Made in a jar with love!

Red velvet cake in a jar

The original recipe was sourced from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/red-velvet-jar-cake/

Ingredients

• 1 package red velvet cake mix (regular size)
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Icing

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon 2% milk
• 16 half-pint jars

Instructions

1. Grease a 13×9-in. baking pan.
2. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions, adding pudding mix before mixing the batter, and folding 1 cup chocolate chips into the prepared batter. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake and cool as package directs. Cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth.
4. In each of 16 half-pint jars, layer 1/2 cup cake cubes, 1 tablespoon icing, and 1 tablespoon remaining chocolate chips. Repeat layers. Refrigerate leftovers.

Everyday  Mason jar Salad

The original recipe was sourced from https://www.simplyscratch.com/2020/05/everyday-mason-jar-salad.html

Ingredients to make four salads

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• pickled red onions or raw
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 3/4 cup diced orange bell pepper
• 4 chopped hard-boiled eggs
• garbanzo beans, as is or roasted
• 2 cups leftover chicken (grilled, baked, or rotisserie)
• 4 to 6 medium cremini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup sliced English cucumber
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups baby spinach

Instructions

1. Wash and thoroughly dry 4 pint and a half mason jars and their lids.
2. First, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ranch to the bottom of each jar.
3. Next, divide the tomatoes and add a few forkfuls of the pickled red onions.
4. Then divide the carrots, bell peppers, hard-boiled eggs, garbanzo beans, chicken, mushrooms, and cucumber.
5. Lastly, divide the chopped romaine and baby spinach among each jar (about 1/2 cup of each).

Expert tips and notes

• I use pint and a half mason jars. This size will hold 3 cups so you can layer all the things you love without compromising.

Kale pasta mason jar salad

The original recipe was sourced from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/kale-pasta-mason-jar-salad-3641791

Ingredients

Pasta and Pine Nuts:

• 8 ounces bowtie pasta (farfalle)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

Dressing:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Kale:

• 1 1/2 bunches kale
• 4 ounces Parmesan, shaved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Assembly:

• 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 8 ounces small mozzarella balls

Instructions

1. Special equipment: 4 quart-size mason jars and 1 pint-size mason jar
2. For the pasta and pine nuts: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and add to a bowl. Set aside.
3. Add the pine nuts to a small skillet over low heat. Toast slowly over the course of 3 to 4 minutes, tossing regularly. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. For the dressing: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic over low heat so that the garlic slowly infuses the oil, about a minute. When the garlic begins to sizzle, stir it around so it doesn’t get too brown. When the garlic starts to turn golden, add the salt and pepper and stir; set aside for 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, pour the oil mixture (scraping out the salt, pepper, and garlic) into a small mason jar. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, and parsley, put the lid on, and shake it.
6. For the kale: Finely slice 1 bunch of the kale. Set the same skillet (without cleaning it) over medium-high heat. Add the sliced kale and cook until partly wilted for about 5 minutes. Let cool, then add the Parmesan shavings and toss. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Finely slice the remaining 1/2 bunch kale and set aside.
8. For the assembly: Start by pouring 1/4 cup dressing into each quart-size mason jar, followed by 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 1/4 cups pasta, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, 1/2 cup cooked kale with Parmesan, 8 to 9 mozzarella balls, and, finally, 1/2 cup sliced raw kale. Put the lids on the jars and refrigerate until ready to eat.