How do I Make Cheap Gifts With Ingredients From the Kitchen?
One of the best cheap gifts from the kitchen is a Mason jar gift that is sure to please just about anybody. Dry ingredients from a recipe are layered neatly inside the jar with a festive bow and fabric to finish it off. Wet ingredients, such as eggs and butter, are supplied by the receiver, but they are ingredients that most people already have at hand.
Cookie and muffin mixes are probably the most common because it is likely they will actually be used and eaten. The following are instructions for putting together a basic oatmeal cookie recipe with M&Ms and peanut butter.
Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- A quart size Mason canning jar
- Fabric for lid
- Matching ribbon
- Card stock paper
- Fine tip felt pen in color of choice
- 2 cups oatmeal (not quick cooking)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup baking M&Ms
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
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Wash the canning jar thoroughly with soap and hot water. Let it dry completely before filling it.
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2
Layer the jar one ingredient at a time, packing it down tightly. Start with the oatmeal, then layer the brown sugar and then the baking M&Ms.
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3
Mix the granulated sugar, baking soda and salt together and layer it on top of the M&Ms. Then add the final layer of mini chocolate chips.
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4
Cut a circle of fabric 3 to 4 inches larger than inner lid. Screw the inner and outer lids on tightly, and cover them with the fabric. Secure the fabric with a matching ribbon.
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5
Create a recipe card from the card stock using a fine tip felt pen with the following instructions:
Makes 3 to 4 dozen yummy cookies. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Empty jar ingredients into colander or sieve to separate M&Ms and chocolate chips. Cream together 4 tbsp. butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in M&Ms and chocolate chips. Spoon 1-inch balls onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool before removing from cookie sheet. Enjoy!
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Tips & Warnings
An alternative is to make bite-sized cookies and fill the jar with a note saying "Must be eaten in the next three days!"
Other easy jar ideas from the kitchen: Layers of nuts, snack mixes or candy.
Filling gift jars is a great supervised activity for children.
References
- Photo Credit canned fruit image by dwags from Fotolia.com
