Simple Green $avings: December 2010

Mint Tea I have made in the past

This blog is for the “last minute, I don’t know what to buy them”, Christmas shoppers.

We all have family members that really don’t need anything. Or how about those people that you want to give a gift to but you don’t know what they would like. For those people, I like to put together some homemade EDIBLE gifts. (Everybody likes to eat, right??) Here are a few things I have done over the years.

Every year, we make baskets of goodies for loved ones. I pick up the baskets throughout the year at garage sales or thrift stores. This year, I scored big and purchased 10 VERY nice baskets for $1 at the Salvation Army. Usually, baskets run me about $0.25 - $0.50 each. In lieu of baskets, I have also used various decorative tins that I have found in garage sales as well as Christmas bags which I have picked up on clearance after the holidays.

In these baskets we place tissue paper and then stuff them with goodies. These goodies usually include bags of various cookies we have baked, homemade bread, and jams or jellies I have preserved for the year. (On the jars, I will write—“For more Jam next year, please return the jar and screw band.” ) I will often receive them back, and for those I don’t, it isn’t a big deal since I usually pick up 12 – 24 jars every year in a garage sale for cheap. But as always I like to encourage reuse of items so they don’t get tossed.

Homemade Jelly

Other things we have put in the baskets have included herbs, dry soups and cookie mixes, and hand sewn napkins, stockings, aprons, etc...

I know this blog is pretty late for this year, but here are some great ideas to keep in mind for next year.

Herbs-I grow my own herbs in the summer. In the fall, I will cut them and hang them to dry for 1 – 2 weeks. I then cut off the leaves and split the herbs between baby food jars (that I have saved or other people have saved for me) and decorate.

Herbs in decorated baby food jars

Dry Soup mixes- Check out these recipes to make your own dried soup mixes. Simply place in a quart canning jar, tape on directions, and VOILA you have created an instant dinner for someone you love. (You could also make your own biscuit mix to accompany the soup mix.) Here are some recipes.

Calico Bean Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Calico-Bean-Soup/Detail.aspx

Chicken Rice Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Rice-Soup-Mix/Detail.aspx

Country Soup in a Jar

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Country-Soup-in-a-Jar/Detail.aspx

Love Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Love-Soup-Mix-in-a-Jar/Detail.aspx

And here is a webpage with a TON more!

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/foodgiftsoup/giftsoup.html

Biscuit Mix-This is similar to Bisquick. You simply add milk and bake! (Add some of your favorite Bisquick recipes to the outside of the jar.)

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/biscuit-baking-mix/Detail.aspx

Cookie Mixes—These you make the same as soup mixes. Layer the ingredients in the jar to make it “pretty” and tape the instructions on the outside.

The possibilities here are endless—Take a look!

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmas/gifts/cookie-mixes.htm

What kind of home-made gifts do you like to give?

Simple Green $avings

Thursday, December 30, 2010

648 Huggies Wipes for $7!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Last Minute Christmas Gifts (or gifts to keep in mind for next year!)

Thursday, December 9, 2010

60 photo cards for $5.00 Shipped Overnight