The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-15
By SISTER MARY NEA Service Staff WriteP)

Nearly everyone has sweet tooth and during the holiday sea- son it's all too easy to eat too much candy. Although candy is an excellent food when eaten in mod eration, too much of it tends to satiate the appetite while furnish ing only one body need-fuel.
 Consequently you will find a few confections made with dried fruits delicious and entirely satis- factory to mix with the usual Christmas candies. Dates, figs, raisins, prunes, apricots, and peaches all can be used to make inviting ''sweetmeats."
 To be sure, dried fruits contain a large amount of sugar, but 1t is a natural sugar in a form which is quickly assimilated. They also contribute some iron and calcium and on account of their chevy structure are an aid to the very essential tooth exercise we hear so much about.
 Syrian Sweets
 One-half pound figs, 1-2 pound seedless raisins, 1-2 pound nut meats, powdered sugar, 1 table, spoon strained honey, table, spoon lemon juice.
 Wash and pick over the figs and raisins and combine with the nut meats. Put through medium knife of food chopper. Add honey and lemon juice and mix thor oughly. Roll into sheet about an inch thick on board sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cut in squares and roll in sugar.
 Candy Fruit Cake
 One-half cup stoned and chop ped dates, tablespoons shredded citron, tablespoons each of can- died orange and lemon peel, 1-2 can pecan nut meats, 1-2 cup Bra gil nut meats, 2 ounces dipping chocolate, powdered sugar.
 Put nuts and fruit through food chopper. Melt chocolate over hot water and stir into first mixture. Work with fork until perfectly blended. Pack in a buttered small oblong blocks and roll in powdered sugar.
 Stuffed Prunes
 One-half pound prunes (about 20), tablespoons finely minced citron, tablespoon candied orange peel, tablespoons broken nut meats, tablespoons seedless raisins, 4 tablespoons pitted dates.
 Wash prunes and steam ten minutes. Remove pits. Put re- maining fruit and nuts through food chopper and work with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. If mixture is too dry add honey or lemon juice or orange juice to suit your taste. Stuff prunes with mixture and roll in granulated sugar.
 Stuffed Dates
 One-half pound dates (about 30), 5 prunes, 1-2 cup pecan nut meats, 4 tablespoons preserved ginger, 4 tablespoons seedless raj sins, strained honey.
 Wash dates and remove stones. Wash and steam prunes. Remove pits and put fruit and nuts through food chopper. Add honey to make mixture moist enough to hold together. Fill dates with mixture and roll in granulated sugar.
 A good stuffing for either dates or prunes is made of 3 table, spoons orange peel, 4 tablespoons shredded cocoanut and 8 dates. Wash dates and remove pits and put through the food chopper with the orange peel and cocoanut. Mix well and add 1 teaspoon orange juice to make moist. Spiced Fruit Balls One-half cup pitted prunes, 1-2 | cup pitted dates, cup seeded rai- sins, 1-2 cup nut meats, 1-2 cup | figs, l teaspoon cinnamon, 1 table, | spoon lemon juice.
 Wash fruit thoroughly through several waters. Drain and dry between paper towels. Put through food chopper with nuts. Add cin- namon and lemon juice and mix well. Make into small balls and roll in powdered sugar mixed with cinnamon in the proportion of teaspoon cinnamon to ? tablespoons powdered sugar.
 Apricot Squares | One cup diced dried apricots, | 3-4 cup grated cocoanut, 1 cup nut meats, l tablespoon lemon juice, confectioner's or powdered sugar l Wash apricots through several waters and let stand in cold water for one hour. Drain and put through food chopper with nuts and cocoanut. Add lemon juice and work until perfectly blended Roll out on sugaSed board into a sheet about one-fourth incl thick. Cut in squares and dip 1T powdered sugar.