Category Archives: Holiday

November 21, 2012 · 4:31 pm

Blessed Thanksgiving 2012……

Merry Meet my friends.  Hope you all are enjoying your Autumn…late Autumn now. I know for so many it’s your favorite time of year..mine too!  Here in Ohio, all the glorious color is gone now…just stark trees.  But the skies have been blue, the weather mild and it’s been a wonderful Season!

I have been a very busy woman!  Packing up a large houseful of stuff…preparing to move to a smaller home has been challenging….but gratifying!  I LOVE letting go of the overabundance of stuff that a larger home can hold..and that accumulates over time.  It feels good to unburden myself of china rarely used, too many sets of wine glasses, books never to be read again, clothes outgrown or unliked and not worn, home decorations that no longer cause a smile etc.   It’s freeing!!  I recommend it to everyone!  I am going to have one huge garage sale this Spring at my new home! 🙂

Packing has become a bit more of a problem however because I took a bad tumble down our stairs and messed up my knee and tailbone pretty badly.  I’ve been in discomfort and crutches and very little mobility for 10 days now and I’m frustrated that there is no improvement.  The injury couldn’t have been at a worse time too!  I am finally having an MRI on monday and ortho doc will be able to tell me what’s wrong on tuesday..so we will go from there.  I’m doing my best to not get panicky about all there is still to do and me not being able to do it like I would have been.

I’m coping however the best I can with my faith in my Goddess and the calming influence of my family and friends who are helping me when they can and assuring me all will be well.  My hubby has been a trooper too!  This all brings me to the purpose of my post today.   Thanksgiving….not the day but the attitude of it.

Those who know me on facebook, in my everyday life, and read my blog know I’ve had a rough year this year.  Between my brain surgery in March and that recovery, the problems my daughter Sara has had, and now this..well it’s been challenging to say the least.  To stay positive and upbeat and not sink into a depressive state has been hard..but not impossible..as I’ve done it fairly well.  Most days!  Something I learned a long time ago…when a car accident changed our lives forever…is that we get out of Life what we put into it.  We can pull up our bootstraps…make the most of it..and move on.  Or we can wallow in self-pity and live a dismal, sad Life.  As a family we have always chosen a good Life..a joyful Life..a glass is half-full, find the silver lining Life.   We can’t fathom any other way of living.

I see it over and over too from others who I admire and love.  I see so many of my facebook friends who live with daily pain, have injuries or losses or financial troubles,  and yet, they keep on posting positive things, aid others when they need it, offer prayers for others, leave a hug or a heart on someone’s page…I find it heartwarming and gratifying and I try to do the same thing too.  I see the opposite too..on facebook and in my everyday Life..those who never can see the good thru the bad, can’t find empathy for others thru their own pain, or think the world just sucks and Life has treated them unkind and unfair.  It’s knowing people like that in my Life that made me want to be sure that I don’t ever go there!!

I have kept a journal for about 15 years now..pretty faithfully.  I first learned of the importance of having gratitude from a book I read..many of you probably read it too.  Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.   It changed my Life.  Even though I always had a positive attitude in Life, I started journaling things I was grateful for each day. I don’t care how bad of a day I was having, I found something..or a few somethings..to be grateful for.  I wrote them down in my journal.  Sometimes I had to REALLY think about what had happened that day I could have thankfulness for..and soon…I realized that there was always something..no matter how small..that I could write in my journal.  It taught me not to just be a positive person, but to have an Attitude of Gratitude always.  To be Thankful to what Life and the Goddess gave me every day.  The small, simple things.

So on this Thanksgiving, while you are enjoying time with family and friends, take some time between bites 🙂  to be grateful for the good things in your Life.  This will be a very different Thanksgiving for me this year.  I am the oldest daughter of 4 children and I have held all the holidays at my home for many years now.  This year, half the family is on a cruise together, and half are visiting with relatives on the other side of the family this year.  So, it is just Sara, hubby Jim and I this year.  My thankfulness?  With being laid up and my house a mess from moving, I can throw a turkey breast in the oven, rest my leg, read, crochet, watch the Macy’s day parade and take a day off by the fire, from packing and even thinking about packing, for one day 🙂   Now that is a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

While I’m on the subject, I want to thank my readers..well, for reading my blog 🙂  I appreciate it so much and love getting to know many of you thru facebook etc..who have become my friends.  Thank YOU!!   I wish all of you a Blessed Thanksgiving..to you and yours!  Make it Merry…and filled with gratefulness!

Blessings and Love, Autumn

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October 31, 2012 · 3:59 pm

Blessed Samhain 2012…………..

