Gingerbread gift jars
Layer a jar with ingredients for delicious ginger biscuits and present as a thoughtful homemade gift
Open the pack of lasagne sheets and divide between two large pieces of greaseproof paper. Wrap into 2 parcels and secure with sticky tape then wrap in wrapping paper and tie with string or ribbon, adding a label, if you like. Place each parcel into a lasagne dish along with a tin of tomatoes and a bottle of wine.
To make the seasoning sachet, place the dried mushrooms into a small food processor. Blitz until finely chopped then transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the remaining sachet ingredients and mix well then divide between 2 pieces of tin foil. Fold the foil parcels up to contain the mushroom and spice mix inside then wrap each one in wrapping paper. Label and place into the lasagne dishes.
Sterilise your jars and keep warm until needed (see tip). Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat then add the onion and cook gently for 20 mins until really soft. Stir in the garlic and heat for a further 5 mins. Divide the hot onions between the smaller jars, seal and leave to cool.
Now make the béchamel sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour and mix really well. Add the milk gradually until you have a smooth sauce then add the bay leaves. Simmer gently and allow to thicken, then season well with salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Divide between the large jars making sure a bay leaf goes into each one. Seal, leave to cool then label as ‘Béchamel sauce’. Once cool, refrigerate the jars until needed then add one to each lasagne dish along with a pack of Parmesan. Write or print out the recipe below and fix to a gift tag.