Food Gift Ideas

This time of year can be hard! Trying to think of gifts to give all the people on your list, plus trying to keep to a budget. Hear are some great food ideas that are also great Christmas gifts! These can really be used all throughout the year too

Ideas from Our Best Bites:
Chili Spice Mix
Homemade Marshmallows
Hot Fudge Sauce
Buttermilk Syrup
Bread in a Jar
Garlic Bread Seasoning

Recipe Lion has 34 different "gift in a jar" ideas

And I found this one in the December issue of Real Simple

Chocolate Chunk Hot Cocoa Mix

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 c sugar
8 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate

In a bowl combine the cocoa, sugar, and chocolate. Store in an airtight container. Keep at room tempature for up to 4 months.

Instructions: In a small saucepan, whisk 1/4 cup cocoa, mix with 3/4 cup milk. Bring to a bare simmer, then serve. Serves one.


And this one from Foodnetwork Magazine December 2009

Super-Chunky Christmas Cookies

Layer in a 1 1/2 liter food jar

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup red and green m&m's
1 c white choclate chips
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1 c smisweet chocolate chips
1 c toasted shredded coconut

Directions:
Makes 2 dozen cookies
beat 1 1/4 c of sugar and 1 stick of softened butter until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add the Super Chunky Christmas Cookie mix and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Scoop heaping tbsp onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 until set, about 12 minutes.

 These both are from Family Circle December 2007

Instant Cocoa with Marshmallows and Chocolate Chips
-makes 6 cups of mix, enough for 18 servings

3 cups or 3 envelopes (3.2 oz each) instant dry milk powder
2 1/2 c confectioners' sugar
1 c unsweetend cocoa powder, sifted
1 c powdered nondairy creamer
1 c mini-marshmallows
1/2 c mini semisweet chocolate chips

Stir together the dry milk powder, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and nondairy creamer in a large bowl. Divide among 18 bags (1/3 c each) and top with marshmallows and min chips.
Attach these instructions to side of mug: Blend cocoa mix and 3/4 cup boiling water together until chocolate chips begin to melt.

Butterscotch-Chip Cookie Mix

3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsweatend cocoa powder
1/2 c packed dark  brown sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c granukated sugar
1 c butterscotch chips
Dry mix: in a large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, baking sopda, and salt. in smaller bowl, stir otgehter hlaf of this flaour mixture with the coca powder so cocoa is partially mixed in.
Layer dry mix ingredients in a 1 quart mason jar. Spoon flour-cocoa mixture into bottom of jar; press down very hard to compact. Spoon plain flour mixture on top of cocoa mixture and compact again. Top with dark-brown sugar, light-brown sugar and granulated sugar, compacting each layer. Finish with butterscotch chips . Seal jar tightly. Store up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Baking Directions: In a large bowl, combine 3/4 c cooled, melted butter with 3 large eggs and 1 tbsp vanilla extract. Stir in contents of jar just until mixed. Drop dough by rounded tbsp, 2 in apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes.