Hi Friends! Melanie here, I have an easy DIY Christmas gift to share with you today!
The parties, the eggnog, the gifts, JESUS -- Christmas is such a beautiful time of year. For me, what often gets in the way of the holiday sparkle is long shopping lines, grumpy grinch crowds, and dare I say it, burnt cookies. It can often be a time when wonder and chaos unite and never leave our side until the credit card bills come in January.
Wouldn't it be great if you could make a gift from home that someone could actually use? Better yet, what if you didn't have to go shopping for the ingredients?!
I made 6 of these tasty treats in 15 minutes all with ingredients and supplies I had in my pantry. Homemade gifts don't have to be time consuming or require hard to get ingredient!
Flavored Honey
You have honey in your cupboard, right? However you eat or drink honey, it is possible to enhance the medicinal qualities by adding herbs to it. You heard me right, that underused, overflowing spice rack is about to get functional. Herbal honeys are easy to make and substitute into almost any capacity that you use honey. Your almond butter and honey sandwhiches will never be the same. Drizzle over muffins, add to tea, top your waffles, or eat herbal honey straight out of the jar. You can even use them as a barbaque glaze. C'mon I'll show you how!
After I washed and dried all of my glass jars, I added my spices and herbs to each jar.
I heated the honey slightly until it was warm and runny. Make sure it doesn't boil. Next, I poured honey into each jar.
I stirred each jar well and placed the lids once I let them cool. Christmas gifts, done. Store them in a cabinet for two weeks so the flavors can mingle, and your cute little presents are ready! I've used mine before two weeks and they were still delicious, so if you're reading this on Christmas Eve, it's not too late.
You can find corresponding recipe cards for each herbal honey blend here and here to be included with your gift.
You can find the circular labels here.
My jars were from World Market, but any glass jar with a lid that holds one volume cup will do.
Barbeque Honey Glaze
Spread on chicken, skewered veggies, or fish before baking or grilling.
1 cup honey, warmed
1 T powdered ginger
2 teaspoons powdered rosemary
2 teaspoons powdered thyme
Powder your herbs in a spice grinder if they are still whole. It will still be the same measurement above. Add to a clean jar and stir well. Pour warmed honey over herbs and stir well. Allow to cool, then close tightly.
Spiced Honey
You will never be the same after trying this honey. It tastes like a cinnamon roll. Fabulous in tea or spread on pancakes, the possibilities are endless.
1 cup honey, warmed
1 T powdered cinnamon
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
Powder your herbs in a spice grinder if they are still whole. It will still be the same measurement above. Add to a clean jar and stir well. Pour warmed honey over herbs and stir well. Allow to cool, then close tightly.
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Flexibility Honey
Perfect for a family member that suffers from arthritis. This blend is packed with herbal anti-inflammatories.
1 cup honey, warmed
1 T powdered tumeric
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon powdered juniper berries (no juniper berries? try powdered black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon powdered cardamom
Powder your herbs in a spice grinder if they are still whole. It will still be the same measurement above. Add to a clean jar and stir well. Pour warmed honey over herbs and stir well. Allow to cool, then close tightly.
Poultry Glaze Honey
Sticky sweet barbeque chicken. Makes you wonder what is in those jars of BBQ glaze at the store, doesn't it?
1 cup honey, warmed
1 T powdered coriander
1 teaspoon powdered paprika
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
1 teaspoon powdered tumeric
1/2 teaspoon powdered thyme
1/2 teaspoon powdered clove
1/2 teaspoon powdered celery seed
Powder your herbs in a spice grinder if they are still whole. It will still be the same measurement above. Add to a clean jar and stir well. Pour warmed honey over herbs and stir well. Allow to cool, then close tightly.
I hope you will give this easy project a try as homemade gifts for others or to use in your own kitchen.
Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!
-Melanie
The Grecian Garden
- all images via Melanie
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