 

 

Merry Samhain evening my friends!   It’s here….the night Witches wait for all year long…The most magickal, spell-binding, veil-walking night of the Year….Samhain!

The weather here fits the night!  Gloomy, drizzly, windy and cold!  A perfect night for a fire, lit candles, warm food on the stove or in the oven, and a nice glass of belly warming wine..or two.  I’ve had the feeling for a while….you know what feeling I’m talking about.  Some say  “like someone is walking on my grave.”   That tingly, sure feeling you get..that knowing that someone is with you…not of this world.  Tonight, the veil opens all the way. To allow our ancestors to be with us….to converse, teach, guide and to just share love with us.  All we have to do is quiet ourselves, breathe…..and listen!

A place will be set at my dinner table for any guest from the other side who cares to join us.  I have smudged the house, swept out the old and negative and left room for the positive for the New Year.  I feel content and Blessed and ready for all the exciting things coming my way for my family, friends and I.   I hope you all feel the same!

So raise a glass on this night of Samhain, the Witch’s New Year….this magickal night of Nights and send Thanks and Love to the Goddess for the blessings of the past and the blessings yet to come.  Have a very Blessed Night!

 

 

Samhain is here, cold is the earth,

as we celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth.

Tonight we speak to those through the veil,

the lines between worlds are thin and frail.

Ghosts and spirits in the night,

magical beings rising in flight,

owls hooting up in a moonlit tree,

I don’t fear you and you don’t fear me.

As the sun goes down, far to the west,

my ancestors watch over me as I rest.

They keep me safe and without fear,

on the night of Samhain, the Witch’s New Year.

-Author Unknown to me-

Love, Autumn

Sources….Poem was in my BOS and I’m afraid I don’t know who wrote it.  Altar pic is my own.

 

 

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October 21, 2012 · 7:12 pm

Samhain Recipes 2012…….

 

 

Happy Sun day my friends!  My favorite day of the week…especially in the Fall 🙂  It’s been a busy day here. I got dinner in the crock pot..a yummy roast.  Then I spent some time packing up boxes for our move.  Got 10 boxes packed from pantry and kitchen and a few other things that don’t require a box.  They’ll go off to the storage room tomorrow.  After that…I have been reading, watching Miss Marple movies (Sara and I love them!) and crocheting a bit.   I’m about to start a fire as well. 🙂

We had a gorgeous day!  Woke  up to thick fog, the red leaves on the trees had an eerie glow.  Eventually the Sun came up and burned off the fog and we now have beautiful blue skies, an early Moonrise, and a bit of a breeze.  Leaves are lazily blowing here and there, birds bathing in the pond and feeding at the feeders and a deer walked across our yard a bit ago…enjoying the weather too.  A day to remember and enjoy!

Now for those recipes…I have been perusing the Fall magazines and my cookbooks and came up with a few I thought you all would enjoy.  So here we go!

Hot Spiced Cider

*I love the citrus and maple flavors of this cider!

1 gallon apple cider or apple juice

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

4 cinnamon sticks

2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole allspice

In a Dutch oven, combine the first five ingredients. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to the pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until flavors are blended (do not boil). Discard spice bag. Yield: 4-1/2 quarts

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

2 TB unsalted butter

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 15-oz can pumpkin

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 pint heavy cream

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 mins.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potato is tender, 10 to 12 mins.

Stir in pumpkin.  Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth. (You can use a blender too) Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil.  cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 mins. Stir in cream and heat thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

Harvest Salad

1 large butternut squash

2 TBs olive oil

2 Tbs honey

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 8-oz bottle poppy seed dressing

1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

8 oz mixed greens

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400* Peel and seed squash, cut into 3/4 inch cubes.  Toss together squash, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Place in a single layer in a lightly greased, foil lined jelly roll pan.  Bake 20-25 mins until squash is tender, stirring once halfway thru.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, pulse poppy seed dressing and cranberries in a blender 3-4 times or until cranberries are coarsely chopped.  This will be your dressing.

Toss together squash, salad greens, goat cheese, bacon and pecans in a large serving platter.  Serve with dressing.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups all-purpose  flour

2 teaspoons ground  cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking  soda

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups canned  pumpkin

1-1/2 cups canola  oil

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and  baking soda. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.    Makes 2 loaves (16 slices each)

Herbed Pork and Apples

1 teaspoon each dried sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 bone-in pork loin roast (about 6 pounds)

4 medium tart apples, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup apple juice

2/3 cup maple syrup

Combine herbs, salt and pepper; rub over roast. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1-1/2 hours. Drain fat. Mix apples and onion with brown sugar; spoon around roast. Continue to roast 1 hour or until meat thermometer      reads 160°-170°. Transfer the roast, apples and onion to a serving platter and keep warm.

