Snow Balls in a Jar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and flour. Place into a 1 quart canning jar. Put the chopped pecans on top. Close the lid and attach a tag with the following instructions:

Snow Balls

Makes 4 dozen

Preheat the oven to 325. Grease cookie sheets. In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup of shortening and 1/4 cup of butter . Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Add the entire contents of the jar and mix well. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool, and roll in confectioners' sugar. Makes 4 dozen.

Mexican Fiesta Dip Mix

1/2 cup dried parsley
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup dried chives
1/3 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup salt

In a large bowl, combine the spices and store in an airtight container decorated with a pretty ribbon.

Attach this to the Jar:

Mexican Fiesta Dip

Makes 2 cups

3 tablespoons Mexican Fiesta Dip Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream

In a medium mixing bowl combine the Dip Mix with the mayonnaise and sour cream. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables.

Cobbler Mix

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon powdered vanilla

Combine and blend the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container decorated with a pretty ribbon.

Attach this to the Jar:

Berry Cobbler

Serves 8 to 10

4 cups fresh berries; blueberries, raspberries or boysenberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 package Cobbler Mix

Preheat oven to 375F. In large mixing bowl combine berries, juice, sugar and cinnamon. Place berries in a 13x9-inch pan. In small mixing bowl blend the butter with the egg. Add the Cobbler Mix & stir until the mixture sticks together. Drop the cobbler topping by tablespoonfuls on top of the berry filling. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving

Carrot Cake Mix

2 cups sugar
2 teaspoon powdered vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine and blend ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container decorated with a pretty ribbon.

Attach this to the Jar:

Carrot Cake

Makes 1 13 x 9 inch cake

1 package Carrot Cake Mix
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 8 unce can crushed pineapple

Preheat oven to 350 & grease 13 x 9 inch pan. Place Carrot Cake Mix in large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the mix & add the oil, eggs, carrots & pineapple. Blend until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan & bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool the cake and frost if desired or dust with powdered sugar.

Taco Seasoning Mix

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 dash red pepper

Mix all together. Makes 1 package of store bought mix. You may want to expound on this and put into baby food jars with pretty ribbons.

1 package (3 lbs.) long grain rice
2 cups dried celery flakes
2/3 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup dried parsley flakes
2 Tbs. dried chives
1 Tbs. dried tarragon
3 to 4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, mix all eight ingredients. Fill any size canning jar with the ingredients. This gift jar mix fill about 5 small jars.

Instruction to attach to gift jar:

Herbed Rice

2/3 cup water
1 Tbs. butter or margarine

To prepare one serving of rice: In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add 1/4 cup rice mixture. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. stir. 1/4 cup equals 1 serving.
To prepare more than 1 serving, multiply the rice mix, water and butter by the total number or desired

Yield: 4 mini loaves. two loaves or mini bundt .

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

3/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup dried cranberries

To make mix: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, cherries and cranberries; mix well. Transfer to resealable plastic bag, a decorative jar with lid or other airtight container. Store in cool dry place.

Variation: Substitute raisins for dried cherries and cranberries and increase ground cinnamon to 1-1/2 teaspoons in mix.

Ingredients Needed to Complete Breads

3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup milk
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

To prepare breads:

Heat oven to 350. Lightly spray four 6 x 3-3/4-inch disposable aluminum foil mini loaf pans with no-stick cooking spray.

Place bread mix in large bowl. In small bowl, combine honey, milk, butter and eggs with wire whisk or fork; mix well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not overmix.) Pour into pans, dividing evenly.

Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until tops of breads feel firm when touched and wooden pick inserted near center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it. (Do not overbake.) Cool breads in pans on wire rack. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Store at room temperature up to 2 days. For longer storage, label and freeze.

Variations:

Large Loaves
Lightly spray two 8-1/4 x 4-1/4-inch disposable foil baking pans with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Proceed as recipe directs.

Mini Bundt Loaves
Lightly spray six mini Bundt pan cups with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between cups. Bake at 350 23 to 27 minutes. Remove from cups; cool on wire rack. Drizzle with favorite glaze; decorate as desired.

RECIPE GIFT CARD:
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Place muffin mix in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine eggs, water and oil, add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

Yield: 2 dozen

Peach Crumb Cake Mix:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Layer the ingredients in the order given into a wide mouth 1-quart canning jar. Pack each layer into place before adding the next ingredient.

Attach a gift tag

Peach Crumb Cake

1 jar Peach Crumb Cake Mix
3/4 cup butter
1 (29 oz.) can peach pie filling

Preheat oven to 350. Empty contents of jar into a mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Melt butter and stir into dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Press half of the crumbs into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and top with peach pie filling. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over filling. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.