How To Make Soup in a Jar Gifts
Food has long been used as a gift. During holidays and special occasions, many people use various types of foods as gifts. There are some who give pastries and cakes, while there are others who give freshly cooked casseroles as gifts. One food gift that you can give is the soup in a jar. The best thing about soup in a jar is that it does not spoil, and the recipient of the gift can cook the soup in can whenever he likes. Here’s how.
1. Clean. First of all, you need to select medium sized jars that will be used as the container for the soup mix. If you are in a very tight budget, you can simply use whatever jars are available in your house. As much as possible, however, choose jars that are made from clear glass, so that the recipient can see the layers of ingredients in the soup jar. The jars should have lids, and preferably, some decoration so that the recipient can reuse the jar later on. Wash the jars and wipe them until they are completely dry. Otherwise, the food that you store in the jar can spoil because of moisture.
2. Find the recipe. Next, you will need to find the appropriate soup in a jar recipe. There are many to choose from, ranging from chicken noodle soup to corn and crab soup. Simply do a Google search and look at the list of recipes that are available. If possible, create recipes that are tailored to each recipient. If someone likes corn soup, for instance, create a corn soup in a jar gift. This will make your gift more personal.
3. Layer. Next, take all of the dry ingredients and layer them in the jar. For chicken noodle soup, for instance, you will need a quarter of a cup of lentils, a cup of egg noodles, a spoonful of garlic powder, some chicken bouillon powder, and some garlic powder. Some people prefer to mix the ingredients together, but layering them will add decoration for your soup in a jar gifts. Just make sure that all of the ingredients are completely dry, before adding them to the jar. If there are some moist ingredients, place these in a cheesecloth and put the cheesecloth in a bowl filled with salt. Place in the microwave and heat for a couple of seconds, until the moisture dissipates from the food item and is absorbed into the salt.
4. Instructions. Now that the soup in a jar is complete, the final step is to add in the instructions for cooking the soup. For instance, chicken noodle soup should be mixed with around seven cups of water and simmered for half an hour. Vegetables may also be included in the soup, as well as freshly chopped chicken bits.
With these steps, you should be able to create simple and inexpensive gifts that are sure to keep your friends warm and satisfied especially if you give the gifts on cool, winter months. You can also send the gifts with some fancy crackers that can be eaten with the soup.