Quickie gift w/the kids: Bean soup in a jar

The ol' food in a jar gift...Such an ordinary present to give yet when you're home with 3 highly excited kids (2 of your own plus an extra one sleeping over) 4 days before Christmas they have to be the best homemade gifts in the world!

And I'm in love with this layered bean soup in a jar recipe posted on Cafe Mom. This recipe yields beautifully layered colorful jars ready to be cooked into a tasty warm winter meal. The post also includes a recipe for corn bread in a jar to go along with the soup.

We made a few bean jars last night because I'd procrastinated on a promise I'd made weeks ago that the kids would get a chance to homemake their presents this year and because the kids needed to take a breather from torturing mommy. Thank god for once my procrastination paid off! My 10 year old son, his friend and my 3 year old daughter sat at our kitchen table and set to work measuring, pouring, layering, sniffing, cutting, gluing, tying, oohing and aahing all the while. We used recycled glass jars which the kids loved because they got to choose the perfect jar for each recipient's made-with-love present. Although my kitchen table (and floor) were covered in beans and spices by the time we'd finished assembling the jars the kids were highly satisfied with what they'd accomplished and happily wrapped up their presents with the care of one of Santa's elves.

These babies offer a great way to contain some of that pre-holiday energy all while producing some super-cute homemade gifts from the kids that the recipients will truly appreciate receiving. Oh, and they are dirt cheap to make.