Prepared for Christmas – Gifts in a Mason Jar
I love Mason Jars. Old ones, new ones, short ones, tall ones – it doesn’t matter the size, I can find a use for them. I display a collection of vintage ones filled with buttons and marbles, I use tall ones for kitchen canisters. I place votive candles and sand in quart size ones and use them as a festive light display on the patio in the summer. Of course, I keep bulk food in them and in the winter I make colorful soup gifts in a mason jar. I love the permanency of them, the nostalgia of them and I even believe that storing food in them is better for your health than using plastic!
So if you are looking for a thoughtful, last minute Christmas gift – look no further than the simple Mason Jar. There are many ideas for gifts in a Mason jar with recipes online. Pick one that sounds good to you and be creative. Convert your favorite bean or soup recipe into a meal in a jar – make some for yourself (for food storage and easy dinner night) and give some away as gifts this year. Your friends and family will be happy to receive them.
Gifts in a Mason Jar Ideas
Here is my converted recipe using Bob’s Red Mill – Bountiful Black Bean Soup Mix. Yes, I know that might be considered cheating, but this is a post about last minute gifts and let’s face it, anything from Bob’s is fantastically good for you!
A hearty winter soup, perfect for gifts or on a cold winter night
Ingredients
- 2 cups Corn
- 3 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup dried Onion
- 1/2 cup dried Carrot
- 1/2 cup dried Green Pepper
- 1/2 cup White Rice
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 8 cups Vegetable Stock
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Bountiful Black Bean Soup Mix
- 2 cups Butternut Squash, cut into large bite size pieces
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Basil
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- To Pack the Mason Jar - Layer ingredients as follows:
- 2 cups Black Bean Soup Mix (bottom)
- 1/2 cup Onion
- 1/2 cup Carrot
- 1/2 cup Green Pepper
- 1/2 cup White Rice
- Fill a small plastic bag with the spices and place on top of the dry ingredients
- Seal the Mason Jar and attach a gift tag with cooking directions
- COOKING DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil in a large stock pot
- Add 4 cloves garlic until browned.
- Carefully pour in stock, dry ingredients from your jar & diced tomatoes.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and corn.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat & simmer 1.5 hours until beans are cooked to your liking.
- You can speed the cooking time by 1/2 an hour by soaking the beans overnight.
Here are some links to get you started if you’re not sure what to do:
AllRecipes – Dry Soup Mixes
Organized Christmas – Mason Jar Recipes
Squidoo – 101 Mason Jar Recipes
Bob’s Red Mill Recipe Finder
Feel free to download, print and use our gift tag (below) with your Gift in a Mason Jar creation.
[…] as gifts this year. Your friends and family will be happy to receive them. Here’s the recipe for Bountiful Black Bean Soup, a family […]