Festive Cookie Mix

Since our marriage, I finally “officially” have four nieces and a nephew.  Dating for 9 years made that more of an inevitable since I was already “Aunt Pammy”.  Unfortunately they all live in California, so we do not get to see them very often although we do have a trip coming up!  Since I didn’t get to see them during the holidays and participate in any holiday activities together, I wanted ship something out they could do with their respective siblings.  Enter the cookie mix! I’ve seen this idea over the years on blogs, at craft shows, in magazines, etc., but I decided to try it for myself using Bakerella’s recipe.  I also wanted to put something with it so I included a couple other things like a cute brownie mix I found and the embroidered aprons shown at the bottom.

Word of advice…make sure you pack, pack, pack the ingredients in.  Lesson learned…let’s just say it was a good thing I hadn’t planned to include the pecans!

I wanted it to get to them before Christmas, so I didn’t search for smooth Ball jars or cute fabric to wrap around the lid, but this could easily be a fun party favor in my future!  Coordation of the M&M’s colors, labels, and fabric to the party….HEAVEN.

Cookie Mix

• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooking oats
• 3/4 cup m&ms
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans (I omitted.)

Start with a 1-quart smooth Ball jar.

Layer the ingredients:

Bottom/First:  Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt
Second: Oats
Third: M&Ms
Fourth: Chocolate Chips
Fifth: Brown Sugar
Sixth: White Sugar
Seventh: Chopped Pecans

Pack each level down VERY, VERY tightly (or it won’t all fit). Ingredients should be flush to the top of the lid when you seal it up.

FOR THE LABEL OR RECIPE CARD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add:

• 1 slightly beaten egg
• 1/2 cup butter, slightly melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon or your hands to combine it all together.

Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Recipe found at: Bakerella

Distractions

It has been quite warm down here in Tennessee which has been extremely discouraging to turning the oven on.  As a result, I’ve been trying to do as much grilling and “fresh” cooking as possible which has limited some of the things I’m itching to make. I do have a few recipes to get up, but in the meantime I thought I’d share some non-food, non-school, non-work things I’ve been working on.  I’m a bridesmaid in my friend’s wedding in just a few short weeks but before the wedding comes the shower I’m helping with.

Since these have been mailed out and received, here’s a peek at the invitations I made.  The wedding colors are pistachio and caspian (blue) so I tied the pistachio color into the shower…

I’ll be back with regularly scheduled food programming in the next post.

All stuffed and ready to go!