Recipes for Gifts in a Jar

Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Layer ingredients in order in a 1 quart, "wide mouth" canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next ingredient. Decorate jar for gift giving and attach card with the following instructions:

Attach these directions to the jar:


Cowboy Cookies
Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly blend mix. Add 1 stick butter or margarine, melted, 1 egg, slightly beaten, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands. Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on sprayed baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.


Country Oatmeal Cookies Mix in a Jar

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Using a 1-quart or 1-liter jar, layer in the ingredients in the order given. Pack down the jar after each addition. Put the lid on, and cover with an 8 inch circle of fabric. Secure the fabric over the lid using a rubber band, then cover the rubber band by tying a nice piece of ribbon or raffia around the lid.

Attach these directions to the jar:Country Oatmeal Cookies
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup of softened butter, with 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add the entire contents of the jar, and mix by hand until combined. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar

Ingredients:
1 pkg (25 ounces) nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer, about 6 ounces
3 cups (16 ounces) instant chocolate drink mix
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Give with directions below. Makes 16 cups. Enough cocoa mix for 4 1-quart jars to give, or split into small portions packed in decorative bags in mugs.

Attach these directions to the jar:In a mug, combine 1/2 cup of mix with 1 cup of boiling water.

Bean and Pasta Soup Mix in a Jar
Ingredients:
3/4 Cup dried onion flakes
1/2 ounce dried celery flakes
1/2 Cup dried parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons Dried basil
3 Tablespoons Dried oregano
3 Teaspoons Garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
12 Tablespoons Beef flavored bouillon granules
1 16 Ounce Pkg dried black beans (or beans of your choice)
1 16 Ounce Pkg dried kidney beans (or beans of your choice)
1 16 Ounce Pkg dried navy beans (or beans of your choice)
1 16 Ounce Pkg elbow macaroni uncooked (or pasta of your choice)
Directions:
You take the spices and mix them together. Then you separate them into 6 equal portions. I use the snack size baggies to put them in. Add 2 tablespoon bouillon granules to each package. This is the seasoning packet that goes with each one. Combine black beans and next 3 ingredients; Split these into 6 even portions also. Place one bag spice mix, 1 bag with beans , and a 1 bag of pasta in a jar or tin.

Attach these directions to the jar:

Bean and Pasta Soup
Ingredients:
1 package Bean mix (in Jar)
1 package Pasta Soup Mix (in Jar)
Spice mix (in Jar)
3 quarts water
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped cooked ham or kielbasa
1 (14-1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions:
Sort and wash bean mix; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans; soak 8 hours or over night. Drain. Combine beans, water, spice mix, carrot, and chopped cooked ham in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, undrained, and pasta; cook 20 minutes.makes about 9 cups.

You'll find some gift tags to print here:
Gift Tags to Print

Recipes for Kids

ALL RECIPES FOR KIDS SHOULD BE

SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT

Homemade Play Dough

Ingredients:
1 C flour
1/2 C salt
1 C water
2 t cream of tartar
1 T cooking oil
food coloring of choice

Directions:

Mix and enjoy!

Judy's Oobleck

Ingredients:
1 box (1 lb.) cornstarch
1 1/2 C cold water
1 T food coloring

Directions:
Mix cornstarch, water and food coloring in large bowl until smooth. Store in covered container. If you sqeeze oobleck it becomes hard. If you open your hand, it becomes runny. Do experiments and have fun.

Ice Cream in a Bag

In a pint size plastic bag, mix 1 C milk, 3 t creamora, 1/4 C sugar, and 1/3 t vanilla. Seal bag after pushing out as much air as possible. In a quart size bag, add 1 1/2 C crushed ice and 1/2 C rock salt. Place your pint size bag inside the quart bag. Add another 1 1/2 C ice on top of pint bag. Seal the quart bag. Shake the bag until the mixture in the pint zie bag become solid. Enjoy!

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg (16 oz) Oreo Cookies
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/2 C margarine
1 C confectioner's sugar
1 t vanilla
2 pkg (3 1/2 oz each) instant vanilla pudding
3 C milk
1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip
2 new clay flower pots, about 6 inches in diameter
Aluminum foil
Gummy worms

Directions:

Line flower pots with foil. Crush cookies until they resemble potting soil. Place 1 C crumbs in each flower pot. Cream the cheese, margarine, sugar and vanilla together. Combine pudding mix and milk; fold in Cool Whip. Gently fold cheese and pudding mixtures together. Pour half the mixture into each flower pot. Top with remaining cookie crumbs. Cover with foil and refrigerate. When ready to serve, remove foil. Top with silk flower and gummy worms crawling in the "soil".

