Welcome to the Neighborhood Gift Basket
Hello, hello! Lauren here and I am particularly excited for what we have in store for you today! Gifting season is right around the corner & it’s easily one of my favorite times of year. Cookies are given to co-workers, brownies for the mailman, and the bottle of wine (Kendall-Jackson, of course!) for the gals at the Doctor’s office. But one particular gift I always have a hard time with, no matter the season, is what to give the new neighbors.
You want to make a nice gesture, but you don’t know what they like. Luckily, we’ve come up with the fool proof gift for gifting any new neighbor – young family, newlyweds, empty nesters, you name it! What does everyone love? Fixings for a homemade meal! Specifically, fixings for a delicious spaghetti dish with homemade pasta sauce.
Everyone loves a good Italian dish & this basket is a foolproof gift, plus the sauce is out of this world! Whether the neighbor is just moving in or they’ve made your holiday gift list, they will love this thoughtful & easy basket. Let’s get started!
STEP ONE:
First step in any good gift basket is finding the right container! We recommend a crate-like container so you aren’t restricted to height or diameter. Plus, a crate is great for bathroom towels, produce for the kitchen, or any number of other uses!
STEP TWO:Â
Next comes assembly! Luckily, we’ve done most of the leg work for you. We know what makes the perfect spaghetti dinner in our minds, but feel free to get creative. Show your personality & add things as you see fit. Here are our must have’s:
- A great bottle of wine. We went with our favorite red – Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- A delicious loaf of Italian bread
- Your favorite spaghetti noodles
- A nice bottle of olive oil. Our favorite is the K-J house blend
- Homemade pasta sauce – make sure you scroll down for the recipe!
- Additional fixings! We love adding in some fresh basil and a hunk of great cheese, but here is a fun place for you to make it personal. Throw in a packet of rosemary seeds, or maybe your favorite Italian spice blend!
STEP THREE:
Here comes my favorite part – the sauce! We are whipping up a fresh batch over on LaurenKelp.com, so make sure you check it out. This recipe is so easy, you probably have all of the ingredients sitting in your pantry right now!
Six steps and a handful of ingredients and you have the best pasta sauce on the block, we promise!
STEP FOUR:
Now it’s time to assemble!
If you took our advice and went with a crate, make sure you drape a dish towel or cloth at the bottom of the crate. This insures nothing falls out of the bottom, plus it looks very European and cool.
Place your goodies in the crate, with the larger items towards the back & smaller in the front. Don’t forget to seal that delicious pasta sauce tight! Feeling extra thoughtful? Take an index card and write out the recipe. Everyone loves a neighbor that shares.
All that’s left is to deliver your thoughtful welcome basket to that new neighbor and watch them gush. You’ll be the favorite on the block in no time. But, we know, you already areÂ