Do you remember the old Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog? It was as thick as the Yellow Pages, and it weighed a ton. Best babysitter I ever had.

	Biscotti makes a great hostess gift. Click photo for larger image.

When my three sons were in elementary school, they were allowed to make gift wish-lists. "Santa" would consider their preferences, but all items were to be chosen from the catalog. The boys were given size and noise restrictions, a budget and a deadline. After all, Santa was generous but not rich, and he needed time to get his pack packed.

The boys pored over the catalog, sharpening their reading, arithmetic and negotiating skills. ("If you get this, I'll get that, then we can share.") The penciled lists finally were posted on the refrigerator, to be second-guessed, erased and tweaked until the paper was worn thin. Somehow, Santa always came through.

But so much for nostalgia. I need to think about this year's holiday gifts. Foodie that I am, I'm thinking about good things to eat, and I'm turning mostly to the Internet.

Seattle-area weather must breed genius, from Microsoft and Costco to Starbucks. Add a new contender, Northwest Exclusive. The company packages northwest prime filet mignon and American Kobe beef with Washington state boutique wines.

For my birthday, my son Tom sent prime New York strip steaks paired with "Stevens 424" bordeaux-style wine from Stevens Winery in Woodinville, packaged in a wax-sealed, beautiful wooden box. (I'm keeping it.) I'll send a similar box to my Austin-based stepdaughter-in-law, Leslie. The Web site goes live on December 1 (www.nwexclusive.com or 1-888-497-7463).

My brother Wayne is always a problem because his birthday falls on December 24. He gets a double gift. Since he is the family pie baker, I ordered a personalized, deep-dish pie plate from L.L.Bean for his b-day gift. The ceramic dish says "Wayne's Homemade Pie" ($29.50. 1-800-221-4221 or llbean.com). He'll be the envy of the women at his family-night church suppers.

Wayne and wife Eleanor's Christmas gift is a pack of wild Alaskan salmon fillets. The fillets are hand-picked from the most recent run of fish and shipped overnight from the dock in Kenai, Alaska. Prices vary, depending on selection (www.wildalaskansalmoncompany.com).

There are a few parties on our holiday calendar. This year, instead of taking a bottle of wine or jar of homemade jam, I'm taking biscotti. Mediterra Bakery makes fabulous biscotti. They're crumbly and toasty, and my favorite is a combination of hazelnuts, French chocolate and orange. They are $1.50 each at the bakery.

While there, I'll pick up a vanilla bean traveling cake for the freezer. The Gateaux des Voyages are sweet, dense, long-keeping cakes, a deal at $10 each.

It's good to have on hand for company. Mediterra Bakehouse is at 801 Parkway View Drive, Building 8. Take Parkway West to the Campbells Run exit (412-490-9130 or info@mediterrabakehouse.com).

Our son-in-law, Ziv, will get three flavors of Z crackers in his holiday package. The award-winning Z crackers are handmade and cut. Savory Pie Company in Brooklyn makes them, and Whole Foods Market sells them, $4.99 a package in three savory flavors.

My grandson Julius loves milk chocolate, but he doesn't tolerate milk. He'll get a stockingful of Terra Nostra Organic Choco milk-style chocolate bars made with rice milk. For me, reading rice milk on the label was a turnoff, but then I tasted a bar and polished it off. Better than Hershey's, in my book. Julius will get a chocolate bar, and one with a truffle center and one with almonds. The bars, also wheat and gluten free, are $3.79 each at the East End Co-op. (www.terranostrachocolate.com)

In December, my book club will be a bookless club as we celebrate the holidays and have dinner and a grab bag with a $5 gift. That's an easy one. I'll buy a small but good bottle of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar or a specialty mustard. Penn Mac in the Strip is the best place to browse.

Others on my list read this column, so I can't leak their gifts.

Then I'm off to Seattle for the holidays, where my 8-year-old grandson Nate has been cooking with me since he was 3. Lately, we've been baking. For a pre-holiday gift, I'll give him an 8-by-8-inch baking pan, two packages of rapid-rise yeast and a copy of the recipe below. We'll sip hot chocolate and snack on his coffeecake while we trim the tree. I found the recipe on the Fleischmann's Yeast 1-Dish Web site (www.fleischmanns1dish.com). Other 20-minute-prep recipes there are worth a look and a try during the coming hectic days.

---

NATE'S ONE-DISH CINNAMON SWIRL SNACK CAKE

Batter

• 1 1/2 cups flour
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 envelopes rapid-rise yeast
  
• 2/3 cup very warm milk (120 to 130 degrees)
  
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), very soft or melted
  
• 1 large egg

Cinnamon mixture

• 3 tablespoons butter, very soft
  
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
  
• 1 tablespoon butter, very soft
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix batter ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, butter and egg) in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish that has been spritzed with non-stick baking spray. Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine cinnamon mixture in a small bowl by mixing with a fork. Top batter evenly with cinnamon mixture; using fingers, poke topping thoroughly into batter.

Bake by placing in a COLD oven; set temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned and firm in center.

Cool 10 minutes.

Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over warm cake. Serve from the pan.

Makes about 9 servings.