Simulated Bread Dough
NOT for eating!

Ingredients:
4 C flour
1 C salt
1 1/2 C water

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together with your hands until the mixture has a good plastic consistency. Knead for 5 -10 minutes or until dough will hold together and not stick to your hands. Add more flour and knead it in if it does stick.

Shape dough into desired shapes, baskets, mirror, etc. Attache together with a bit of water. Decorate using found objects. If you plan to hang the finished art, press a paper clip into the back at the right angle so that it can be used as a hanger. You can "bake" the art by placing it in a sunny windowsill for 3 days, or you can put it in a 300 degree oven for about 2 hours. The dough should be hard and brittle when dry. When cooled you can paint your art with acryic polymer paint or leave it natural. If you make a bread braid, you can add a coat of varnish. Painted or not, you should varnish the back and front of your work with an acrylic gloss medium or white shellac.

Finger Paints

Soak 1 envelope unflavored gelatin in 1/4 C water. Combine 1/2 C cornstarch and 3 T sugar, then gradually add 2 C water. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture. Divide into containers and add a drop or two of liquid dish detergent. Then stir in food coloring.

Easter Birds' Nests

Ingredients:
1 10 oz pkg. peanut butter chips
1 T shortening
1 lg. can chow mein noodles
1 bag pastel colored M & M's or jelly beans

Directions:
Melt peanut butter chips and shortening in a saucepan, stirring until well blended. Pour noodles into melted chips and stir until coated. Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper, leaving an indention in the middle. Place M & M's or jelly beans for eggs in each nest. Cool and serve. (Becareful if kids have peanut butter allergies.)

Jello Jigglers

Ingredients:
4 small boxes or 2 large boxes of Jello gelatin
2 1/2 cups boiling water (do not add cold water)

Directions:
Stir boiling water into gelatin. Dissolve completely. Pour mixture slowly into 13 x 9 inch pan. Chill at least 3 hours, Jigglers will be firm after 1 hour, but may be difficult to remove from pan.
To cut Jigglers dip bottom of pan in warm water for 15 seconds to loosen gelatin. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. All the way through the gelatin. Lift from the pan with index finger or metal spatula. A tip for even easier removable, lightly coat pan with Pam cooking spray before pouring in gelatin mixture.


Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 (10 oz., about 40) pkg. regular marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Remove from heat.
Stir in the Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal coating them well with the melted marshmallow mixture.
Using a buttered or silicone spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan which has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with wax paper.
Cut into squares when the mixture cools.
Makes 24 squares.

Microwave Directions:
Microwave butter with marshmallows on high setting for 2 minutes in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir together when melted. Microwave again on high for 1 additional minute. Stir in cereal, mixing until well coated. Press into pan as above.


Pigs in a Blanket

Ingredients:
1 pkg. little franks
1 pkg. Pillsbury crescent rolls

Directions:
Cut each section of roll dough into 4 pieces. Wrap one around each frank. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 10 minutes.

Painted Toast

1. Fill 5 glasses with a 1/4 cup of milk
2. Then take your 5 food colorings and in each glass put 5 drops of food coloring in the milk and stir till color shows.
3. Use a small paint brush and dip the brush into the food coloring. Then take your piece of bread and paint a face or picture of choice on it.
4.Now place your bread into a toaster and wait till the bread is toasted.
5. Butter lightly to give taste
6. ENJOY!!!

Oreo Rocket Ship

Ingredients:
13 Double Stuff Oreos
1/4 c. canned chocolate or vanilla frosting
blue food coloring
1 Oreo chocolate ice cream cone (you can also use plain cones)
cinnamon red hots
red cake decorator gel for decorating
4 sticks fruit stripe bubble gum

Directions:
1. Stack cookies together, securing with frosting in between each cookie. Let dry completely.
2. Tint remaining frosting blue. Spread cone with blue frosting. Press red hots into frosting around open end of cone. Let dry. Write USA on cone with red decorating gel.
3. Trim ends of gum diagonally; secure with gel round base of rocket. Secure cone with frosting to top of rocket. Decorate rocket with red hots.