Skim excess fat from meat juices; pour into a heavy skillet (or leave in the roasting pan if it can be heated on stove top). Add apple juice and syrup. Cook and stir over      medium-high heat until liquid has been reduced by half, about 1 cup. Slice roast and serve with gravy.

Apple Sweet Potato Side

5 medium sweet potatoes (2-1/2 pounds)

4 cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 4 medium)

3/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cold water, divided

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

7-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup butter, cubed

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for 30-45 minutes or until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice potatoes.

•Place apples in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Place apples and sweet potatoes in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish.

In a small saucepan, combine apple juice concentrate, 1-1/2 cups water, sugars and salt. Combine cornstarch with remaining water until smooth; gradually stir into apple juice concentrate mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from the heat; stir in butter until melted. Pour over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Apple Crumb Bars

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 cups cold butter, divided

5 to 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda; cut in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 2 cups for topping. Press remaining crumbs into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Arrange apples over top; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, vanilla and remaining butter. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly; spread over apples. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Makes3-4 dozen.

I hope you enjoy them, try them.  Let me know if you do! Well, my dinner is ready and I want to start a fire.  The Sun is setting on a beautiful evening.  Nightmare Before Christmas just came on and I want to watch it with my daughter. “This is Halloween This is Halloween!:  :))   I wish you all a Blessed Night!

Blessings and Love, Autumn

Sources:  Recipes from my kitchen, Southern Living and Country Living magazines.

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October 13, 2012 · 8:11 pm

The Wheel Turns to Samhain 2012………

Merry Meet friends.   Autumn is in full-blown, beautiful color here in Ohio!  We’ve had a lovely Fall so far.  Cool and Sunny and breezy with crisp nights.  It’s been many days of sweater weather and nights of fires in the fireplaces or outdoor firepits.  I was afraid with the very hot and dry Summer we had..that the leaves would just turn brown and fall off the trees but that is not the case at all.  The color is brilliant!  My Sugar Maple trees should give you a hint of the beauty here 🙂

A lot of my Witchy friends are talking about feeling blue, lost, unsettled.  That something is “coming or happening”.  I too feel this way at times right now.  The veil is thinning, the ancestors are moving closer to be with us for Samhain night, the most magickal energy is building and spreading.  All we can do is hold on to our brooms, wands, staffs and pointy hats and ride it out!  Ground and Center as much as possible.  Smudge your home, meditate, burn incense and candles.  Talk to each other…support is good.  I for one think it will be a most amazing night..full of magick and positivity!

I’ll be back soon with something pretty cool 🙂   Also Samhain recipes and some other things.   Have a wonderful weekend…ground and center when you need to…  The Dark of the Moon and the New Moon are upon us..use it to your advantage!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Samhain….A Peace Blessing

 by Lady Abigail

 

Witches dance the circle round,

In magickal places we shall be found.

 

Within this blessed and sacred night,

Spells are cast in burning fire light.

 

Under the radiant moon so pale,

We welcome those from within the veil.

 

Thy mysteries we call to embark,

No fear have we of what hides in the dark.

 

We summon every Witch to heed this call,

That we shall come together one and all.

 

Let us stand proudly hand in hand,

Blending our energies across the land.

 

To invoke as one this Samhain spell,

At the ringing of Witching hour bell.

 

In unity we call unto this spells rite,

Peace for all lands come to our sight.

 

So this the summon, in our Witches plea,

Peace for all, So mote it shall be.

Love and Blessings, Autumn

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July 4, 2012 · 3:55 pm

Happy 4th of July 2012……….

Merry Meet friends!  Thought I’d write a quick blog post before I head off for an evening celebration of our Independence Day with my family.   The Heat….well…we are something like 8 days straight of near or at 100* temps with at least another 4-5 days expected of it.  We had a huge windstorm come thru here and many other nearby states on friday evening, that caused lots of damage and lots of power outages….including a short power outage here at our house….others were not so lucky 😦  Some have been out for 5 days now.  In this heat, that has to be just miserable and my heart goes out to all of you who have that situation.

