I am so happy to have Niki from 365 Days of Crafts here today sharing this amazing (and easy) gift that would be great any time of the year! 
I love to bake bread and one of our favorite toppings on a piping hot fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread is to dip the stay goodness into an Extra Virgin Olive oil that has been flavored with an Italian herb blend. We also like things a little spicy too so we kick ours up a notch with pepper and crushed red peppers. If you do not like things spicy hot then you can omit the peppers from your mix. Many of my friends complement my dipping oil so I thought I would give them as gifts this year. Also if you want to add a little Balsamic vinegar to the oil when serving you can. It makes it extra tasty.
Tools and supplies for Italian Dipping oil – Hot Italian Blend:
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (or according to your taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil ( about 6 oz was enough to fill mini wine bottle)
- Funnel
- Cork
- Bottle
- Twine
- Empty mini- wine bottle
- Ad Tech Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Polymer Clay charm ( instructions to make them here)
- Handmade sticker
- Labels for back.
Instructions to make Herb Infused Olive Oil:
1. Clean and sterilize bottles.
2. Use a funnel to pour in spices and olive oil. Add the cork.
3. After filling and corking bottles, wash and dry them well.
4. Apply label to front of bottle.
5. Wrap twine around the neck of the bottle and adhere with Hot Glue and
6. Add sticker to front. Add another sticker to the back with name and expiration date. .
To prolong the life of the oil, refrigerate bottles. If you are using fresh herbs and spices make sure you wash and dry them. If you are using dried spices the shelf life is 3 months and fresh herbs 1 month after making . I add a label on the back of each bottle so the recipient knows what they are getting and when to use them by.
If you are looking for other homemade food gifts, gifts from the kitchen or gifts in a jar try these: Rosemary Infused Olive Oil or Sewing kit in a Jar.
