what are the best mix in a jar gifts?

[mdowdy]

What are the best mix in a jar gifts? I am making a few of these for gifts, but am not sure what to put in them. Anyone got any ideas of a good one that I should have on hand?

I’ve reached my limits for Christmas so I am trying not to have to buy a lot for these.

[mcnerd]

Do mixes that you yourself would use (and probably will). Soup mixes, spice or condiment mixes are my favorites.

Here’s a recipe if you want to spend a little extra money:

Navy Bean and Ham Soup in a Pint Jar

2 cups dried navy beans
1 can ham (5 ounces)
***Seasonings (Mix and place in a thin zipper sandwich bag)***
1/2 packet pork gravy mix — (0.87 oz.)
1/2 box Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix — (1.4 oz)
1/4 cup imitation bacon bits
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ingredients in a pint jar in this order: Place seasoning packet in jar first. Gently flatten bag so it is visible from all sides of jar. Fill jar with beans.

Place lid on jar. Attach can of ham to top of jar. (Tape the can to the top of the jar using 2 lengths of clear tape.

Cut a larger than normal circle of fabric so it will cover the can as well as the top part of the jar.

Attach recipe below to the jar:

Navy Bean and Ham Soup:

Rinse beans, Place beans in a large microsafe dish. Cover with water 1″ -2″ over top of beans. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap.

Microwave on high power 15 minutes. Rotate after 7 minutes. Drain and rinse beans.

Place beans, ham, and seasonings from packet in medium pan. Add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil.

Lower heat, cover and simmer 1&1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.

[mdowdy]

thanks. That sounds like a good one, I may use that

[jaime]

Here’s a nice Cafe Vienna mix. I think I will post it too.

Ingredient:
1 c. instant coffee
1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 2/3 c.

nonfat dry milk
1 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:
Mix thoroughly and put into a blender a couple cups at a time and blend to a fine powder.

To use:
Add about 2 rounded teaspoons per cup of boiling water.

[mdowdy]

that is nice, sounds tasty too. Thanks

[starsinnight]

i once ordered a list of 150 jar mixes recipes… so i dug it up and here are a few of my favorites:

Brownies In A Jar

2-1/4 cups white sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 Pour sugar into a clean and dry one quart jar. Press down firmly.

2 Add cocoa powder and press down firmly. Pour in chopped pecans, making
sure pecans are evenly layered in the jar. Combine flour, baking powder and
salt.

Pour into jar and seal.

3 Attach the following directions to the jar: Empty mix into large bowl. Use
your hands to mix thoroughly. Add 3/4 cup of butter or margarine and 4
slightly beaten eggs.

Mix until completely blended. Spread batter into a
lightly greased or sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (180
degrees C) for 30 minutes or until done.

Cool in pan. Cut into 2 inch
squares. Makes 2 dozen.

chewy chocolate chip bars in a jar

1/4 C. milk chocolate chips
1/4 C. white chocolate or vanilla milk chips
1/4 C.

semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. chopped walnuts, toasted* and cooled
1/2 C. dark brown sugar, packed**
1 C.

buttermilk biscuit baking mix
1/2 C. light brown sugar, packed**
1 C. buttermilk biscuit baking mix

* To toast walnuts, place in a microwave safe dish and microwave on HIGH for
4 to 5 minutes, stirring every minute.

** After measuring the brown sugar, crumble it between your fingers for
uniform texture. Be sure to pack the brown sugar firmly in the jar to
prevent the baking mix from sifting down through it.

Directions:
In 1-quart wide-mouth jar, gently layer and pack ingredients in the order
listed, beginning with the white chocolate or vanilla chips. If there is any
space left after adding the last ingredient, add more semisweet chips to
fill the jar. Place lid on top.

Cut an 8-inch circle of fabric to cover the
lid. Place fabric over the lid; secure in place with ribbon or raffia.
Decorate as desired.

Attach to Jar:
Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Empty contents of jar into medium bowl. Stir in:
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 large egg
1 tsp.

vanilla extract
Press into 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 18
to 22 minutes, or until bars are light golden and center is almost set.
Makes 16 bars.