We got a small amount of rain that night but otherwise we are dry, dry, dry!!  Our grass is brown and dead..trees have leaves turning brown and dying off, and it’s all I can do to keep up on the watering, trying to keep my herbs and flowers alive!  We could have a week straight of rain and it wouldn’t be enough! I’ve been seen performing a rain dance under the Full Moon recently LOL.  I’m pretty sure a lot of my witchy friends are doing the same thing.  🙂

So today is the 4th of July…I will say this..the Summer is flying by fast..and I say ..Bring on Autumn weather!!   I’m more then ready!  But back to the 4th….I was thinking about today…about the meaning of it.  I know that it is about America’s freedom, our Independence, pride in country  etc.   A good friend of mine pointed out this morning on her facebook page (Thanks Deb 🙂  that not ALL  Americans have freedom.  I agree with her…there are still those who can’t marry who they love because they happen to be the same sex,  those who suffer contempt due to their choice of religion, those living in poverty, animal abuse, racism, elitism, etc etc…. and none of that is good…and needs to be fixed!  Remember…it just takes one person, then another, and another and so on to help fix these things.  Having said that..I am still very grateful that I was born here in America and have a good life here.

Now, for me though…the 4th of July is also about family traditions.  The day is a day to celebrate family as well…a day for cook-outs, water fun, feasting and gathering, watching fireworks together…that feeling of togetherness and pride in family in country.  The family…no matter who it consists of…is what holidays are all about. Being together, enjoying a day off work, a day off from the daily grind…..and just enjoying a simple meal, talking, playing..and of course the OOHHss and AAHHs…of watching the fireworks!  Don’t forget the kids catching fireflies, popsicles and running thru the sprinkler…that is a must!  Make it a fun day…make it a tradition…I have great memories of the 4th growing up with my family..then of raising my daughters and our traditons..and now watching my daughter and her hubby carrying that tradition on to their kids.  It’s magickal!

So today..I hope that you are all with your families..having fun…and making a memory.

Happy 4th to all my friends and family!  Have a wonderful day!

Autumn

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June 20, 2012 · 8:03 pm

Blessed Summer Solstice 2012……

 

Merry Meet my friends.  It’s here..the Summer Solstice.   I got up early to greet the Sun God as He rose on this, the longest day of the year.  I welcomed him with great joy and a grateful heart and was reminded that no matter what we go thru….The Sun and the Moon always Rise…and Set..and keep the Wheel and Mother Earth turning on and on.   I wish you all a very Happy Solstice..whichever one you celebrate today…Winter or Summer….May you and yours have a Blessed one!

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Love and Light, Autumn

PS…this picture was taken from my own front porch this morning 🙂

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April 27, 2012 · 10:22 pm

Beltane 2012 Recipes……

Merry Meet friends.  As I told you all in my last post…my writing is a bit more sporadic,  due to the fact I’m still trying to recover from the brain surgery I had on March 21.  I was looking thru a new cookbook though and decided to put a few recipes here that I have either made or want to try…and soon 🙂  

A lot of you are sending me wonderful comments, messages, cards and are asking how I’m doing.  I thank you all so so much for it!   Let me just say that this recovery is slow..but sure.  I saw my neuro docs today..had a recent catscan and everything looks ok.  The headaches are still with me, will be for awhile, some cognitive issues, balance and shakiness…but the headaches are more tolerable and that is great!  I’ll stay on the meds for a while, restrictions have not been lifted, but maybe by mid June I’ll at least be able to drive again 🙂  

The weather here in Ohio has really been beautiful…whether a cold day or warm day.  Spring is here in all her glory. Our grass is green and lush and has been cut a few times already.  The herbs that come back each year…are back and growing great….like lavender, lemon balm, catnip, thyme, chamomile, and mints.  Knock out roses are big and budding. Lilies are growing, dianthus, ajuga, honeysuckle, all bloomed.  Frogs, birds, squirrels, chipmunks and even raccoons are scurrying all over the place too.  I’ve been hearing an owl hooting several nights now but haven’t see him yet.  I’ve had some porch time, and nights with a fire going LOL! That is Spring in Ohio!  I Love it and Mother Earth coming to life makes me happy I’m still here to see it and I feel like I’m coming back to life too! 

Beltane is coming up fast.  Because of my illness I’ve decided to celebrate Beltane in a quiet way rather then the dancing, festive, party way it usually is celebrated.  I will have a fire for sure with my family here.  We will have some good food, some wine, and spend time together by the fire.   My ritual will be simple…taking in the Moon Goddess energies and just being still…listening…quiet…resting.  Asking for healing and energy to continue for myself and those I love who need it too.  It will be lovely.

Now for the recipes….foods for Beltane can consist of these things….Dairy, honey, oats, red fruits, herbal salads, red/pink wine, punch, large round oatmeal cakes, and sweets.

