Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Easy Jar Meals - For the Pantry or Gifting

As promised, I am going to start to post some jar recipes that are just wonderful to have on hand in the pantry and they are also fantastic for a great gift.
I like soups in the winter, and my brother and sister always rave about getting soup "jars" in their Christmas baskets.  That is one of their favorite things.
It makes for a different meal or two - and they don't have to think about what to mix together.

Today we will do soups.  All 3 of these are going in my baskets this year.  I have everything here to make them.

WILD RICE AND MUSHROOM SOUP
2 3/4 oz. pkg. of country gravy mix (or equivalent of bulk gravy mix)
1 1/2 Tbs. chicken bouillon
2 tsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. dried celery flakes
1 tsp. parsley
1/4 C instant wild rice (uncooked)
2 Tbsp. dried mushrooms, chopped
Pour gravy mix in a one pint jar.  Combine bouillon, onion, celery and parsley - pour over gravy mix.  Layer rice and mushrooms - seal with lid.
INSTRUCTIONS
Empty into a large saucepan.   Add 7 cups of water, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes - until rice is tender.
Serves 6

PATCHWORK SOUP
1/3 C dried yellow split peas
1/3 C dried green split peas
1/3 C dry lima beans
1/3 C dry pinto beans
1/3 C dry kidney beans
1/3 C dry great northern beans
1/4 C dried minced onion
3 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
Combine all the ingredients together in an airtight container.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine 8 cups of water and soup in a large pot.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let it set for an hour.  Return pot to heat and stir in 2 chopped carrots and 2 chopped celery stalks.
****ADD ham hocks or ham (if desired).  Cover and simmer for 2 hours until beans are tender.
Remove hocks and tear meat from bone, chop and return to soup.  Serves 10.
****I plan on gifting this jar recipe with a can of diced ham.

Graphics from Gooseberry Patch cookbooks!  I love those books.  Make your own drawings and/or labels for instructions of soup mixes.  Use a recipe card, an index card, a stick-on label or draw up something cute and copy for multiple jars.

CREAMY POTATO SOUP
1 3/4 C instant mashed potatoes
1 1/2 C powdered milk
2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
2 tsp. minced dried onion
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. seasoned salt
Combine all ingredients together.  Place in a quart size jar or baggie.
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 1/2 C soup mix in a bowl and add 1 C boiling water.  Stir until smooth.
Great to serve for a quick meal or with a sandwich!

Easy peasy!  I plan of gifting  all three of these along with some other things.
You can always gift with a couple soup bowls or mugs to jazz up the gift.  Maybe add a box of crackers or a bag/box of oyster crackers.
I would love to receive 2 or 3 of these as a gift.  Food is always appreciated.  WE ALL HAVE TO EAT!  I like getting different things like this.

Hope this gives you some ideas.
More later!

18 comments:

  1. The all sound yummy. I always do a cup of hot chocolate to give out for Christmas.

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    1. I often add a couple of different chocolate dipped plastic spoons (silver or gold, if I can find them at a reasonable price), for mixing it up.

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    2. Lori I do the chocolate dipped spoons as well. Great for cocoa or coffee drinkers.

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    3. Hot chocolate and tea drinks are always a hit

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    4. As a receiver of those chocolate spoons, YUM! I loved putting them in my coffee. A couple were rolled in crushed peppermint, Heath bar, and Andes mints.

      I made chocolate dipped pretzel rods one year and those went over quite well. One of my friends made her family tins of chocolate dipped Ruffles potato chips and said they raved about them. Sounds good to me!

      I love those soup mixes. Perfect for an easy lunch on a cold day.

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    5. The spoons are always so neat - just that added bit of chocolate. Neat idea using crushed peppermint.
      Love choc. dipped pretzels - oh my I bet the chips were good. Sweet and salty.
      Great ideas.

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    6. My daughter made the chocolate dipped spoons for her friends several times. They are always a hit.

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  2. Thank you for these they look great. Great ideas for Christmas baskets.

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  3. Great gift ideas and yummy recipes. I like having things like this in the pantry. Makes for an easy meal on a busy day.

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    1. Exactly - we can give ourselves a gift once in awhile and just make dinner easy!

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  4. Oh, I would love to receive these too. They will make very nice Christmas gifts. And I love the graphics from Gooseberry Patch. That is a nice added touch.

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    1. I am so in love with Gooseberry Patch books! Hope you can use some of the recipes - for self or gifts.

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  5. I always liked the Russian Tea mix.

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    1. Sounds yummy. I think I have a recipe some where. I will look. Thanks

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  6. Oh yum! I think I will make these to give to myself. Thanks.

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