Saturday Recipe

This is a special type of sherbet you can make for Ostara, using the herb rosemary. It is a bit strong for some people but try it and see... if the flavor is too strong... try a sweet topping on top of it to sweeten it up. This is a good dish for Ostara but is  appropriate for springtime and early summer too.

Ingredients:

•2 tablespoons dried rosemary

•2 cups hot water

•½ cup sugar

•½ cup cold water

•1 tablespoon lemon juice


•½ cup orange juice

Directions:
Soak rosemary in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and discard rosemary. Bring sugar and cold water to a boil over medium heat. Stir sugar water, lemon juice, and orange juice into rosemary water. Spoon into individual dishes and freeze.


Yield: 6 ½-cup servings


Don't forget to set you clocks ahead tonight!

Memory Lane Monday

Every year, way before the holidays, my grandmother would start baking cookies and one of my favorites  types were called Pepparkakor cookies made from from a recipe going way back. Although my father's family was English and Irish, my maternal grandparents were Swedish.


It was holiday tradition, right up until grandma became too ill to continue, that she baked 
Pepparkakor Cookies. I can still remember as a very young girl, going to the Vasa Lodge every Christmas  for the Swedish festivities...How I wish I could have introduced my children to my grandparents! I miss them very much during this time of year.

Pepparkakor Cookies


Ingredients


3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


2 teaspoons baking soda


1 teaspoon cinnamon


1 teaspoon ground cloves


1 teaspoon ground ginger


1 teaspoon ground cardamom


1 cup butter


1 cup white sugar


1/2 cup brown sugar, packed


1 egg, beaten


2 tablespoons dark corn syrup


Directions


*Sift the flour together with the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom in a mixing bowl.


*Beat the butter together with the white and brown sugars in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. 


*Mix in the egg and corn syrup until smooth. 


*Gradually stir in the flour mixture until evenly blended. 


*Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and wrap tightly each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 


*Lightly grease baking sheets.
Using 1 portion at a time, work on a floured surface and roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. 


*Cut into shapes with cookie cutter, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.


*Bake in oven until set, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered tins.




* Blogger is giving me quite a bit of grief today, so please excuse the format if it publishes a little oddly!

Serenity Sunday

This Thursday, millions of families will gather around beautifully decorated tables to give thanks for all that they have. In honor of this day of gratitude, here's my Homemade Cranberry Relish recipe. I have nothing but fond memories of my grandmother each time that I make it for a celebratory dinner.

Cranberry Relish


*1 bag whole cranberries
*1 orange (chunked)
*1 apple (chunked)
*1 large box strawberry jello
* 1 cup of sugar


Grind cranberries, orange and apple until finely chopped (I use a food processor but a blender or food chopper will work too.) Pour into large mixing bowl and add in box of strawberry jello. Add sugar to taste... until not too tart, not too sweet. Let set in the refrigerator over night and  voilà..holiday relish!


My List:


1.) My children


2.) Family traditions


3.) Brown and crispy turkey skin (yummy!)


4.) The smell of fresh baked rolls


5.) Happy memories


6.) Grandmothers


7.) Brown, red and gold tablecloths


8.) Mulled wine


9.) Silly turkey napkin rings


10.) Full tummies




*  Framed turkey hand print made by my son Conor in first grade.

To Drool For...

I've been looking for a fresh, new dessert recipe (other than my tired old pumpkin pie) and I found this sinfully delicious looking recipe that I'm going to try out fort his season's festivities...This has got to be the best time of year, I get to celebrate Halloween and Samhain!

