It’s cookies making season! It’s also the season to give the gift of goodies. While Christmas just 13 days away, (OMG really?!) we all love to eat a tasty treat. We try to behave but they just look so good! The Mason Jar Cookie Company offers custom jars of cookie mix (you pick the base & several high quality mix-ins), creatively and beautifully packaged in a mason jar, for no-fuss baking this holiday season and beyond! These are the absolute perfect gift for the person in your life who may not be really big on baking. Everything is pre-measured for you. You just add a few ingredients like an egg or some butter and bake! Are you like me and spend forever looking on Pinterest for Recipes For Cookies? No more!

The Mason Jar Cookie Company provides everything you need to create your own customizable gifts that put a twist on classic recipes for cookies. Think you can’t have delicious cookies because you only eat Gluten-Free products? Guess what?! Mason Jar Cookie gifts even come in Gluten-Free options!

These are customizable! The hardest part will be choosing your ingredients from their four cookie bases and 35 add-ins. 35! After that they do all the work! When your custom cookie mix arrives, it’s creatively and beautifully packaged in a mason jar, for no-fuss homemade cookies this holiday season and beyond! Ready to bake those chocolate cookies you’ve been drooling over since you ordered? Simply pour your jar of chocolate cookie mix into a bowl and add the dairy ingredients per the instructions right before baking. (In most cases this is butter and an egg, although some base mixes call for a little milk or water.) Ours called for a little Vanilla. The average price of one custom-made cookie jar is only $19, though price varies depending on which ingredients you choose.

Happy Holidays! Right about now, you’re probably winding down from a wonderful holiday season filled with great family, great friends, and of course, great food!

Thankfully, Betty Crocker is here to help make cooking and entertaining easier than ever with Betty Crocker’s Red Hot Holiday Trends 2011! The food experts at Betty Crocker have selected trends that will be red hot this holiday season, and have created delicious recipes to bring each one to life. These fun and delicious recipes are sure to fire up any holiday event, and keep you toasty and warm for the New Year ahead.

	Trend: Double Desserts Taking two desserts and mixing and mashing them together is one of our favorite trends. Things like pie shakes, cookie stuffed cookies, and pie-filled cupcakes deliver a whole new kind of delicious. It’s a 1+1=3 kind of thing. Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cookies Pie, meet cookie. Cookie, say hello to pie. When two all-time favorites come together, you get Pumpkin Pie Cookies, the star at your next holiday cookie exchange.
	Trend: Boozy Baking From booze cakes to cocktail pies, bakers everywhere are bringing the bar into the kitchen. A titch of tequila or a skosh of scotch whiskey adds a serious shot of fun and flavor for the over 21 crowd. We’re loving these boozy baked goods! Recipe: Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes Taste for yourself what the buzz is all about! A bit of bourbon, a hit of coffee liqueur and some vanilla vodka-spiked frosting make these sophisticated chocolate cupcakes the ultimate “holiday helpers.”
	Trend: Color. Flavor. Fun. Traditional baked goods are being transformed with bright colors and playful flavors. With a little creativity and imagination, no one can resist this happy, fun food! Recipe: Cake Batter Cookie Stackers Take sugar cookies to a whole new level of delicious! Kids and adults will love these cake batter flavored cookies with colorful frosting, and lots of sprinkles! Stack ‘em up and watch ‘em go.
	Trend: From Cave to Kitchen Forget the man cave. Today guys are in the kitchen making (or at least appreciating) really good food. Big food. Really good, big food that’s stacked and stuffed with the flavors they can’t resist. Recipe: Mantastic Fried Chicken ‘n’ Waffle Sandwich Here’s a new take on chicken ‘n’ waffles – made better with beer, bacon, and bourbon. It’s the ultimate manly man meal.
	Trend: Skinny Cocktails Here’s the skinny! Drinking high-calorie cocktails is so last year. The modern mixologist is shaking things up with light & flavorful cocktails. Recipe: Skinny Clementine Martini Add some clever sparkle to your next party. Enjoy these natural, light martinis made with fresh juice, high-quality liquor, and a splash of club soda. Lower calorie cocktails never tasted, or looked, so sweet. Cheers!
	Trend: Better Than Bought From canning to candy making, there’s a renewed interest in handcrafted foods. This season, homemade food gifts are just the right thing to show your care and creativity. Recipe: Cajeta Caramel Fudge Create the perfect combination of flavor and crunch with this homemade candy. Rich chocolate fudge layered with cajeta caramel, cashews and a sprinkle of sea salt—a recipe to impress.
	Trend: Veggie Love Once just tolerated, vegetables are now celebrated. Omnivores and herbivores alike have discovered that veggies offer variety and great taste, and are feeling the love. Recipe: Sweet Potato Hummus Hummus with fresh sweet potato packs even more plant power. Add a delicious blend of smoked paprika, coriander, and cumin to make this flavorful dip.
	Trend: Shareworthy & Allergen-Friendly Allergen-friendly foods may be free from things like nuts, dairy and eggs, but shouldn’t be free from flavor. Thankfully, we’re seeing new foods and recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone – whether you’re allergy-sensitive or not. Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Gather everyone around the table to enjoy this moist and delicious pumpkin bread. Made with no nuts, no dairy, no eggs, and no gluten – no kidding!
	Trend: D-I-Y for D-O-G Man’s best friend deserves man’s best effort. That’s why making your own dog food is one of the latest canine crazes! This year, homemade dog treats are at the top of fido’s list. Recipe: Dog Bark This treat will make your dog sit up and beg for more. Make the bark by melting carob chips and peanut butter then top with your dog’s favorite ingredients – bacon and cheese. Bow WOW!
	Trend: Food Craft The kitchen is the new craft room. With food as their medium, clever cooks are making amazing edible food crafts that are as good to look at as they are to eat. Recipe: Chocolate Coal Lumps Naughty or nice, everyone will love these easy cho-coal-late treats. Cocoa Puffs® cereal dipped in melted chocolate and marshmallows create these tasty stocking stuffers.

