Cats singing Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Christmas Kitty

Cliff Richards- Christmas time Mistletoe and Wine

Merry Christmas

My Christmas Wish for you

My Christmas Wish To YOU 

By Catherine Pulsifer 
If I could wish a wish for you,
it would be for peace and happiness not only now,
but for the whole year through!
I wish that there always be food on your table.
And that you always remember those less fortunate.
May you always take time to share, and thank those who share with you.
I wish for time, so you may reflect
on the blessings that you have, and that you express your love
to those who are dear to you.
May you never feel lonely,
because there are those who care.
That you realize: you are special,
you are unique, you make a difference,
not only at Christmas, but all year!
I wish for your thoughts to be positive ones,
that you never quit, that you never give up,
and that you continue to learn.
I wish for the love, peace, and joy
of Christmas be yours always,


If Only

by Catherine Pulsifer 
If only every day
Held the spirit of Christmas day
To capture that feeling always
Year round would be the best way

Christmas fruit Cake

Ingredients

175g raisins

175g sultanas

175g currants

80g dried apricots

100g glacé cherries

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

225g plain flour

1½ tsp mixed spice

45g ground almonds

150g light soft brown sugar

150g butter or margarine

1 tbsp black treacle

3 eggs

2 tbsp brandy

45g blanched almonds

Extra brandy for feeding

Method

Grease and line the base and the sides of an 8inch/20cm tin.

Weight out the currants, raisins and sultanas and then gradually sort through them, a handful at a time, removing any stalks attached to the fruit before placing into a large bowl

Weigh out the apricots and cherries and cut into small pieces using a pair of scissors. Grate the zest from the lemon and the orange and add it all into the bowl along with the raisins.

Pour over the 2tbsp brandy, stir and then cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave for at least 12 hours or preferably overnight, to allow the fruit to soak up the brandy.

The following day, preheat the oven to 140C. Grease and line the base and the sides of an 8inch/20cm tin.

Chop the blanched almonds into small chunks and add to a clean large bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Beat for 3 minutes until mixture is smooth and well combined.

Add the soaked fruit to the batter mixture and stir together using a spatula until all the fruit is well coated and distributed.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, level the surface and then create a dip about 2cm deep in the centre of the cake. (This compensates for the usual dome/rise when baking and results in a flatter cake)

Place the cake in the oven and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes. After the 2 hours you may want to quickly add a sheet of foil over the top of the tin to prevent it from over browning.

Ensure that a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean before removing from the oven and allowing to cool in the tin.

Prick the top of the cake all over with a fine skewer and then slowly drizzle over another tablespoon of brandy.

Remove the cake from the tin and wrap in clingfilm, leaving the greaseproof paper attached to the cake. (This helps keep it moist).

Place the cake in an airtight container and lave in a cool dark place for a minimum of two weeks to mature. Unwrap it once a week to ‘feed’ with an extra tablespoon of brandy before re storing until required.

The cake can be made anything from 2 weeks to 6 months ahead of time. The brandy preserves the cake.

My Christmas Socks

 

Life is Beautiful

MerrynChristmas

Have a wonderful Christmas time

Christmas Dinner Crosstitch Graph

Tipsy Slices/Rabanadas

Receita:

1 cacete com 2/3 dias

1 litro de vinho maduro tinto

Açucar q.b.

1 colher de chá de mel

1 pau de canela

1 casca de limão

Canela em pó q.b.

Ovos q.b.

Óleo q.b.

Ferva o vinho, juntamente com o mel, o pau de canela e a casca de limão e açucar a gosto.

Corte o pão em fatias com cerca de 1 cm de espessura (corte em diagonal para obter umas rabanadas maiores).

Deixe arrefecer o vinho e vá preparando a mesa de trabalho: ovos batidos numa taça, vinho noutra taça e noutra taça, ainda, misture bem açucar em pó e canela em pó para polvilhar as rabanadas depois de fritas.

Aqueça o óleo numa frigideira grande.

Molhe as fatias de pão no vinho. Tenha em atenção que devem absorver o liquido q.b. para ficarem húmidas, mas não tanto que se desfaçam, daí a calda não dever estar muito quente. Esprema com cuidado ou deixe escorrer sobre um passador. Passe no ovo batido. Coloque na frigideira com o óleo bem quente e deixe dourar de um lado e outro. Uma vez fritas retire o excesso de óleo. Polvilhe de ambos os lados com a mistura de açucar e canela em pó. Vá colocando as rabanadas em camadas numa taça funda. Repita até acabar o pão.

Para a calda :

Aproveite o vinho que sobrou e acrescente mais até perfazer cerca de 600 gr., acrescente 300 gr. de açucar (ou menos), pode juntar mais um pau de canela. Deixe ferver 1 minuto. Quando arrefecer deite sobre as rabanadas e leve à mesa.

It´s Christmas Time

Modern Talking.......It´s Christmas

Beautiful Pictures for Decoupage

Paper Dolls

Tea Set Shelf Crosstitch Graph.

BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS

Slimmed down Brownies

Slimmed Down Brownies

Recipe from Shape 

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons espresso
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil; spray foil lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt,and baking powder. Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until combined. Add egg, egg whites, vanilla and coffee. Continue beating until incorporated.
4. Scrape down sides of the bowl and reduce mixer speed to low. Slowly add flour mixture to the bowl, followed by yogurt, and mix gently until combined. The batter will be thick.
5. Stir in chocolate and walnuts if using.
6. With a spatula, spread mixture evenly in pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of pan comes out dry. Cool on a wire rack before removing from pan and slicing into 16 squares.

Recipe makes 16 2-inch by 2-inch servings.

Sting - Fragile

Measure For Measure

"Success is an ambiguous device. It can simultaneously kiss your lips and cut your throat. It is a slick salesman who sells you gold that turns into dust. It is a master illusionist cheating your eyes into seeing something that isn't there. It's deception can turn a white dove into a raven.

We have to stretch that measuring tape further. We have to let it measure our real value -- our spiritual worth. If we don't have spiritual worth, we are paupers forever scrounging for food while feeling the hunger pangs of our spirits.

Isn't true success the way we treat others? How we treat loved ones, strangers, the human race? You know how much you are worth by what you do to increase your spiritual value.

Practicing forgiveness, contentment, detachment and humility all add to your spiritual worth. Living a life of values can be an invaluable experience."


~Alexys Fairfield

Thank You

Thank You!
To those of you who laughed at me, thank you.
Without you I wouldn't have cried.

To those of you who just couldn't love me, thank you.
Without you I wouldn't have known real love.

To those of you who hurt my feelings, thank you.
Without you I wouldn't have felt them.

To those of you who left me lonely, thank you.
Without you I wouldn't have discovered myself.

But it is to those of you who thought I couldn't do it;
It is you I thank the most,
Because without you I wouldn't have tried.
 
Author Unknown

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