Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Gifts in a Jar
Some gifts in a jar are necessary to do NOW.
Why NOW?
Some things, such as brandied fruit, need time to set in order to be *done* by the holidays.
Here is one of my favorites, that I am making tonight!
Honeyed Ginger Slices
Ingredients:
Fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced into slices no more than a 1/4 inch thick...thinner is better!
Raw honey
Pint or half-pint jar(s) --depends on how much you are making. I suggest the wide mouth type.
Pour just enough honey into the jar to cover the bottom.
Add layer of ginger slices, enough to cover the honey.
Pour in enough honey to cover the ginger slices.
Add another layer of ginger slices.
Pour in another layer of honey...
Continue until jar is full, making sure to put a layer of honey as the last layer.
Now, some people then do a boiling water bath. I don't because I feel the high heat destroys the good enzymes in the honey.
Set the jar(s) in the back of your pantry for at least one month. It gives the ginger slices time to absorb the honey.
Use the ginger slices in the bottom of your tea cup for a lovely way to sweeten a cup of hot tea on a cold morning.
Use the ginger spiced honey in baking or on pancakes.
I end up sneaking a slice or two of the ginger when I have the sniffles. Clears up my sinuses and tastes SO good!
If it sets for long enough that the honey crystallizes, no worries!
Continue to use the slices in your tea and just set the jar in hot water to liquefy the honey again!
The ginger honey also works well as a cough syrup!
Tomorrow...Three amazing brandied fruit recipes!
Why NOW?
Some things, such as brandied fruit, need time to set in order to be *done* by the holidays.
Here is one of my favorites, that I am making tonight!
Honeyed Ginger Slices
Ingredients:
Fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced into slices no more than a 1/4 inch thick...thinner is better!
Raw honey
Pint or half-pint jar(s) --depends on how much you are making. I suggest the wide mouth type.
Pour just enough honey into the jar to cover the bottom.
Add layer of ginger slices, enough to cover the honey.
Pour in enough honey to cover the ginger slices.
Add another layer of ginger slices.
Pour in another layer of honey...
Continue until jar is full, making sure to put a layer of honey as the last layer.
Now, some people then do a boiling water bath. I don't because I feel the high heat destroys the good enzymes in the honey.
Set the jar(s) in the back of your pantry for at least one month. It gives the ginger slices time to absorb the honey.
Use the ginger slices in the bottom of your tea cup for a lovely way to sweeten a cup of hot tea on a cold morning.
Use the ginger spiced honey in baking or on pancakes.
I end up sneaking a slice or two of the ginger when I have the sniffles. Clears up my sinuses and tastes SO good!
If it sets for long enough that the honey crystallizes, no worries!
Continue to use the slices in your tea and just set the jar in hot water to liquefy the honey again!
The ginger honey also works well as a cough syrup!
Tomorrow...Three amazing brandied fruit recipes!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Long time between posts...
...but as they say, Life intervenes...
Going on to fall here and we FINALLY have some cooler weather here in SouthEast Texas.
Cool air...mmmmmmnnnn...absolute heaven to me!
Have a little over 2 months until Christmas, Yule, Mass of Commercialism, whatever you want to call it.
Too many people spending WAY too much money on mostly cheap plastic crap made in China.
Start preparing NOW for a sane, sensible, debt free holiday season!
Do you sew...even a little?
Make hats, scarves, tote bags, place mats, doll clothes, etc.
Make soap or candles.
Buy some quart canning jars and put together *recipes in a jar*. Google that. Lots of recipes for everything from cocoa mix to bean soup to cake. Trim each jar with a pretty ribbon and a tag with cooking directions.
Go to the nearest *Everything for a Buck* store and buy some pretty baskets to fill with home made cookies and other goodies.
I am going to make a few of these projects in the coming weeks and will post pics of finished projects. May have to borrow a digital camera, but I am going to try to post pics of *how tos* as well.
Look, the economy is in the toilet. It sucks. You know it, I know it, we all know it.
Why put yourself in debt for something that is liable to be tossed aside within a few days?
I know the gifts I have suggested would not make a childs heart bubble over with joy (except maybe the doll clothes), but in the coming weeks, I will come up with suggestions for the littler ones on your list!
Our theme this year:
Give from the heart, not the pocketbook!
Going on to fall here and we FINALLY have some cooler weather here in SouthEast Texas.
Cool air...mmmmmmnnnn...absolute heaven to me!
Have a little over 2 months until Christmas, Yule, Mass of Commercialism, whatever you want to call it.
Too many people spending WAY too much money on mostly cheap plastic crap made in China.
Start preparing NOW for a sane, sensible, debt free holiday season!
Do you sew...even a little?
Make hats, scarves, tote bags, place mats, doll clothes, etc.
Make soap or candles.
Buy some quart canning jars and put together *recipes in a jar*. Google that. Lots of recipes for everything from cocoa mix to bean soup to cake. Trim each jar with a pretty ribbon and a tag with cooking directions.
Go to the nearest *Everything for a Buck* store and buy some pretty baskets to fill with home made cookies and other goodies.
I am going to make a few of these projects in the coming weeks and will post pics of finished projects. May have to borrow a digital camera, but I am going to try to post pics of *how tos* as well.
Look, the economy is in the toilet. It sucks. You know it, I know it, we all know it.
Why put yourself in debt for something that is liable to be tossed aside within a few days?
I know the gifts I have suggested would not make a childs heart bubble over with joy (except maybe the doll clothes), but in the coming weeks, I will come up with suggestions for the littler ones on your list!
Our theme this year:
Give from the heart, not the pocketbook!
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