No-Sugar-Added Fruitcake
Jackie Davidson - Mobile, AL I have several friends and family members with special dietary needs. I developed this delicious fruitcake after many trials and errors. These little cakes have no added sugar and are lactose-free. My friends and relatives actually look forward to receiving these as gifts! Enjoy them during the holiday season...

Makes 3 small fruitcakes

Dry Ingredients:
1 Packet Mariani Dried Apricots, chopped
1 Packet Mariani Harvest Medley
2 cups walnut pieces or halves
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
15 packets Splenda

Liquid Ingredients:
2 bananas, mashed
1 - 8 oz can crushed pineapple
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup lactose free skim milk
1 cup (not from concentrate) orange juice
2 T bourbon (optional)
1 T olive oil
1 t vanilla

Combine all dry ingredients. Stir well, till fruit & nuts are evenly coated with flour & spices. Combine all liquid ingredients. Pour into fruit mixture and fold over with large spoon until well combined. Mixture will be soupy. Divide batter evenly into 3 (4x8) baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour & 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave for 2-3 hours. Cover with foil and let sit overnight. Refrigerate cakes to facilitate slicing.

*Note: This cake is very rich & sweet despite having no added sugar to the recipe. Those watching their sugar intake should eat this holiday treat sparingly.

Things to do with kids for Christmas,Go to a holiday parade.
,

Handmade Gifts from the Heart

This is a wonderful gift to give to your friends during the holidays.

Nut Roll

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

4 eggs

1 package yeast

1/4 cup warm water

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs one at a time Dissolve 1 yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and add to creamed mixture. Sift 4 cups flour and 2 teaspoons

salt together. Add to mixture and mix. Place in greased bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Nut filling

4 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 stick of melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

Mix all filling ingredients together.

Split your dough in half. Roll into a rectangle, spread half of the nut filling on and roll up from the long side. Repeat with second dough roll. Seal

edges, cover with towel and place in warm spot until dough rises. Approximately an hour.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 º. Brush with melted butter if desired the last fifteen minutes before roll is done

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Ev'rybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And ev'ry mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways,
"Merry Christmas to you."

Go through your gadget drawer in the kitchen. Take out everything. Then replace and organize what you truly use and need. The rest of the items can be donated to Goodwill.

http://www.favecrafts.com/Christmas-Angels/Angel-Candle-Cover/ct/1#

Angel Candle Cover

By: Heidi Borchers

Use the reverse decoupage technique to create your own Angel Candle Cover from Heidi Borchers. Angel Christmas crafts are a traditional yet fun way to decorate your home. This craft can also be displayed on a tabletop or Christmas tree.

Materials:

Aleene's Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage – Sparkles
Tulip Beads in a Bottle
Tape (clear) to create small tip nozzle
Scissors
Paint brush
Shrink plastic – clear (two pieces approximately 8-1/2″ x 11″ for each angel)
White tissue paper
Small gift wrapped present (I created mine by cutting a piece of foam board, wrapping it with aluminum foil and tying with gold bow)
Votive (glass)
Electronic tea light

Instructions:

There are several different choices of Aleene's Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage. I chose Sparkles for this project because I wanted the sparkle of glitter. I am also using Tulip Beads in a Bottle in a non-traditional way! This product is a super cool way to add beads of paint to your projects but I like to add a finer tip and use my Beads in a Bottle to draw thin lines.
To create a temporary tip on the Beads in a Bottle, cut a piece of tape approximately 1/4″ wide by 1-1/2″ long. Press the end of the tape onto the side of the tip and begin to turn the tube in your hand.
The tape will wrap up and back down again to form a tip.
Place pattern on work surface. Lay plastic on top of pattern (USE PATTERN OF YOUR CHOOSING). Trace over pattern lines with paint.
Reverse pattern and trace another design in reverse onto second piece of plastic. Let paint dry completely.
On wrong side (back side) apply an even coat of Aleene's Collage Pauge over entire design. Be certain that you brush Collage Pauge up to and over outside lines of design.
Press tissue into loose ball to form wrinkles. Gently press wrinkled tissue into wet Collage Pauge. Repeat to create second angel. Let dry completely.
In the close-up photo below, I glued a package between both angel pieces. Just apply glue along the hand lines and press package in place.
You can pre-purchase mini wrapped packages at your local craft store or make one yourself. I cut two pieces of foamboard, glued them together, wrapped them with aluminum foil and tied on a gold bow.
These electronic tea lights I found at the dollar store are super cool for this project. No need to worry about a candle flame!