Low On Cash For Christmas? Try Gifts in a Jar
By Kristin Johnson
Time is money, and right now you don't have either
the time or the money to answer the call of the shopping mall at Christmas.
The only way you can show your friends love, peace on earth, goodwill
towards men is by shopping at Macy's, so you think.
It's a safe bet that the Three Kings didn't buy the
gold, frankincense and myrrh given to Jesus Christ in the manger from
Macy's or Pottery Barn.
This year you, too, can give frankincense and myrrh
of the tasty kind. The best part is, the ingredients come from your
neighborhood grocery store or even your own kitchen. The Three Kings
used ornate containers, but you can make do with an inexpensive 1-quart
mason jar to hold your "sand art" cookies, or "Gifts in a Jar."
What do you need to make "Gifts in a Jar"? Let's take,
for example, the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies: flour, cinnamon,
nutmeg, salt and baking soda, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oatmeal
and raisins.
All of these are available for under $5 at your local
grocery store. If you buy in bulk, you'll save more time and money---just
make sure to create your "Gifts in a Jar" as soon as possible before
you plan on giving them. The ingredients have a shelf life of 3 months
in most cases, so use fresh ingredients.
Layer the dry ingredients in the order listed above,
alternating light and dark-colored ingredients for that "art" effect.
Your recipient supplies the moist ingredients, and
you can attach your favorite recipe or the Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies
in a Jar recipe, printed on fancy paper (such as the kind you'd find
inexpensively at Kinko's) with a decorative font from your computer,
and tied to the jar with pretty ribbon or raffia (inexpensive at craft
and sewing shops).
Cover the top of the jar with a circle of pretty fabric---maybe
from a tablecloth, curtains or a dress that's headed for the rag bag.
To turn your favorite cookie recipe into "Gifts in
a Jar," just make sure the total of dry ingredients is 1 quart (1
l) or less. You may have to cut your current recipe by half or one
third to get the correct amount of dry ingredients but it will work.
Remember to adjust the amounts of wet ingredients
needed when writing out your directions to place on the jar. Or, rather
than cutting your recipe, you can use the larger 2-quart (2 l) mason
jars, and if there is any space left at the top of the jar, pack it
tightly with tissue paper or add a few extra raisins and a sprinkle
of oatmeal--this adds pizzazz!
Your thoughtful, personal gift will delight everyone
on your list and save you money when you make "Gifts in a Jar." Besides,
you'll no doubt get invited to eat the cookies---when was the last
time a sweater from Macy's gave you that kind of sweet rewards?
Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies in a Jar
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (175 ml) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups (500 ml) quick cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup (175 ml) raisins
Sift together flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg,
baking soda and salt, then place in the bottom of a 1-quart (1 l)
glass mason jar. Tamp down the flour mixture so it is packed in firmly.
Add the rest of the ingredients in the order given, making sure to
pack down each layer firmly before adding the next. Screw the lid
on the jar.
Attach the following directions:
Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies
Note: Store this jar in a cool, dark place for up
to 3 months before using.
contents of this jar
3/4 cup (175 ml) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets
with parchment paper. Empty the jar of cookie mix into a large mixing
bowl, blend the mixture thoroughly. Stir in butter or margarine, egg,
and vanilla. Mix until completely blended. Shape into balls the size
of walnuts. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let
cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Makes 36 cookies.
Kristin Johnson is co-author of the “enthusiastically
recommended” Midwest Book Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving:
Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9).
A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com,
or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed
media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at
http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
