Serenity Sunday

Prosperity Potion...

You will need: 


1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp ground bay leaf
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. marjoram
a wooden spoon
1-1/2 cup spring water 
a small cloth 
a jar with lid
a rubber band


What to do: 

Mix the ingredients together and boil in the spring water for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the potion and pour it into the jar. Cover the jar with the cloth and fasten it with the rubber band. Leave the potion in a dark, cool place for three days and three nights, then cap the jar with it's original lid. The potion only last until for fourteen nights, then you will have to pour it on the Earth, thanking it for it's powers and energies.

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) Fantastic sunny days

3.) Tarot videos

4.) Great friends

5.) Contest prizes

6.) Bouncy music

7.) Books

8.) Mentors

9.) Smiles

10.) Fresh herbs

Grandma's Apple Cider Recipe

 Apple Cider

* 12 or so small-medium apples (I prefer Gala apples for their taste)
* 1 small orange
* 1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar (white if you prefer or  1/4 cup whole Stevia leaf for a sugar substitute)
* 3-4 cinnamon sticks
* 1 tbsp. nutmeg
* 1 tbsp whole cloves
* water to cover apples

1.) Wash and roughly chop apples and orange-do not worry about removing peels, seeds, or stems. Toss into a large stock pot.

2.) Add sugar (I start with 1/2 cup, you can always add more later or  1/4 cup whole  Stevia leaf).

3.) Add spices and cover with water.

4.) Bring to a boil and boil uncovered for at least an hour.

5.) Cover and reduce to a simmer. Allow juice to simmer for at least two hours.

6.) Uncover and use a potato masher to roughly mash content of pot. To further reduce: continue simmering until cider is dark and tastes sweet and spicy.

7.)When cider is ready allow to cool then strain apple pieces and whole spices into a clean pitcher or pot.  ( my grandmother's trick was to use a brand new, clean knee high nylon over a large mouth  funnel.)

8.) Serve hot. Store in the fridge and reheat as desired. I have found it makes about a 1/2 gallon.

Serenity Sunday

I just love things that have a fantastic scent so I thought I would write down one of the recipes I use to make my own fragrances . I like to make my own perfumes using essential oils as opposed to store bought fragrances simply because they seem to last so much longer and are not nearly as expensive.

Floriental nights

2 tbsp. jojoba oil
3 drops bergamot oil
2 drops neroli oil
8 drops jasmine oil
12 drops geranium oil
8 drops ylang-ylang oil
4 drops patchouli oil

Pour the jojoba oil into a dark glass bottle with a glass rod applicator.
Add the essential oils drop by drop, and shake thoroughly. You can vary the proportions of the essential oils in accordance to personal preference, but note the geranium oil is what gives this blend its floral flavor. Be careful-too much patchouli oil will easily overwhelm the scent; too much bergamot oil will often irritate skin that's sensitive.
Caution: Bergamot essential oil should not be used by pregnant women or epileptics.

My List:

1.) My children

2.) My cats

3.) Good friends

4.) Potting soil

5.) Roses in bud

6.) Sheets drying on the line outside

7.) Laughter

8.) Toast with cinnamon and sugar

9.) Perusing the local nursery

10.) Air conditioning

Monkey Buns

My friend Nola gave me this recipe and I tell you, they make a great addition to Sunday breakfasts, in fact I plan on giving this recipe a go this coming weekend!

Bon appetit....


Monkey buns make a delicious dessert and sweet snack... The sticky bread batter is broken into walnut-sized chunks, rolled in melted butter, and rolled in a brown sugar mix. The sugary dough-balls are then dropped into a bundt pan and, a rise, baked into a delicious ring of buns that can be easily pulled apart. This recipe makes one batch of monkey bread for one bundt pan.

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 pkg.)

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup butter, soft

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely ground nuts

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

*Add yeast and warm water to large bowl and stir until yeast is dissolved.

*Mix in milk, butter, sugar, salt, and eggs.

*Mix in flour to make a stiff batter.

*Cover with wax paper and let rise in warm spot until double in size, about 45 minutes.

*Melt 1/2 cup butter in saucepan.

*Mix nuts, brown sugar, and 3 tsp cinnamon in a bowl.

*Lightly grease tube pan/angel food pan.

*Stir down dough.

*Grease fingers with melted butter to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers.

*Pluck walnut-size amounts of dough out of the bowl, roll dough balls in butter, and in sugar mixture.

*Pile the dough balls evenly in the bundt pan.

*Cover with wax paper and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes.

*Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, until done.

*Turn upside down onto a plate and let cool to warm.