I found a few recipes to post here I thought you might like.  Don’t forget to do a search for Beltane recipes I posted last year too 🙂 

Raspberry Lemonade

2 –  12 oz cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 – 10 oz pkgs frozen sweetened raspberries, partially thawed

2-4 Tbs sugar ..to taste

2 liters club soda, chilled

Ice

In a blender, combine lemonade, raspberries and sugar.  Cover and process until well blended.  Strain to remove seeds.  In a 4 1/2 quart pitcher or drink dispenser, combine the mixture, club soda and ice.  Mix well.  Serve!   Add mint leaves to poured glasses for some extra taste!

 

 

Peach Oatmeal Pancakes

1 2/3 cups pancake mix

1 cup quick cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tb cinnamon

2 egg whites, beaten

1 Tb vanilla extract

1 peach, pitted, peeled and diced

1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a large bowl, combine pancake mix, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon; mix well.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot buttered griddle.  Turn pancakes when bubbles form and start to pop; cook other side until golden.  Makes about one dozen pancakes. 

 

Tree Hugger Granola

4 cups long cooking oats, uncooked

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup shredded coconut (optional)

1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tb rum or pineapple juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, almonds and coconut, if using; toss to mix.  In a separate bowl, stir together remaining ingredients.  Pour oil mixture over oat mixture; stir until everything is evenly coated.  Spread out on a lightly greased 15″ x 10″ jelly roll pan.  Bake at 325* for about 25 mins, stirring every 5-10 mins, until golden.  Allow to cool on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 7-8 cups.

*Great for a Beltane day walk 🙂

 

 

Spinach Strawberry Salad

1 1/2 lbs spinach, torn

3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped walnuts

Arrange spinach, strawberries, onions and nuts in a salad bowl.  Cover and refrigerate.  At serving time, drizzle the following Poppy Seed Salad dressing over the salad.  Toss and serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings.

Poppy Seed Dressing

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 tsps green onion, chopped

3/4 to 1 cup olive oil

1 1/2 Tb poppy seeds

In a blender, mix sugar, mustard, salt and vinegar until smooth.  Add onion and blend until smooth.  With blender running, add oil slowly.  Blend until thick.   Stir in poppy seed. 

 

 

Tomato-Basil Pasta

8 oz pkg linguine pasta, uncooked

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tb olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.  Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, basil, garlic, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add pasta and parmesan cheese; toss lightly.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

 

 

Lacy Oatmeal Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

6 Tb light brown sugar

6 Tb sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup quick oatmeal

Cream butter and sugars.  Add in all the rest of the ingredients except oatmeal.  Blend well.  Now add oatmeal and blend well.

Drop by teaspoonful on cookie sheet.  Tope with raisins if you’d like (I like them without as they are very thin, sweet and buttery!). 

Bake at 350* for approx. 10 mins or until soft and golden brown.  Cool

This recipe was given to me by my husband’s Aunt Nikki when we got married.  To this day it is a favorite 🙂  Oh…I would at least double this recipe..they will go fast!!

Well, there you are…some new recipes to try.  Some of these came from my own recipe file, some from Gooseberry patch cookbooks 🙂  Let me know if you try them..I plan on trying those I haven’t made yet…especially that tomato-basil pasta! 

I wish all of you a very Blessed Beltane…frolic with the faeries and have a wonderful day!

Love and Blessings, Autumn

Sources-  pics are from the internet

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March 3, 2012 · 8:22 pm

Ostara Recipes 2012………

Merry Meet everyone!  As I’m sitting by the fire on a cold Saturn day, my heart is heavy for the victims of the storms yesterday that swept thru the Midwest…in some cases completely wiping out small towns, like in Henrysville and Marysville, Indiana..not that far from me.  Loss of life, homes, towns…very sad to see.  May Goddess bless everyone affected by them.  Blessed Be. 

Today was actually a beautiful day here.  It’s cold, but the Sun was shining and it still looked like a Spring day! The feeders and pond is busy with birds and believe it or not, we have frogs sunning on the rocks on our pond as well already! But we are expecting snow by tomorrow evening into monday morning.  LOL …that’s Ohio weather for you!    I have been working a few days on gathering recipes for what I’d like to make for Ostara,  and thought you all would like to see them too.  I have already posted my personal Ostara recipes in my posts here the last 2 years…..so for this post……I perused my cookbooks and came up with a few I thought sounded delicious.   I look forward to making them myself!   