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

* 1 1/2 C. cake flour

* 2/3 C. cocoa powder
* 2 t. baking powder
* 1 t. baking soda
* 1/2 t. salt
* 1 C. plain lowfat yogurt
* 1 3/4 C. canned pumpkin (15 oz. can)
* 1 t. white vinegar
* 2 t. vanilla extract
* 1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
* 1 1/2 C. lightly-packed light brown sugar
* 3 large eggs
*1 cup mini chocolate chips


1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
2.) Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the yogurt, pumpkin, vinegar, and vanilla extract, set aside.
3.) In a large mixing bowl, and using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Alternately beat in the flour and pumpkin mixtures in thirds (for example, beat in 1/3 flour mixture followed by 1/3 pumpkin mixture and repeat until everything is combined). Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
4.) Working quickly, spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Place cupcake pans in the center of the preheated 350 degree oven and bake approximately 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes from pans and let cool completely on the wire racks.
5.) While cupcakes are cooling, prepare cream cheese frosting (recipe follows). When cupcakes are completely cool, spread with frosting.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

* 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

* 1/4 C. unsalted butter, softened

* 2 C. powdered sugar

* 1/4. t. vanilla extract

* 1/8 t. ground cinnamon

* 1/8 t. fresh ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. If frosting is too soft, chill in fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Magic Brownies

With that announcement, I'm assuming I have your attention.  Anyone my generation would instantly recall images of a very strange and thankfully forgotten time called "the late sixties, early seventies." (Boy, today's youth know so little about the culture their parents had to grow up in!)  Anyway...moving on....let me fill your  noggins with a new and positively witchy image as you bite into that next rich and chocolatey brownie.....

( My older children used to roll their eyes and groan at me but I still use this little chant in my kitchen to this day, when I make fudge brownies...)

Lizzie's Chocolate Goddess Invocation

They say that chocolate is the food of the gods...
(But the goddess and I know better....)
I ask that this chocolate we eat today
Encourages happiness and love in my home
In a gentle but effective way.
For the highest good of all with harm to none
By this witches word, my spell is done
So mote it be.

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

• 4  (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
• 1  cup  butter, softened
• 2  cups  sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 1  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate morsels

Preparation

Microwave chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
Add flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla and chocolate morsels. Spread batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares

Chicken Pot Pie

Now that  the days are getting cooler, here's a wonderful recipe that's guaranteed to warm your insides!

Ingredients:
2 pie crusts - unbaked (ready to bake or homemade)
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (1/4 inch thick)
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon ground dried thyme
3 Tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 Tablespoons minced parsley (fresh)


Directions:
* Heat oven to 400 degrees, place oven rack in middle position.
* Place chicken and broth in a stock pot over medium heat. Cover, bring to a simmer and simmer until the chicken is done (about 10 min.)
* Transfer the chicken to a large bowl; reserve the broth in a separate cup or small bowl.
* Place oil in the stock pot, turn heat to medium high.
* Add the carrots, onion and celery. Sauté until just tender (about 5 min.). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
* Shred the chicken meat into bit-sized pieces, then place the vegetables into the bowl with the chicken and set aside.
* Heat the butter in the now empty stock pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and cook 1 minute.
* Whisk in the chicken broth, milk and thyme. Bring to a simmer, continuing to simmer until sauce thickens (about 1 min.). Season with salt and pepper, stir in the sherry.
* Pour the sauce over the chicken-vegetables mixture, stir well. Stir in the peas and parsley.
* Line a 9x13 inch pan with one of the pie crusts. If using ready to bake pie crusts, roll the dough to fit the pan.
* Pour the chicken mixture into the pan and top with second crust.
* Bake in preheated oven until pie crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Dark Moon Bath

There are several rituals and spells that can be done on a new moon ( I refer to it as a dark moon) and before any activity like these it is always good to prepare for the event with grounding, centering and a ritual bath before any magical work is done. This is a recipe I came across a long time ago for a ritual bath dealing with the dark moon.

Ingredients:
* 2 cups powdered milk
* 1/2 cup epsom salt
* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 6 drops sandalwood oil
* 5 drops vanilla oil
* 4 drops gardenia oil
* 4 drops orange oil
* Mix, and use 1 cup per bath

This bath smells so good and you could even take one just to refresh and recharge.

Serenity Sunday

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

*Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
*Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
*Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
*Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
*The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we
are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night! You are going to print this out straight away, aren't you

My List:

1.) My children

2.) My friends

3.) Really fast cake recipies!

4.) BBQ time!

5.) Sunshine

6.) Good music

7.) Marshmallows

8.) Ghost Hunters

9.) Roses...they're growing big!

10.) Pulling weeds in my garden

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.