Here’s an awesome idea from Kim Campbell’s kitchen. Kim, our director of culinary education, has put together these four recipes that are perfect for assembling as dry ingredients in Mason jars and giving as gifts. These are easy and inexpensive to prepare, plus they’re a great activity for kids to help with as well, and they can help decorate the tags for each jar.
Mason Jar Gift Recipes
Curried Lentil Soup
This recipe comes from definitelynotmartha.blogspot.com.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3/4 cup green lentils
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 tablespoons minced dried onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup red lentils
2–3 tablespoons chopped dried apples
Directions
Pour the ingredients into a one-pint Mason jar in the order listed above. I like to use a wide-mouth funnel for easier layering. Close the lid and decorate and label creatively. Be sure to include directions for preparing the soup with the Mason jar.
Directions for Preparing Your Curried Lentil Soup
Pour the entire contents of the Mason jar to a large soup pot. Add three Mason jars full of water and simmer 30 minutes. You may need to simmer a little longer depending on how soft the lentils are. Add more water if you like your soup a bit thinner. Try adding carrots, celery, or spinach to this soup for a heartier, healthier meal.
Split Pea Lentil Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup farro
1/4 cup dried split peas
1/4 cup brown rice
1/4 cup dried green lentils
Spice packet
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Directions
Add the first four ingredients into a one-pint Mason jar in the order listed above. I like to use a wide-mouth funnel for easier layering. Place all the spices into a small zip-top baggie and carefully squeeze it in the top of the jar. Close the lid and decorate and label creatively. Be sure to include directions for preparing the soup with the Mason jar.
Directions for Preparing Split Pea Lentil Soup
Empty the Mason jar contents (except the spice packet) into a colander and rinse well. Place the rinsed items into a large soup pot and cover with 6 cups of water. (You can add more water if necessary to thin.) Add 2–3 diced carrots and 2 diced celery stalks. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium/low and simmer for 1–2 hours. Stir occasionally. For crockpot preparation, follow the same directions and cook on high for 4–6 hours.
Gingerbread-Blueberry Pancakes
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sucanat (or dried sweetener of your choice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup dried blueberries
Directions
Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well so the spices are well combined. Place the flour mixture into a one-pint Mason jar, close the lid, and decorate and label. Be sure to include directions for preparing the pancakes with Mason jar.
Directions for Preparing Gingerbread-Blueberry Pancakes
In a bowl, whisk together 2 cups of nondairy milk and 2 tablespoons of molasses. Add the contents of the Mason jar and carefully mix. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough, gummy pancakes. Heat a nonstick griddle pan over medium-high heat. Drop a 1/4–1/2 cup of batter onto the preheated pan. Cook until bubbles appear in the middle of the pancake. Flip and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes.
Hint: If your pancakes seem to be sticking, you can gently spray the griddle once with a spray oil bottle and wipe with a paper towel to spread the oil. For a thicker or thinner pancake, simply adjust milk amounts as needed.
Spiced Oatmeal
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup dried fruit of your choice (raisins, blueberries, apples, apricots, or cranberries)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons flax meal
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
Directions
Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well so the spices are well combined. Place the oatmeal mixture into a one-pint Mason jar, close the lid, and decorate and label. Be sure to include directions for preparing the oatmeal with the Mason jar.
Directions for Preparing Spiced Oatmeal
Add about 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mixture to 3/4 cup water. Stir to combine, then microwave on high for 1 1/2–2 minutes. You can also cook over the stove with the same water/oatmeal ratio. Cook over medium heat for 5–8 minutes until the oats are completely cooked and thickened.
Photos courtesy of Kim Campbell.