Tag Archives: Cooking

December 24, 2015 · 4:22 pm

Merry Christmas to all……

christmas-candle-douglas-pulsipherMerry Meet my friends!  In the midst of baking and celebrating, I thought I’d do a quick post. I have a simmering potpourri on the stove imparting amazing scent throughout my home. I have bacon appetizers just out of the oven (also adding amazing scent!), no bake cookies are done and I’m about to make my Scottish Shortbread cookies as well. We have had neighbors stopping by with small gifts for us and we gave them their gifts from us and visited a bit. My mom sent over her famous cranberry meatballs for us and my brother to enjoy for dinner tomorrow night.  There have been phone calls and texts to dear friends this morning and it’s been a wonderful day so far.

As I wrote the other day, our Eve and day of Christmas are actually quite quiet and relaxed.  Our extended family won’t gather until Saturday, and my other daughter and her family will be here on Sunday for our day of feasting, visiting and gift exchanging. I am rather enjoying the leisure of this couple of days.  After the baking is done, we’ll be reading, watching movies, and relaxing tonight. My brother will be here tomorrow and overnight, and there will be more of the same then. It’s quite lovely! Add a fire (despite the warmth outside) and lit candles and soft music and it’s a perfect Winter evening.

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As I write, my daughter Sara and I are listening to “A Christmas Carol” on Audible, narrated by Tim Curry.  It’s very well done and I recommend it!  The Sun is shining and it’s nearly 60*!!  Way too warm for this time of year in Ohio!  My hubby is actually painting the trim work outside around our new front door we got a week or so ago lol.  The back door is cracked open, we’ve filled the bird feeders and we hear them singing as they happily feed. While I love Winter and snow and such, I’m doing my best to enjoy this extended warmth as it will be gone soon I’m sure 🙂

For those of you who celebrate Christmas..whether it be a secular, family, Santa day, or you celebrate the birth of Jesus, or you celebrate the Solstice or something else….I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday, Blessed Yule, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza and all the other ways you can celebrate this Yuletide Season.  Remember, we are one human race, no matter our differences, with much more in common than not! As Tiny Tim says  “Gods Bless us every one”!  And in the case of my Pagan/Witch friends..Goddess Bless you all!

And don’t forget…it’s a rare Full Christmas Moon! Be sure to take in Her energy!  I’m happy I’ll be able to see Her!

 “There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,’ returned the nephew. ‘Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”
-Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Love and Blessings, Autumn

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October 4, 2014 · 8:20 pm

October and Samhain’s Sirens……….

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Merry Meet everyone!  I hope that you all had a very Blessed Mabon and that Autumn has finally come to your neck of the woods.  I love October! It’s my very favorite month of the whole year lol..as all of you who know me or have read anything here know.  My name ought to give it away as well.  I come so alive when Autumn comes…my heart is brighter, my steps are lighter, my energy level is high and I relish every moment of this most wonderful time of the year! How does it make you feel?  Are you loving every minute or are you just dreading that Winter is coming?  I sure hope that you are all loving it!! Most of my Witch friends of course, are loving it! 🙂

“Crispy air and azure skies,
High above, a white cloud flies,
Bright as newly fallen snow.
Oh the joy to those who know October!

Scolding sparrows on the lawn,
Rabbits frisking home at dawn,
Pheasants midst the sheaves of grain,
All in harmony acclaim, October!

Brown earth freshly turned by plow,
Apples shine on bended bough,
Bins o’erflowed with oats and wheat,
And satisfaction reigns complete. October!

Radiant joy is everywhere.
Spirits in tune to the spicy air,
Thrill in the glory of each day.
Life’s worth living when we say, October!”
–   Joseph Pullman Porter

Here in Ohio we are finally having Fall weather.  Nice days with cool nights.  We were very dry but finally, yesterday and today, we got some rain.  The leaves are changing color…brilliant reds have started and some trees are losing their leaves like crazy already.  We are having fires in the fireplace (so so cozy!), the crockpot is in action and I’m in the mood for homemade breads, baked goods with apples and pumpkin, and soup!  Today, it didn’t get out of the 40’s and I had to wear a sweater!! Yay!!  I have decorated the house for Fall, my spice scented candles are lit often, and wood is stacked at the back door, ready to give us cozy, warm fires for the next few months.

