With everyone watching their budgets this year, save some money, unleash your creativity, and give a few gifts from your kitchen. Not only will you save money, but you can control the ingredients and nutrition and give a personal gift that is unique.
Package your gift in plain plastic containers, mason jars, or find decorative jars online and in specialty shops (make sure that they are food safe). Use a theme and package them with recipes and useful accessories. See the suggestions given for each gift idea.
Layered Soup in a Jar
Layer dried beans and peas with dried bouillon granules, onion flakes, and herbs in a mason jar. Attach a recipe with variations on a card. Accompany the soup mix with bright soup bowls or mugs, crackers, and cheese and place in a crock pot or basket. Suggested recipes from allfreecrafts.com: Three Bean Soup Mix, Chicken Noodle and Minestrone Soup.
If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making soup mixes, you can buy soup mixes from Frontier Soups, The Women’s Bean Project, or go to Soupsonline.com. Hot Cocoa Mix
Combine a box (25.6 oz) dry milk powder, half a box (16 oz) of fat free nondairy coffee creamer, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and a 16 oz box of unsweetened cocoa powder in a bowl. This makes about 18 cups of dry mix. Divide the mix into jars. For 1 serving, stir 3 tablespoons Hot Cocoa Mix into 1 cup of hot water until dissolved. Milk can be used instead of water for extra richness. Package the mix with a bag of mini marshmallows, mugs, and cookies.
Mulling Spices
Mix a 2-lb bag of brown sugar with ground cinnamon (3.5 tablespoons), ground cloves (2 tablespoons), dried ground orange peel (2 tablespoons), ground allspice (2 tablespoons), and ground nutmeg (2.5 tablespoons). Place in an airtight jar. To make 1 serving of mulled cider or wine, place ¼ cup mulling mix, 1 cup apple or wine, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Package this mix with bright mugs, cinnamon sticks, nuts and cookies.
Seasoned Pecans
Seasoned pecans make terrific homemade gifts and are particularly popular during the holiday season. To caramelize pecans, whisk 2 egg whites with 2 teaspoons cold water, add 2 pounds of pecan halves and toss till completely covered. Then mix together ½ cup brown sugar and 1 /2 teaspoon salt and add to the pecans. Place the nuts on a cookie pan that has been covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil and sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour at 225 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes. Find this recipe and recipes for Spicy Pecans.
Granola
Combine rolled oats (not quick-cooking) with dried fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, wheat germ, and juice concentrate and bake in the oven. Try this great recipe for Cranberry-Almond Granola at EatingWell.com.
Package the granola in an airtight plastic bag or jar. Combine the granola with cereal bowls, fruit, and gourmet tea or coffee blends for a special holiday gift.
Spice Rubs
Make spice mixes for dipping artisan breads, rubbing on meats, or seasoning salad dressings, soups, or sauces. Take a trip to Italy with Tuscan-inspired aromatic spices—basil, garlic, rosemary, and oregano. A Spanish Rub could include paprika, cilantro, dried lemon peel, and ground pepper. Combine curry powder, red pepper, cumin, coriander, dried mint, turmeric, and ginger for an Indian Spice Rub. Package the Spice Rubs with ethnic breads, crackers, oils, dipping plates, a bottle of wine from the region, etc. Find recipes for these 3 Spice Rubs at Eatingwell.com.
What gifts do you like to make and give for the holidays?
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