[Jamestown1630]

This week, Gifts in a Jar!

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.)

-JT

[trisham]

What a lovely idea! The Holidays are so busy...

[miss marmelstein]

Jam! I’ve been jamming like crazy since strawberry season.

[Roos_Girl]

Noy homemade, but yum...

http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/shop/speciality-foods/jams-jellies-butters/jams/peach_amaretto_jam.html

[bgill]

At first I thought that was Linda's Low Carb Boursin Cheese. Here's her low carb recipe which we enjoy. It holds up just fine stuffed with spinach in a chicken breast: http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/boursin_cheese_spread.html

HOMEMADE BOURSIN CHEESE SPREAD

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon dill

2 teaspoons chives

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

In a mini food processor, process the cream cheese, butter and garlic until blended. Add the remaining ingredients and process until well combined. Put in an airtight container and chill a couple hours to allow the flavors to develop. Serve with crackers or raw vegetables. Makes about 3/4 cup. Can be frozen.

MOUSE MELON PICKLES - I have a volunteer vine in the garden this year that I haven't seen before. It's a "mouse melon" which looks like tiny mouse sized watermelons and tastes similar to a cucumber. So far, I've only tried them fresh and refrigerator pickles. The pickles were just from adding them to leftover pickle juice. They would make an adorable pickle jar gift.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Soup Mix
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup dry split peas
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a 1 1/2 pint jar, layer the split peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion flakes, Italian seasoning, rice, and bay leaves. Wrap the pasta in plastic wrap, and place in the jar. Seal tightly.
2. Attach a label to the jar with the following instructions: Friendship Soup ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground beef, black pepper to taste, garlic powder to taste, 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes - undrained, 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, and 3 quarts water.
TO PREPARE SOUP: Remove pasta from top of jar, and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic; drain excess fat. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and soup mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta, peas, lentils and barley are tender.

Cranberry Hootycreeks
INGREDIENTS:
5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:
: 1. Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.
2. Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

[StoneWall Brigade]

Since this is a cooking thread I’m looking for a good Italian meal to cook anyone with any good recipes?

[Stand Watch Listen]

Raspberry Vinegar
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) bottle white wine vinegar
1 cup fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS:
1. Rinse and drain the raspberries and pour into a large glass bottle. Pour in the vinegar, tightly cover the container, and let sit in a cool dark place for two weeks before using.

Amaretto (homemade)
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups vodka
2 tablespoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine water and sugars in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the mixture is boiling, and all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
2. Stir vodka, almond extract and vanilla extract into the mixture. Store in a sealed bottle.

[SaraJohnson]

I do freezer jams with less sugar than most recipes call for (you can find directions on the internet - it’s easy to do). I do figs and strawberries from the garden.

With the fig freezer jam I use the spices you use for apple pie filling. Heat it up for serving over ice cream. Great for gifts. They have a wide variety of cute containers.

[Hardens Hollow]

The cheese spread sounds delicious. And what a nice way to give a little gift that looks fancy.

[V K Lee]

Gifts in a jar -
Thus far the only gift made was the instant lemon tea. Simple but cool and refreshing on a summer day. The soups in a jar have been very good.

For this Christmas this recipe has popped up on radar and might be attempted.

CUSTARD IN A JAR
http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/the-menu/dessert/homemade-custard-recipe/

Clotted Cream - a few years ago actually attempted to make this using instructions on the net. From sour cream? to clotted cream in a short time. Not bad. It was eaten with crepes filled with strawberry jam and a light sprinkle of confection sugar.

Weird thinking of Christmas in July. Busy little elves!

[V K Lee]

BETTER WITH BACON

CREAMY CORN AND BACON DIP
http://www.savoryexperiments.com/creamy-corn-and-bacon-dip/

[V K Lee]

FOUND: A food site that lists LOTS of sites/recipes for all types of food...
FOODERIFIC
http://www.fooderific.com/

A few of these sites
TEXAN SMOKING BBQ
http://www.texansmokingbbq.com
THAI FOODIE
http://thai-foodie.com
THAI FOOD MASTER
http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/
CANDIED CHICKEN
http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/candied-chicken-recipe/
CHEDDAR CHICKEN BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE
http://terrellfamilyfun.com/2014/12/cheddar-chicken-and-rice-casserole-recipe

The Candied Chicken seems to be very easy, fast, and tasty
The cheddar chickn casserole has been made in the family for many years, just not exactly by this recipe

[V K Lee]

Seem to remember when you first re-started this thread you were seeking recipes for Zucchini. This might be one I’d be willing to try (being from Texas and liking all things fried LOL)

Half Baked Harvest -mac & cheese stuffed fried Zucchini
http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/mac-cheese-stuffed-fried-zucchini/

[M Kehoe]

"Just one ping."

5.56mm