 

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A beautiful “Autumn Blaze” Maple

 

Our garden beds are cleaned up of all the flowers that are spent or ready to be cut back.  I harvested the last of almost all my herbs.  Fennel seeds are still maturing and I always leave some lavender and rosemary for my Samhain altar and Ancestor supper table. I got more then three harvests from my herbs this year. I so loved it and will miss my herb bed over the long Winter.  But I have lots of dried herbs for cooking, my herbal potions and products and of course, for Magick!

 

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My wonderful last harvest of herbs!

 

I’m late doing this but I wanted to let my readers know that it’s time for Samhain’s Sirens!  An online blog written by many wonderful Witch friends of mine.  It started on October 1 and will continue through Samhain.  You will find lots of wonderful Witchy things…blog posts, crafts, music, drink recipes, Remembrances, altar pictures etc etc…and oh….lots of recipes from ME!  I dug out some of my best and favorite recipes to share with you!  Come follow the fun and try to win a give -away too!  The link is on the right here on this blog…look for the icon that says Samhain’s Sirens. Just click on it and it’ll take you there. Once there, you can sign up to follow it so you see the post each day.  You’ll love it! It’s all about putting us in the mood for this wonderful Sabbat!

Mercury has gone retrograde today (uh oh) and we are waxing to the Full Blood Moon.  The veil is thinning..can you feel it?  The wheel is spinning fast to Samhain.  Too fast!  September flew by and I want time to slow down now so I can savor every moment of this delicious Season.

 

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I’ll be back soon to talk about Samhain, share some recipes and have a visit.  In the meantime, throw on a sweater and go outside. Breathe in the crisp air and scent of woodsmoke,  listen to the wind through the beautiful colored leaves of the trees, look for that waxing Moon, feel the Earth beneath your feet before She’s covered with snow, and have a taste of tart cider or apple.  Be grateful for the beauty of this time of year!  Mother Earth is giving us quite a show before She goes quiet to rest.  Blessed Be!

 

Blessings and Love, Autumn

*All the pictures are my own.

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September 16, 2014 · 3:25 pm

Blessed Mabon 2014…………

 

“Smoke hangs like haze over harvested fields,
The gold of stubble, the brown of turned earth
And you walk under the red light of fall
The scent of fallen apples, the dust of threshed grain
The sharp, gentle chill of fall.
Here as we move into the shadows of autumn
The night that brings the morning of spring
Come to us, Lord of Harvest
Teach us to be thankful for the gifts you bring us …”
–  Autumn Equinox Ritual

 

Merry Meet my friends!  Autumn has arrived here in Ohio!  Even though Mabon isn’t until the 23rd, Autumn is here none the less. I for one, couldn’t be more Happy about it! My favorite time of year!!  Already I feel like a heavy load has been lifted.  The heat and humidity of Summer makes me feel heavy, weighed down, and tired.  I am energized as the cool days and even cooler nights are upon us.  We have had our first (and second and third) fires in the fireplace!  There is nothing more cozy to me than a fire on an Autumn evening.

 

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My oven has been busy with baking. My crockpot is on the counter permanently, garden beds are cleaned up of flowers that are spent and I’m about to harvest a huge amount of herbs..most of them for the last time this year.  Summer couch covers are washed and put away, warm blankets have been brought out, the chimney and furnace have been inspected and cleaned, a cord of wood has been ordered, and Winter clothes are in the closets and Summer clothes put away for next year.  Autumn cleaning is near finished.

We are seeing some color in the leaves already as I showed you on my last posting.  Some trees have lost their leaves completely, but there is LOTS of color still to come.  Bees still abound in my gardens. Birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other ground animals are gathering frantically.  This morning I had a huge amount of activity at my bird and squirrel feeders.  I had a couple dozen mourning doves, a pair of cardinals, 3, yes 3! male blue jays, a Flicker woodpecker and multiple finches, sparrows and other small birds.  Our white squirrel Luna, other gray squirrels and several chipmunks were also scurrying and gathering! It was wonderful to watch.  I still have my hummingbird feeder up for migrating hummers, but we haven’t seen one for a few days now. If you don’t already, please think about feeding these animals and birds…to help them through the long hard Winter we are being promised again this year.  You will get so much pleasure out of it!

