Salsa Mix In A Jar
1 1/2 cups dried cilantro
1 teaspoon garlic powder (more to taste)
1/2 cup dried chopped onion
1/4 cup dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended. Put into a 1-pint jar.
Put the following instructions on a gift tag:
Spicy Salsa
Blend 2 tablespoons salsa mix with one 10 ounce can Mexican-style tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.
Salsa Spread
Blend 2 tablespoons salsa mix with 1 cup softened cream cheese. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
Peppermint Stick Sauce
This is perfect for the holidays and also makes a delicious hostess gift.
1 1/2 cups finely crushed peppermint candies
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Cr?me
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until smooth and candy is melted, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.
Serve chilled over ice cream or pound cake.
Servings: 8
Bourbon Sauce
This is an ice cream sauce that MUST ripen for two weeks before using. It makes an excellent gift.
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup strawberry preserves
Juice of 1 lemon and grated peel
Sections of orange and grated peel
1 cup nuts
1/2 cup bourbon
Boil water and sugar until it spins a thread when dropped from a spoon. Use the 2 sugars in this mixture. Add other ingredients, put into sealed container and store in refrigerator.
Spicy Raspberry Tea Mix In A Jar
3/4 cup instant tea, unsweetened
4 (.23 ounce) packets raspberry-flavored unsweetened drink mix
2 tablespoons lemonade drink mix
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Stir all ingredients in mixing bowl with wire whisk. Transfer mixture to 1-pint wide-mouth jar. If jar is full, gently tap bottom of jar on palm of hand to settle mix. Seal jar.
Decorate jar and attach the following instructions on a gift tag:
Spiced Raspberry Tea
Makes 1 (6 ounce) serving.
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Spiced Raspberry Tea Mix
6 ounces boiling water
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Fresh orange slice (optional)
Sprig of fresh mint (optional)
Combine jar mix with boiling water. Adjust amount of mix to your taste. Stir to dissolve mix. Serve hot or add ice for refreshing hot weather cooler. Garnish with fresh raspberries, orange slice and mint sprig.
Bread Basket
2 (11 ounce) cans refrigerated soft bread sticks
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Invert two 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowls on a cookie sheet. Cover both bowls with foil, molding to sides. (Don’t use heavy duty foil.)
Unroll dough and separate into 16 strips. Wrap 13 strips of dough around one foil-covered bowl, twisting as you wrap. Braid remaining 3 strips of dough and place over second bowl to form handle. Bake 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
Brush basket and handle with beaten egg. Loosely cover handle with foil. Bake both an additional 7 to 10 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Cool completely.
Remove bread from bowls and peel away foil. Attach handle to sides of bowl with wooden picks.
Line inside of basket with gingham. Arrange homemade muffins in basket. Cut cellophane into two 1 1/2-yard sheets. Crisscross sheets on table. Place basket in center of cellophane. Bring edges up around sides, gathering in tassel at top. Secure with rubber band. Tie 1/2-inch wide satin ribbon in a bow just underneath rubber band. Remove rubber band. Trim top of tassel with pinking shears.
Fill with homemade muffins.
Dried Cranberry And Almond Biscotti Mix In A Jar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sliced almonds
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in mixing bowl. Trasnfer mixture to 1-quart wide-mouth jar.
Place almonds into small zip-type bag. Place cranberries into small zip-type bag and seal. Layer bags in jar.
Decorate jar and attached the following instructions on a gift tag:
Dried Cranberry and Almond Biscotti
Makes 2 dozen.
1 jar Dried Cranberry and Almond Bixcotti Mix
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Center rack in oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place almonds from jar mix on baking sheet and toast in oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower thirds of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
Lightly beat eggs and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl. Add butter and stir to blend. Stir in flour mixture from jar until combined. Stir in almonds and cranberries from jar mix until blended.
Divide dough in half. Dust hands with flour and form each piece into log measuring about 10 x 4 x 3/4-inch. Place each log in center of baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes then switch pans on racks and bake another 12 to 13 minutes or until set. Cool on racks for 15 minutes.
Place each log on cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut on diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices. Place slices on baking sheets cut side down. Bake for 8 minutes. Switch baking sheets on racks. Bake another 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool on racks. Store biscotti in airtight container between sheets of wax paper at cool room temperature up to two weeks.
Mexican Fiesta Dip Mix
This is an unusual Southwestern dip mix that can be given in a small sombrero.
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup dried chives
1/3 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup salt
In a large bowl, combine the spices and store in an airtight container.
Attach these instructions to the jar:
Mexican Fiesta Dip
Makes 2 cups
3 tablespoons Mexican Fiesta Dip Mix
1 cup mayonnaise or low-fat mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream or low-fat yogurt
In a medium mixing bowl combine the Dip Mix with the mayonnaise and sour cream. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Serve with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.
Spicy Muffin Mix In A Jar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in a pretty airtight jar.
Attach these instructions to the gift tag:
Spicy Muffins
Makes 1 dozen
Contents of jar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin tins.
In a large bowl, combine the muffin mix with the butter, egg, vanilla extract and milk Stir the mixture until the ingredients are blended. Do not over-mix. The batter will be lumpy. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, and bake for 15 minutes.
Almond Pancake Mix
3 cups nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup finely ground almonds
2/3 cup baking powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until well blended. Store in a resealable plastic bag.
Yields about 7 1/2 cups pancake mix, enough for 3 batches of pancakes.
Give with the following recipe for pancakes.
Almond Pancakes
2 1/2 cups pancake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, and stir just until moistened.
Heat a greased griddle over medium heat. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle and cook until top of pancake is full of bubbles and underside is golden brown. Turn with a spatula and cook until remaining side is golden brown. Re-grease griddle as necessary. Serve with butter and syrup.
Yields about 1 dozen 5-inch pancakes.
Pizza Mix In A Jar
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
Combine all ingredients. Place in an airtight jar.
Attach these instructions on a gift tag:
Pizza
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
Contents of Pizza Dough Mix jar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon crushed oregano
Place the Pizza Dough Mix in a large bowl and add the olive oil and water. Beat with a wooden spoon or dough hook until mixture forms a ball. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl and let the dough rise for 90 minutes.
Divide the dough in half and pat into two 12-inch circles. For thin crust, fill and bake the pizzas now. For thicker crust, let pizzas rise 30 to 45 minutes.
Top the pizza dough with tomato sauce, cheeses of your choice and crushed oregano. Drizzle olive oil over the pizzas.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
