A Unique Gift Basket for Housewarming and Other Entertainments

When we receive an invitation to a dinner, cocktail party or Open House, most of us ask, "What may I bring?" Often the hostess demurs, saying she needs nothing at all when indeed she might appreciate a well-chosen food gift idea had it been specifically offered.

My most successful food gift is always accepted when offered and it is my Flower & Vegetable Basket - essentially a colorful and crisp veggie tray with dip but the presentation is what impresses. Here is how to build a beautiful gift basket that will bring pleasure to your hostess for years to come using common supplies.

Shopping List:

• Small to medium wicker basket with handle
• Small string of white mini-lights
• Aluminum foil
• Newspaper
• Ornamental cabbage leaves
• Carnations, greens, baby's breath
• Carrot and celery sticks
• Snack-sized slices of red and green peppers, zucchini, other veggies of choice
• 1 pint sour cream with dill dip or other favorite

First, find an attractive wicker basket - something that you think might fit in well with the style and décor of your hostess's home. You'll want something with a pretty handle that you will decorate later. The depth of the basket will ideally be between 6 and 12 inches. Six inches is perfect for presenting the vegetables at the right height, but I've stuffed newspaper on the bottom of the basket to bring the vegetables up to the right height when I've found baskets that are otherwise perfect for the occasion.

Next, line the basket (on top of the newspaper stuffing, if you've added that) with a smooth covering of aluminum foil. When you've finished constructing your basket, there should be little or no foil showing.

Gently wash the leaves of decorative cabbage, trying to keep them in a rounded, bowl-like condition for these groupings of leaves will be used to hold your various groups of vegetables as well as the dip bowl. You won't fill the bowl with dip until you arrive at your hostess's home. Just keep the dip cold in the refrigerator in the original sour cream container, so you can just throw it away when you arrive at your destination. If you can't find a large enough "bowl" of cabbage to keep the dip together for a couple hours, use an inexpensive clear plastic or glass bowl for the dip, but hide it's outlines as well as possible with natural items like greens and flowers.

I like to group veggie sticks by color and place them around the dip in their own little cabbage bowls. When all your vegetables are placed where you want them around the dip, now is the time to decorate with your non-edibles. First, wrap the light string around and through the handle, and in and around the basket edges as appropriate. Make sure to leave enough wire so that your hostess can easily plug the basket in somewhere on her buffet or table.

Next, poke the stems of the carnations, greens and baby's breath into the handle to paint a pretty picture. Always place a few special blooms among the cabbage bowls and veggie sticks, too. Sometimes one or two lovely roses can add a special touch.