Layer It In!

It's so fun to give someone a mix rather than the actual cookies, bread, or soup already made...in my opinion, that is! Being the kid of teachers, I remember how inundated our house was on holidays with homemade treats. It was great, but it would have been nice to have some of them a few weeks later. Don't get me wrong...teachers are appreciative of anything you give them...Heaven knows they deserve it!

I saw these cute Easter carafes at...guess which of the 4 places I shop? Yes, Target! I imagine my family as one who sits down to a full breakfast every morning, with pancakes, bacon, and eggs dished up on the table and a carafe of freshly-squeezed orange juice. Instead, I pour Tropicana's best directly from the carton into our glasses. But wouldn't it be wonderful to be a carafe-style family? Aahhh, someday.

Until then, this carafe makes a great container for a layered cookie mix, using pastel M&M's. It would be a perfect teacher, hostess, or friend gift. Most layered cookie recipes fill a quart jar, or 4 cups. This carafe is larger, which is a good thing for juice because our family of 5 needs more than a quart of juice.
Since I had so much space at the top of this carafe, I filled it with edible Easter grass (also from Target, of course). When using a Mason jar, I usually crumple up wax paper just to fill the space at the very top, in case someone (like my hooligans), decides to upend the jar on the way to the recipient. In this case, I cut a circle of wax paper the same diameter as the carafe, just to separate the M&M's from the edible grass. This would become all mixed up if turned upside down, though, so don't give it to a hooligan to deliver.

M&M Cookies
In jar, layer the following. Use the end of a wooden spoon to tamp each layer down before adding the next layer.

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar(spoon it in, so it doesn't go "whomp" and make the white sugar uneven)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup M&M's (whatever colors fit the occasion)



Embellish as you wish. I used my Big Shot and the new Framelits to cut a label out of chalkboard decal paper. That way, they can erase the greeting and write the contents on the carafe later. I tied the directions on using Stampin' Up!'s new Pool Party Bakers' Twine.

Speaking of directions, here they are, so people won't think you just gave them a carafe of random ingredients.




M&M Cookies

3/4 cup butter , softened
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Empty container into a large bowl.
2. Add butter and eggs. Stir by hand (so you don't break the candies) until well-mixed.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are browned.
4. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for 1 minute. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely. Or eat them warm with milk...that's the best!

Makes 3 dozen or so




Now I'm all ready to be invited somewhere that requires me to bring a gift. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? But first, I'm gonna share this project over at Frugal Girls Chic and Crafty Party...have you checked it? So much inspiration every week...just click on the button below and browse away!