Homemade Gifts in a Jar

Homemade Holiday Gifts can come in all shapes, sizes, flavors and textures...

I am forever astounded by how delicious caramel sauce is.  Every time I make it, I taste a spoonful of this liquid gold and my knees nearly buckle.  Yes, it's that good.  Here's the method:

Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 TBSP butter

In medium-sized saucepan, pour sugar and water.  Do not stir.  Heat to medium, swirl pan to blend and boil for  8-10 minutes, or until mixture caramelizes into a golden brown color.  Watch it carefully, it goes from sugar water to golden lusciousness to tar in seconds flat.  Remove pan from heat and pour in cream.  It will bubble up and become a sticky goo.  Keep stirring, and place back on low heat if necessary to remelt the sugar.  When completely smooth and golden, add butter and salt.

When cooled slightly, pour into jar and adorn with festive ribbon.  Store in fridge up to 1 week.  (We bet it won't last that long.)  This is glorious served as a fondue with apples, pretzels, graham crackers, cashews, and cubes of pound or angel cake, or used to top vanilla ice cream.


More of a savory sort?  Give a jar of pesto  or ginger miso dressing

And while technically it would be more likely to come in a bottle than a jar, we think chili vinegar is a good gift option as well.  

Either way, a homemade jar of something yummy is sure to please your loved ones.