Emergency Lunch Kit

I found this neat idea in Gifts That Taste Good, p. 103 (ISBN 0942237099).  This made a great gift for a college Christmas care package.  I just used a scrapbooking tag maker to make my tag, although the book includes a pattern for the tag and cross.  I also used a strip of cheese cloth to make my bandage.  Here are the soup and crackers recipe that go in the box.  You can also include a red mug.

Potato Soup Mix
1-3/4 cups instant mashed potatoes
1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing until completely blended.  Store in airtight container.  Yield:  about 2-1/2 cups of mix.  To serve:  Place 1/4 cup soup mix in a soup bowl or mug.  Add 1 cup boiling water and stir until smooth.  Let soup sit 1 to 2 minutes to thicken slightly.

Parmesan-Herb Nibbles
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Fine Herbes (in grocery spice section)
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, sift together first 4 ingredients.  Stir in herbs.  With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and cheese until mixture resembles a course meal.  Stir in egg yolks and water.  Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.  With a paring knife, cut dough vertically into 1-inch wide strips; cut 1-inch wide strips horizontally to make small squares.  Carefully lift squares from surface with flat side of knife and place on greased baking sheets.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely before storing in airtight container.  Yield:  about 6 dozen squares.
Tip:  I didn't have the patience to roll out the dough to make the nibbles.  I formed the dough into a log and put in the freezer for about an hour, long enough for the butter to get solid again.  Then I sliced the log into 1/8 inch slices and baked as mentioned.


Here's the instructions from the book on how to wrap the package (p. 123).