1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. warm milk
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. light oil
1 egg, at room temperature
3 1/2 to 4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. sugar
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. cherry halves

DECORATIONS:

1 c. powdered sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. milk
Red and green sugar decoration toppings

To make dough, mix yeast and warm milk (115 degrees) in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until yeast is visably foaming. Stir in remainder of sugar, oil and egg, making sure egg is not cool. Mix together.

Add half the flour and stir. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle without being sticky to the touch. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed. Lift dough out of bowl, and place a light film of oil on the bowl's surface where it will touch the dough.

Place dough back in bowl, and cover the bowl with a warm damp cloth. Place in a warm area until the dough has doubled (approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours). After it has risen once, punch dough down, and let it rise again. It will be considerably faster the second time.

Cut dough into halves. Take one half, shape into a short tube, and place on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into the shape of a rectangle the size of a sheet of legal paper and about 1/4-inch thick.

Place half the melted butter into the center of the rectangle, and spread it with a spoon until it covers the entire surface of the dough, adding more butter if necessary. Sprinkle the cinnamon and the sugar over the butter, keeping coverage even. Place raisins on top of the cinnamon and sugar, again keeping the coverage even.

Take the long side of the dough and roll it over onto itself jelly roll style making a tube of the entire rectangle. Place the tube edge side down on a pan (a rounded pizza pan if possible), and bring the two ends together to make a circle or wreath.

Take a knife and starting about 1/4 inch from the inside of the ring make cuts to the outer edge all the way through the dough approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch apart. Each section should be folded under the one before it for a toppled dominoes effect. Continue all the way around the wreath.

Place a cherry half on the inside of the wreath by each slice and a pecan half in the fold. Place a damp cloth over the finished ring, and place in a warm place to rise.

Repeat the entire process with the other half of the dough.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once the rings have risen, but not quite doubled, place in the oven, and cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

To test, thump the center of the rings. They should sound hollow.

Let the rings cool for a few minutes. Mix the powdered sugar and milk until it is smooth and thick but not lumpy. Dribble the icing over the ring in a decorative manner.

When the rings are cool, sprinkle with red and green sugars. Do not do this while they are hot or the sugar may melt and run.