So here goes……  We often have a brunch for Ostara or Easter instead of lunch or dinner.  It’s such a nice change of pace from the big ham dinners we’ve always had in the past.  So keeping that in mind….I found a few wonderful brunchy meal ideas 🙂

Orange Apricot Juice

 1 (12 ounce) can apricot nectar, chilled

1 1/2 cups orange juice, chilled

2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a pitcher, combine apricot nectar, orange juice, and lemon juice. Serve chilled

*I would triple this at least!!  

 

Gingered Kiwi Fruit

 3 TB sugar

3 TB water

2 T crystallized ginger, minced

¼ tsp vanilla extract

4 kiwi fuit, peeled and sliced

2 oranges, peeled and sliced

 In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, water and ginger.  Bring to a boil.  Stirring constantly, boil until mixture reaches a light syrup consistency, about 3 mins.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Cool slightly.  In a dessert dish, gently stir fruit slices and ginger syrup until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.  Serves 4

*Again would probably double or triple this! 🙂 

 

Fresh Asparagus Omelet

 1 TB butter

1 TB olive oil

8 stalks asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces

¼ onion, chopped

6 eggs, beaten

¼ cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup shredded swiss cheese

In a non-stick skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat.  Add asparagus and onion; cook for 5 mins, or until tender.  In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Beat egg mixture with a fork just until bubbles begin to appear; pour over asparagus mixture.  Cook until eggs set on top; lift edges with a spatula to allow uncooked eggs to run under cooked eggs.  When eggs are set, top with cheese.  Cut into wedges.  Serves 2 – 4.

*Why not go a step further and just set up an omelet bar.  Just have lots of fixings and make them to order!  What a fun thing to do!  However, I love Spring asparagus and think this recipe sounds fantastic!

Honey Sunflower Bread

*Makes 2 loaves

 2 cups water

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup honey

1 TB butter

2 tsps salt

1 cup roasted sunflower kernels

1 (1/4oz) package active dry yeast

½ cup warm water

2 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

2 cups white flour

Bring the water to a boil and and stir in the oats.  Set aside for 1 hour.  Spray two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans with vegetable oil spray. 

Add the honey, butter, salt and sunflower seeds to oat mixture and stir well.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir the yeast mixture into the oat mixture.  Blend in both flours, stirring until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning to coat.  Cover loosely with plastic  wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.  Punch down the dough.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  Divide into two loaves and place in the prepared pans.  Cover and let rise again until doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 350*.  Bake until golden brown, about 45-50 mins.  It if appears that breat is browning too quickly, cover with foil the last 10-15 mins of baking time.  Remove bread from pans and cool on a wire rack. 

*I think this would make delicious french toast too 🙂 

 

Fruit and Spinach Salad

 1 pound fresh spinach, torn

4 cups strawberries, sliced

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained   (I would use Clementine fresh oranges here!) 

1 star fruit, sliced

GINGER SALAD DRESSING:

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Arrange spinach and fruit on salad plates. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salads; serve immediately.

 

 

 

Dilly Egg Salad

 8 eggs

2 TB mayo

2 TB Dijon mustard

1 tsp dill weed

½ tsp paprika

1/3 cup red onion, minced

Salt and pepper to taste.

 Place eggs in a large saucepan, cover in cold water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10-12 mins, remove from heat.  Run eggs under cold water until cool.  Peel and Chop.

Place eggs and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Serve on pumpernickel bread or on a bed of lettuce.  Makes 4 servings. 

*I would use MORE mayo and dijon 🙂

Maple Glazed Salmon

1/4 cup maple syrup  (even better if you use the REAL maple syrup 🙂

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound salmon

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

Preheat oven to 400*  Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

 

Carrot Pecan Wild Rice

1 1/2 cups wild rice
2 carrots sliced  into 1/2-inch rounds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pecans
The zest and juice from 1 orange
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 tablespoons  melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Add wild rice to a sauce pot with about 4 1/2 cups of water, and cover.  Bring the rice to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes according to the package directions.

While the rice is cooking, slice carrots into 1/2-inch rounds and then simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are tender.  In a large bowl combine raisins, pecans, the zest and juice from an orange, chopped parsley, melted butter and salt and pepper, to taste.  To the large bowl combine the wild rice and carrots. Mix.  Makes 8 servings.

 

 

Coconut Carrot Cake

*I adore carrot cake….and this is a spicy moist one..delish!!

