Hands to Work, Hearts to God

This Christmas morning, I am thankful to have been born into a family who loves to make things. As I look around, I see Jo's needlepoint gingerbread house, Ace's wooden birdhouse, the scarf you knitted, and the life-sized wooden sleigh Daddy designed and crafted for me (and I sewed all that is inside the sleigh). How fortunate are we to have a family who places an emphasis on sharing creativity? Merry Christmas to all!
"I want to be with people who sumerge in the task,
who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm..."
...Marge Piercy (thanks to Jen for this awesome poem)

bounty--coffee cake (fcp)

Christmas Apple-Nut Coffee Ring
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons (or 2 pkgs) yeast
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter
Apple Nut Filling:
2 cups finely chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze:
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 Tablespoons milk (I always need more than this)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: chopped walnuts, red and green candied cherries
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 flour (2 cups) with the sugar, yeast, and salt. In a medium saucepan, heat milk, water, and a butter until lukewarm. Pour into dry ingredients and mix at low speed. Add egg and blend at high speed for 2 minutes. With spoon, add about 1 and 1/2 cups remaining flour to form a soft dough. Knead in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Divide dough in half, roll each into a 7x14 rectangle and brush with melted butter. Spread half apple-nut filling over each, roll up along long side, seal edges. Place sealed edges down in a circle on greased cookie sheets, then seal ends firmly. Cut 2/3 of the way into the ring at 1 inch intervals. Turn each one-inch section on its side slightly. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk--1 to 1 and 1/2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. When almost cool, drizzle with glaze and decorate with cherries and walnuts. Yields two coffee cakes, one for you and one to share.

lace

I finally decided that this is a Thanksgiving Cactus and not a Christmas Cactus after all. The difference is in the leaf. The Christmas Cactus has leaves that are more rounded. The Thanksgiving Cactus - or False Christmas Cactus - has serrated or 'toothed' leaves. Looks lacy to me . . . .