HOLIDAY STOLLEN
Ingredients:
1-1/2cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

4egg yolks
1/2cup granulated sugar
1teaspoon salt
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Grated peel of 1 orange
1teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2cups hot milk (120° to 130°F)
8to 8-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2packages active dry yeast
1/2cup golden raisins
1/2cup candied orange peel
1/2cup candied lemon peel
1/2cup chopped red candied cherries
1/2cup chopped green candied cherries
1/2cup chopped almonds
1egg, beaten
Powdered sugar


Preparation:
1.Combine butter, egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, lemon peel, orange peel and vanilla in large bowl; beat with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add milk; beat until well blended. Add 2 cups flour and yeast; mix well. When mixture is smooth, add enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough begins to pull away from side of bowl. Turn out dough onto lightly floured work surface; flatten slightly. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Mix raisins, candied orange and lemon peels, cherries and almonds in medium bowl; knead fruit mixture into dough.


2.Shape dough into ball. Place in large greased bowl; turn dough over once to grease surface. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.


3.Grease 2 large baking sheets. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Divide dough in half. Place one half back in bowl; cover and set aside. Cut remaining half into thirds. Roll each third into 12-inch rope. Place on prepared baking sheet. Braid ropes together. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.


4.Brush beaten egg on braids. Let braids stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.


5.Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake braids about 45 minutes or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Red Velvet Angel Food Cake

Ingredients
1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa, do not use Dutch cocoa
1/4 cup(s) water, boiling
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 fl oz food coloring, red
1/4 tsp table salt
1 3/4 cup(s) sugar, divided
1 cup(s) cake flour
16 large egg white(s), about 2 cups
2 tsp white vinegar


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a medium bowl, combine unsweetened cocoa, boiling water, vanilla and food coloring; whisk and set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine salt, 3/4 cup of sugar and cake flour; mix well and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add vinegar; continue to beat until soft peaks form. With electric mixer running on slow speed, gradually add remaining cup of sugar; increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
Remove a heaping cup of egg whites and add it to chocolate mixture; gently combine and set aside.
Sift flour mixture over egg whites, a little at a time, and fold after each addition to incorporate. Add chocolate mixture and gently fold into egg whites. When just combined, turn batter into a two-piece 10-inch angel food cake pan with feet; smooth top into an even layer.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and invert pan onto its feet so the inverted cake can cool properly (the cake will not fall out of the pan). If your pan does not have feet, invert it over the neck of a wine bottle or a glass soda bottle.
When cake is completely cool to the touch, loosen edges with a sharp knife and remove cake from pan. Slice into 16 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.
Treat the egg whites gently and you’ll be rewarded with a high cake.

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

RED VELVET CAKE

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Crushed pecans, for garnish


Directions


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.


In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.


Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.


Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.


Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

The Twelve Day of Christmas, Confusion

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens,
swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out
of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out.


From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.


-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.


So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'

 Now I give you the Christian version we sing:

(The Twelve Days of Christmas) by - Carroll Roberson



On the first day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: salvation full and free.


On the second day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the third day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: Peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the fourth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: love for all men, Peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the fifth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the sixth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me; power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the seventh day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the eighth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: a robe and a crown, a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the ninth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: mansions above, a robe and a crown, a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the tenth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: streets of pure gold, mansions above, a robe and a crown, a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the eleventh day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: a thousand tongues to sing, streets of pure gold, mansions above, a robe and a crown, a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.


On the twelfth day of Christmas Jesus gave to me: eternity to praise, a thousand tongues to sing, streets of pure gold, mansions above, a robe and a crown, a body glorified, power from on high, joy for my soul, love for all men, peace in my heart, everlasting life, and salvation full and free.

This was taken in Alberta , Canada - in a backyard... Just Amazing

Cartoon Bambi and Thumper

FIRST DAY OF DECEMEBER 2009

Hello another season is here, Winter is upon us, and Christmas is right around the corner, I hope this letter finds you well and still praising the lord for all the blessings of November, God is good, God is good all the time, in bad times, in good times he is always good, and he has proved himself over and over to us.



I ask that you keep some of my friends in your prayers, Carolyn in the loss of her husband, and Jan in the loss of her brother. We know many that suffer daily from depression and some that are without work, just keep each other in your prayers, if we do not pray for one another who will? We are family and we need to encourage each other and to be a strong link in the family of God. Even God said you will know the Christian because they love the brethren.


I got this little poem in a email and thought you may like to pass it on to all your friends too.


*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,
*Not Happy Holiday !

They may take Jesus out of the stores and out of the schools and out of our government, but they can never take Jesus out of my heart!!

*December is the twelfth month of the year.
*It has 31 days.
*It is the month chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
*It is considered the festive month, it has taken on the
*Christian Christmas season and the Jewish holiday Hanukkah.
*It originally was the Roman holiday 'Saturnalia' honoring the God Saturn.
*Birthstone: Turquoise, Zircon

♥ THE WAY WE WERE ♥

HARRIS FAMILY 1972

I thought maybe you would enjoy looking at some old photos, this is my family when our youngest was just 4, then here is one in 1998.  Big change huh, we all have put on a few pounds and gotten a few wrinkles.












