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06-Creating the Jars |
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Although you'll want to bake and enjoy Mason jar cookies often, you'll also take pleasure in giving Mason jar cookie mixes to friends and family. These mixes make perfect gifts during the holidays, on birthdays, or just as thoughtful thank-yous. Fortunately, Mason jar cookie mixes are easy--and fun--to create. Below, you'll learn about the few simple materials you'll need to get started, and you'll discover how to use them to craft beautiful mixes that are a joy to give and receive. Organize your recipes and simplify meal planning...Download the Cook'n Recipe Organizer for FREE!
CHOOSING THE MATERIALS The materials needed to make Mason jar cookie mixes are inexpensive and few in number. Keep these items on hand, and you'll be able to create a gift at a moment's notice. THE JAR TIP: Cookie mixes can be packed in a variety of jars, but the wide mouth of a Mason-type jar makes it easy to create neat, attractive layers of ingredients. For each cookie mix you make, you will need a clean, dry, one-quart wide-mouth Mason jar with a screw-on top. While other containers may also be suitable, the large opening of a Mason jar will give you the room you need to pour in the ingredients, tamp them down firmly into even layers, and periodically wipe the inside of the jar with a dry paper towel during filling so that the final gift has a neat, clean appearance. THE FABRIC AND TIE TIP: When looking for fabrics to trim the top of your Mason jar mix, be sure to check the remnants pile at your local fabric or crafts store. Often, you'll be able to decorate a number of gifts for just a few dollars. When you finish filling your Mason jar, the appealing layers of ingredients--brown sugar, raisins, and chocolate chips, for instance--will instantly turn the container into an attractive gift. Many people, in fact, use the unadorned jars to decorate their kitchens and pantries! But you can further enhance the charm of the mix by tying a square of decorative fabric to the top. For each jar, you will need a seven-by-seven-inch piece of fabric, cut with either regular fabric scissors or pinking shears. When choosing your fabric, be creative. A square of denim, burlap, or calico would create a delightful country look, for instance, while a red-and-green fabric would be the perfect finishing touch for a Christmas gift. Often, fabric stores offer inexpensive remnants, each of which could adorn several jars. Be sure to select a tie that complements your fabric. A length of sisal twine or yarn would make an appropriate tie for your calico square, for example, while a slender gold or silver ribbon would beautifully complete your holiday gift. Just make sure that you buy a long enough tie for each piece. A forty-eight-inch length will allow you to securely attach the fabric, as well as your tag, to the jar. THE TAG TIP: Make sure that your gift tag includes the name of the cookie recipe, the yield of the recipe, the list of ingredients that must be added to the mix, and the baking instructions. TIP: Tag making can be as simple or as creative as you like. For a fuss-free tag, just print the linked tag instructions provided in the recipe. Other options include writing the directions out in calligraphy and generating tags or labels on your home computer. Your tag will provide the all-important information that the recipient of the jar will need to turn the cookie mix into a batch of homemade treats. Each tag should supply the name of the cookie recipe, the yield of the recipe, the list of ingredients that must be added to the mix (eggs and butter, for instance), and the baking instructions themselves. Feel free to make a no-fuss tag or to craft one that showcases your creativity and flair. Each recipe contains a link to recipe card tag of information for those cookies. If you like, you can simply make a print the recipe card, using the paper of your choice; cut the recipe card out with plain scissors or pinking shears; or print on decorative recipe cards and attach the printed tag to your jar with the selected tie. Or you may choose to cut out a piece of sturdy paper--a three-by-four-inch size is usually adequate--and write out the instructions in your own clear handwriting or in calligraphy. If you have a computer, of course, your options are even greater. Consider typing in the instructions and printing them out in a beautiful (but readable) font. Add a decorative border, if you wish. You can even print the instructions directly onto stickers and affix a sticker to each jar in place of a tag. The possibilities are endless. PACKING THE INGREDIENTS TIP: Once completed, your Mason jar cookie mix should be stored in a cool, dry place, where it will remain fresh for up to twelve months. Believe it or not, the order in which the ingredients are packed in your Mason jar can make a big difference. Imagine, for instance, pouring the granulated sugar over a layer of chocolate chips. Gradually, the sugar will sift between the chips, mixing the layers and creating a messy appearance. That's why the white sugar is so often placed over a layer of brown sugar or oatmeal. By following the order of ingredients prescribed on the right-hand page of each two-page recipe spread, you will be sure to create an attractive jar. Be aware, though, that in most cases, this isn't the only way in which the ingredients can be successfully layered. I have usually chosen to provide you with the simplest method of packing the jar. If you prefer, you can break some of the ingredients into two parts and create your own custom jar of contrasting layers. If you turn to page 93***, you'll see what I mean. In the diagram for Rainbow Kids Cookies, the oatmeal, brown sugar, and regular sugar have each been divided into two layers for maximum effect. After you make a few gift jars and you get a feel for the process, you may want to customize your jars using this technique. To keep your layers as neat as possible, just remember to avoid placing powdery or granular ingredients--flour and sugar, for instance--above a product such as chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins. Because chips and the like have space between the individual pieces, they will allow the powdery substance to sift in. Instead, try to pack an ingredient such as brown sugar above these goodies, as the moist sugar will form a "seal," preventing the layers from blending together. As you create your Mason jar mixes, be sure to pack the ingredients firmly. After pouring in each ingredient, use a long-handled tart tamper; the squeezable bulb section of a turkey baster; or the bottom of a long, slim glass to press the addition into an even layer. Then, before adding the next ingredient, wipe the inside of the jar with a dry paper towel to achieve a clean, professional appearance. After all the layers of the cookie mix have been added, simply screw on the top of the jar, tightening it as much as possible to keep the mix fresh. Now you're ready to complete the gift. DECORATING THE JAR To add the finishing touches to your jarred mix, simply center the chosen fabric square on the lid of the jar and secure it with a rubber band. Then wrap your chosen tie around the rubber band twice, covering the band, and knot the tie to hold it in place. Using a hole punch, make a hole in the tag or recipe card and slide the tie through the hole, threading it through once or twice and tying it off with a bow. Finally, to make your Mason jar cookie mix even more special, you may want to use the same ribbon or twine to attach a wooden spoon or, if the cookies are to be rolled and cut, a cookie cutter. Your Mason jar cookie mix is now done, ready for its lucky recipient! From "The Mason Jar Cookie Cookbook." Copyright 2002 by Lonnette Parks. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, with recipes, cooking tips and more! |
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