Any of the items shown below may be included in your welcome baskets and bags. I am happy to work with you to customize the content of the baskets and bags for your special occasion. In addition to the freshly baked treats, I customize the color scheme and packaging to create a visual effect that is just as pleasing as the taste experience.
Sour Cream Coffee Cakelets: These cakelets are a long time family favorite. I’m happy to make them now for your enjoyment! In my sour cream coffee cakelets, you will detect warm notes of vanilla and buttery goodness enhanced by a generous sprinkle of cinnamon in the crumbly, sugary, slightly crunchy streusel topping.
Lemon Blueberry Mini Loaf: My daughter, an accomplished baker herself, sent me this recipe and I can’t stop baking it! Baked in perfectly proportioned mini loaves, this delicacy balances the tangy zest of fresh lemons with the sweet flavor burst of ripe, juicy blueberries. A hint of vanilla rounds out the overall taste, adding warmth and depth. A sure delight!
Chocolate Chip Cookies: How does something as ordinary as a chocolate chip cookie make its way onto my list of goodies? Easy—these cookies are far from ordinary and were inspired by the warm chocolate chip cookies that were left on our pillows at a wonderful getaway many years ago in Newport, Rhode Island. I was so taken with those cookies that I asked management for the baker’s secret! Made with four different types of chocolate, milk, semi-sweet, white, and dark, the interplay of textures—from gooey melted chocolate to the slight crunch of the cookie—makes for a truly satisfying treat!
Oatmeal raisin cookies: A frequently requested favorite, my freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies are like a warm hug on a plate. Each bite is a delightful mix of soft oats and sweet raisins, with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon that rounds it all out. Overall, they’re a warm, wholesome indulgence!
Chocolate Chunk Muffins: My chocolate chunk muffins are a delightful treat with a rich, flavor profile. The deep, sweet taste of chocolate chunks provides a luscious contrast to the light, fluffy muffin base. There’s a hint of vanilla. The muffins are slightly sweet, with a buttery richness that complements the chocolate, making each bite a perfect balance of sweetness and chocolatey goodness. There's also a touch of salt, enhancing the overall flavor experience and making the chocolate even more pronounced.
Gingersnap Banana Bread: I love ginger and bananas, so was particularly delighted to find a recipe for gingersnap banana bread that fit well into the baskets and bags that I love to make. The bread has a beautiful golden-brown crust topped with gingersnap crumbs. Moist and tender inside, with more gingersnap crumbs embedded as a middle layer, this bread’s a delightful mix of sweet, spicy, and comforting elements—a wonderful new take on traditional banana bread. I think your guests and clients will love it as much as I do!
Ruggelah: I have a distinct childhood memory of watching my mother bake ruggelah. She carefully rolled out a butter and cream cheese dough, cut the dough first into circles and then into triangles, filled each triangle with apricot, walnut, cinnamon and raisins, and then folded over two sides of the triangle to make a perfect cookie. Truly, my mother’s ruggelah was a labor of love. Recently, my brother-in-law was reminiscing about my mother’s ruggelah and bemoaned that the recipe was lost to the next generation. I reassured him that, in fact, I have the recipe and now include ruggelah in Warm Welcome Baskets and Bags’ offerings.
Trail Mix: My trail mix is carefully blended to offer a delightful medley of flavors and textures. The nuts bring a savory, earthy richness—think crunchy almonds, buttery cashews, and slightly sweet pecans. The dried fruits add a burst of sweetness and chewiness. Raisins and cranberries offer tart notes, while mango or banana chips bring a tropical sweetness. Together, these components create a balance of salty, sweet, and slightly tangy flavors, making my trail mix a satisfying and energizing snack.
Pumpkin Ginger Oat Scones: From the first bite, my pumpkin ginger oat scones evoke a beautiful fall day! The scones have a delightful blend of spices, combined with old fashioned oats, organic pumpkin puree and crystallized ginger bits that add a little zing. I include two in each welcome basket or bag, because it’s just too hard to eat only one!
Apricot and Orange Strudel: My mother was an accomplished baker. She let it be known that, for a donation of $50-$100 per recipe to a non-profit medical research foundation whose work was important to her family, she would bake apricot and orange strudel for friends’ weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs. She raised thousands of dollars for that foundation through her baking. I follow her recipe and include this strudel in my welcome baskets and bags. The strudel has golden layers filled with sweet apricot and zesty orange preserves, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Each time I bake it, I am reminded of my mother and the contributions to medical research that her strudel produced.
