Showing posts with label Christmas Cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Cookies. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

How to Make A Christmas Cookie Gift Set...Without Baking

How to Make A Christmas Cookie Gift Set...Without Baking

When you think of Cookies at Christmas, what comes to mind? Probably a few good recipes and some great memories. What about a great Christmas cookie cookbook? A beautiful children's picture book? A Christmas apron or a cookie jar or a plate or even a coffee mug? That's what you'll find on this page. No recipe, just my tribute to the yummy Christmas cookie and a host of ideas for you to use to create a cookie themed gift set with no baking required though obviously fresh cookies would be a fabulous addition to any cookie gift set.

A COOKIE COOKBOOK


Rose's Christmas Cookies by Rose Levy Beranbaum

ROSE'S CHRISTMAS COOKIES


Let's start with this beautiful cookie cookbook by Rose Levy Beranbaum who is famous for her many beautiful baking books. Almost too beautiful to use, this one would make a very impressive Christmas gift for anyone who loves to bake. Find your copy of Rose's Christmas Cookies on Amazon by clicking here.

OUR CHRISTMAS COOKIES


One year I did the unthinkable. I didn't make our traditional Christmas cookies. My sister-in-law visited and she baked and that meant we had plenty of sweet treats in the freezer. I simply did not need to bake and so I didn't. I thought nothing of it and no one said anything, until a few months later when one of my sons referred to the Christmas when they didn't have any of their favorite Christmas cookies. I felt so bad and I will not be repeating that faux pas ever again though this Christmas, Christmas 2020, the year when we cannot have people drop by to say hello, I will definitely be cutting back since there are only two of us to eat cookies.

With the exception of that well-remembered year when I did not make any cookies, we normally have three kinds of cookies on hand at Christmas: the best-ever ginger crinkles, the best ever M&M cookies with Christmas colored M&Ms and the best-ever brownie bites. They're all easy, they're all yummy and they all freeze beautifully. Best of all, they offer a nice variety and when I put a plate of cookies out and I am fairly comfortable that I can please not only my family but anyone who drops in during the holidays.

The Best-Ever Brownies Recipes
Love chocolate? How about brownies? If you are looking for the best brownie recipe, you will find it here. Actually, you will find three of the best brownie recipes here. The first is for miniature Brownie Bites. They are perfectly simple,...

The Best-Ever Ginger Crinkles Molasses Cookie Recipe
We love these ginger crinkle cookies. There's nothing like their slightly crispy exterior and chewy interior with a cold glass of milk!

The Best-Ever M&M Cookies Recipe
This best-ever M&M cookie recipe makes irresistible cookies. Don't bake them unless you are prepared to eat them until they are all gone. 

A CHILDREN'S COOKIE BOOK




Paul Galdone's The Gingerbread Boy

Here are three great cookie-themed picture books for children. The first is not actually a Christmas story as The Gingerbread Boy makes his break for freedom in a season that definitely is not winter at least in my part of the world. Paul Galdone's version shown here is one of the classic versions and was my family's favorite. Featuring a barnyard full of critters and one foxy fox, the gingerbread man is unfortunately and as always undone in the end. You can find my complete book review of The Gingerbread Boy here or read more about the book on Amazon by clicking right here.

Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

The second book, Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, introduces your young child to new vocabulary words like 'tradition' and 'celebrate' in the context of good manners in certain social situations. It is a beautiful combination of wisdom and artistry. You can read my review of Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons here or you can read more about it on Amazon by clicking here.

If You Take A Mouse To The Movies by Laura Numeroff

The third and final book, If You Take A Mouse To The Movies, is a special Christmas edition featuring that cookie-loving mouse that was created by Laura Numeroff in If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. The Christmas version has all sorts of extras including a CD and recipes. You can buy it on Amazon here or if you find it unavailable there, you can try eBay by clicking here. At the time of writing this post, I was unable to find it on Amazon.

A COOKIE APRON


Christmas Cookie Baking Team apron

An apron is such a practical and affordable gift idea. If you or someone you know spends a lot of time in the kitchen at Christmastime, you (or they) should definitely own a Christmas apron and there are so many great ones available. I love this Christmas Cookie Baking Team apron from Etsy and the fact that it can be personalized for all of the members of your baking team.  You can find it on Etsy by clicking right here.

