Hate Shopping? I know. It can wear you out. It’s always been easier for me to buy a little here and a little there throughout the year. By the time Christmas rolls around, all I have to do is wrap.
This year, I haven’t felt inspired to buy very much. A major remodeling project ate much of my time and I just haven’t run across anything that seems fun. That means that today, Black Friday, could be very tempting…except that I hate marathon shopping, typical gifts, arriving early, and crowds!
Luckily, I still don’t have to struggle or wait until the last minute. I have a lot of gluten-free flours on hand and a lot of gluten-free relatives. I’ve also consumed plenty of Bulgarian yogurt in the past few months. It comes in glass jars that I washed and saved. That means I have the perfect gift already available. All I have to do is throw it together!
Here’s how easy it is…Remember that Gouda Muffin recipe we posted in May? Take all the dry ingredients and put them in a clean jar:
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Decorate the jar and include a card with these instructions:
Gouda Muffins
12 medium muffins
1 jar muffin mix
8 oz whole milk plain yogurt
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
6 oz gouda cheese, diced
Preheat oven to 425º. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
Shake jar to remix ingredients. Place mix in a bowl. In a larger bowl, combine the yogurt, egg, and butter. Slowly fold the dry mixture into the liquids until you have a firm, non-sticky dough. Stir in cheese and spoon dough into muffin tin. Bake at 425º for 12-15 minutes or until top is brown. Remove to rack to cool.
Boom! You just created the perfect gift!
I’ve done the same thing with pancakes and biscuits. These mixes have become some of my sister’s favorite gifts. She asks me to give them again and again. (You’d think she’d return the jars.)
It’s sometimes easy to forget that simple gifts that thoughtfully fill a specific need are often the most appreciated. Of course I tend to remember this the minute I walk into a store during the holiday season!
Have shopping tips to share? We’d love to hear them!
