Skip the mall this holiday season. Surprise the people on your gift list with flavorful presents that come straight from your kitchen. We've come up with five of the very best that won't also deliver the gift of unwanted pounds.

Homemade Biscotti
These hard Italian cookies are loaded with flavor, not calories. Dried cherries add a chewiness while the almonds create a little crunch. To give them as a gift, wrap the baked biscotti in wax paper, then place them in a small white box from a baking or craft stores.



Chocolate Biscotti
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
POINTS® value: 2 per cookie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup whole almonds, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp flour, for dusting
1 Arrange rack in oven's center; preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; stir in egg substitute and vanilla, then cherries and almonds.

3 Dust a clean work surface with flour; turn out dough and knead a few turns. Divide dough in half; roll out two logs, each 8 inches long and 1 inch thick. Place logs 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet at least 30 minutes.

4 Slice logs with a sharp, serrated knife into ?-inch-thick cookies. Place cookies cut-side down on baking sheet; bake for 8 minutes more. Turn cookies over; continue baking 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Sugar Cookie Kits
For a great gift, layer the dry ingredients for your favorite sugar cookie recipe in a mason jar in the order they're listed in the recipe. Cover the jar with a piece of fabric before sealing, write the instructions for finishing and baking the dough on a card, then attach it to the jar with ribbon or twine.

Granola
Granola makes a wonderful, hearty treat this time of year. Here's a recipe packed with grains and nuts. Unused take-out containers from your local Chinese restaurant make great gift boxes, especially if you dress them up with glittery paint and ribbons. You can also find take-out containers at many party or stationery stores. Granola can be enjoyed as is or doused with a little milk for a wholesome breakfast.

Chunky Granola
Makes about 8 cups; 16 servings, 1/2 cup each
POINTS value: 5 per serving

2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup powdered nonfat milk
1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine honey, oil and vanilla in a small bowl; set aside.

2 Spread oats on large baking sheet; bake 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in wheat germ, raisins, powdered milk, sunflower seeds and coconut. Drizzle honey mixture over; toss. Bake 15 minutes, stirring often, until golden. Cool on sheet without disturbing; break into chunks and store in air-tight containers.

Flavored Vinegars
Offer your friends a bottle of flavored vinegar for the holidays. Buy decorative glass jars or bottles at craft stores, then clean and dry thoroughly (run through the dishwasher if possible). Add fresh herbs (tarragon, rosemary, thyme, peeled garlic cloves or dill, for example), fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries or cranberries) or dried red chilies. Then pour in white wine vinegar, cider vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar; a funnel will help the liquid through the narrow opening. Sealed and left in a cool spot, the vinegar will stay fresh up to a year with the flavor improving over time.

Seasoning Mixes
One small jar of homemade seasoning mix will spice up many meals. Present them in small mason jars or cleaned spice jars. Include a label indicating which foods each mix best complements.

Beef Seasoning:
Mix equal parts paprika, dry mustard, dried thyme, ground cumin, onion salt and chile powder. Massage into steaks, hamburgers or roasts before barbecuing, grilling or broiling.

Fish Seasoning:
Mix equal parts ground cumin, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and ground black pepper with two parts of dried ground lemon peel. Sprinkle on fish filets before broiling, grilling or poaching.

Popcorn Seasoning:
Never a dull batch of popcorn again! Mix equal parts grated nutmeg, ground cloves and ground allspice with four parts each ground cinnamon and sugar or Splenda sweetener. Spray warm popcorn lightly with butter-flavored nonstick spray, then sprinkle the spice mixture liberally.