86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 11, 1999
Gifts
Homemade gifts always make a
lasting impression.
It’s not the size or cost of the gift
that matters. The fact that you took
time from your busy schedule to
make homemade gifts shows how
much you care.
Here are many creative and
simple gifts to make that are sure to
please friends and families.
GOLDEN PILAF MIX
1 cup uncooked rice
‘A cup golden raisins
'A cup chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon dried minced
onion
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
granules
1 teaspoon sugar
'A teaspoon ground white
pepper
Combine all ingredients. Pack
age in airtight container or plastic
bag. Makes 1 rice mix. Attach the
following instructions:
Combine rice mix, 2 cups water
(use 1 3 A cups water for medium or
short-grain rice, 2'A cups water for
brown rice), and 2 tablespoons
butter in 2- to 3-quart saucepan.
Bring to a boil; stir once or
twice. Reduce heat to simmer;
cover and cook IS minutes (25
minutes for parboiled rice, 45-50
minutes for brown rice) or until
rice is tender and liquid is
absorbed. Fluff with fork. Serves
6.
Fay Strkkler
Berks Co. Extension
CINNAMON OAT
PANCAKE MIX
4 cups quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2'A tablespoons baking powder
1 cup nonfat dry milk
l A teaspoon cream of tartar
Combine all ingredients in large
bowl; stir well. Store in airtight
container in refrigerator. Give with
the recipe for pancakes. Yield; 8
cups mix.
Attach direction to make pan
cakes: In a mixing bowl, beat two
eggs. Gradually beat in 'A cup veg
etable oil. Alternately beat in 2
cups pancake mix and 1 cup water.
Heat a lightly greased skillet over
medium-high heat Pour a heaping
spoonful batter onto hot skillet
Cook pancakes until bubbles
appear on surface and begin to
break (about 2 to 3 minutes). Turn
and cook 2 to 3 more minutes or
until golden brown. Yield: about
12 5-inch pancakes.
Letie Schadler
Lebanon Co. Extension
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please share
them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you
include accurate measurements, a complete list of ingredients
and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. Send your
recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609,
Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our office one week
before publishing date listed below.
December 18 - Party Ideas
January
From The Kitchen
2 packages fish-shaped cheddar
cheese crackers
5.5-ounce package fish-shaped
pretzels
2 cups slivered almonds
% cup butter, melted
2 packages (1.8-ounces each)
lemon-dill sauce mix
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine crackers, pretzels, and
almonds in medium roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine melted
butter and sauce mix. Pour over
dry ingredients; toss until well
coated. Bake 30 minutes, stirring
every 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Store in airtight containers. Yield
about 16 cups snack mix.
SAVORY HOLIDAY
SNACK TOSS
5 cups com, rice, or wheat cereal
squares
2 cups oyster crackers
2 cups pretzel sticks, broken in
half or holiday-shaped pretzels
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cashew halves
'A cup butter, melted
1.2-ounce package Caesar dry
salad mix or Italian
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Com
bine cereal squares, oyster crack
ers, pretzels, cranberries, and
cashews in large roaster pan or in
two 13x9-inch pans. Stir together
butter and salad dressing mix in
small bowl. Pour over cereal mix
ture; toss to coat.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring
twice, until lightly browned. Cool
completely. Store in tightly cov
ered containers (12 cups, 24
servings).
DRY SOUP
IN A JAR
1V« cup instant potatoes
l‘A cups powdered milk
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
powder
2 teaspoons minced onion
I'A teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
‘A teaspoon thyme
'A teaspoon pepper
'A teaspoon turmeric
Combine all ingredients and
package in mason jars. Attach
instructions: Stir '/< cup soup mix
into 1 cup boiling water. Will
thicken as it sets and is practically
fat free.
25 - Christmas Dinner
1 - Lentils
8 - Beef
LEMON DELL
SNACK MIX
Lctie Schadler
Lebanon Co. Extension
Letk Schadler
Lebanon Co. Extension
Kathi Taylor
Shickshinny
FRUIT CAKE COOKIES
6 cups pecans, halved
2 pounds candied cherries,
halved
1 pound seedless raisins
'A cup sifted flour
Measure and sift together
3'A cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
Work with spoon until soft:
'A cup butter
I*A cup brown sugar, firmly
packed
Beat until light and fluffy. Stir
in, one at a time:
4 eggs
Beat until well blended. Add
sifted diy ingredients alternately
with 1 cup whiskey. Blend in fruit
mixture.
