It’s all in the packaging!
I love, love, love to peruse pinterest to find unique packaging ideas. You can take something as simple as bread or a muffin, and make it givable simply by packaging it in a unique way!
Several years ago I found this idea for canning bread.. Actually I can’t even remember where, as it was pre-pinterest days. It is quick and easy, so easy that anyone can do it! Simply take your favorite quick bread or muffin recipe and cook it in a wide-mouth pint canning jar, and you have yourself a unique gift! You can even use the muffin mixes from the store if you like. The bread will stay fresh “canned” for up to 6 months on the shelf (don’t forget to put the date on your label!)
You can use any quick bread or muffin recipe for this. I’ve included a bonus printable label below. Just print on sticker paper or Avery label #
Here is one of my favorites (altered for the jar, from Allrecipes.com):
Blueberry Muffin in a jar
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a deep cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with clean 1 pint wide-mouth canning jars.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries.
- Spoon mixture into clean wide-mouth jars then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. of topping. (2/3 full including the topping) *Don’t overfill. If you do, you may not be able to get the lid on when it is done baking!
- To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes without the lid on. (when a toothpick comes out clean, they are done.)
- When you take the jars out of the oven, place a lid and ring on each jar and tighten. As the jars and muffins cool, the lids will suck down, effectively “canning” the bread/muffin.
Don’t use regular mouth canning jars, the recipient will have a difficult time getting their muffin/bread out! Put on a cute label and some ribbon or jute around the rim and you have yourself a great gift from the kitchen!
need a label? download one here for free:
My family loves to get food for Christmas. They don’t do a lot of baking themselves, so it is a wonderful treat when they are tired and just want something sweet with their coffee! Homemade doesn’t have to be difficult. This is an easy gift that even the young ones can participate in!
Enjoy!
Soli Deo Gloria!