But God has been very good to my family, my youngest son almost lost his life a few weeks before this photo was taken, he was in a car crash and it all but took the whole top of his head off, he had over 100 staples in his head, and the doctor told us it was a miracle, well we knew that, most cases like his there is severe brain damage, he had none, I could picture in my mind God putting his hand over his brain and protecting it. Our God is awesome, he cares for his children and keeps them under his wing, and when we heard that he had been in such a horrific accident, and we were called to his side for the last few minutes, our hearts went numb,. our knees folded under us, then right beside our bed we prayed that God's will be done, and to do what he thinks is right in the case of our son, well by the time we arrived at the hospital where he was, for he was in another state than we live in, he was already out of surgery and able to speak, my husband told him you know God's hand of protection was surely on you, and he kinda grinned sideways and said, I know daddy, he took care of me again.  I am not sure why I have posted this today, but felt a need to do so, perhaps some one is going through a tough time now, and really needs to look to God for their answers, he has then all you know, just ask and he will reveal it to you, seek and you will find, knock and he will open the doors of understanding to you.
Be blessed my reading friends, and as we enter into this Holiday season, let us all look to the Lord Jesus Christ for all our answers, and for those of us who have huge problems Jesus still has all the answers, and he let him lead you and guide you through this season that is to celebrate his birth. God bless you real good.  Have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas, give Christ his rightful place as we celebrate his birth.

November 29th Devotional

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." (Luke 22:31)

Most of us do not warrant the personal attention of Satan as Peter did, for we do not constitute as great a threat to his kingdom as Peter did. Nevertheless the devil, "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Whether he attacks us himself--as he did Peter, and David, and Job--or assigns this task to one or more of his demons, the fact is that Satan is real and his legions of evil spirits are real, and they will, indeed, seek to force every believer into Satan's sieve.
John calls Satan "the accuser of our brethren . . . which accused them before our God day and night" (Revelation 12:10). He uses every device to keep us from Christ, or to persuade us to sin against Him, or even to deny Him as Peter did. Jesus called Satan "a murderer from the beginning . . . a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). He seeks to sow discord among the brethren, to sow tares among the wheat, to sow false doctrine with the truth, to sow evil thoughts in the pure, to do all he can to hinder our work for God and our faith in Him. And, as Martin Luther sang: "On earth is not his equal."
Yes, but "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2). Furthermore, "he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
The Lord assured Peter that, even though Satan would sift him as wheat, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32). And when Jesus prays, God answers!
When we, like Peter, have been sifted through the sieve of Satan, and when we also know that our great advocate and intercessor has prayed for us and our faith has not failed, then we can, as the Lord exhorted Peter, "strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32).   HMM

Black Friday, NOT...Frugal Friday

Hi there lets see how many different ways we can use turkey, and give an example of how you will use your left over turkey, this saves in spending money on another meal for today right...That is frugal, any way we can cut corners in this day of high pricing is a frugal and good way.


I am gonna cut up the remainder of our turkey and make a turkey salad, a big, salad with lettuce, onion, turkey, celery, hard boiled egg, and cheese to top it off, like a Chef salad only with turkey instead of ham and turkey. Another way is:

Turkey Frittatta


12oz leftover vegetables such as roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sprouts
8oz leftover turkey, a mixture of brown and white
2tbsp olive oil
6 large eggs, beaten
2oz leftover stuffing, crumbled
Handful of parsley to garnish

Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces no bigger than 2cm. Tear or slice the turkey into bite-sized chunks.

Add the oil to the hot pan, then the vegetables and turkey. Sauté over a medium heat for 3-4 mins or until the vegetables begin to crisp and are piping hot. Crumble in the stuffing.

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper, then pour into the pan. Stir gently for about 1 min or until most of the egg has set. Shake the pan to level the surface and cook for 3 mins until the base is golden and top almost set.

Pop under a hot grill and cook for 1 min or until the top has set. Scatter over the parsley and serve hot in wedges with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, and a salad

God Bless You, Happy Thankgiving

Pondering on Thanksgivings Past, Let me encourage you in the middle of your Thanksgiving celebration to take a minute to step back and consider the times past, think on the things that blessed your heart many years ago….Then take a minute to look around you, look into each loved ones face, at their smiles and their mannerisms, look at all the wonderful foods that our hands has prepared, and the love that went into it. Just savor the moment, the blessings of this day, compared to days past. With our family we have added so many new faces, we have in laws and new grand baby and great grand babies, just a abundance of love through this one union of man and wife, this is our 50th Thanksgiving together as a married couple, that in itself is such a glorious blessing, to still have my wonderful bridegroom of my youth. Take in note for times to come. Then thank the Lord for His goodness, grace and mercy, for family and friends, for the freedom to worship him freely still, for God’s great provisions, for HIS SALVATION through His son JESUS, for heaven, to see, hear, taste, smell, touch….and for His amazing love and bountiful blessings. Oh how God has blessed us and our family, yes I will take the time to thank him. Deuteronomy 28:2 "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God."


God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving day, and may we all be thankful throughout the year, day by day thanking him and making sure we honor him.