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

4 eggs

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups grated carrots

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 10x15x2 inch baking dish or 10 inch Bundt pan with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

 In a separate larger bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla by hand. Stir in the oil; the mixture should resemble pudding. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots, pineapple coconut, walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

 

Ostara Lemon Cake

 1 box lemon cake mix

1 (3.4oz) package instant lemon pudding mix

4 eggs

¾ cup oil

¾ cup water

Glaze:

1 TB water

2 TBs melted butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350*.  Grease a 9 x13 baking pan.  Prepare the cake mix using the pudding mix, eggs, oil and water.  Bake in the prepared pan for 35-45 mins, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze, mixing together all the ingredients until smooth.  Pour the glaze over the warm cake and serve.  Makes 10-12 servings

*I think this simple and lemony yellow cake would just look lovely on your Ostara table!!

Please let me know if you try any of these..I always love hearing when someone tries and likes (or not) them 🙂  I’ll do the same.  Sure wishing I had the fixins for that carrot cake right now!  🙂   Remember, its the start of Spring…fresh light foods are so much better then heavy, saucy, salty foods.  You’ll feel so much better after having  healthier foods..and then of course..you can have some decadent dessert!! LOL. 

I have a surprise I’ll be talking about soon…some of you who know me….know about it already.  It’s something I’m very excited about and have been wanting to do for a long time.  With my daughter’s help..we are about to take off on this new endeavor!  In the meantime, I wish you all a wonderful weekend and week to come.  Make it wonderful!

Blessings and Love, Autumn

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Filed under Easter, Holiday, Ostara, Recipe from my Kitchen, Spring

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February 19, 2012 · 11:14 pm

The Wheel turns to Ostara 2012……..

Merry Meet dear friends.  I hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend.  I know I did.  We have enjoyed a few days of seeing the Sun shining!  It’s been wonderful after several gloomy ones.   Though it’s cold out, the Sun makes me feel all warm inside.   I’m sitting by a warm fire, stocking feet up on an ottoman, laptop on lap and glass of Baileys by my side.  I’m listening to my Ipod, hubby is snoozing in his chair next to me, and my daughter went on to her room for the night.  It’s peaceful and quiet and my mind turned to the next Sabbat…Ostara…so I decided to write a post. 

First, feel free to do a search here on my blog for Ostara…that will bring up all the previous posts I’ve written over the last 2 years.  That way you can find the correspondences, recipes, pics of altars, rituals etc again.  I don’t want to keep repeating myself every time I write on the same subject 🙂  As we all know, Ostara is the first day of Spring!  The days are longer and starting to get warmer.  Depending on where you live, you may see grass starting to green, spring flowers starting to shoot up from the ground, critters and birds getting more active, and people getting out a bit more, shedding their heavy winter coats.  Garden Centers are filling up with seed packets, spring bulbs and flowers, patio pots, and all the goodies us garden Witches love. The stores are filling up with Easter candy, stuffed rabbits, and Spring clothing.  Everybody’s mood gets just a bit lighter and a bit more energetic..a Spring in their step so to speak LOL. 

 

 

It’s spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you’ve got it, you want –

 oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want,

but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! 

 ~Mark Twain

 

Now here in Ohio…March can often have us with snow on the ground still.  But sometimes, we see balmy weather and an early Spring too.  Either way, I can still feel Spring coming in my soul….and it feels great!  As much as I love Winter, Spring is a wonderful time of year too.  My mind turns to cooking lighter, planning out my gardens and herb pots, finishing up any Spring cleaning that didn’t get done (I always save carpet cleaning and window cleaning for this time of year) and planning some outdoor fun.  Taking nature walks this time of year is so wonderful!  While on a walk, pay attention to what you see around you.  The trees may be budding, spring ground cover blooming, mushrooms may be growing and you might see some baby critters too.  Take a big old sniff of the air and the dirt….you can smell Mother Earth waking up, stretching, blooming…..ahhhhhh!  If it’s really warm, take off your shoes and walk in the grass and dirt…or sit up against a tree, Sun shining on your face and feel the Earth’s vibrations..you can literally feel Her humming….vibrating….coming alive!  Let the energy surge thru you….feel the quickening in your heart and soul.  It’s magick!!

 

Right around Ostara is when I start picking up the things I need to start my herb seedlings.  I buy the organic pots, organic soil and good seeds.  I like to get them planted and growing right around the first day of Spring.  I bless them with a magickal spell (you’ll find it in last years post here) and keep a close eye on them for the next 6 weeks.  I love doing that..watching them sprout and grow.  Some seeds do better then others…but I try every year to see how they do.  Then right around Mother’s day…into the ground and/or pots they go!  I love the whole process..it makes me happy! 

