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Cookie Mix in a Jar In a recent article I wrote, 63 Gifts for Under $10, one of the gift items on my list was Cookie Mix in a Jar. It occurs to me that some of you might like some suggestions as to exactly how to do this, so I thought I'd jot down a few ideas for you. First of all, I think the Jar must be pretty, Mason jars are great as long as they have some of that bubbly decoration on the side, the plain ones are just too plain for gifts. After picking out your pretty jars, find or purchase a small swatch of fabric and ribbon in the scrap bin at your local fabric store. You might even be able to inherit some leftover pieces for free from a friend or family member's sewing project. If you know anyone who sews, don't be afraid to ask, they'd probably be more than happy to share those leftover pieces that might just sit in a box for the next 15 years. Next, pick out a type of cookie mix you'd like to give. Sugar cookies, chocolate chip (semi-sweet or milk chocolate), butterscotch chips, m&m candies, ginger, oatmeal, oatmeal raisin, snicker doodles, biscotti, even brownies. Actually, this may be the hardest part, deciding which one to send! Ok, here is the technical part, layer all of the dry ingredients into the jar, you could mix them all together, but layers will be prettier. Then attach a recipe card or small label with instructions of what ingredients remain to be added, such as eggs, vanilla and butter. Be sure to include baking instructions, taking into account oven variations. By that I mean, it is better to write "bake until golden brown, approximately 10-15 minutes" instead of "bake for 15 minutes." If someone's unfortunate enough to have a "hot" oven, their cookies might not turn out so well. The last step is to lay a square piece of pretty fabric on top of the jar and attach by tying a piece of ribbon or yarn around the rim of the lid. This will secure the fabric and make this yummy gift a pretty one too. Be creative, and have fun! Although this is not an easy gift to send by mail, it can be done. Place the jar in a box filled with packing peanuts or bubble plastic wrap, being sure to secure the jar so it will not move during shipment, and that it is completely surrounded by the packing material. This also makes a great gift for neighbors, teachers, co-workers and even the mailman!
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