I am so ashamed to say that I am so late getting this post up that it’s not even funny! the emails just kept getting buried until I forgot about it …..BUT, I still wanted you guys to have to have the opportunity to win some great McCormick stuff that I am posting it now!

Halloween is one of my absolute favorite holidays! Normally it is Christmas cookies that we are making but my nieces were in town and it was to cold to spend the day at the park so, we made cookies! I wasn’t able to get any pics of the complete project because the kids were just going nuts with frosting and sprinkles.

We used McCormick food coloring to color the frosting black, candy corn to make cat faces. My Mother-in-Law is always so happy when I bring her McCormick Black Food Coloring. It’s so hard to find around here for some reason (so she tells me) and for all of the baking she does, it’s a pain in the butt to make it. I think she is good for a few holidays now!

Enter our Giveaway!

Your giveaway prize pack will contain…… (Some items may be substituted duh to my craptastic job of posting so late!!)

• McCormick Assorted Food Color, Black Food Color and Pure Vanilla Extract
• Cupcake Liners
• Silicone baking sheet
• Le Creuset spatula
• Mu Kitchen Oven mitt
• Assorted Halloween Candy
• “Tricks for Your Treats” Halloween decorating ideas

Disclosure: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting. I received a gift package for my testing purposes by McCormick. The views and opinions expressed in this blogs content are solely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product should be verified by the above mentioned manufacturer, PR Agency or product designer. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to twitter, facebook or any other network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC® and/or its above sponsor. The product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. You can read more about our Disclosure Policy here.

The other day while wandering around on Twitter, I received a tweet from the DELICIOUS Tweeps at @HersheysKisses.

I don’ t know how or why they tweeted to me but I always love when one of my favorite Brands finds me before I find them! I used to go to Hershey Park every year for my birthday when I lived in Pennsylvania. I miss that so much now that I am in Ohio! Anyway…..They sent me this amazing cookie recipe and I had to pass it along. How can you not love cookies and chocolate at that! Give these babies a try and tell them (and me!) what you think!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips or Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy.
• Add eggs; beat well.
• Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Add nuts, if desired.
• Drop rounded teaspoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
• Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 5 dozen cookies.

Source

Disclosure: This is a personal post because I just felt like doing one. Not because I was asked to, paid to or given anything. That is still allowed right?

This recipe has been relocated.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies