With Christmas coming up just a few months away, now is the time to start thinking about gifts.
For those of you who have a lot of people on your list, not a lot of money to spend and aren’t sure what to get, a homemade gift is a great idea.
No only does this save on money, but you also have the “it came from the heart” appeal of a homemade gift.
Gifts in a Jar
One of the ideas I’ve done from year to year is make Gifts in a Jar.
It’s relatively inexpensive to do and who doesn’t love food? These are also great because you can do them as in a production line and get a bunch done all a one time.
Hint: Make a few extra to keep on hand for those unexpected guests that may show up.
All you need are a few ingredients, canning jars and some type of decorations. You can get pretty creative here if you want or just tie with a ribbon or raffia.
If you go online, you can find all sorts of gift in a jar recipes. From cookies to soup mixes and more!
Here are just a few to get you started.
FOR THE COOKIE LOVER:
Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar:
8 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup baking powder
1 Tbs. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 Tbs. cinnamon
2 cups shortening
Sift dry ingredients and cut shortening into it with a pastry blender. Measure 3 cups into 4 jars.
Decorate jars with raffia or ribbon or however you think may be cute for Xmas.
One idea is to attach a gingerbread cutter and the following recipe:
Gingerbread Boys:
3 cups gingerbread mix
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup flour
1 slightly beaten egg
Combine gingerbread mix, molasses, egg and flour. Blend well. Roll to 1/4" thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into gingerbread shapes. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool. Can be decorated with cinnamon candies and icing. Recipe should be used within 3 months.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE LOVER:
Hot Chocolate Jar Mix Recipe
Ingredients:
11⁄2 cups skim milk powder
11⁄2 cups white sugar
3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3⁄4 cup non-dairy creamer
To Make this Jar Gift:
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well. For a finer mix, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix well.
Store in an air tight container mason/canning jar-quart size.
Add the following directions to a cute stick-on label or note card. Decorate with a ribbon, raffia and maybe a side bag of mini marshmallows.
Directions:
Place 2 or 3 tablespoons in a mug and add boiling water.
FOR THE BREAD LOVER:
Focaccia Mix in a Jar
1 package yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine and store in an air tight container mason/canning jar-quart size.
Add the following directions to a cute stick-on label or note card. Decorate with a ribbon, raffia or fabric.
Focaccia Directions:
Contents of jar
1/2 cup warm water
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt
Pesto
Blend contents of jar, warm water and 2 tablespoons olive oil with a dough hook or wooden spoon until smooth. If it is dry, add water by the tablespoon. If it sticks, add a bit of flour. Knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn to oil all over, cover and let rise until doubled.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Punch dough down and roll into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle with salt; bake 5 minutes. Pop air bubbles with a fork and continue baking until golden, about 8 minutes more. Remove from pan and cut into 3-inch squares.
Serve warm with pesto.
FOR THE COFFEE LOVER:
Toffee Coffee Mix in a Jar
2/3 cup instant coffee
1 cup nondairy creamer
1 cup brown sugar
Combine all ingredients well in a bowl. Place in airtight jars.
Add the following directions to a cute stick-on label or note card. Decorate with a ribbon, raffia and maybe a a chocolate covered spoon.
Toffee Coffee Directions:
To serve, place 2 to 3 teaspoons of mix in a mug and add boiling water.
FOR THE BATH LOVER:
Bath Salts in a Jar:
1 cup of Epsom or sea salt
2-3 Tbsp. Baking soda
2-3 drops of essential oils (depending on personal preference)
2-3 drops Food coloring
Mandarin Orange Bath Salts:
Mix the above Epsom salts, baking soda and Mandarin Orange essential oil with a few drops of red and yellow food coloring.
Combine and store in an air tight container mason/canning jar.
Make a cute stick-on label with the name of the bath salts. Decorate with a ribbon, raffia or fabric. You can also tie on a piece of dried orange to show what scent the salts are.
THERE ARE EVEN SOME FOR PETS!!!!
FOR THE DOG LOVER:
Layered Dog Cookie Jar Mix
Ingredients:
1 cup unbleached or whole wheat flour
1 cup of oatmeal, blended into flour
1⁄2 cup cornmeal
2 tsps beef or chicken boullion granules
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup skim milk powder
1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used the grated parmesan that is commercially made to sprinkle on pasta)
1⁄4 cup (approximately) of flour, or enough to fill a one quart jar
Add the following directions to a cute stick-on label or note card. Decorate with a ribbon, raffia and maybe a a cute dog bone cookie cutter.
Dog Biscuits directions:
Preheat oven to 250° farenheit.
Empty jar mix into a bowl. Stir together two eggs and 1 cup of hot water and add to mix. Combine with a fork until a stiff dough forms. Add a little flour or water if dough is too sticky or too dry to work.
Roll out dough on floured board to 1⁄2 inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour before cutting out each cookie. A bone shaped cutter is preferred, but any shape will do. Re-roll the leftovers and cut as many cookies as possible.
You can place cookies close together on a baking sheet as they will not spread while baking. Bake for about 90 minutes, or until cookies are dry and hard, turning pan around at half time to ensure even cooking. You can turn off the heat, but leave the cookies in the oven to dry out without further cooking if necessary. Dog cookies are usually baked until they are hard and crunchy. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight jar.
No matter who the gift is for, you are sure to find something for everyone on your list!
Sources: http://www.recipestogo.com
http://www.allfreecrafts.com
Places to buy cooking and decorating supplies:
You can find all sorts of ribbons, fabric and raffia to decorate your jars at fabric/craft stores.
Cooking stores are also a great place for cookie cutters, cute labels and recipe cards.
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