Author Topic: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!  (Read 33233 times)

Worsted Skeins

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #100 on: December 18, 2014, 04:30:13 PM »
If this forum had a "like" button, I would be using it!

While we still buy gifts, I did craft a number:  mittens, fingerless gloves, curtains for a sibling who requested them, felt food for a young one, baked goods. 

Job well done everyone!

Fodder

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #101 on: December 29, 2014, 11:59:23 AM »
My jarred soups turned out really well and were a huge hit with the recipients!  I made 39 of them (kept a few for myself) and was happy to share with friends, family and some co-workers.

MMM win - we had a secret santa exchange at work, and the limit was $15.  By gifting my recipient with homemade goodies, I was able to give him a nice selection of USEFUL gifts without spending close to the limit.  :D

Here's a pic of how the soups turned out:


kbeth07

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #102 on: December 30, 2014, 06:53:18 PM »
I hope we can have another thread for next Christmas! I really need to start early this time. I did make a few gifts by hand, and put together thoughtful little care-packages from dollar store materials, but I would have been much better prepared if I didn't start in December!

1967mama

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #103 on: December 30, 2014, 08:40:34 PM »
@fodder Would you be willing to post your curried lentil soup jar recipe? I'd like to make it for myself and see if we like it, and if we do, we can add it to next year's gift ideas! I can't believe you made that many jars! Way to go! All I managed to make was candy cane bark for our neighbours (and hot chocolate mix for the family with children).

Like kbeth07, I need to start really early to make this happen for 2015.

swick

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #104 on: December 30, 2014, 09:47:50 PM »
Here it is!  I took it from here, but I modified the quantities so it would fit in a 2c mason jar - I personally find that the original made about 3 c of mix, which didn't fit any of my jars, and when you used a 1L jar, it simply made too much soup to be eaten in a single sitting (I was giving to some couples/singles and didn't want them to end up with a vat of soup).

Credit to original:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/curried-lentil-soup-december-recipes

My slightly modified recipe (per jar; I found using a kitchen scale was easiest as I just poured in lentils until I hit the weights I wanted).

Ingredients

6 oz red lentils
1 t Salt
3   tablespoon(s) minced dried onion
1   tablespoon(s) curry powder
1/2   teaspoon(s) garlic powder
6 oz   pound(s) green lentils
1   tablespoon(s) dried parsley leaves
 dried apple rings, chopped finely
Directions

In bottom of each glass jar, place red lentils; top with 1 teaspoons salt, 3 tablespoons dried onion, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 6 ounces green lentils, 1 tablespoon parsley, and as many apple pieces as will fit.

Seal jars and store at room temperature up to 1 month (some people stored way longer and it still turned out great; I got the apple pieces from Bulk Barn and they never went bad).

For cooking instructions, combine jar contents with 6 c. water (3 jars), bring to a boil and simmer for about 20-25 minutes (or until the green lentils are done).  You can pulse with an immersion blender, if desired, but it's not necessary.

I made about 20 jars last year and probably got requests for the soup recipe from 3/4 of the recipients.  I kept some for myself because they are so convenient and the soup is really delicious.  Bonus is that it's clean, cheap and vegan.  :D  I'm just trying to figure out if I'm better off buying lentils in bulk or watching out for sales of bags of lentils at the grocery store - when you make so many, it really does add up!

Fodder's Lentil soup fro the second page :)

Fodder

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #105 on: December 30, 2014, 09:52:44 PM »
@fodder Would you be willing to post your curried lentil soup jar recipe? I'd like to make it for myself and see if we like it, and if we do, we can add it to next year's gift ideas! I can't believe you made that many jars! Way to go! All I managed to make was candy cane bark for our neighbours (and hot chocolate mix for the family with children).

Like kbeth07, I need to start really early to make this happen for 2015.

I posted it on my blog here: http://definitelynotmartha.blogspot.ca/2014/12/the-perfect-gift-in-jar-curried-lentil.html

I made all the jars in one night - one thing I found really handy was those canning funnels and a kitchen scale.  Weighing the larger ingredients and being able to toss into the canning funnel made it all go really quickly.  I think it took longer to tie the stupid twine bows on.  :p

swick

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somecobwebs

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Re: Homemade Christmas 2014 Edition!!
« Reply #107 on: December 30, 2014, 10:39:27 PM »
Everything got done and was enthusiastically received! The elves were a hit :) And I was pleased to see that I was given some homemade presents as well, including home-brewed vanilla. Proud of my family.