I am super excited to tell you that in 2012 we will have monthly meetings! We have the building every third Tuesday of the month. There are so many things we need to be learning, this will give us the perfect opportunity! It will also help us develop our friendships quicker, because we will see each other more often! Hope to see you there!



Friday, September 30, 2011

Choco-Coco Cookie Mix



Choco-Coco Cookie Mix

11/2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 C flaked coconut
1 C M&M's, vanilla or chocolate chips

Directions:
1/2 C butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 jar of cookie mix

Mix all ingredients together until well mixed. Then roll cookies into balls flatten a little and bake at 350 for 10 to 13 minutes.

Chocolate Gravy Mix.....





My friends family had this on Christmas Morning it was a decades old tradition. It is suggested to be served over biscuits or pancakes.



Chocolate Gravy Mix 
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp salt
Sift all ingredients well.
Instructions for Chocolate Gravy:
Melt 1 to 2 Tbsp of butter in saucepan. Sprinkle 5 Tbsp of mix over melted butter. Stir until all is blended, then add 1 cup of milk. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Add more milk as needed. Cover with lid, keep on very low until ready to serve. Serve over pancakes or biscuits.
Package chocolate gravy mix in 
 bags or glass jars.

Cherry Pie Oatmeal in a jar....

Cherry Pie Oatmael Mix

2/3 C. powdered milk
1/3 C. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3C. oats, divided
1/2 C. dried cherries (I used cranberries)
 
Cherry Pie Oatmeal
makes 4 to 5 servings

1 jar Cherry pie oatmeal mix

 Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil, add oatmeal mix. Cook on medium high for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring until its thick and creamy. Serve with milk and butter if desired.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Curry Rice Mix...

I don't think I have had curry before, but I love rice and thought it was great. Mike has been to Japan a few times and has had curry there, he liked it. My boys are older and like more things but they all liked it too. I will make it again that's for sure. The raisins make it, do not leave out the raisins, they are puffy and soft, and add the perfect amount of sweet to it.




Curried Rice Mix
This curried rice mix is an interesting complement for plain chicken or pork.
1 cup long-grain rice
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Layer the ingredients in the order given in a 1 & 1/2-cup jar
Attach this to the Jar
Curried Rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 package Curried Rice Mix
In a medium saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the rice mix. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.

gifts-in-a-cone....





How should I layer the Mixes?

To make the CONE most appealing, try using various textures & contrasting colors. For instance in a Butterscotch cookie mix, place a layer of flour first, brown sugar second, nuts third , butterscotch chips fourth and so on. The variety will add appeal to your gifts and make them visually enticing.

Here are several tips for successfully layering your Cones.

  1. Start with the lightest ingredients first: Flour (be sure to mix your baking soda, powder, salt if listed). This will ensure that the mix incorporates smoothly.
  2. Remember to use recipes that are a total of 2-3 cups of ingredients.
  3. Add your nuts, raisins, chocolate pieces, candies and other larger, more coarse ingredients.



Gifts-in-a-jar S'mores Bar mix....



S'more Bar Mix
This is very sweet but very tasty. When it was warm it fell apart. But after it cooled "completely" you could cut it into bars. A little goes a long way with this one. I also used Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows, because it was what I had.


1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
11/2 C. mini marshmallows



Pack each layer in tightly
Directions:
1 jar S'more mix
1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl mix s'more mix, butter, and vanilla until
well blended. Put into a greased 9 inch square pan. Bake for 15 minutes. 

gifts-in-a-bag French Dressing Mix......

This recipe is a little lighter (runnier) and not as sweet as the store bought. But it is simple to make and tastes pretty good.
 
FRENCH DRESSING MIX

1/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. onion powder
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until evenly distributed. Put mixture in a foil packet or 1 pint glass jar. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 5 tablespoons French Dressing Mix. Enough for 1 1/4 cup French Dressing.

FRENCH DRESSING:
1 recipe of French Dressing Mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. ketchup
Combine and shake in jar until blended. Chill. Makes 1 1/4 cup.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Gifts in a jar- Frito Pie Casserole Mix

This has fritos in it it's gotta be good!
Frito Pie Mix

layer in the jar

first layer: 1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. powdered milk
3/4 C. parmesan cheese
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 pkg. taco seasoning
Top with: 4 C. fritos corn chips
Squish them down!

 Directions for Mix:
1 jar Frito Pie mix
1 lb. ground beef
3 C. water
1 (4.5 oz) can green chillies,
drained, optional

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add water and jar of mix, and green chillies, stirring until the mixture is well blended. Cook until sauce thickens.


My boys loved this, it doesn't make a whole lot, you could easily add a can or two of drained beans. It is also pretty salty, so I think it would taste great on baked potatoes, or maybe rice, that would stretch it a little further.

gifts in a jar- Italian Tortillini Soup

This is the tortellini soup mix, it called for uncooked beans that you microwaved for 18 minutes then threw into the crock-pot. The night I made it, I was in a hurry, so I just rinsed a can of beans(cannellini) and put them in. In the picture one jar has dehydrated red beans, and the other one just has more tortellini in it.

Tortellini Soup Mix
Mix Recipe:
2 T. chicken bouillon granules
1 T. dried basil
1T. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
2 to 3 tsp. dried minced garlic
2 1/2 C. dried tortellini pasta

1 1/2 C. red kidney beans in a baggie

Layer the ingredients in the order given, into a wide mouth 1 quart
canning jar. Place beans on top of pasta.
Attach a gift tag with cooking instructions.

Label Directions:
1 jar Italian Tortellini Soup mix
1 29 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

Remove beans from soup mix. rinse beans then place in a microwave safe dish, filling with water 1 to 11/2 inches over the beans. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, poking 3 small holes in the top with a sharp knife. Microwave on high for 9 minutes, rotate and microwave for another 9 minutes. Drain beans and place in crock pot. cover with 6 to 8 cups hot water. Cook on high for 2 hours. Add to the rest of the jar ingredients and tomatoes. Cook on high for another 1 to 11/2 hours.


I was in a hurry when I made it, I boiled it in a soup pot on the stove and added canned beans instead of uncooked beans. I added  roasted garlic tomatoes instead of plain diced. also fat adds flavor, I had 1 tbs. of butter sitting on the counter and stirred that in in the end. Everybody in the family really liked this recipe. It's a keeper!

Finished product! Yum!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Sharing

This is my attempt at sharing the information that I find, with my friends. I only wish I was more skilled at the design stuff, hopefully I will learn!