 

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My Mabon altar is set up and plans are made for my Circle/Tribe to meet on Sunday evening here.  There will be an outdoor fire, weather permitting, desserts, spiced cider and good company!  Several of us are also attending our local Pagan festival on Saturday which we are looking forward to.  For several of us, it’s our first time to go!  I am usually on vacation this time of year so haven’t been able to attend.  I can’t wait!

 

Yesterday, I was flipping through a Taste of the South magazine and came across a recipe that sounded so yummy I thought I’d share it here with you.  It sounds soooo spicy and good for Fall!  The picture is theirs as well.

 

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Orange-Cardamom Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1⁄2 cups sugar

1 1⁄2 cups whole milk

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Orange Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 (8×4-inch) loaf pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, beat sugar, milk, oil, eggs, zest, vanilla, and cardamom at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until smooth.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
Bake 30 minutes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil, and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes more.
Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Drizzle with Orange Glaze.

 

Orange Glaze
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1⁄3 cup fresh orange juice
In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and orange zest and juice until smooth.
I will be making this recipe this week.  It sounds yummy!  I think my Circle ladies will like it! 🙂  I hope you try it too!
I am most anxious for the next couple months of Autumn weather and the first snows of Winter.  There is just something about this time of year to me.  I call it nesting…coming indoors.  Warmth of fire, smell of woodsmoke and candles, something simmering on the stove or baking in the oven, warm beverages, perhaps crochet or a book on my lap (and a cat or two of course) are all just so cozy to me.  I turn more inward, I am a bit less busy, more time for introspection, journaling, writing, reading etc.  Having said that, this is also my favorite time of year to go for a walk, to spend time walking on crisp, bright colored leaves in my warm jacket and gloves, seeing Mother Earth in all her glory….well it’s just a NEED!  I know many of you have the same need!  To grab every minute we can of the beauty that is our Mother.
I’m wishing you all a very Joyful and Blessed Mabon!  To you and yours!  May you find the balance in your life as Mabon, the Equinox, brings balance of day and night.  Prepare yourself for the dark months of the Year.  Blessed Be!
Blessing and Love, Autumn

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February 7, 2010 · 6:45 pm

Day two of writing on my blog.  The midwest Winter Storm is over.  Things are very cold, very snowy and very beautiful.  The snow hanging on the trees is awe inspiring.  The wildlife is out and about..the bird feeder is very busy with cardinals, blue jays, little birds,  squirrels and chipmunks.  They are all very busy collecting to get thru the rest of the winter. 

I’m looking forward to the Super Bowl game.  It should be a very good game..not a blow out like usual.  The Colts are my 2nd favorite team (the Bengals being my first..Who Dey!) but I have to admit that the Saints winning would be pretty awesome..we’ll see what happens.  I’m going to make Baked Ziti and Pineapple upside down cake..good comfort food for a cold winter day.  Yum-O.

This week I’ll be looking for those special Valentine gifts for my daughters and grandaughter.  At 14 months old she is old enough to enjoy a heartshaped cookie or a cupcake with pink icing and red sprinkles!  So much fun.  She loves books too so Barnes and Noble here I come!  My daughters love gift certificates and witchy items..I just got a wonderful new mortar and pestle..rough granite and very big..I’m thinking that would make a great gift!  My husband is happy with eating out so I’m sure thats what we’ll do.

I love to knit, especially small projects like scarfs, mittens, little sweaters for my grandaughter and small baby blankets.  I haven’t had a good knitting day lately.I’m thinking today would be a good day for that too.  As I mentioned before too, I’m reading Ellen Dugan’s book “the Book of Witchery” which is excellent.  It gives the week of the day correspondences and magickal influences.  I highly recommend it and the information is definitely going to go in my book of shadows.

Speaking of book of shadows, my daughters, my sister and I are all anxiously awaiting deliver of our huge, beautiful, leather bound books from Witches Moon.  We ordered them in August and are trying very hard to be patient.  From what we can tell, on average, it takes about 7 months to get them..they are completely handmade by a husband and wife with great love.  They are very special and will be a true “keep forever and hand down to future generations” item!  We’ve been given a tentative shipping date of the 17th..so I’ll let you know when they come! (wriggling with excitement and anticipation)!

Well, I’m off to make that cake, light the fire in the fireplace, light some candles and settle in with my book or knitting. 

Blessed Be, Autumn

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