If you like, surround rocket ship with mounds of pressured whipped topping for clouds and red candy curls for blast off trails. To make red candy curls, pipe a small amount of melted red candy coating in spiral shapes onto waxed paper. Refrigerate till set. Carefully peel off paper.Makes 1 rocket ship.

Roasted Peanuts

Directions:
Place raw shelled peanuts in a shallow baking dish for 15–20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you like, season with cinnamon or chili powder. Munch 'em warm right from the oven. You'll never eat them from a can again.

Miscellaneous Cooking Information

Marinating Pork
If you use a citrus juice marinade for your pork, don't marinate it for more than 2 hours or the meat will be mushy.

How to Cook Gourmet.com
This site, How to Cook Gourmet.com has some great information. I enjoyed reading this article on plating food.

Meat: Safe Cooking Temperatures
BEEF
120 - 125 F Rare
130 - 135 F Medium Rare
140 - 145 F Medium
150 - 155 F Medium Well
160 - up F Well Done

LAMB
135 F Rare
140 - 150 F Medium Rare
160 F Medium
160 - up F Well Done

CHICKEN
165 - 175 F

TURKEY
165 - 175 F

PORK
150 F

USDA Roasting Timetable for Fresh or Thawed Turkey at 325°F.
These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer.
Unstuffed
8 to 12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 1/2 to 5 hours

Stuffed
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

The USDA does not recommend cooking turkey in an oven set lower than 325°F.

Buying Prime Rib Roasts

Beef has thirteen ribs, and usually seven of those are contained in the "rib" cut. The chuck contains the first five ribs, while the thirteenth rib is usually left on the short rib at the packing plant. The primal rib cut normally contains the sixth through the twelfth rib. Those ribs closest in proximity to the short loin are the most tender, while the ones nearest the chuck are less so.

When purchasing a standing rib roast, ask your butcher for the smaller end of the rib portion. The ribs should be trimmed so that they are no more than 7-8 inches in length. The back strap, chine bone and feather bones should be removed. This makes for easier carving at the table. Allow for 2 portions per rib. A four rib roast should provide an adequate serving for eight people. Avoid using anything less than a 3 rib portion as a roast unless you prefer a well done roast. Smaller cuts are best used as steaks.

Foods Not to Freeze
These foods lose flavor, texture, or overall quality when frozen.

Battered and fried foods
Cooked egg whites and yolks, as well as icings made with egg whites
Cottage and ricotta cheeses
Custard and cream pies or desserts with cream fillings
Mayonnaise
Soups and stews made with potatoes, which can darken and become mushy when frozen
Soups and stews thickened with cornstarch or flour
Sour cream
Stuffed chops or chicken breasts
Whole eggs in the shell, whether raw or cooked


Drink Serving Sizes and How Much to Buy

Punch 24 people per gallon of punch.
Champagne 1 case (12 fifths) serves 50 people (82 drinks). A champagne fountain will operate with as little as 3 bottles of champagne and as much as 5 gallons.
Liquor- Plan on approximately 2 drinks per hour per person. There are 28 drinks per quart of liquor. In order of preference: Vodka - Scotch - Gin - Bourbon.
Coffee 2 to 3 per person for a 3 hour party.
Cocktail Napkins 2 to 3 per person for a 3 hour party.

Table of Party Equivalents
If you are entertaining... Pre-dinner cocktails you'll average... For a party you will average...
4 people 8 to 12 drinks (one fifth required) 12 to 16 drinks (one fifth required)
6 people 12 to 18 drinks (two fifths required) 18 to 24 drinks (two fifths required)
8 people 16 to 24 drinks (two fifths required) 24 to 32 drinks ( two fifths required)
12 people 24 to 36 drinks (three fifths required) 36 to 48 drinks (three fifths required)
20 people 40 to 60 drinks (four fifths required) 60 to 80 drinks (seven fifths required)
25 people 50 to 70 drinks (five fifths required) 75 to 100 drinks (seven fifths required)
40 people 80 to 120 drinks (eight fifths required) 120 to 150 drinks (ten fifths
required)


Useful Substitutions


Chili Peppers:
This site explains all the different kinds of pepper, from Aji Chile to Urfa, with photos.