New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

mary-op

After a bit of a disappointing day with the socks I was messing around with I've trawled this site and found I've been folding them wrong So, I'll try again tomorrow.
While I was looking round old threads/posts I found one for 'sock jam; but don't know if its just a pair of socks rolled up and put in a jam jar or is anything else added does anyone know ?
I've got some plum coloured socks I didnt know what to do with and they'd be just right.
Just hope I've got the right size jar.............lol

mum2one

Traditional Xmas Cake -

Makes 1 round 23cm cake or 1 square 23cm cake

Ingredients

1/2 kilo mixed fruit
1/2 kilo sultanas
1/2 kilo currants
250g glace cherries
200ml rum,brandy or sherry
290g plain flour
2 tsp ground mixed spice
225g butter
225g soft brown sugar
5 large eggs
zest of 1 med orange
zest of 1 lemon
150g ground almonds.

Utensils etc
Large mixing bowl
string
baking paper
deep 23 cm cake tin / square or round depending on shape.

Method.

1. Put all the dried fruit (bar cherries), in a large mixing bowl, add liquor, (you can use orange juice instead).

2. Cover with clingfilm, leave for 24 hrs stirring ocassionally.

3. Line the tin with 3 layers of baking paper, wrap outsides with double layer, of brown paper. Preheat over to Gas 2, 150C or 130C if fan oven.

4. Rinse the cherries in warm water, pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut each one in half,

5. Sift the flour and mixed spice together, (use seperate bowl),

6. Cream butter and sugar together, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding a tablespoon of flour mix with each one.

7. Finely grate the zest of the orange + lemon, stir into the creamed mixture.

8. Stir in the rest of the flour mix, ground almonds, cherries and the dried fruit + alcohol mix. Mix well.

9. Put mixture into desired tin, pat top with damp fingertips.

10. Bake for 1 hour, reduce oven temperature to 140C / 120C (fan oven), gas 1 and bake for a further 3 hours or until a skewer in centre comes out clean.

Can cover tops with foil if browning too quickly.

11. Remove cake from cake tins, and cool completely on a rack, (leave baking paper on)

12. wrap in foil and store in a tin,

13. after a week, unwrap and pierce with a skewer, drizzle over 2 tablepsoons liquor,, wrap and store.

14. Repeat twice over 2 more weeks.

digressing slightly......
but the square cake is ideal to use as presents/ in hamper, as cut the cake into half, then half the other way, (leaving 4 quarters), and can be iced and rewrapped up.

xx

This can be made in advance - anytime from now.

mum2one

The main difference is the fruit used, as this is based on tropical fruits.
Can be made upto 6 weeks in advance.
Can omit the alcohol for orange juice if preferred.

Fruity Christmas Cake.

Ingredients
200g glace cherries
225g plain flour
1 1/2tsp ground mixed spice
150g ground almonds
175g butter
175g light soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
grated zest 1 orange, + 1 unwaxed lemon
6 tbsp rum,brandy,or sherry. (or Orange Juice - non alcohol version)
1kg tropical dried fruit mix**

Method
1.Line a 23cm deep round cake tin or a 20cm square tin with 3 layers of baking paper

2.Wrap the outside with more paper,tie with string. Preheat the oven, 150C/130C (fan oven) /Gas 2.

3.Rinse the glace cherries, with hot water,cut into quarters and pat dry with kitchen roll.

4.Sift the flour and mixed spice together,add the ground almonds, and set aside.

5.Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

6. Then beat in the eggs one at a time,beating well between each addition, add a tablespoon of the flower mix with each egg.

7. Stir in the remainding flour mix, followed by the orange + lemon zest, cherries,dried tropical fruit, and alcohol or orange juice.

8.Put the mixture in the choosen tin,and make a shallow depression in the centre.

9.Bake for 1 hour, then reduce oven temp to 140C / 120C (fan oven) / Gas 1 and cook for another 2 1/2 to3 hrs, but after the cake has been cooking for 2 hrs, place a piece of cooking foil on the top to prevent it from browning.

10.Remove from the tin, and cool on a rack,- dont peel off the baking paper.

11. When totally cold wrap in cling film or foil and store in an airtight container.

tip - to test if it is cooked, insert a skewer (or clean knitting needle),in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean its cooked, if its sticky cook for a bit longer.

Next stage - if your using alcohol.

1.After a week, !!!!! the cake with a fine skewer (or knitting needle), and spoon or brush over 2 tablespoons of the alcohol that u put in the recipie.

2.Continue to do this every week or two, until a week before you decorate.

**- re tropical dried fruit mix.

If you have a weigh and save shop, buy the mix lose from there, if not go to Asda, and purchase 4 x 250g bags Asda Tropical Fruit Mix (got a feeling their in the kids section - mini fruit bags).

xx

rufusdog52

Evening everyone. I have finished off all the place mats today and started on some more of those dolls. Have made up two of the big ones and three of the little ones, need to cut out their clothes and make them up. They are not for any one in particular, just that I had some of the fabrics left over so thought I would do some to put away for the stall.

