Baking, Stirring, Crafting ... Oh What Fun

Baking Christmas Cookies

Stirring up Batches of Blackberry Jam

Crafting Mini Stockings with Goodies

Listening to Manheim Steamroller while I post

You've got to love it...

Baking is almost done, 2 more pans of bars

Stormfitty Nut Cake ( Plum Cake)

Another batch of fudge

Gotta stop some time...

Shopping is done

Gifts are wrapped and under the tree

Work until 6:00pm on Christmas Eve

Retail ...   Bah - Hum -  Bug

Christmas Cookies

Yum

New recipe this year

Stormfitty Nut Cake (Plum Cake)

This recipe  was commonly called Plum Cake by the Pennsylvania Germans

is usually served as a Christmas treat

In the past "plums" meant raisins

From: Laura Henrietta (Hensel) Weaver, 1870-1900

Found in Early American Homes Magazine Dec 2000 Issue
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1 1/2 cups butter

4 eggs separated

1 teaspoon soda

1 cup raisins

1 small wine glass brandy    (1/2 cup more or less)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup buttermilk

4 cups flour

1 cup chopped nuts

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Mix buttermilk and soda and set aside

Cream butter and brown sugar, beat in egg yolks

Blend in Brandy

Now, add buttermilk and flour adding in alternately

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites

Fold in raisins and nuts

Pour into a  greased and floured bundt cake pan

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done

Let set for several hours and then serve

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Hopefully it is as good as it sounds

My German heritage tells me it will be

I think I will put a simple glaze on top and sprinkle on a few nuts

WOW...What a mess
Time to clean up....

  Basket full of Homemade Holiday Gifts

Each year I treat the gals at work with Holiday goody's.

Last year was a dozen  Amish Friendship Muffins

Year before that was homemade candy and cookies

And before that blackberry jam with muffin mix

Well, they sure missed the blackberry jam, so this year "Jam" it is

with a special mitten treat bag

 16 jars of homemade Blackberry Jam from blackberry's picked in my own berry patch

I love making jams and jellies

inherited that trait from my Dad

 I needed something special to go with the Jam.

So expanded on the mitten ornaments  idea I made for my tree

"Not A Creature Was Stirring"

I would use mittens for the tags

Supplies ...child's mitttens

muslin with stamped message

rusty bells and safety pins

candy goodies to stuff inside

 All Hearts Come Home For Christmas

God Bless Us Everyone!

Mitten Tag/Tree Ornament

Attached stamped message to mitten with rusty pin and bell

Stuff with greens, chocolate Santa, candy kisses and candy cane

Attached twine on back for a hanger

 Here they are...all lined up nice and pretty

Mittens are hanging from the lids

Can be removed and hung on the tree

 Basket Full of Jam 'n treats

2010 Holiday Gifts from the Heart

Oh dear, what will I do next year?????

All Hearts

Come Home

For Christmas

God 

Bless Us

Everyone

Thank You for visiting today.

Prim Blessings

      Connie