Please suggest me a present in a jar!

ThatElliottGirl

Hi all...I've been lurking for a while on this board, but have never quite plucked up the courage to say anything! Was hoping some of you wise people could help me with a bit of a problem...

This year, my family are coming up to me and my hubby for Christmas, and it's traditional in our family to have "dinner time presents"; everyone gets a little present to open at the table, and they all have to be on a theme. My family all like homemade presents, so I've gone for presents in a jar. So far, my brother in law is getting a chocolate cake in a jar (just the ingredients) and I've done pickled onions for my dad. But I'm stuck for my mum and sister and thought you might have some bright ideas for me (please!)

My mum loves chutney, so I'd like to make her some. I've had a couple of goes before, but never made anything I think she'd like. If anyone has got a good recipe, preferably with ginger in, and good with strong cheese, I'd love to have it!

My sister is a student in her second year of uni, and loves sauces in jars! I've never made anything like this before, so am not sure if it's even possible! She loves meat, pasta, cheese and spicy food, so if anyone has any ideas for a sauce that I could make and jar and it would keep for a couple of weeks? If that's not possible, please feel free to suggest a better idea!

Thank you in advance, and sorry if I've waffled on...

ubamother

Only got sweet ideas:
Luxury hot chocolate in a jar - really good hot chocolate powder, skimmed milk, caster sugar, all well shaken, a vanilla pod added and a little bag of mini chocolate buttons or mini marshmallows tied to the top with ribbon.
Toffee topping - use the caramel bit from a millionaire's shortbread recipe, leave until a little cooler but still pourable and put in warm jar. When cold top with cool melted chocolate - they can break through the chocolate and spoon over icecream, use in a toffee pudding, stir a bit into hot chocolate or whatever.

rocketchimp9

How about a jar of gold (twist on pot of gold) not sure its very os, but you could use things like ferraro rocher, gold coins, gold bars and tie a scratch card to the lid

cte1111

Stick insects? Remember to punch some holes so that they can breathe.

LJM

socks/diaries/cuddly toy/sweets/choccies/scarf/gloves/mini book

silly things but if it only a token pressie at lunch then try poundland

floyd

How about hot sauce http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/diy-hot-sauce/ this stuff is like napalm!

daska

how about some chilli infused oil or pickled garlic for your sister? or a seasoning mix with salt, chilli, coriander, black pepper etc.

timmmers

pickled walnuts but you'd have to buy them.

t

Olliebeak

Anything on this site that could be of interest: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/taxonomy/term/85/all

Zazen999

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/season-taste/special-green-tomato-chutney_2551.html

This is Earthbabe's Green Tomato Chutney which is the nicest I've ever made; but on the same forum is Red Onion Marmalade which I can safely say is lush with strong cheese; having been given some by the Legend that is Piglet Willie. Yummy. Plus plenty of other preserve ideas to go at. And passata; which I made last year and bottled up; extreme yumminess.

foxgloves

Pop into a newsagents & have a look at December issue of Country Kitchen magazine (WHS has it). There are some good & quite unusual ideas in it for presents to give in a jar. I thought the Christmas hot chocolate was a good one, and I liked some of the others too.