EMPTY JARS FULL OF USES...

Back in the days when peanut butter came in glass jars, my mom declared these the best of all savable jars because they were large, sturdy and reliable. She used them for storing bacon grease, for orphan buttons, and in the summertime, my dad filled jars with homegrown cucumbers from his garden with vinegar and dill, and used them for storing nails and screws in the garage, too. I don't think a jar was ever thrown out in our house. Along with the Adkisson family coffee addiction, I've also inherited the love of old jars. I've always used them for making vinaigrette's and storing leftovers, from chopped garlic and olive oil to extra pizza sauce, but after seeing one composed salad after another at trendy to-go lunch spots, each one of them featuring layers of veggies, or grains, or legumes, artfully stuffed into clear plastic cups, I thought about an even more economical and environmentally friendly way to do the same thing: with re-purposed old jars. It seems so obvious, doesn't it? Instead of going out to buy that perfect ramekin or cute little dish to make that recipe of chocolate mousse or pudding or whatever, just use your old jam jars. I say jam jars, because they're often fat and squatty, and therefore easy to eat out of, but any ole wide-mouth jar will do {some salsa jars are actually great for this}. I now use them for all sorts of things, from making single {and portable} servings of cold salads, like lentil salad with smoked salmon, to stuffing them with plums, cauliflower or chicken {all recipes below} and warming them through, like the mini-casseroles they are. Pick you jars depending on what you plan to do with them. If you're using then for stuffing and traveling {jars are great for picnics or lunches}, any old jar will do, but if you're using them to cook in, make sure they're heat-resistant, as canning jars will be. Besides the obvious money-saving appeal of using jars, they're cute...especially the ones that I find at the flea markets. I like to think of it as recycling.

LENTIL SALAD WITH SMOKED SALMON..

Makes: 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
1 stick celery, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1 pound lentils {du Puy if you can find them; small green French lentils if you can't}
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 quart vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cooked quinoa
4 small handfuls arugula
6 ounces smoked salmon, chopped into small pieces

1. Make lentils: Put olive oil, onion and garlic in a large, deep pot, and turn the heat to medium-low. Let this cook until the onions become translucent, 5 to 10 minutes, then add celery. Let this cook, stirring every now and then, until the celery begins to just slightly soften, about 5 minutes. Now toss in the carrot cubes. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, then add lentils, bay leaves, tomato paste, and vegetable stock. You may need to add 2 to 4 cups of water at this point, to make sure you've got 4 inches of liquid over the lentils. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Taste lentils for doneness and seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and refrigerate.
2. To make your jarred salads, put 1 cup of lentils in the bottom of each of 4 {2-cup} jars, topped with 1 cup of cooked quinoa. Now add a small handful of arugula to each, and 1/4 serving of the smoked salmon {1 1/2 ounces for each one}.

Nutritional analysis per serving:

721 calories; 15 grams fat; 105 grams carbohydrates; 58 grams protein; 10 milligrams cholesterol; 543 milligrams sodium; 39 grams dietary fiber; 17 percent of calories from fat.

GINGER-PLUM CRUMBLE WITH RICOTTA CREME..

Makes: 4

24 fat plums, chopped into eighths
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced {cut away the tough skin and use your garlic press for fresh minced ginger}
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons ground pistachios, plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
9 ounces ricotta
Zest of 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil
2. Toss plums with the ginger, sugar and lemon juice and divide among 4 jam jars that'll hold at least 2 cups' worth of fruit.
3. Make crumble topping: With your fingers, mix the butter, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons sugar, flour, ground pistachios and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the plum mixture. Pop into the oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until time to serve.
4. While the crumbles are baking, whisk together the ricotta, lemon zest and 1/3 cup sugar and refrigerate until time to serve.
5. Serve crumbles warm or at room temperature with a big spoonful of ricotta and a sprinkle of crushed pistachios.

Nutritional analysis per serving:

646 calories; 16 grams fat; 120 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 49 milligrams cholesterol  388 milligrams sodium; 7 grams dietary fiber; 21 percent of calories from fat.

Empty Jars: Full of Uses!!

We will be embarking on the adventure in the many uses and fun of using empty jars for many purposes!! Look forward to new posts on fantastic ideas and recipes for the Yule Season!!