Kelly, Author at The Nourishing Home

Season’s Greetings Gift: All-Purpose Seasoning Mix in a Jar

One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is making homemade gifts. There are few things as special as receiving a mason jar gift handmade with love. It’s such a simple, thoughtful way to show you care, and I believe really expresses the true spirit of Christmas gift giving!

Of course, there are all kinds of gifts you can make from scratch, but we like to select a few of our favorite wholesome recipes and turn them into Delicious Homemade Holiday Gifts in a Jar.

One of the gifts our friends and neighbors always enjoy is a flavorful All-Purpose Seasoning Mix in a Jar that’s perfect for seasoning poultry, seafood and veggies. In fact, the recipe is based on the seasoning I use for my savory Slow Cooker Roasted Chicken.

How to Make the Season’s Greetings Mason Jar Gift

This All-Purpose Seasoning Mix makes a super simple mason jar gift. All you’ll need is a few herbs and seasonings, some 4-ounce size mason jars, and of course, an assortment of festive ribbons and tags. Plus, I’m sharing free printable recipe cards you can also include with the gift. (See Step Four below.)

Step One: Make the Mix

To make four 4-ounce size mason jars, combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:
• 2/3 cup fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup dried parsley
• 3 Tbsp paprika
• 3 Tbsp onion powder
• 3 Tbsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 3 Tbsp ground black pepper

Step Two: Add Mix to Jars

Using a tablespoon, evenly divide the all-purpose seasoning mix among four 4-ounce size mason jars.

Step Three: Decorate the Gift Jars

Cut out holiday-themed paper in circles the same size as the mason jar’s lid. Then, place the paper on top of the lid and seal the jar with the ring. To make it even more festive, add a decorative ribbon and gift tag. A few jingle bells also add to the fun and festivities!

Step Four: Spread Some Holiday Cheer!

My favorite way to give this adorable mason jar gift is to include an easy recipe that uses this savory all-purpose seasoning mix. That way, my gift recipients have a delicious way to put this seasoning mix to good use!

To make it easier for you, I’m providing free recipe cards that you can include with this homemade gift in a jar. I like to tuck the recipe card into our family greeting card, and then place the jar of seasoning mix into a recycled gift bag along with our holiday card to make it easier to transport the gift. Then, we have fun delivering this delicious gift to our friends, neighbors and family.

Looking for more homemade holiday gift recipes?
Then be sure to check out “Delicious Homemade Holiday Gifts in a Jar.” Merry Christmas!

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Favorite Things Ultimate Christmas Giveaway

By Kelly · 18 Comments

This giveaway has ended. But you can still check out my top-rated cookbook, Everyday Grain-Free Baking, and try out several of the recipes listed in the “dessert” section of the blog. Merry Christmas!

In celebration of the Christmas season, my friends Polly and Rachel at Thriving Home asked if I would continue the tradition of participating in their Annual Christmas Giveaway Blog Hop. My response … Yippee!

Since y’all loved the past two Christmas giveaways, I immediately jumped (or should I say, hopped) at the opportunity to partner together on another terrific giveaway with some of my favorite bloggin’ friends.

And because the holidays are the busiest ~ baking ~ season of the year, I thought it would be the perfect time to put together an awesome gluten-free, grain-free Holiday Baking Giveaway! So, I called my friends at Simple Mills and asked if they’d join me in putting together a delicious prize package to make one lucky winner’s holiday season even more merry and bright (not to mention tastier too!).

Of course, it’s no secret that I’m super passionate about gluten-free, grain-free baking. After all, I spent over a year developing, photographing and publishing Everyday Grain-Free Baking – named one of the “Top Must Have GF Baking Cookbooks” by Clean Eating Magazine and Simply Gluten-Free Magazine.

But as much as I love to bake from scratch, there are times when I just want to whip-up something quickly! Thankfully, there is one company I trust who is committed to providing gluten-free, grain-free baking mixes made with pure, real food ingredients – Simple Mills!

Founder Kaitlyn Smith, started Simple Mills because of her passion for simple, healthy and delicious grain-free baking. When Simple Mills first started out, I developed a few recipes using Kaitlyn’s muffin mixes. And as Simple Mills has continued to grow and add even more delicious baking mixes to their wholesome product line, I’ve become an even bigger fan and loyal customer!

What’s included in the Holiday Baking Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive the following prize package (approximately a $125 value) …

The winner will receive one of each of Simple Mills delicious gluten-free, grain-free baking mixes, including:
• Chocolate, Pumpkin and Banana Muffin Mixes
• Artisan Bread Mix and Pizza Dough Mix
• Pancake & Waffle Mix
• Vanilla Cake & Cupcake Mix
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
• Chocolate and Vanilla Frosting
• Grain-Free Crackers

Plus, the winner will also receive two copies of my Everyday Grain-Free Baking Cookbook (one for you and one to give as a gift!)

