another use for green tomato's & another book to look for

During my morning walk around, I noticed my garden had a nice amount of green tomato's still clinging to their vines. They are the black cherry variety ( & a few striped caverns) , so fried green tomatos were out. While on a search for a new chutney recipe, I came across one for green tomato chutney with apples. Of course I still have half a bushel & am making pumpkin butter and another chutney with it, so why not add the green tomato chutney to the days list. I did not follow this recipe to a T. I left out mustard seed , pickling spice, & chili powder- used cayenne instead- . I added cardamom, 2 apples plus 2 pears chunked up & ground black pepper. I kinda mixed it up with this recipe here. It was an almost all day stove top ordeal! The liquid would not condense down to make it thick untill just before dinner. Who knows why. Maybe because I left the lid on it took longer. After a taste test it has been proclaimed wonderful! I can just imagine all the sandwich's this could be used on. Left over turkey from Thanksgiving, The captains burgers.... What a great tasting condiment! And to think, I discovered chutney's wonderful tastes just a few years ago. This batch of jars will go as gifts later in the year.
I have fresh pureed pumpkin in the crockpot, slow cooking with a few apples chunked up, brown sugar, cider vinegar & spices. Pumpkin butter is in the making. I will be making plenty of this for gifts to go in our handmade gift baskets too. more later on the baskets but now onto the book I would like to recommend.
Food for friends: homemade gifts for every season by Sally Pasley Vargas. I do not remember where when or how I came upon this book, but it is among the most cherished on my bookshelf.
This book is amazing! Sally Vargas has covered every angle of gift giving from the heart and even goes as far as to show you how to make containers for your gifts from simple things as a kitchen cloth for a jar wrap to a keepsake candy box. The first chapter with recipes pertains to Breakfast foods. She gives you the recipes for 5 grain pancakes/waffles, New England corn muffin mix, Maple cranberry granola, mexican hot chocolate, and one of my favorites- a recipe for Chai mix. Who would not love at least one of these in a gift basket?
There is a chapter on Jams and marmalades, preserved fruits, homemade liqueurs ( one recipe in this chapter has a simple but wonderful sweet blackberry wine using red wine for a base), a chapter on condiments such as homemade grainy mustard, a cake chapter which includes a recipe for lavender lemon tea cakes, and other chapters such as gifts for the hostess (i.e goat cheese rounds in herbs & olive oil), confections, and one of my most used recipes is in her cookie chapter. She has a recipe for Chocolate apricot Rugelach. These do not last more then a 24 hour period in my house when I make them.

I prefer to make home/handmade gifts for people around the holiday, for a house warming, or for a hostess gift. Everyone likes food and with this book the ideas cover even the hard to shop for person. This is a must have book for those who like to give from the kitchen and put more then just a smile on the face, but a contentness in the belly.
Do not forget to check your local public library for a copy. Once you look it over, you too will want one for your own.
Happy reading & sweet dreams...