Gifts from the Kitchen

[Semigourmet]

I love to make things for others for Christmas, or sometimes thier birthdays etc. I thought it would be nice to share those with you all and the feed back I have gotten from them. it's fun to do and they seem to love it. I wil start by posting a few recipes, and hopefully you will all add to it so that we can make more homemade gifts from the kitchen.

[Semigourmet]

Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix in a Jar

Makes 3 Quarts of soup



Ingredients

1 cup
converted long grain rice
2 to 2 ½ cups slightly crushed tortilla chips
1 (5 ounce) can chicken
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

Seasonings:

Mix the following and place in a zip-type sandwich bag.

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules or base (if using base put in a separate baggie)
2 teaspoons lemon-flavored sugar
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dried cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup dried minced onion

1 wide-mouth quart jar and lid



Directions

1. Place ingredients in jar in this order: Add rice to the jar first. Add the seasoning packet into jar. Fill jar with tortilla chips. Add the lid to the jar.

2. Cut a circle of fabric to cover the top part of the jar. Attach the fabric with ribbon or twine.

3. Include both extra cans and the soup mix in a little bag or basket.

4. Attach the following instructions to the jar, bag or basket:



Tortilla Soup:

1. Remove tortilla chips and seasoning packet from the jar into a dish and set aside.

2. In a 1-gallon soup pot, add the rice and 10 cups of water. Add the can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, the can of chicken, and the seasoning packet from the jar. Bring to a boil; lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add tortilla chips, replace the cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Makes 3 quarts soup.

[Semigourmet]

the Tortilla soup mix seemed to be a BIG hit and was very simple for those who don't cook much.

[Semigourmet]

Winter Bean Soup Mix in a Jar (this one I haven't made yet, but looks GREAT)

Servings 6 (1 ½ cups each)



Ingredients

2 cups mixed dried beans (1/3 cup each yellow split peas, green split peas, pinto beans, kidney beans and great northern beans)
¼ cup instant minced onion
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (or tightly sealed container of 2 teaspoons chicken base)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Layer all ingredients in 1 pint glass jar. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 months.


Calico Bean Soup
8 cups water
Winter Bean Soup Mix
2 medium carrots, chopped (1 cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 pounds ham, smoked turkey thighs or smoked turkey wings



Directions

1. Heat water and winter bean soup mix to boiling in 4 quart Dutch oven. Boil 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

2. Stir carrots and celery into bean mixture. Add ham shanks or smoked turkey legs or thighs. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender.

3. Skim fat if necessary. Remove ham or turkey; remove bone. Trim excess fat from meat. Cut meat into ½ inch pieces. Stir meat back into soup. Heat until hot.

[Big Daddy's House]

This threas is a soup recipe one, so I'll move it to there.

Thread is now moved.

[Semigourmet]

the problem is that the thread will contain, muffins, cookies, anything that can be made and jarred and given as gifts. that is why I was asking about it before I posted it. Sorry I wasn't more clear.

[Big Daddy's House]

I'll transfer it to Micellaneous. Probably the only thing else I can do.

[Semigourmet]

Cool thanks BDH!

[Chowhound]

Neat idea, Semi. If I got a gift like that, I couldn't wait to make it.

[Semigourmet]

LOL Thanks!
I sent the tortilla soup to my son and step daughter. They loved it!!

[Big Daddy's House]

Cool thanks BDH!



Oh.

THAT'S what you meant when you sent me the pm! You're welcome!

Sorry. I got confused and thought that you probably meant canning. I DO remember saying to post it in the Micellaneous forum. :o

[Semigourmet]

LOL sorry, Now that you mention it I remember you telling me to post it there or rather here too. Sorry. and thanks! LOL

[Big Daddy's House]

No problem.

Afterwards, I had lost my train of thought.