Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Food Gifts and Homemade Gifts

These are some of my favorite things to give as gifts that are homemade.

Coconut oil salves: (adapted from campwander.blogspot.com)



The Basic Ingredients


One recipe will fill five 4 oz glass jam jars.


1 Cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

1 Cup Olive Oil

4 T. Beeswax Pastilles




Slowly melt the coconut, olive oil and beeswax in a mason jar, in a warm bath, stirring with a knife every few minutes until melted. While waiting for the melt, line up {five} 4 oz jam jars with your EOs nearby.



Decide which blends you want to create and add the essential oils to each jar before filling.



Now you're ready to fill each jar with the melted coconut and olive oil stopping a half inch from the rim. Let cool until the salve hardens. Top with a paper towel while cooling. Secure lid tightly after the salve hardens.



Beauty Blend

Frankincense, Lavender and Cypress

Add 12 drops each to one 4 oz jar.



Allergy Blend

Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint,



Add 30 drops to one 4 oz jar.





Aches & Pain Blend


Add 30 drops deep blue, 10 drops Frankincense, 10 drops White Fir.



General Healing Salve:



10 drops lavender, 8 drops lemon, 6 drops melaleuca



Lip Balm:



2 part coconut oil to 1 part beeswax and put in a few drops of vitamin E oil if desired. Just melt and pour. Then add a drop of essential oil if you want.







Hot Chocolate:



Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:

1 package Werthers candy, unwrapped and blended into a powder

1 1/2 cups good quality Dutch cocoa powder

1 tablespoons fleur de sel or good sea salt

1 cup instant dry milk powder

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

10 ounces chocolate chips

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Put the chocolate chips down the chute of a food processor while running to make them into a powder almost. Add to the bowl, mix and then put in bags or jars. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to one month. To serve, stir 3 tablespoons mix into 1 cup hot milk.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate:

1 package hard peppermint candies, unwrapped and blended into a powder

1 1/2 cups good quality Dutch cocoa powder

1 cup instant dry milk powder

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

10 ounces chocolate chips

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Put the chocolate chips down the chute of a food processor while running to make them into a powder almost. Add to the bowl, mix and then put in bags or jars. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to one month. To serve, stir 3 tablespoons mix into 1 cup hot milk.

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate:

2 T pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cups good quality Dutch cocoa powder

1 cup instant dry milk powder

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

10 ounces chocolate chips

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Put the chocolate chips down the chute of a food processor while running to make them into a powder almost. Add to the bowl, mix and then put in bags or jars. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place for up to one month. To serve, stir 3 tablespoons mix into 1 cup hot milk.



Coconut Granola
Summer Minert

5 cups of oats, Almonds crushed up in chunks, A third a cup maple syrup, Third cup brown sugar 4 teaspoons vanilla, Half a teaspoon salt, A third a cup to a half a cup of coconut oil . Bake 325 Line sheet with parchment paper press granola into pan and bake for 20 minutes turn sheet bake another 10 minutes

(Summers additional notes) I also like to add milled flax seed about 1/4c and unsweetened coconut...but you can add whatever dry ingredients you would like. Make sure to really press down in pan and once it's finished allow to cool in pan. That will give you bigger chunks if you like that



(Kerstin’s note) I like to add an egg white to help it all hold together.





Kerstin’s Salsa

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can rotel

1 small can pickled jalapenos

1 small handful of cilantro

1/8 t cumin

½ t salt

½ - 1 t garlic powder



Blend and pour into a 1 quart mason jar



Crackers with a KICK

(from April Clerc)

4 sleeves of saltine crackers

1 ¼ c vegetable oil

1 package ranch seasoning

1-2 T red chile flakes



Put the packages of crackers in a large container with a lid. Mix the other ingredients. Pour them over the crackers and turn the container over for a day or so until the crackers are all covered and the oil is mostly soaked in.



Another alternative:



2 bags of crackers, 1 pkg ranch powder, 1/4 cup red pepper ( depends really on how hot you like it) 1/3 cup olive oil. I mix everything minus crackers and let it sit for a awhile to really soak in all the flavors. Pour over crackers and turn every few minutes to coat everything.



3rd alternative: You can also use half mini-saltines and half cheese it crackers.















Garlic Pretzels

2 Bags (16 oz) mini twist pretzels

1 16 oz.bottle of Orville Redenbacher popcorn oil

1 pkg. of dry original Ranch dressing mix

1 Tbsp. dill weed

1 Tbsp of Garlic powder

Mix oil, dry ranch dressing, dill weed and garlic powder together and pour over pretzels. Mix well and mix again

three times an hour for 4 hours. When they stop being shiny from the oil they will be ready. It is close to the

4 hour mark that they become dull looking. Store in Zip lock bags or an airtight container.



Popcorn Seasonings:

Cheese:

½ c cheese powder, ¼ c butter powder, 1 t turmeric, 1 t dry mustard, ½ t paprika, ½ t onion powder, ½ t garlic powder, ¼ t cayenne, 2 t season salt. Put ¼ c seasoning on popcorn.

Herb seasoning:

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons celery salt
4 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
6 teaspoons garlic powder
6 teaspoons salt
6 teaspoons ground savory (you can try subbing thyme, but it will be a tad stronger)
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground sage

Directions:

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer to a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Stir or shake well before sprinkling atop freshly popped popcorn.


Read more: http://magazine.foxnews.com/food-wellness/5-seasoning-recipes-make-your-popcorn-pop#ixzz2fIa3Qo1u



Mexican Chocolate:

1 T cocoa, 2t powdered sugar, 1/8 t cinnamon, 1/8 t salt



Marshmallows

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar, Cornstarch (optional)

Line 9 x 9-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add in the vanilla extract beat to incorporate.
Scrape marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly (Lightly greasing your hands and the spatula helps a lot here). Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.
In a shallow dish, combine equal parts cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar. Remove marshmallow from pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef’s knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar mixture.
Store in an airtight container.

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