How to Enter:
• Check out the photo collage below featuring the 14 other awesome bloggers participating in “My Favorite Things Christmas Giveaway”
• Enter my GF Holiday Baking Giveaway using the entry form below. (Please note: Giveaway is open to US residents only and ends at 11:59pm EST on December 16,2014. See official entry rules for details.)
• Then, hop over to all of the other sites (see links below) and enter for a chance to win their awesome Christmas Giveaways too!

Be sure to enter my giveaway below (US residents only) and then
click on each of the following links below to enter for a chance to win even more
fun Christmas Giveaways from some of my awesome bloggin’ friends.
Remember, all of these giveaways end at 11:59pm PT on December 11, 2016.
So hop on over to these wonderful blogs and enter today!

1. Thriving Home // 2. Happy Home Fairy // 3. Nourishing Joy // 4. Intoxicated on Life // 5. Chaos to Peace // 6. Mommy Hates Cooking // 7. The Nourishing Home // 8.Young Wives Guide // 9. Martha Martha // 10. Heavenly Homemakers // 11. The Realistic Mama // 12. Keeper of the Home // 13. Kitchen Stewardship // 14. Gwen’s Nest // 15. Make Healthy Easy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click on the links below to learn more about the bloggers participating in the Favorite Things Christmas Giveaway…

Thriving Home – Polly and Rachel strive to encourage moms to thrive in every area of home life. They try to keep it real when it comes to sharing about healthy recipes, raising little people, growing in their faith, freezer cooking and various other topics that motherhood and life may bring their way.

Mommy Hates Cooking is a national cooking and lifestyle website that encourages families to take back the dinner table. Through her easy-to-prepare (yet looks like you spent all day in the kitchen) meals and her knack for breaking down meal planning, Kristy has become the busy-mom’s resource for the modern family.

Chaos to Peace – Jennifer and her family live in the South. She and her husband, Fred, have three boys ages 13, 10, and 7, and one unruly dog named Dash. Chaos2Peace is a blog designed to bring peace in the midst chaos by providing organizational tips, menu planning, simple recipes, and a whole lot of laughter. Join us on the blog today as we do life together, one step at a time.

Heavenly Homemakers – Laura Coppinger and her husband have four sons ages 11-19. Heavenly Homemakers is dedicated to inspiring women daily with healthy (and easy!) recipes, homemaking tips, spiritual encouragement, and good ol’ clean fun.

Intoxicated on Life is a blog about raising strong families – body, mind, and soul. We believe, with the right education, busy moms can be equipped to make small changes one step at a time, transforming the life and health of her family. Join us on a journey as we raise holistically healthy children: nurturing their bodies, cultivating their minds, and inspiring their souls!

Make Healthy Easy – Jenna Braddock is a registered dietitian nutritionist, football coach’s wife, mom of boys, and entrepreneur. At Make Healthy Easy she shares real life strategies for better health and doable and delicious recipes. As a MHE reader you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing your daily health struggles are normal. You’ll also get a little dose of family and football through the eyes of our Friday Night Lights life.

Happy Home Fairy is a resource of fun ideas, simple recipes, free printables, holiday traditions, and encouragement to help moms build happy homes.

Kitchen Stewardship – Katie Kimball has shared her journey to real food and natural living for almost 8 years at Kitchen Stewardship, a blog that encourages moms to keep their families healthy without going crazy.

Young Wife’s Guide exists to encourage and equip Christian homemakers to form Gospel-Centered Homes. Jami Balmet shares about her own struggles with running and managing a home and hopes to provide Biblical resources for the struggling homemaker.

Gwen’s Nest – discover simple home remedies, in depth holistic health articles, healthy recipes, & Gwen’s health & weight loss discoveries. Come meet Gwen, and enjoy the funny, holistic, and friendly-efficient way of life in her nest!

Keeper of the Home is a resource and community for women and families in all seasons of life who are striving to be healthy – body, mind, and soul. It covers a wide range of topics from healthy recipes, cleaning practices and self-care. Our inspiration begins with our faith. Come share this journey with us!

Martha, Martha is a blog for busy women who, like biblical Martha, often get distracted by life’s demands and lose sight of Jesus! Devotional thoughts, productivity planning, simple recipes, and more will help you stay focused on the “one thing {that} is needed”

The Realistic Mama is all about family! You’ll find everything from saving money, parenting tips, kids activities, easy recipes, and DIY to online entrepreneur ideas, and more! Our tribe of moms and family-oriented entrepreneurs is one-of-a-kind. The connection, transparency, and trust are just a few of our favorite things about our community!

