Food Gifts In A Jar

Apple Cake in a Jar

2/3 cup shortening
2-2/3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup water
3 cups grated apple
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
8 straight-sided wide-mouth pint canning
jars with lids

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).  Lightly grease the insides of 8 straight-sided wide-mouth pint canning jars.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Set aside.
Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs and beat in well.
Add flour alternately with water and mix until smooth.  Fold in apples, raisins and nuts.  Fill jars 1/2 full of batter, being careful to keep the rims clean.  Wipe off any batter that gets on the rims.  Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, sterilize the lids and rings in boiling water.  As soon as cake is done, remove from oven one at a time, wipe rims of jars and put on lid and ring.  Jars will seal as cakes cool.  Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal.  If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid.  If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.  Unsealed jars should be eaten or kept in refrigerator for up to a week.  Sealed jars can be stored with other canned food for up to a year.



Apple Pie in a Jar

4-1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
10 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
28 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stock pot.  Fill pot with hot water.  Sterilize 7 1-quart canning jars, 7 lids, and 7 rings by placing on rack, jars upright.  Bring water to a boil.  Boil 10 minutes.  Remove with a holder and allow jars to air-dry.  Save water for processing apples.  Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and water in a large saucepan.  Place over high heat and cook until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Tightly pack apples into sterilized jars.
Slowly pour syrup over apples, covering them completely.  Gently tap jars on countertop to allow air bubbles to rise.  Screw lids on jars.
Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder.  Leave a 2 inch space between jars.  Add more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water.  Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.  Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool.  Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid doesn't move up or down at all).  Sealed jars can be stored for up to a year.



Banana Nut Bread Baked in a Jar

2/3 cup shortening
2-2/3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cream shortening and sugar.  Beat in eggs, bananas, and water.  Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.  Add to banana mixture.  Stir in nuts.  Pour mixture into greased WIDE MOUTH pint jars, filling 1/2 full of batter.  Do NOT put lids on jars for baking.  Be careful to keep the rims clean, wiping off any batter that gets on the rims.  Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) about
45 minutes.
Meanwhile, sterilize the lids and rings in boiling water.  As soon as cake is done, remove from oven one at a time, wipe rims of jars and put on lid and ring.  Jars will seal as cakes cool.  Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal.  If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid.  If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.  Unsealed jars should be eaten or kept in refrigerator for up to a week.  Sealed jars can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 6 weeks.




Chocolate Applesauce Bread in a Jar

1 c margarine -- softened
3 c granulated sugar
4 egg whites -- whipped
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c applesauce -- at room temperature
3 c unbleached flour
3/4 c cocoa powder -- sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325.  Place a baking sheet onto middle rack and
remove top rack from oven.  Before starting batter, wash 8 (1 pint)
wide mouth canning jars with lids in hot soapy water and let drain,
dry, and cool to room temperature.  Generously prepare jars with
margarine.  In a mixing bowl, combine margarine, sugar, egg whites,
vanilla, almond extract, and applesauce.  In another mixing bowl,
combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients just until moistened.  Spoon
1 level cupful of batter into each jar.  Carefully wipe rims clean,
then place jars on baking sheet (or they'll tip over) in the center
of oven.  Bake 40 minutes.  Keep lids in hot water until they're used.
When cakes are done, remove jars which are HOT from oven one at a
time.  If rims need cleaning, use moistened paper towel.  Carefully
put lids and rings in place, then screw tops on tightly shut.  Place
jars on a wire rack; they will seal as they cool.  Once jars are
cool, decorate with round pieces of cloth and then glue on flowers,
ribbons, etc.  on lid, ring and side of jar.  Unscrew the ring (the
lid should be sealed by now) and place a few cotton balls on top of
the lid (makes it poofy on top), then a piece of cloth (about 3"
larger than the lid) on top and screw the ring back on.  Decorate as
desired; cut fabric edges with pinking shears, etc.



Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine the flour, baking soda, white sugar and the chocolate chips.
Place 1/2 of the mixture in a clean, wide mouth quart sized canning
jar and pack firmly. Place the brown sugar on top, again packing
firmly. Place the remaining flour mixture on top. Cover with lid and
material, then tie a ribbon around lid.
Attach a card with the following directions:
Empty contents of jar into bowl. In separate bowl combine 3/4 cup of
butter, 1 1/2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add
to dry mixture. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet
and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 8-10
minutes.