My family celebrates Easter as well with members of our extended family who are Christian.  So we do the family ham dinner, dye eggs and hide them for the grandkids, dress up in pastels etc. There are bunnies and tulips and colored eggs on my pastel- colored altars too.  Yes, Easter is a nod to our Ostara, though Pagans don’t celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ….a Christian belief.   Ostara…… is more about recognizing the lengthening days, the awakening of our Mother Earth, the work to come in our gardens, and the long dark spell of Winter being over! It is the turning of the Wheel…then end of one season and the start of the next.  I still like to have beautiful meal of good food with my family for Ostara too.  Being outdoors is a must and I like to do a ritual to welcome Persephone back from the Underworld..bringing Spring with her!   As a Mother, I can imagine the joy Demeter must feel everytime her beloved daughter comes back.  Think of that joy and find it yourself in your celebration of this beautiful Sabbat. 

In the next week or two..I’ll be posting a few recipes, pics of my altar, and I’ll post pics of Mother Earth coming to life around me.  Don’t forget if you want to…to look for my posts from last year and the year before for MORE recipes and more information.  We have about a month until Ostara…I’m sure we will have more Winter weather in the meantime.  But now….you can start thinking about what you’ll be doing when this next month or so is over and Spring has arrived.  A wonderful way to while away the cold Winter days that are left 🙂  It won’t be long til you’ll see this……:) 

  

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Sensitive Plant

Blessings and Love, Autumn

*Sources..my own writing, all pics from the internet.

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Filed under Easter, Family, Flowers, Garden, Gardens, Goddess, Holiday, Mother Earth, Nature, Ostara, Quote, Seasons, Spring, Winter

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February 13, 2012 · 4:14 pm

Happy Valentines Day…….

Merry Meet friends!  Hope that you had a wonderful weekend.  I spent it resting and relaxing.  Winter has shown up again here in Ohio.  We had a bit of snow and much colder weather.  Except for dinner out Saturday night with hubby and a grocery trip..I stayed in by the fire, working on my Book of Shadows, reading, journaling and watching movies with my daughter Sara.  It was lovely 🙂  Tonight we’re expecting more snow which I love…as you know if you’ve been here before 🙂  

As you know, Valentine’s Day is tomorrow.  I knew I wanted to do a post about it, but not sure What about it.  I could talk about it’s pagan roots and the history of the holiday.  I could talk about how it’s just a way for card companies to make money.  But what I decided to talk about was LOVE.  After all, our Valentines….are our loved ones.   Those we love the most in this world.  Our significant other, our children or grandchildren, maybe some extended family or best friends for some.  But many of us want to somehow acknowledge our loved ones on this day.

There are so many ways to do it to celebrate the day.   A special dinner, flowers, candy, small gifts, cards in the mail.  There probably isn’t too many of us who have forgotten the thrill of getting those little paper surprises in our homemade, heart covered shoeboxes when we were in school. LOL.  I remember how important it was to pick out the very best valentines to give to my classmates.  The excitement of opening each envelope, while having some heart-shaped confection and super sweet punch during the class party.  Then keeping that shoebox and those cards for months after..pulling them out and looking at them again and again.  🙂

Then, when I got older, it was that card or gift from that special someone….a boyfriend.  It was all romance and goosebumps.  The thrill of a kiss to go with the gift.  I can remember my boyfriend filling my locker with pink and red balloons and cherry heart-shaped suckers.  Then he met me after each class with a red rose. *Swoon*   So romantic and I felt blissful in my teenage Romance. 

 

Then I got married, and Valentine’s Day was a sexy red nightie and a bottle of wine in the early days.  Still romance…steady and strong and fun.  Then came children….and Valentine’s Day turned into pink frosted sugar cookies or cupcakes with sprinkles.  Back to making the heart covered shoeboxes and helping my children pick out the perfect Valentine’s cards for their classmates.  Hubby and I started having Valentine’s dinners out for some time to ourselves.  Marveling at how time had passed and remembering more romantic Valentine rendezvous 😉

 

Then I watched as my daughter was wooed by a boy and her heart swooned as mine did with the little things her current boyfriend did for her.  Now I watch her with her own children…again with the kids party valentines, shoeboxes, cupcakes. As Nana, I enjoy shopping for small gifts to show my love for them too.  I keep watching the years go by and the cycle continue.  The Love continues always…..

 

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear,

too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice,

 but for those who Love, time is Eternity”.

~Henry Van Dyke

Ultimately, Valentine’s Day, for me, reminds me of constant Love.  We all  have Love in our lives.  It should be celebrated everyday….but let’s admit it…Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to be SURE that we celebrate it.  So today…with MUCH LOVE….I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day my friends!

Blessings and Hearts, Autumn

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Filed under Daughters, Family, Grandchildren, Holiday, My Writing, Quote, Valentine's Day

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