Holiday gift basket

Every year I spend a full day in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind baking but a full day of it at the Holiday Season sometimes ends up being more stress than fun.

I switched it up a bit this year and spent about 2 hours in the kitchen
and ended up liking it just as much, if not more.

I made Fresh Bread baskets with Pear/Cranberry Chutney and Pecan/Honey butter ...YUM!

There are a lot of people that think making home made bread is hard but if you have a mixer it takes about 10 minutes.
I used an Easter Bread recipe because it is a little sweeter and it is super easy

This dough takes about 30 minutes of actual time out of your day but about 3 hours of rising time.

In a measuring cup mix together 1 cup lukewarm milk (you will need to warm it in microwave for about 30-45 secs to get it lukewarm) and then add 1 package of yeast. stir with a fork for about 30 seconds to dissolve yeast. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 3 heaping teaspoons of bread flour to give it a thick consistency (don't worry, you can't mess it up). Set aside for 10 minutes and cover with a towel.

In your mixing bowl mix 2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup Olive Oil, and your yeast mixture which now should be somewhat puffy from rising. Mix it all together on medium speed for 10 minutes with dough hook. Should end up a firm, smooth dough.

Place dough in large bowl and cover with towel. Let rise for 1.5 -2 hours.

Punch down dough after risen and shape any way you would like (I rolled out two foot long strips and braided them. Put on baking sheet and cover for another hour to rise.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes.

I added an pecan honey butter spread in a jar along with a cranberry relish.

The honey butter is super easy with just 3 ingredients; Pecan Honey Butter Recipe

The cranberry/Pear Chutney was pretty easy also and the tartness goes great with the
bread and butter. Cranberry Pear Chutney Recipe

All and all this was a lot easier than making dozens of cookies and it's a little something 

different for a gift during the holiday season!