Country Soup In A Jar

1/2 cup dry barley
1/2 cup dry green split peas
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 Tbs. dry onion flakes
2 Tbs. dried parsley
2 tsps. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 Tbs. crushed beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta twist macaroni, to fill jar.

In a wide mouth 1 quart jar, layer the barley, peas, rice and
lentils. Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt,
lemon pepper, bouillon and the alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of
the jar with the twist macaroni.
Seal and attach a gift card. The gift card should read:

Country Soup Mix
Add contents of jar to 3 quarts of water, 2 stalks of chopped
celery, 2 sliced carrots, 1 cup of shredded cabbage (optional)
and 2 cups diced tomatoes. Over medium low heat, cover and
simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.




Gingerbread Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix
the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with the spices. In a one-quart,
wide-mouth canning jar layer the ingredients starting with the flour
baking powder mixture then the brown sugar and finally the flour and
spice mixture. Cover the lid with a piece of material and tie a
ribbon around the top with a cookie cutter attached to the ribbon.
Attach a card with the following directions:

Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Blend together
well.
Add 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses and 1
slightly beaten egg. Mix until completely blended. Dough will be
very stiff so you may need to use your hands. Cover and
refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut
into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly
greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Decorate as desired.



Love Soup Mix in a Jar

1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup ABC, small shell, or ring macaroni (any small shape pasta
will do)
1/4 cup barley
1/2 cup lentils
1/3 cup non-instant white rice
tricolor spiral pasta

Into a wide mouth 1-quart canning jar, layer ingredients in the
order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape
pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to
fill jar.
Seal and attach a gift card as follows:

Love Soup Mix
In large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef cut
into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor
pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar
contents to the kettle with 12 cups water. Let come to a boil
and simmer 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15
minutes more.




M&M Cookies

1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups M & M's
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Mix together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Layer ingredients
in jar in order given in a 1 quart "wide mouth" canning jar. Add the
flour mixture last. It will be a tight fit when you add the flour
mixture so be sure to pack everything down firmly. Cover with lid
and material, then tie a ribbon around lid.
Attach a card with the following directions:
Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl. Use your hands to
thoroughly blend mix.
Add 1/2 cup margarine or butter softened at room temperature.
DO NOT USE DIET MARGARINE Mix in 1 egg, slightly beaten, and 1
teaspoon vanilla.
Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with
your hands.

Shape into balls the size of walnuts and place on a parchment
lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart. DO NOT USE WAXED PAPER.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 12 to 14 minutes until
edges are slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for about 5
minutes then remove to wire racks to finish cooling. Makes 2 1/2
dozen cookies.



Patchwork Soup Mix

1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup lentils

Seasoning Packet:

1 Tb. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. McCormick® Herb Seasoning


Layer first four ingredients in wide mouth pint jar in the order
given.
Mix seasoning ingredients in small bowl. Place in sandwich bag and
tie seasoning into a corner of bag with a piece of ribbon.
Decorate jar lid and attach seasoning packet along with this
recipe card:

Patchwork Soup
Empty jar into a colander, pick over beans and rinse well.
Place mix in large pan with 10 cups water.
Chop and add 1 medium onion and seasoning packet.
Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 1 hour,
stirring occasionally. Check after 30 minutes to see if it
needs more water.
For a change: Add 2 chopped boneless, skinless chicken breasts
at beginning for Chicken Patchwork Soup





Potato Soup Mix

This mix is great for lunches or for college students in dorm rooms!
2 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes (Hungry Jack® is good)
1 1/4 cups powdered coffee creamer
1 packet McCormick® chicken gravy mix
2 tsp. chicken bouillion granules
2 tsp. salt-free Spike® seasoning (if you can't find Spike, use
salt-free Mrs.Dash or Lawry's salt-free seasoning)
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. pepper

Place ingredients in large bowl and toss, shake and stir to mix
well.
Place in a suitable mix container (or containers). Can make
individual servings by placing 1/2 cup Potato Soup Mix in separate
containers. Be careful when dividing this mix to get all the
ingredients into each container-the spices tend to settle to
bottom of bowl.
Makes 4 cups mix.
* Can make Potato Cheese Soup Mix by adding 1 packet Knorr® Pasta
Sauce - Four Cheese Flavor.
Add following label or tag to jar or other container:

Potato Soup Mix
Place 1/2 cup Potato soup mix in bowl or mug .
Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir well.
Let stand 3 minutes until thickened.