Drop batter by teaspoooful on
greased cookie sheet. Bake in
300-dcgree oven about 15
minutes. Separate and store cook
ies, covered tightly.
Sara Wlchhart
Lincoln University
FRIENDSHIP TEA
In a pretty container, place a
favorite tea bag with the following
attached: On Christmas Day at
half past three, brew yourself a cup
of tea. And as you do. I’ll think of
you and you of me while sitting
around the Christmas tree.
Kathi Taylor
Shickshinny
FRIENDSHIP COFFEE
Package in Mason jars, add a
coffee mug, cookies, etc. Mix in
large bowl:
4 cups Swiss Miss cocoa mix
4 cups non-dairy creamer
2 cups instant coffee
4 cups powdered sugar
IV2 tablespoons cinnamon
Place in jars with the directions:
Place 2-3 teaspoons in mug of hot
water.
Kathi Taylor
Shickshinny
TROPICAL CAKE
IN A JAR
Cream 2 A cup shortening
2 2 A cups sugar
Add 4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
IV2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
'A teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch ginger
2 A cup water alternating with
3'A cups flour untilwcll blended
Mix in:
2 A cup pecans or walnuts
V« cup drained crushed
pineapple
3 /« cup mashed ripe banana
'A cup shredded coconut
Pour mixture evenly into eight
well-greased wide mouth pint can
ning jars. Bake at 325-degtees for
35-45 minutes. Place the eight lids
in hot water for at least 10 minutes
while the jars are baking. When the
cakes are done, remove one at a
time, wiping off rim with a clean
cloth, and screw the lid on. Jars
will seal as they cool. Cakes will
keep up to six months if sealed
properly.
Kathi Taylor
- *
Gifts from the kitchen are gifts from the heart.
CANDY CANE BATH SALTS
2 cups epsom salts
'A cup sea salt
4-6 drops peppermint oil
2-3 drops red food coloring
Place 1 cup epsom salt and
'A cup sea salt in a bowl, add 2-3
drops red food coloring. In a sec
ond bowl, mix remaining ingre
dients. Layer the red and white
mixtures in jars (18-ounce plastic
peanut butter jars work best).
Kathi Taylor
Shickshinny
Featured Recipe
Kathi Taylor, Shickshinny, writes that she prefers giving jar gifts at
Christmas time.
“I have oodles and oodles of recipes to fill Mason jars,” she writes.
Kathi has sent in several of her favorite recipes many unique
ones, some for cooking, some for the bath, and some gag gifts. For
readers who want more ideas for making gifts, Kathi said readers
should write directly to her at R. 2, Box 2250, Shickshinny, PA 186 SS
or e-mail to taylorfarm@email.msn.com
ORANGE SLICE COOKIE MIX IN JAR
3 A cup sugar
■A cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1% cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
‘A teaspoon baking soda
I'A cups orange slice candies, quarterd
Layer ingredients in order listed in quart-size Mason jar, pressing
firmly into jar (it is a tight fit).
Attach these directions to the jar:
Remove orange slices from jar and set aside. Empty remaining
ingredients into a large bowl, and blend together with ‘A cup softened
butter (do not use diet spread). Add 1 slightly beaten egg and 1 teas
poon vanilla. Mix together and thoroughly blend. Add orange slice
candies. Shape into 30 balls, place each ball on greased baking sheet
2-inches apart. Bake at 375-degrees for 12-14 minutes, edges should
be lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes, remove to rack to finish cooling.
FOAMING BATH SALTS
'A cup liquid soap
1 tablespoon light oil
2-3 drops food coloring
6 cups rock salt crystals
Mix soap oil and food coloring.
Pour over rock salt, stir constandy
until rock salt is evenly coated.
Spread coated rock salt in a thin
layer and let air dry for at least 24
hours. Package in airtight
containers.
Kathi Taylor
Shickshinny
(Turn to Pago B 8)