Nourishing Joy is dedicated to real food and natural living. We’re on a mission to equip and inspire busy parents with the tools to make intentional, thoughtful decisions easy. Or at least easier.

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Spiced Holiday Nuts {Easy & Delicious Homemade Gift-in-a-Jar}

By Kelly · 4 Comments

One of my family’s favorite traditions is making Delicious Homemade Mason Jar Gifts. And the wonderful thing is, they’re as much fun to make together, as they are to give to others! Simply layer the ingredients of a treasured recipe in a jar, then add a festive ribbon and tag, and there you have it – a thoughtful gift made with love!

Homemade gifts are not only a personal way to show your friends and family you care, but they also make thoughtful, economical gifts for all of the other special people in your family’s life too, such as teachers, neighbors, and co-workers. (Be sure to check out my favorite mason jar gift recipes for lots of ideas!)

This year, we’ll be spreading holiday cheer with this delightful Spiced Holiday Nuts Gift-in-a-Jar recipe. These tasty nuts capture the aroma and flavor of the holiday season with just a hint of cayenne, giving them an extra kick of flavor. Honestly, it’s almost impossible to stop eating them!

That’s why, it’s a good thing these spiced nuts are a healthier treat. That’s right, they may look sugared, but they’re not. Their sweetness comes from pure maple syrup which creates a lightly sweet glaze that coats the nuts beautifully, ensuring delicious sweet-n-spicy flavor in every bite.

Of course, the best part is how easy this tasty gift is to make! Just add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker or instant pot and “voila” you’ve got the perfect homemade holiday treat.

How to Make Slow Cooker Spiced Holiday Nuts

Let me show you how simple it is to make this delicious & festive gift …

Add 6 cups unsalted nuts to a 6-quart slow cooker (or instant pot programmed on slow cooker setting). This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to use any combination of nuts you’d like. Or you can use just one nut, such as pecans or walnuts with equally delicious results.

Make the sweet-n-spicy coating by whisking together the melted butter, maple syrup and spices as directed in the recipe below. Pour the sweet-n-spicy mixture over the nuts and stir well, until thoroughly combined. Then, cover and cook according to the recipe instructions.

Remember to stir the nuts every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking. In addition, each time you remove the lid to stir the nuts, be sure to wipe the condensation off the inside of the lid to reduce the moisture level. This will help the nuts dry more easily.

After cooking time is completed, stir the nuts well. Then, carefully spread them out onto a large, parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet to cool completely. Once the nuts are completely cool, it’s time for gift-making fun!

To make gifts-in-a-jar, gather together your favorite jars, such as clip top canning jars, mason jars or even recycled jelly jars. Then, quickly fill the jars with the spiced nuts before you’re tempted to eat them all yourself. Then, gather together festive ribbon and tags, and let your creativity soar as you create beautiful, homemade gift jars that your friends and family will love!

Spiced Holiday Nuts (GF, DF)

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

6 cups unsalted nuts (I use 2 cups each of whole pecans, almonds and cashews)
3 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil), melted
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Very lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 6-Quart Slow Cooker with butter or coconut oil (or use the slow cooker setting on an Instant Pot). Set the temperature to high. Place the nuts into the prepared slow cooker (or instant pot).
In a small bowl, add the remaining ingredients – melted butter, maple syrup and seasonings – whisk together until well blended.
Pour the sweet-n-spicy mixture over the nuts. Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine, making sure the nuts are well coated and are evenly distributed across the bottom of the slow cooker (or instant pot).
Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. Then stir the nuts well and reduce the temperature to low. Cover and continue to cook on low for about 1 1/2 more hours, making sure to stir the nuts every 30 minutes. Also, each time you remove the lid to stir the nuts, be sure to wipe the condensation off the inside of the lid. This helps to reduce the moisture level, so the nuts dry more easily.
Nuts are finished when they are nearly dry. (Since slow cookers vary in temperature, if nuts are not dry enough after two hours cooking time, continue to cook with the lid slightly ajar, checking and stirring every 15-20 minutes.)
After cooking time is completed, stir the nuts well. Then, carefully spread the nuts out onto a parchment-lined large rimmed baking sheet to cool and finish drying.
Allow the spiced nuts to cool completely. Then, place them into airtight containers, such as mason jars. If giving as a gift, add festive ribbon and gift tags to the jars as described above to create a beautiful homemade gift.

Notes

Nuts will remain fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, or store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2016/12/spiced-holiday-nuts/

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