Pack Those Pantry Shelves - Cheaply!

 Good morning, all.  I have been posting a lot of Christmas ideas - and I realized not everyone celebrates. Please know that these recipes and ideas I post - can be used at home and by everyone, for any time of the year.  It doesn't have to be for gifts.

I was asked for some of the soup recipes (jar mixes) and I had planned that for today already.  I generally post these around this time of the year.  I am sure some of you have them or have read them - but we have new people who have not.

These are great to keep on your shelf - anytime you want a tasty and easy soup - grab one and pour!  They are all pretty darn cheap to make as well.

You can use up those glass jars you have been acquiring!  They don't have to be pretty ones for your own shelf.

WHITE CHRISTMAS SOUP      (quart jar)

1 small pkg. country gravy mix 2.75 oz. ***

2 Tbs. chicken bouillon granules

2 Tbs. minced onion (dried)

2 Tbsp. celery flakes

2 tsp. parsley flakes

2 1/2 - 3 dry noodles

**** just a note - if you buy don't want to buy the little packs (around $1) - it is 2/3 C of bulk mix.  I have the gravy mix from Sam's that comes in a 3 pack of larger bags.

Mix all the ingredients except noodles together.  Pour that into a jar - wide mouth is easiest.  Then add the noodles to jar.

I gift with a small can of chicken.  You can use store canned chicken, home canned chicken or bits and pieces leftover for your own use.

EMPTY contents into a 4 quart pan and add 8 cups water.  Heat to boiling on high - reduce heat and simmer.  Add chicken at this point.  Simmer until noodles are done.  Makes 8 servings.

LOVE SOUP       (quart job)

1 box onion soup mix (2 packets) = 1/2 C bulk or homemade mix

1/2 C split peas

1/2 C alphabet macaroni (use what you have) - I used tiny elbow

1/2 C shell pasta (I used tiny shells)

1/2 C colored pasta (I used veggie pasta and broke in pieces)

1/4 C lentils 

Pour mixture into a pot with 7 C of water.  Cook and simmer slowly.  Add 1/2 lb. ground beef, ground turkey or sausage - whatever you like.

PATCHWORK SOUP      (can use pint jar)

1/2 C barley

1/2 C split peas

1/2 C rice

1/2 C lentils

SEASONING PACK

1 Tbs. parsley

1 tsp. granulated garlic 

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp. dried onion

Place beans and rice & barley in stockpot and cover with 8-10 C water (I start w/8).  If you do not have dried onion - chop1 small onion and add.  Add season pack.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 45 min. to an hour.  Check after 30 minutes - to adjust water level if necessary.  Stir occasionally.

                                                     This is Patchwork Soup mix

Left is Love Soup mix.  Right is White Christmas Soup.  This one is always requested by my family.  They absolutely love it!!!!!  It is so good!

You can make jar recipes out about anything.  You can mix up dry ingredients for cookie, brownies, cakes, etc. and place in jars.  Add the list needed for wet ingredients and cooking instructions.  

It sure can make life a little easier - just having these things on the shelf.  Too tired or busy to figure out what's for dinner - pour a jar and add water!!!!!!!  It doesn't get much easier than that!!!

None of these ingredients are very expensive.  Most, you may have stocked already.  Beans, peas, rice and pasta can be purchased at dollar stores or $Tree or at all groceries for little money.  

These are pretty much all things I have in my deep pantry - so throwing together mixes is easy.

These make great items for the ready to go pantry and also great gifts for any occasion.

Hope this helps and that you ENJOY!

Christmas Bit today:

This is the first tree placed at the site of Rockefeller Center in 1931.  Construction workers put up the tree on December 24.  They decorated with paper garlands, strung cranberries and a few decorations.  They were lined up waiting for their pay from the foreman. (Yeah, on Christmas Eve).  The construction started the year before - tens of thousands of workers were out of work and this was a grand opportunity to work.  Even in the worst of times - they put up that little tree and celebrated what they had!!!!  I love that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The official beginning of the 'grand' tree at Rockefeller Center started in 1933.