A CHRISTMAS COOKIE JAR


A Christmas Cookie Cookie Jar

Nothing could be more fun than a cookie jar especially when it is full of cookies. I found this beautiful but simple glass cookie jar on Amazon. I love the idea that it will hold your Christmas treats and, when they are gone, go in your dishwasher for easy clean-up. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Gift it empty or even full of your favorite Christmas cookies.

A COOKIE PLATE


Waechtersbach Santa's cookies plate

This Waechtersbach Santa's cookies plate is perfect for leaving cookies out for Santa or simply serving cookies throughout the month of December. It would make a fine tradition for any family.  We love using the same plate every year. To find this plate and a few other Christmas-cookie themed ones, look to eBay  by clicking right here.

A COOKIE MUG


Disney's Mickey Mouse Cookie Coffee Mug

Yes, there's such a thing as a cookie mug and I don't mean a mug with the image of a cookie on it but rather a mug that has a pocket for holding your cookie. This is a fun one featuring Disney's Mickey Mouse and promising to deliver holiday cheer. Find it on Amazon by clicking here or if it is unavailable now, you can also find it here on eBay.

A COOKIE BAKING SET

Fun for Christmas or anytime of the year for someone who loves to bake cookies!


Finally, I will close with this fun child-sized baking set, which you can find on Amazon by clicking here. Whether you offer it on its own or team it up with some of the other great gift ideas on this page, the choice is yours. Maybe you could create a set for the family with this set for the children.

So how about it? Is there something sweet in this batch for you? Are you a smart cookie who likes to assemble gift sets cookie themed or otherwise?  

Life is
what you bake of it!
Brenda, Treasures By Brenda

More Christmas Reading:








Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, December 21, 2015

Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons Children's Book Review

christmas cookies book cover

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS LESSONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN


Beautifully put together, Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons was written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer. It is the perfect addition to your holiday library and will allow you to introduce your young children to vocabulary words like 'tradition' and 'celebrate' and provide a basic guide to good manners in certain social situations. Savor the wisdom along with the illustrations that will have you and your children dreaming of sugarplums!

This book includes twenty-two simple lessons that are appropriate for all ages...

TRADITION means each year at the same time we make the same cookies and wear our special matching aprons. GRACIOUS means putting out a plate for our special guest.

CELEBRATE means time to get out the sprinkles!

While appropriate for all, this book is really aimed at children in preschool up to Grade 2.

Each page or two-page spread is illustrated with children demonstrating the word and/or lesson and each page features added characters for an extra touch of whimsy. I love the mice that the book opens with, the bunnies at the kitchen table, the lion in the dining room and the elves lending a helping hand. I have no doubt that you and your children will also love this book, too.

Amazon reviewer Cherry Ames says:

"If you have ever grappled with explaining an abstract concept to children, like tradition, disappointed or the all-important sharing, then Amy Rosenthal and Jane Dyer's cookie books are for you. Through the simple analogies of baking and eating cookies, which is something children can easily relate to, Rosenthal explains those sometimes difficult-to-understand ideas/values like gratitude, appreciative, gracious, and many more."

"Jane Dyer's soft, expressive child/animal illustrations complement and illustrate the concepts. The 'Christmas Cookies' book includes holiday-related words like joy, believe, celebrate and peace. Both of these titles are excellent choices for a child 3-6 years of age."

WHO IS AMY KROUSE ROSENTHAL?


Amy Krouse Rosenthal is perhaps most well known for her memoir called Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life which was very well received everywhere because of its unusual format and its wit with regard to the ordinary stuff of daily life. It was one of Amazon's top 10 memoirs in 2005. She has also published 11 children's books with plans for many more.

What Christmas lessons will you share with your children this year? Or what were the important lessons you taught your children when they were young? Do you think this book would be helpful?

See you
in the book aisle!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your copy of Christmas Cookies from Amazon.
See all of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books here.

More Christmas Reading:

Rose Levy's Christmas Cookies Cookbook.
The Farm Chicks Book Reviews (in the Kitchen and Christmas).
A Very Brady Christmas Movie Review.






