My Brother is quite involved with a fundraising group here for kids with cancer. Last week they had a group walk, a big dinner and a silent auction. There were all kinds of items in the auction for almost any dollar level including a $10.00 purchase table that did not require any bidding. Just a few days before the auction they found that they had a lot of higher dollar auction items but were short on items for those with less money to bid on. And they still needed more selection for the $10.00 table. So, what does my Brother do... he starts soliciting the family to provide things. We have a very large family with talents from making furniture to roasting coffee blends. And my mom can bake up a storm. She volunteered to make her famous applesauce cookies but wanted to dress up the jars that she put them in which inspired this week's Keeping It Simple project. A great gift for any season it really doesn't get any easier than this.
These designs are from Morango Heart and Home
Jar Toppers:
What you need:
Fabric squares that are 6" larger than your lid measures across (Mom's lids were 4" across so the squares were approximately 10".)
Ribbon to tie around the finished jar topper
Embroidery design that fits inside the lid area
Tear away stabilizer
Pinking shears
Embroidery Thread
What you do:
1. Mark the center of your square. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer.
2. Embroider the design. Remove from the hoop and carefully remove the stabilizer.
3. Mark and cut the circle using pinking sheers. We used a 10" plate from the kitchen and traced around it.
4. Center the design over the jar lid (after filled and the lid put onto the jar). Fold the sides down and tie a ribbon around the top to secure.
Include an in-the-hoop applique label like this:
Click here to download the Yum tag
or punch a hole in a card with the recipe and attach. Make smaller for homemade jams and larger for big jars of fancy snack mixes or popcorn. Makes a great quick gift.
Now I know my pictures do not show the applesauce cookies. Since they were not yet baked I used the peanut butter ones from my freezer for the photos, a jar of homemade jam and a jar of candy. See below for Mom's famous applesauce cookie recipe and mine for "no flour" peanut butter cookies.
I also sent this basket to the auction with embroidered towels and coasters. I will post a blog about these in the near future.
I hope you are enjoying your spring days and finding time to do what you love most.
Take care,
DB
Famous Applesauce Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened (or Crisco) 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 tsp cloves
1 egg 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce 1 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups sifted flour 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp salt or pecans
In large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and applesauce and mix well. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, cloves and cinnamon and gradually add to creamed mixture until mixed. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto parchment lined or ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter (we like Skippy all natural)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla
Combine all ingredients. Make into walnut sized balls and place on parchment lined or lightly greased cookie sheet. With fork dipped in sugar press down to make criss-cross pattern on cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Makes 18 cookies