Not Just Another Purim Basket!
Mishloach Manot is the traditional gift giving of two or more different type foods to at least two people. We perform this Mitzvah for many reasons ““ most significantly to ensure there is sufficient food for the Purim feast and to increase love and friendship between Jews, thereby dismissing Haman’s accusations that there is strife and dissention. Purim is an ideal opportunity to repair broken relationships by sending packages to people with whom we’ve had ill feelings. Tra¬ditionally, however, Purim packages are sent to family, friends, neighbors, and business associates.
From soups to nutty
Mishloach Manot is given in many different forms. Home baked goods, candy platters, fruit, and lots and lots of wine bottles are just some of the things traded between friends and family. At times, you may find things have gone from the simple baskets our mothers used to hand out to elaborately themed towers of very expensive confections.
Last year, I received a huge wicker horse stuffed with everything pink and green. Impressive surely, but where someone finds a pink wrapped bottle of beer I have still to find out. The Mishloach Manot we appreciated the most was the sweetly presented deli lunch box that had a small hero sandwich, a package of chips and a can of cola. It really hit the spot after a day of running errands with no time to prepare lunch.
Get your basket back to basics
Here are a couple entertaining, classy, and easy on the pocket Mishloach Manot ideas:
Gourmet soup basket ““ This year, when you make soup for your Purim or Shabbos meal, make a bigger pot! Then send out small containers of your delicious soup with a homemade “private label” along with some fantastic, fresh Italian or French bakery bread. Place everything into a simple wicker basket or even a large brown paper bag, tie a raffia ribbon around everything and viola! ““ a classic French style gift.
Homemade Granola- One of the easiest and tasty things you can make is homade granola. Just add a small carton of milk or a fancy fruity wine and you have a delicious gift to send that took really no time and ia very light on the pocketbook. Granola is a great healthy nosh to send that the adults themselves will appreciate, add a little maple syrup or peanut butter to the recipe and you can make great home made granola bars as well.
Chocolate Pizza – Buy some frozen pizza dough or make your own and instead of adding sauce and cheese add white chocolate chips, dark chocolate and some marshmellows. Bake the crust first then add the toppings and bake again for about 5 minutes in the oven on 350 and out comes the most delicious chocolate pizza. The marshmellows melt imitating the look of melted cheese and when you cut into this pizza the chocolate oozes..yummy! Top with any of your favorite candies, deliver in a pizza box (about $.15 a peice how cheap is that!) and whalla avery creative and great new idea for shaloch manot this year
Composte Cookies – Take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and make it with a twist. Purim is so close to Pesach so get rid of your left over bags of corn chips, potato chips, crackers, half eaten boxes of candies etc… Throw a combination of salty and sweet leftover ingredients into this cookie dough in place or with the chocolate chips and you have some of the best cookies you have ever tasted. I made this week a combonations, of corn chips, slatines, rollo chocolates, and leftover peanut M&M’s composte cookie.