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Reviewing Santas Village Cookie Jar

Cookies At Grandma's House

decorated gingerbread cookies
Whether you are already a Grandma or a Grandma in waiting, I'll just bet one of the things that you love to have around the house for children (actual kids or the adults in touch with their inner child) who visit are cookies. Now, it is one thing to just have the cookies available and it is totally another thing to have a special cookie jar for the children to get the cookies from. One of my fondest memories of my own Grandmother's house is her cookie jar. For one thing, it never ever seemed empty. Hers was not a fancy one, it was very simple, actually. As the Grandma to 5 precious little ones, I am carrying on the tradition and making sure that there are always cookies in a cookie jar when they come to visit. Oh who am I kidding? There are always cookies in my cookie jar! 

I Might Have A Problem

Unlike my Grandma, I have this penchant for fun cookie jars. I like to have ones on display that follow with the seasons of the year. It is a weakness of mine, I admit, but a fun little hobby just the same. In my opinion, one can not have too many cookie jars. 

So, last year my Christmas themed cookie jar accidentally got broken. No, it wasn't one of the kids who broke the lid but one of the adult kids who dropped it on the floor. Was I angry? Oh no! The breaking of the lid offered up the opportunity to find a new one. I love the thrill of the hunt, don't you know!

I've been looking around and finally found the perfect replacement for my Christmas Cookie Jar.

This is perfect for me to place the cookies in! It is so very cute and festive and large enough to hold several cookies, brownies and other sweet treats. I love that it looks like it is a part of Santa's Village and I will tell the kids that Mrs. Claus and the elves have been busy keeping the jar as full as possible.

How do I keep the jar full? Well, as much as I would appreciate Mrs. C and the elves help, they don't come through for me. So, I bake the cookies up ahead of time and freeze them. I can pull out a variety at any time. I start as early as October and keep them in empty coffee tins separated by waxed paper. This Grandma/Mom never runs out of cookies. And listen, if you don't enjoy baking like I do that is really not a problem. You can always buy an abundant supply at the store bakery or on the cookie aisle of the grocery. The cookie police are not going to come arrest you if the cookies and treats are not made in your own kitchen.

Besides traditional Christmas cookies, I also make up batches of Buckeyes, those wonderful peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate! Those are my favorites even though technically they are a candy and not a cookie. I also make batches of what I call "wreaths" which are a form of Rice Krispie treats with a twist. Instead of the rice krispies I use corn flakes, put green food coloring in the marshmallow mixture and top with red M&M's. They kind of look like holly leaves and berries.

How about you? Do you have a special Christmas Cookie jar in your home? What kinds of cookies do you like to have stored in them?


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Food Review: The Best Simple Snacks for Santa

decorated gingerbread cookies
When Santa stops at your home, treat him nice with some special treats. Find a food that will please in this food review of the best simple snacks for Santa.


During the holidays, Santa is one busy person. Going from home to home, visiting all of the good girls and boys can sure work up an appetite. When Santa stops at your home, show him your hospitality and offer Santa a snack to warm him from his frosty nose to his icicle toes.

These snacks are made with real foods and can be served to unexpected visitors in just a few minutes. With a little advance preparation, these snacks can be heated up quickly to give you more time to spend with friends and family. And Santa, of course!

Offer Santa something hot to drink


After being out in the cold and snow, Santa will enjoy this delicious Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe. Dash to the pantry for some milk, cocoa powder, honey, and coconut oil. Then, turn on the stove and warm up the whole mix. In five minutes, you'll have a hot chocolate that's sure to bring Santa back next year.

This simple snack for Santa is so much better than the pre-made packaged hot cocoa mixes. The best part about his recipe is that you control the amount of sugar in the hot cocoa.

Set out a plate of Christmas cookies


Santa loves cookies and he'll be looking for that plate of cookies near the fireplace. Cookies give Santa a jolly feeling. This year, give Santa a traditional Christmas cookie made from real foods and made by hand.

These White Chocolate Dipped Chewy Gingerbread Cookies (www.jamhands.net/2013/12/white-chocolate-dipped-chewy.html)from Jam Hands will have Santa coming back for more. And, he may want to take the whole cookie jar home with him. These cookies aren't the hard and stale gingerbread men that stand guard over the gingerbread house decorations. These cookies are moist and chewy. And, the cookies can be dipped in white chocolate or almond bark for added flavor.

