A huge part of celebrating the holidays is gathering friends and family together to enjoy lots of laughs and time together. This almost always includes food! So here are some of my favorite things to give anyone that loves to eat, cook, and have people over!

Who doesn’t love great junk food?  Mozzarella sticks, French fries, hot wings, jalapeno poppers…..you know what I mean.  But, they really aren’t good for you.  I mean how can anything be good for you when you literally need over a gallon of oil to cook it in?  Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.  You can have great tasting appetizers and snack food without the hassle of bringing out a deep fryer, worrying about burns using the deep fryer, or consuming the extra, unnecessary calories of a deep fryer.  There’s a much easier, user-friendly, stomach-friendly option out there–an air fryer.  I love it! I can’t believe how easy it is to use.  I attempted to make hot wings for my first experiment with it and I got the best compliment from my kids–“they taste like they came from a restaurant!”  They turned out crispy and delicious  all without one single drop of oil and it only took about 25 minutes! You can make so much more than just appetizers in it, too. Cake (?!), pizza, and real meals.  I think this could be my new favorite kitchen appliance. You can pick up this great Cuisinart toaster and air fryer combo from Hammacher Schlemmer.

I love cheese and meat boards to snack on over the holidays when guests come over. This beautiful walnut, mahogany, and maple end grain plaid handcrafted cutting board from etsy shop Royalwoodcraft is a great gift for those that like to cook and entertain. I can use it as a cutting board or a gorgeous display for great charcuterie. You wouldn’t believe the talents of shop owner Keith. You can pick up homemade boards, wood and resin bowls, and even toys here. A one stop shop for one-of-a-kind gifts that will leave the recipient oohing and aahing this holiday season.

I love cooking on a cast iron skillet. Some foods just cook better on that type of equipment. I left the heft and sturdiness of a cast iron casserole. Even distribution of heat makes cooking a breeze. Combine the skillet and the casserole in one and you have an amazing piece that every kitchen should have. Rachael Ray has the perfect gift, the 4 Quart Cast Iron Casserole with 10″ Griddle. The lid doubles as a skillet! Genius! Cooking for a crowd is made super easy. You can pick up your own online.

I really love good mixing bowls. They are something I use multiple times a day for a variety of reasons. Rachael Ray has a great set that are super functional (handles! Brilliant!) and they are aesthetically pleasing (I love the gorgeous purple ones!). But who has ever heard of mixing bowls that can go from prep to the oven? Not until now! These 1 and 2 quart mixing bowls are oven safe up to 500 degrees! They are something every household needs! You can purchase them online.

Baby, it’s cold outside! Great soup weather for sure. Want to make the most incredible soups? Pick up a Vitamix Immersion Blender! This super easy to use stick blender can create the smoothest textures for a delicious soup. But why stop there? I love it for making my own homemade whipped cream and mousse. In fact, I love to bring this out for anything that needs blending. It gets the job done without scratching up the bowl or pot I am mixing in. Vitamix has amazing products and this latest addition to their line does not disappoint. Learn more about it here.

We have lots of guests over, which means lots of kids, too. It’s important to me to have a set of dishes that can withstand all that anyone can throw at them. These practically unbreakable Melamine plates and dishes from Thomas Fuchs are my favorite! These dishes are not your typical Melamine, not at all. They are made from hand poured bamboo sap. The colors are mixed into the sap rather than sprayed on or dyed. This means that it is super eco-friendly and will remain beautiful and won’t fade. After using these dishes, I want to switch all my dishes over, if you can believe it. The weight of the plates and the shape are amazing and perfect for everyday use, whether it be indoor or outdoor. This is a gift I would absolutely love to receive and know you will, too! Be sure to check them out online.

Know someone that spends a lot of time in the kitchen cooking? I love these little spice jars to keep frequently used ingredients at the ready. Available in clear glass, white, or marbled textured, these little jars have bamboo lids to keep their contents fresh with little spoons to easily dish out what you need. These are incredible gifts for your favorite cook! You can find them at EntiretyGoods on Etsy–a great shop that has a million different things you will want to check out!

If you know of a Harry Potter fanatic that likes to create a potion or two in the kitchen, check out these clever wooden spoons that will be a sheer delight to cook with! Etsy shop SassyChikkin is amazing and offers a ton of wide variety of products that will add some serious pizzazz to ordinary utensils. Not a Harry Potter fan (I don’t get it, but that’s ok!) she has so many other fun items to choose from. Check her shop out!

*products were received to facilitate a feature, all opinions are my own*