Ordered some more cello yesterday as I was running out and wanted some clear cello. Have used up all the lovely Santa cello Susan gave me, thanks again xx. OH is "doing" a hamper for his brother and sister in law for Christmas so "I" will need some cello for that. Dont know what we are going to put it in yet, he has bough things like tin on chocolate biscuits and some tins of JD and Coke, etc. I showed him some lovely baskets in Wilks that had the cotton lining, was £9.99 for a set of 3 and the largest would be ideal for the hamper but when he saw the price he said he wasnt paying that lol. I said to him what were you expecting to pay for a basket then and he said he thought I would have had something he could use!! The only baskets I have are tiny ones, so I said that he will have to get a big box instead and I will cover it for him in Xmas wrap.

Was looking on Youtube this morning at the towel cakes and wondering whether to do one of these for eldest daughter instead of just another basket. Think I will have a look up the town market on Monday and see how much their towels are and whether they do a lilac one as I have some lilac bits to go with it. Last year three people bought me lilac coloured sets lol, one was an oil burner with candles (the colour wont go in any of our rooms) and then I had two bath sets in same colours so I can use these with a nice towel and see how it goes. Do you think I would need more than one towel? I was trying to see what they used on Youtube but they all seemed to be tall cakes like wedding cakes which I wouldnt want to do, just may be one layer with the bits on top or in the middle or whatever lol (confusing my self now lol)

Anyway off to watch a bit of tele. Rufus xx

mum2one

A festive cake,but without the heaviness of a Christmas Cake.

Apricot, almond and cranberry cake.

Ingredients-

Decorations-
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

For the cake-
175g (6oz) butter
175g (6oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
300g (10oz) self-raising flour
100g ( 3 1/2oz) cranberries
200g (7oz) ready to eat apricots - need to be chopped
50g (2oz) ground almonds
grated zest 1 orange

Method

1.Preheat oven to Gas 3, 160C, line and grease a 1kg/2lb loaf tin.

2. cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy

3. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a small amount of flour with each egg.

4. Stir in the remaining flour with cranberries, apricots, almonds, and orange zest.

5.Spoon into the tin, and bake for 1 1/2hrs until golden,risen and firm to the touch.

6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin.

7. To decorate, put the 2 tablespoons orange juice + sugar in a pan and boil for 2 minutes until syrupy, stir well then drizzle over the cake.

The cake will keep for a week.

xx

junior_j

Mum2one those recipes look delicious! Thanks for sharing.

I just had to share these offers ive seen recently.

- Asdas - Fire man sam SLANKET (ya know blanket with sleeves) for kids reduced to £2.50
These on play.com

-Different humerus mugs boxed are as little as 1.99 but most are 2.99 at the moment
- All posters are £2.99 at the moment.
- Funny gadgets 131 of them are under £5.00 to

xx

mum2one

junior_j wrote: »

Mum2one those recipes look delicious! Thanks for sharing.

I just had to share these offers ive seen recently.

- Asdas - Fire man sam SLANKET (ya know blanket with sleeves) for kids reduced to £2.50
These on play.com

-Different humerus mugs boxed are as little as 1.99 but most are 2.99 at the moment
- All posters are £2.99 at the moment.
- Funny gadgets 131 of them are under £5.00 to

xx

My pleasure with the recipies, cheated got them from last yrs thread, I have made both the xmas cakes - the tropical one is heavy but is absolutely gorgeous xx

junior_j

mum2one wrote: »

My pleasure with the recipies, cheated got them from last yrs thread, I have made both the xmas cakes - the tropical one is heavy but is absolutely gorgeous xx

Make me hungry just thinking about it xx

Legendmum

junior_j wrote: »

Mum2one those recipes look delicious! Thanks for sharing.

I just had to share these offers ive seen recently.

- Asdas - Fire man sam SLANKET (ya know blanket with sleeves) for kids reduced to £2.50
These on play.com

-Different humerus mugs boxed are as little as 1.99 but most are 2.99 at the moment
- All posters are £2.99 at the moment.
- Funny gadgets 131 of them are under £5.00 to

xx

Oooh Fireman Sam! Was this instore? Gutted our nearest Asda is 20 miles away!

fedupandskint

Mmm, yummy sounding cake recipes there mum2one!

I've just sorted ou my ingredients for 4 cakes already got and what's left to get as will make a start on 2 this week and soak all the fruit for a week!

Got a bargain today. Called in at the local garden centre which has diversified into all sorts and they sell of cheaply lots of slightly OOD food. Guess what they had. 1lb jars of OOd chutney for 5p! Had a think about the jars - one lot had labels on and the other lot where clean jars with a pickle in them meaning they would come up as new

Bought 22 jars to empty out and wash and reuse for £1.10p! Unfortunately this was after I had ordered some more from lakeland yesterday and received the despatched email today. Never mind, they'll all get used, even if not this year, next year and I can use some for pots of snow as can't find anything else to use in £land or TKMaxx

Left to make are Hearty Ale Chutney and Nigella's Christmas Chutney and marmalade. Hearty Ale Chutney making tomorrow

How I love this time of year, making lovely preserves with all the great produce out there. It's lovely to give away as presents and lovely to open jars throughout the year and not have to buy any pickles from the supermarket. I had a shock when I ran out of marmalade for the 1st time in 2yrs and had to buy some. Even when I found some without all the added ingredients it wasn't the same!

Then really need to crack on with some reading for the assignment due in soon! Arrrggh!