Low on Cash for Christmas? Try Gifts in a Jar

Time is money, and right now you don't have either the time or the money to answer the call of the buying mall at Christmas. The only way you can show your friends love, peace on earth, goodwill towards men is by buying at Macy's, so you think.

It's a safe bet that the Three Kings didn't buy the gold, olibanum and myrrh given to Christ Christ in the trough from Macy's or Pottery Barn.

This year you, too, can give olibanum and myrrh of the tasty kind. The better part is, the ingredients move from your neighborhood grocery store or even as your own kitchen. The Three Kings used ornate containers, but you can do do with an cheap 1-quart mason jar to hold your "sand art" cookies, or "Gifts in a Jar."

What do you need to do "Gifts in a Jar"? Let's take, for example, the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies: flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda, coarse sugar, brown sugar, oatmeal and raisins. All of these are accessible for under $5 at your local grocery store. If you buy in bulk, you'll save much time and money-- -just do sure to create your "Gifts in a Jar" as shortly 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, alternate light and dark-colored ingredients for that "art" effect. Your recipient supplies the damp ingredients, and you can attach your favorite formula or the Oatmeal Dried fruit Spice Cookies in a Jar recipe, written on fancy paper (such as the kind you'd find inexpensively at Kinko's) with a cosmetic 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--- possibly from a tablecloth, curtains or a dress that's headed for the rag bag.

To turn your favorite cookie formula into "Gifts in a Jar," simply do sure the total of dry ingredients is 1 quart (1 l) or less. You may have to cut your current formula by half or one third to get the correct figure of dry ingredients but it wish work. Remember to adjust the amounts of wet ingredients needful once 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 wish delight everyone on your list and save you money once you do "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 Dried fruit 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) coarse sugar

3/4 cup (175 ml) dark brown sugar, firmly packed

2 cups (500 ml) quick cookery 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, devising sure to pack down each layer firmly before adding the next. Screw the lid on the jar. Attach the following directions:

Oatmeal Dried fruit 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 kitchen appliance to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Empty the jar of cookie mix into a large mix bowl, blend the mixture thoroughly. Stir in butter or margarine, egg, and vanilla. Mix until wholly 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 remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight instrumentality at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Does 36 cookies.

Copyright Kristin Johnson.

Kristin Johnson is co-author of the “highly recommended” Geographic area Book Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Devising Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is accessible at our Web site, www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to obtain a written media kit and sample copy of the book. Much articles accessible at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com.

kristin@poemsforyou.com