Now that I’ve finally distributed most of my gifts, I can finally unveil them online! (P.S. I opted not to do knitting gifts as I would get terribly burnt out, not to mention my growing tendinitis problem - cooking was a quicker alternative.) =)
Here’s what I did: I layered ingredients in mason jars, wrapped a ribbon around the lid, added a cooking instructions label to it, and stuck in a cooking accessory tool to each jar. If you look closely, each jar has a different cooking accessory (cookie cutters, mini whisks, mini cookie spatula, mini cookie scoop, mini grater, etc.):
I had different variations. Three cookie recipes, and one soup mix (now you see how I had to cook-test certain cookie recipes?):
Friendship Soup Mix:
More Cookie tips: Combine ingredients according to wet or dry (meaning, put all the wet ingredients together first, likewise with the dry). With every cookie recipe, start with your butter, and cream it with your sugars, until completely incorporated and fluffy. Then slowly add your sifted dry ingredients until everything is mixed. Then scoop out your balls of dough onto your cookie sheet, and place into your preheated oven. (If you’re using cookie cutters/shapes, or if you think your dough has gotten room temperature/warm while you’ve been working with it, wrap it in saran wrap and refridgerating the dough for a couple hours beforehand - this will make the dough easier to cut out as well as not melt all over the cookie sheet when baking.) And there you go! =)
(P.S. A few helpful links: Cookie FAQs #1, Cookie FAQs #2)
I also baked some Pumpkin Gingerbread mini loaves. Here they are cooling on a pan. (I later wrapped them in cellophane and a pretty ribbon, and attached a cute little ornament with it.)
As Rachael Ray would say, “Delish!!”
19 Comments so far
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ahh!!! you’re making me hungry! :) what great, cute gift ideas! you never cease to amaze. heehee. merry christmas!
By susan on 12/21/06 1:03 pm | Permalink
cant wait to get my hands dirty making them muhahaha =P
me super hungry too looking at this post =P
thank u for this thoughtful and delish gift~
By mary on 12/21/06 1:09 pm | Permalink
I think i love your gifts da best!! they look so nummmmmmy. mmmmmmmm…you are too good. :) i’m scroogy. i don’t give gifts out at christmas unless i feel the inspiration. hahaha.
By Jen da Purse Ho on 12/21/06 2:37 pm | Permalink
Thank you so much for your very thoughtful and creative gift!! I can’t wait to make the cookies.
By caitlyn on 12/21/06 2:47 pm | Permalink
Wow … so many yummy Christmas food!
Next time when you come down to San Jose, you should visit the new Eastridge Mall because there is a new Sanrio store there! I know you are a Hello Kitty fan and I just learned that the wife of my husband’s co-worker has just opened a trademarked Sanrio there.
Happy Holidays!
By Agnes on 12/21/06 5:02 pm | Permalink
Wow, you’re the most creative person ever! Happy Christmas!!!
By Rain on 12/21/06 7:59 pm | Permalink
I’ve made those cooking jars before, I usually do cookies, because, Who doesn’t like Cookies?!
By Kaity on 12/21/06 9:12 pm | Permalink
Kaity - I know, hard to believe that anyone wouldn’t like cookies. But the soup mix is there for anyone on a low-fat diet (doesn’t everyone know that cookies have no calories during Christmas?) and/or may not know how to bake. =)
By Ruth on 12/22/06 1:36 am | Permalink
What fabulous gifts, the recipients will definately be delighted.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Love Estee x
By Estee on 12/22/06 8:43 am | Permalink
Beautiful work Ruth. These are very thoughtful Christmas gifts.
By Donna on 12/22/06 8:52 am | Permalink
What an awesome idea Ruth! I’ve heard of people doing this before, but never actually seen a jar of ingredients put together. I am sure the recipients will love their gifts!
By Shelley on 12/22/06 5:41 pm | Permalink
that’s wonderful i love the way they look!
By allena on 12/22/06 6:28 pm | Permalink
Hi Ruth,
Thank you so much for your kind comment about my site. I checked out yours and it is lovely!
The food jars are such a good idea. Thay are useful, pretty, handy, and they would be tasty too!!
Have a lovely Xmas
By Lisa on 12/23/06 2:58 am | Permalink
Those jars are SOOOOOOOOOO pretty! and the mini-accessories make them perfect. what a great idea!
Have a merry Christmas Ruth, and a lovely and tendinitis-free year :)
By Ayelet on 12/23/06 3:51 pm | Permalink
I really need to stop coming to your site hungry! All of that looks soooo tasty. I’m sure everyone enjoyed it =)
By Jes on 12/26/06 1:12 pm | Permalink
If I weren’t so full from the holiday festivities, those cookie mixes would look tempting…
By *karen on 12/26/06 8:58 pm | Permalink
Love your creativity! Everything looks so attractive and Christmasy. What a great gift these make. Hope you had a lovely Christmas!! I’m just taking a little blogging break before getting my cello out. We came home from prayer meeting and I did the dishs and put some laundry in. Then hubby reminded me about a messy kitchen cubbord and I cleaned that..spilled tea does make a mess =(. Now, I’m tired but tomorrow is right around the corner & I’m hoping to sew some bedroom valances.
By Maggie Ann on 12/27/06 8:08 pm | Permalink
At this rate, I am gonna call you Kitchen Goddess! :)
Those gifts look so purty!
Happy Holidays!
By Emy on 12/30/06 11:40 am | Permalink
SUCH a good idea. Are those canning jars? I am SO going to do this for gifts.
By kristin on 01/04/07 12:11 pm | Permalink
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