Send Santa on his way with a handheld snack



Santa has a busy night ahead of him and he'll need something hearty to fill his belly before he heads back out into the cold. Send Santa up the chimney with a savory snack that he can hold in one hand and eat along the way. Savory meat and vegetable pies will surely keep Santa from getting hungry as he makes his rounds all around town.

This Mushroom, Gorgonzola, and Caramelized Onion Hand Pies Recipe (www.10thkitchen.com/2013/11/mushroom-gorgonzola-caramelized-onion-hand-pies-recipe) can be made in advance and frozen until you're ready to feed Santa his Christmas feast. If you're afraid of making pasty dough, this recipe has an easy crust recipe that uses sour cream as the secret ingredient.

If you don't want to fuss with a crust, try these Crustless Mini Quiches (www.wickedgoodkitchen.com/crustless-mini-quiches-gluten-free-self-crust/) from Wicked Good Kitchen. These mini quiches are so easy to put together. Just pour the ham, bacon, cheese, and whipped eggs in muffin tins and bake. These quiches can be made in advance, stored in the freezer, and warmed up when you're ready to serve this simple snack for Santa.

Simple snacks for simple holiday pleasures


Be prepared for visitors this holiday season. Keep your refrigerator and pantry stocked with ingredients that can be mixed up and heated up quickly. Fix a few hearty handheld snacks in advance to keep dish washing to a minimum. Keep your holiday foods and beverages simple. You'll have more time to enjoy the season.





Posted by Coletta Teske
Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Crafty Signs of the Season

Santa Claus Humpty Dumpty plush doll in crochet
A Humpty-Dumpty Santa Doll
As we enter December and the beginning of the holiday season, we realize that the Christmas season began as Thanksgiving weekend ended. In many cities people enjoyed watching Thanksgiving parades and the traditional finale to every parade is the arrival of 'Santa Claus'.







Santa Claus and Friends


Toy Santa dolls in crochet
Christmas Decor Toys Santa Dolls on Etsy

Images of jolly old St. Nick in all forms make darling seasonal decor.  This set of a crocheted Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus would look terrific as part of your Christmas holiday decor or would make cute stocking stuffers for your kids.

Handmade by HelenaCrochetToys in the Ukraine.


Holiday Decor



Other signs of the season begin to appear as Christmastime gets closer. Christmas bells and poinsettias, Gingerbread men and candy canes, ornaments for the tree and stockings hung by the chimney with care.



Handmade beverage coasters in a Christmas theme
Christmas Design Coasters
It's time to display holiday themed items, like these Christmas Coasters for your holiday beverages.  These colorful coasters are the crafty work of the Christmas Elf at Coastal Crochet Crafts on Etsy.








Snowman wall hanging craft kit
Snowman Wall Hanging



Snowman Wall Hanging


For a seasonal wall hanging that doesn't have to be taken down after Christmas, as it is a nice decor all winter long, create this Woodland Friends Snowman Door or WallHanging from a kit. Everything you need, except the stuffing, is all in one package ready to craft. 



Turtle Cookie Balls

Turtle Cookie Balls recipe card
Turtle Cookie Balls Recipe Card









Christmas cookies are another sign of the season and cooking is every bit as much a craft as needlework and sewing.  Mary Beth Granger (mbgphoto) shares her recipes for Cookie Balls which are wonderful for your own holiday time and also make terrific homemade gifts for friends.  Mary Beth created a beautiful recipe card on Zazzle for her cookie balls and the card would be a lovely addition to your gift.  Tuck it into the package and your friend can have a gift that 'keeps on giving'.






Christmas Tree Ornaments


Beaded and Sequined Christmas Balls craft kit


Don't forget the Christmas Tree ornaments.  Sylvestermouse shows us a wonderful group of Bead & Sequin Christmas Ornament Kits we can craft for our own tree or to give as a gift.  



Christmas ornaments crafts

Another contributor to Review This Review, Dawn Rae, brings us some easy Christmas ornament crafts you can do with your children as you get ready for the holiday season.



When it's Time to Put Away the Crafts

At the end of the day, it's time to put away our craft supplies.  Susan Kennedy (BuckHawk) helps us get organized with helpful tips and tools at her "Organize Craft Supplies" site.


Christmas Shopping Ideas


And for an extra easy way to begin your Christmas shopping, check out this handy online Holiday Gift Guide brought to you by the contributing members of 'Review This'.


Have a Happy Holiday!



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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