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GIFT JAR RECIPES

HERE ARE A FEW RECIPES I LIKE MAKING DURING THE HOLIDAYS. PLEASE COME BACK SOON. SINCE I HOPE TO ADD MORE SOON.

HOLIDAY SPICE POTPOURRI

(Makes 3-4 half-pints)

4 Oranges

4 Lemons

1/2 c. whole cloves

1/2 c. whole allspice

10 Cinnamon sticks, broken

10 Bay leaves, crumbled

4 (8-oz) decorative jelly jars with bands and lids

Using a vegetable peeler, peel oranges and lemons, being careful to remove only peel and not white pith. Cut or tear peel into 1" pieces. Spread peels on a paper towel-lined pan. Place in preheated oven at 175ºF. or set oven to WARM. Dry in oven for 1 to 1-1/2 hrs, tossing occasionally. Peels should be leathery and/or slightly crunchy. Spread peels on new paper toweling and let air dry for 24 hours. Combine dried peels with remaining ingredients. Fill jars with mixture. Place lids on jars and screw bands on firmly.

To Use: 1) Remove lid, leave band on for decoration.

2) Put 1 Tbsp. Of mixture into jar. Place screw band on jar. Fill jar with boiling water to release fragrance. Hold jar by screw band when hot.

3) Put 1 Tbsp. Of mixture into jar. Add water to jar. Place in microwave on HIGH (be sure to remove band when microwaving) for approximately 2 minutes to heat water and release fragrance. Reheat as needed.

4) Add 2 Tbsp. Of mixture to a small pan of simmering water to release fragrance. Add additional water as needed.

MOLASSES COOKIE MIX

6 c. flour

3 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. Baking soda

1 Tbsp. Baking powder

1 Tbsp. Ground ginger

1 Tbsp. Ground cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp. Ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp. Ground cloves

1/2 tsp. Ground allspice

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses

Additional sugar

In a bowl, combine the first nine ingredients; mix well. Store in an air tight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

YIELD: 3 batches (9cups total).

TO PREPARE COOKIES:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Add egg and molasses; mix well. Add 3 cups of cookie mix; beat until smooth. Shape into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 9-11 minutes or till surface cracks. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies per batch.

FLAVORED COFFEE BLENDS

Combine all ingredients for each blend in container of electric blender; process until smooth; stopping once to scrape down sides, if necessary.

FOR EACH SERVING: Spoon 2 Tbsp. Of coffee blend into an 8 oz. Cup of boiling water.

VIENNA BLEND

1/2 c. instant coffee granules

2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. powdered non-dairy coffee creamer

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Yield: 1 2/3 cup

ORANGE BLEND

1/2 c. instant coffee granules

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. powdered non-dairy coffee creamer

1/2 tsp. Dried orange peel

Yield: 2 cups

MOCHA BLEND

1/2 c. instant coffee granules

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. powdered non-dairy coffee creamer

2 Tbsp. Cocoa

Yield: 2 cups

CINNAMON HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

1-3/4 c. instant nonfat dry milk powder

1 c. confectioners' sugar

1/2 c. non-dairy creamer

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

1 c. mini marshmallows

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

3/4 c. hot milk

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients; add the marshmallows. Mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 3 months.

Yield: 18-19 batches (about 3 cups total).

To Prepare hot chocolate: Dissolve about 3 Tbsp. Hot chocolate mix in hot milk.

HEAVENLY HOT COCOA MIX

(Makes 3-3/4 cups of mix.)

2 c. sugar

4 squares (1 oz. Each) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1-1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbsp. Instant coffee powder

1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

Process all ingredients in a food processor until chocolate is finely ground. Pour into a ziptop food storage bag. Wrap in cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon. Store at room temperature.

Attach to jar:

Directions for 2 servings: Stir 1/4 c. mix and 2 Tbsp. Hot water in a medium sized sauce pan until blended. Gradually stir in 1-1/2 c. milk. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.

DECORATIVE JAR COVERS

PAPER COVERS

Cut circles of gift-wrap paper 4" wider in diameter than the lid to be covered. Center on lid. Tie with yarn, twine or rickrack.

PUFFY GRANNY CAPS

Cut fabric into 9" circles for wide-mouth jars or 7" circles for regular-mouth jars. If using trim such as lace or rickrack, sew trim around edges of circles. If not using trim, turn edges of fabric under and sew by hand or machine. Wrap elastic thread around bobbin by hand, stretching the thread slightly. Place bobbin in sewing machine. Thread top of machine with cotton-polyester thread. Set machine for basting, 4-6 stitches per inch. Sew completely around circle 1-1/2" from edges with right side of fabric facing up. Do not back stitch. Gently pull both ends of elastic thread until cap fits snugly around jar top. Tie ends of elastic thread to secure. Stuff cap with fiberfill.

You should be able to make approximately 8 wide jar caps or 12 jar caps from 1/2 yd of fabric.

SOME IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR GIFT OF COFFEE OR COCOA MIX MORE SPECIAL:

  • Get some plastic spoons and dip the spoon end only in melted chocolate chips; sprinkle with non-pareils or colored sugar sprinkles if desired. Let the chocolate set up. Wrap a spoon or two (depending on who the gift is for) in a piece of cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon. Include this with a gift jar of cocoa mix or coffee mix.
  • Make some homemade biscotti. After biscotti is cooled, dip half of each stick into melted chocolate chips (or melted vanilla candy coating also known as chocolate bark). Let chocolate set up. Wrap and add as you would the above spoons. (for a recipe for biscotti see my Recipe box link on my main page).
  • Sew up a pretty gift bag from a festive fabric of your favorite holiday calico or even a shiny lame to wrap your gift jar in. Decorate with twigs of silk holly and a pretty ribbon.
  • Place the wrapped jar of mix in a basket and include the recipe if desired so the recipient may make more when their supply runs out. Add a bag of home made cookies, a couple of coffee mugs and a CD of holiday music.

SOME IDEAS FOR MAKING YOUR GFT OF COOKIE MIX MORE SPECIAL:

  • Wrap your jar in a fabric bag as described above, but add a cookie cutter or a wooden spoon to the jar instead of the chocolate spoons. Place the jar in a mixing bowl and add a new digital timer.
  • Place a jar of cookie mix and a jar of cocoa mix in a basket together to give to a young family with children.
  • Put cookie mix in a cookie jar, wrap the jar containing the mix with a couple of new kitchen towels so it won't rattle inside the cookie jar.
  • Make a basket with three different cookie mixes in it and give to a family with school aged kids who will be on vacation during the holidays.

SOME IDEAS FOR MAKING YOUR HLIDAY MORE SPECIAL

  • Don't feel like you have to spend a fortune to have a nice holiday. A simple card for the majority of your contacts at work, school, and church would be just as appreciative to recieve a card instead of a gift. When people say
  • Add a special poem or Bible verse that you print out on your computer (make muliple copies at the printers if youre doing alot) and add that to the Christmas cards. Most Christmas cards are generic in greeting, this will add a personal touch.
  • Making these Gift Jars will really help you save money when you want to give someone something more than just a card. I saw a catalog with cellophane bags of treats like candy, cookies and nuts ranging in price from $50-$65 plus shipping for just 9 gifts. I know we can make these cheaper than that!
  • Make your own cookies, candies and nuts using recipes you get from the web. There are so many recipes on the web it's phenomenal! A good place to start is My Recipe Box on my main page under links. Also click the Crafter's Home Page link on my main page, it will take you to even more recipes great for this purpose, including recipes for more gift jar mixes, cookies and bath salts and other bath related items.