Cookie Packaging Ideas {1}: Chinese Take Out Containers

As part of Cookie week, we are going to be sharing some fun packaging ideas.

Beautiful packaging can elevate the most humble gift into something very special.

For the sugar cookies I chose to package and present them in this chinese take out container.

I found this Christmas themed container at Micheals.

It dresses the cookies up to gourmet status, don't you think?

 I love the litte peek-a-boo window where you can see what is inside.

 And when packaging... don't forget those little important details like ribbon and tags.

They are like candles on the birthday cake....they make it special!

And don't forget to hop on over to Grace's blog, Sense & Simplicity, to see what pretty packaging she is sharing!

Meet you back here tomorrow for more cookie sharing!

This post is linked to these parties:













Tatertots and Jello

Just A Girl

Design Dazzle

Christmas Cookie Week: Easy Sugar Cookies

Welcome to Christmas Cookie Week 2011!

This week my friend Grace at Sense & Simplicity and I hope to inspire you to get some Christmas baking done before the busy-ness of December starts.
I am going to showcase easy cookies that can be made in 1 hour...and recipes that anyone can tackle.
And remember it's just me and my little blue mixer in my little kitchen!

***

The first cookie I want to share with you is one of my favourites...the humble

*SUGAR COOKIE*

This cookie is so perfect... it can be mixed up in 10 minutes and because it is a drop cookie recipe, it doesn't need to be rolled out with a rolling pin.

This cookie is tender and buttery and oh-so-good fresh from the oven.

This recipe comes from my Grandmother Ada.

She made these cookies year round and kept them in a glass cookie jar on her kitchen counter.

{You can see the recipe below...published in 1979 in a little country community cookbook}

 I double the recipe as my Grandmother suggests.

And when you make cookies....always use real butter and real vanilla...the taste is so worth it!
*SUGAR COOKIES*
{makes 3 1/2 dozen}

In mixing bowl combine:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar

2 eggs

4 tbsp milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat until light and fluffy.

In another bowl, stir together:

3 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually. Beat until mixed to form soft dough.

Roll dough into 1.5 inch balls.

Flatten with a fork.

Add Christmas sprinkles as desired.

Bake in 325 oven for 8-10 minutes.

Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes.

Then transfer to cooling rack.

  Here are the sugar cookies on my Christmas cookie platter last year.

I think every cookie platter could use a tasty sugar cookie!

Please make sure you hop on over to Sense & Simplicity to see what Grace cookie is sharing today!

And check back later this afternoon to see fun packaging inspiration for our little cookie!

Announcing 'Christmas Cookie Week'....

I am so excited for Monday to come as Grace from 'Sense & Simplicity' and I are co-hosting a week of Christmas cooking baking and sharing!

Every day next week, starting on Monday, November 21, we will be sharing a cookie recipe with you!

We are hoping to inspire to you to start your Christmas baking and to also try out a few new recipes!
We also want to share some pretty cookie packaging!

Join us on Monday and share in the fun!

Project Homemade Christmas:Strawberry Butter

This is one of my all-time favorite strawberry treats!

It is my mother's recipe and she has been making it for years.

Strawberry Butter. 
It tastes absolutely divine on fresh biscuits....nothing compares!

This year I have decided to share this wonderful butter with my friends for Christmas.

You will be happy to know that this is another very do-able project...you can make it and package it in under an hour!

It takes 3 simple ingredients:

1 cup of butter.

1 cup of strawberry jam.

{I used homemade freezer strawberry jam that I made in Nova Scotia this summer. Yes. I dragged home frozen jam in my suitcase from Nova Scotia to Alberta. Don't judge.}

{And yes, I do think that blackberry jam or raspberry jam would work just as well!}

2-3 cups of icing sugar.

Mix well until you have the consistency of a whipped butter.

Thick but not runny.

Then spoon butter into small, clean jars and embellish how ever you like.

I used red polka dot ribbon...and I made the labels with Avery oval labels and my computer.

You can read more about making Avery labels here.

Store the Strawberry Butter in the fridge until gift-giving time.

Serve Strawberry Butter at room temperature with biscuits, muffins or toast.

You could also tuck a Christmas-themed spreader into the ribbon and give the butter with a batch of biscuits or muffins.

I picked up these little spice jars from Superstore, and the spreaders were 2 for a $1 at Dollarama.

And yes.

As soon as I put my camera down, I ate that strawberry-butter-topped biscuit!

Happy Weekend!

This post has been linked to these terrific parties:































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