  [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( There’s a lot there, but I really want to share more with you, which is why I’d like to offer you a [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership](. When I first started gardening, I made a lot of mistakes, and it didn’t come to me naturally. I had to go through dozens of books, piles of magazines, and about a million websites to figure out how to grow what I wanted. There was some luck, too. I have some friends who are experienced food gardeners, and I wasn’t shy about talking to the farmers I bought produce from at the markets and farm stands. That’s certainly one way to learn. I also realize that takes a lot of time and patience (and no small amount of Type A personality traits!). And honestly, there are times it would have been nice to have one source to discover a new vegetable (or rediscover some old favorites), and get all the information I needed to grow these vegetables in my garden. Well, now there is, thanks to the Food Gardening Network—a one-stop guide for all your gardening and cooking needs. From starting seeds to irrigation to pest control to indoor herb gardens, this is the information I wish I had when I was learning to garden. This is where the Food Gardening Network truly shines. [YES, SIGN ME UP FOR JUST $10!]( When you upgrade now to [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership]( you get everything we publish about growing (and cooking!) good food at home—all access and all the time for you, including: - [All-Access Membership in Food Gardening Network Gold Club]( only online resource for planning, planting, growing, tending, harvesting, and enjoying foods from your very own garden. - Subscription to Food Gardening Magazine—enjoy monthly issues filled with articles about how to start, maintain, and harvest food from your own garden at home. Plus, instant and unlimited access to the entire searchable digital library of back issues! - Subscription to RecipeLion Magazine—I can’t wait to share hundreds of delicious and easy-to-make recipes with you! Get tasty recipes at your fingertips, along with tips and tricks for developing new cooking skills. Plus, instant and unlimited access to the entire searchable digital library of back issues! - Gardening Guides—you get instant access to a growing collection of more than 55 comprehensive guidebooks that are plant-specific—from tomatoes, basil, and garlic to potatoes, pumpkins, beans, corn, squash, and more!—about how to grow, harvest, and enjoy the bounty of your home garden. Learn everything about specific foods you can grow, get recipes to enjoy with friends and family, and enjoy tips on health benefits and home remedies that use your harvest! - Cookbooks—you get full and instant access to 9 digital cookbooks, filled with more than 1,300 recipes! You’ll never run out of ways to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables!) of your labor with these easy-to-make recipes! From single dishes to a whole meal—we’ve got you covered! - Videos & Library—you get instant access to more than 80 videos in our library with gardening tips, tricks, and tactics; do-it-yourself projects for gardening and crafting items; and cooking videos to show you exactly how to make specific dishes. Plus, access to new monthly videos over the coming year! - NEW! Planning Calendars —every season of the year, you get printable planning calendars to help keep your garden on track. Calendars include tasks, checklists, notes, and recipes that use fresh seasonal ingredients from your garden. - NEW SERVICE! Recipe of the Week—every Sunday, you get a recipe with quick, easy, and delicious ways to cook food—delivered weekly to your email inbox. This is one email I love opening! - Gold Member Insider—you get this exclusive email service, delivered regularly to your inbox, to guide you through the Food Gardening Network Library. Saves you time finding articles, magazine issues, gardening guides, videos, kits, and recipes that you won't want to miss! And all of this is available to you —right now—when you upgrade to a [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership.]( I want to see your name on my daily list of new Gold Members—you deserve to join like-minded gardeners and get full access to our entire library of material for optimizing your food garden. Please become a [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Member]( today—while this special offer lasts! Sincerely, [Amanda Signature] Amanda MacArthur Senior Editor & Producer (and darn fine cook!) Food Gardening Network P.S. Your success with food gardening depends on you acting now—please claim your [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership]( today and get the only all-in-one-place resource for planning, planting, growing, tending, harvesting, and enjoying foods from your very own garden. P.P.S. 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