Tis The Season To...

Each week the local coffee shop has some eye catching chalk thoughts that make you just want to pick up that piece of colored chalk and write something. My personal favorite as I looked over the board was have an adventure.  What might you write to complete the thought... Tis The Season To...?
Today seemed just like the kind of day to try a Random Act of Kindness at the coffee shop. They were advertising buy a bag of coffee as a donation for military. Seemed easy enough to me. 

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Holiday Gift Ideas

The following recipes can be put in glass jars with screw top lids or plastic containers with lids. Around the top tie a ribbon that has the recipe card hanging from it. (Hole punch the card) Be sure to include the recipe ingredients, directions and instructions 

Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:

3 cups dry hot cocoa mix
1/3 cup instant coffee
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup mini marshmallows
Directions:
Mix and ingredients and store in an airtight container
Instructions for recipe card
Add 3 Tablespoons mix to 2/3 cup boiling water

Walnut Oatmeal Cookie Mix

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cup instant quick cooking oats  
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup  chocolate chips
• 1-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
Place mix in a large  airtight container or jar with screw top
Refer to photo on how to layer ingredients
Instructions for recipe card

• Beat 1 stick of softened margarine and 1 stick of softened butter with the sugars and beat till fluffy
• Beat in egg and 1 tsp.vanilla
• Add in the dry ingredients  and stir to blend
• Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet 
• Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes

Sand Art Brownies

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• ½ cup plus 2 TB. flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup vanilla baking chips
• ½ cup walnuts
• Note in recipe ingredients there is a total of 1-cup flour plus 2 TB. 

Attach a recipe card to the outside of the jar with list of ingredients and cooking instructions 

• Preheat oven @ 350
• Grease bottom of a 9 inch square pan
• Pour contents from the jar into a large bowl
• And mix well
• Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 TB. Kahlua, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, and 3 eggs
• Beat just till combined
• Bake 22-25 minutes-do not over bake
• Dust with powdered sugar after brownies have cooled

Directions for layering ingredients for sand art brownies-press each layer down to keep packed screw top on tightly

• Mix ½ cup plus 2 TB. flour
• In a wide mouth 1 quart jar layer the ingredients in the order given
• Start with flour/salt mixture
• Cocoa powder
• White sugar
• Chips
• Brown sugar
• ½ cup flour
• Walnuts