{Holiday Crafts} Gifts in a Jar

Homemade gifts in a jar are a fun, frugal, and easy holiday gift to share with loved ones.
There are endless possibilities with what can be placed in a jar. Soup mixes are super for those who like savory ingredients. Jars containing layered mixes for cookies, muffins, and brownies are yummy for those with a sweet tooth.

Gifts in a jar are easy to make. Just take a glass jar (canning jars, mason jars, or even recycled mustard jars), layer with ingredients, and then top with a gift tag. Combine a bunch of jars together to make your own gift baskets. How’s that for a frugal gift idea?

1. S’mores in a Jar

Layer in a large wide mouthed 1 quart mason jar:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (one sleeve of crackers, crushed)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows.
Or substitute with 8 Peeps and 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows for seasonal fun. Line the jar with Peeps facing out.
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or mini Hershey Kisses or M&M’s
1/3 cup brown sugar

2. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar
This recipe makes about 36 cookies.

Layer in a large wide mouthed 1 quart mason jar:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour mixture into a 1 quart (1 liter) mason jar and pack down. Mix oatmeal in a blender. Pack on top of flour in mason jar. Add white sugar and pack down. Add brown sugar and pack down. Layer chopped nuts on top of brown sugar. Finish layering jar with mini or regular chocolate chips.

3. Chai Tea Mix in a Jar
This recipe makes 2, 6 ounce jars.

Ingredients:

Layer in 2, 6 ounce jars:

1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup black tea leaves
12 cardamom pods
4 2 inch pieces of cinnamon stick
2 tsp dried lemon peel
Divide all ingredients and layer equally between 2, 6 ounce jars

More recipes can be found on this website and jar labels to download!! Thank you

{Holiday Entertaining} Thanksgiving Cocktails

Whether this is your first Thanksgiving with your sweetie’s family or you’re coming back from college and want to find a new way to pitch in, a cocktail is always a safe way of contributing without that pesky risk of mucking up longstanding family traditions.

Don’t risk messing up grandma’s traditional mashed potatoes or being called out for passing off another Sarah Lee pie as your own. Instead, bring along supplies for one of these conversation starters. Even the non-drinkers will be impressed by your skill and originality.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 part kahlua
• 1 part spiced pumpkin pie filling
• 2 parts coconut rum
• 4 parts cold milk
• 6 ice cubes
• Garnish with cinnamon

Put everything but the cinnamon in a blender. Mix on high. Serve in graham cracker crust highball glasses and sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

Smashing Pumpkin Spice

• 1 part Goldschlager
• 1 part Irish Crème
• 1 part Kahlua
• Cinnamon candies
• Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice

Drop 3-4 cinnamon candies in the bottom of a martini glass. Mix the Goldschlager, Irish Crème, and Kahlua in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top.

Gingersnap

• ½ part ginger brandy
• 1 part spiced rum
• 4 parts eggnog
• Crumbled gingersnaps

Put your gingersnaps in a blender and grind until you have cookie crumbs. Use the cookies to rim highball glasses. Mix the eggnog, rum, and brandy in your glasses. Serve with an intact gingersnap for dunking.

Royal Cider Grog

• 6 parts apple cider
• 1 part Crown Royal
• Cinnamon sticks

Warm the apple cider in a mug. Top it with the Crown Royal and stir with a cinnamon stick.

Malibu Baked Apple

• 2 parts coconut rum
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 3 parts apple juice
• Dried apple rings

Mix all 3 in a microwave safe glass and heat until toasty warm. Garnish with a dried apple ring.

Rock Gobbler

• 1 part Wild Turkey
• 2 parts Cranberry Juice
• 2 parts Chambord
• 2 parts Amaretto

Mix everything in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Caramel Apple Martini

• 1 part vodka
• 2 parts sour apple liquor
• 2 parts butterscotch liquor
• Caramel candy

Drop a small caramel candy into a martini glass. Mix everything else in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into the martini glass.

Turkey Shooter

• 3 parts Wild Turkey
• 1 part crème de methe

Chill both ingredients. Pour the Wild Turkey into a brandy snifter then carefully float the crème de methe on top. The whiskey will warm you up while the mint flavor keeps you cool.

Turkey Trot

• 1 part bourbon
• 2 parts 7-Up
• 2 parts cranberry juice

Mix everything in a highball glass and drink on the rocks.

Butterball

• 1 part amaretto
• 1 part butterscotch schnapps
• Whipped cream

Pour amaretto into a shot glass and layer the schnapps on top. Top with a dash of whipped cream. Throw it back as a single shot.

Recipes found on Foodvu.com

{Holiday Entertaining} Pumpkin Hummus

PUMPKIN HUMMUS
www.RecipeGirl.com

Four 6 inch pitas, each cut into 8 wedges
cooking spray
2 Tbs tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
One 15oz. can pure pumpkin
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Place pita wedges on baking sheets; coat with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, or until toasted.
3. Place tahini and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add parsley; pulse until blended. Spoon hummus into a serving bowl; sprinkle with pumpkinseed kernels, if desired. Serve with pita wedges.
Servings: 10