Cocoa Peanut Butter Cookie Mix in a Jar

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups packed confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Layer ingredients in order given in a 1 quart ”wide mouth” canning
jar. Clean the inside of the jar with a dry paper towel after adding
the confectioners’ sugar and after adding the cocoa powder. Be sure
to pack everything down firmly before adding the flour mixture, it
will be a tight fit.

Lentil Soup Mix in a Jar

soup mix

2 1/2 cups green split peas
2 1/2 cups lentils
2 1/2 cups pearl barley
2 c alphabet macaroni or rice
1 c dried onion flakes
1/2 c celery flakes
1/2 c parsley flakes
1 1/2 t. thyme, optional
1 1/2 t. white pepper, optional

Mix all ingredients together. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting
lid. Stir before using.

Makes 10 c. of mix. Divide mix into gift jars,
attach instructions:

To Make Soup: Combine 1 c. of soup mix with 4 c. of water or seasoned
stock in large pan.

Add 1 c. of cooked chopped meat, if desired.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan.

Simmer gently
for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Add 1/2 t. saltif desired.

minestrone variation: combine 1 c. of soup mix with a 16-oz. can
of stewed tomatoes, 2 to 3 c.

water or stock, 1 chopped carrot, 1
to 2 chopped potatoes, and 1/2 t. basil. (Optional: 1 clove minced
garlic).

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan.
Simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender. Add 1/2 t.

salt,if
desired.

I hope I don’t get in any trouble for posting these!! lol its been YEARS since i first got them but if it helps any, i didnt make these and am not sure who the author of these recipes really is? 🙂

[rtebalt]

@mcnerd 94579 wrote:

Do mixes that you yourself would use (and probably will). Soup mixes, spice or condiment mixes are my favorites.

Here’s a recipe if you want to spend a little extra money:

Navy Bean and Ham Soup in a Pint Jar

2 cups dried navy beans
1 can ham (5 ounces)
***Seasonings (Mix and place in a thin zipper sandwich bag)***
1/2 packet pork gravy mix — (0.87 oz.)
1/2 box Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix — (1.4 oz)
1/4 cup imitation bacon bits
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ingredients in a pint jar in this order: Place seasoning packet in jar first. Gently flatten bag so it is visible from all sides of jar. Fill jar with beans.

Place lid on jar. Attach can of ham to top of jar. (Tape the can to the top of the jar using 2 lengths of clear tape.

Cut a larger than normal circle of fabric so it will cover the can as well as the top part of the jar.

Do you have the instructions that go with this? 🙂

[mcnerd]

Ooops! Didn’t copy it all from my file.

Attach recipe below to the jar:

Navy Bean and Ham Soup:

Rinse beans, Place beans in a large microsafe dish. Cover with water 1″ -2″ over top of beans. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap.

Microwave on high power 15 minutes. Rotate after 7 minutes. Drain and rinse beans.

Place beans, ham, and seasonings from packet in medium pan. Add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil.

Lower heat, cover and simmer 1&1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.

[mdowdy]

Thanks everyone, you dont know how much help this is

[BellaInara]

How long do you think that you could store the Brownies in a Jar? I was thinking of mixing some of them up, but I wanted to know how long I could keep it.

Thanks,
Shannon

[mdowdy]

I really don’t know the shelf life on these, hopefully someone else will be able to answer this. I still have one in my cabinet I got last year as a gift and forgot I had it so this is a question I need the answer to also. The one I have is a crazy cake mix.

[mcnerd]

@mdowdy 95236 wrote:

I still have one in my cabinet I got last year as a gift and forgot I had it

That’s why I don’t give hot chocolate and a few other jar mixes to just anybody because it gets put on a shelf and forgotten. 🙂 You want to match a mix to the person or family if you can so you know they will use it.

The Brownie mix probably would not stay fresh for more than a few months, longer if you are able to vacuum seal the jar.

[wytewolf]

I dont see the cooking directions for the cocoa peanut butter cookie mix. These sound really good.

thanks,
wytewolf

[Author]

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