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Food Preservation – Continued!

October 7, 2011 in Hearth Witchery

On this the weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite Canadian blogs.  Continuing somewhat with my last post about putting up the harvest, I bring you, Well Preserved.ca.  Based out of Ontario, they are a treasure trove of information.

Recipes and thoughts on canning – both water bath and pressure canner, I believe.  I tend to only look at the water bath ones, as that is what I have.  They have tips on dehydrating, as well as how to dehydrate without a special machine.

For those with a bit of a…shall we say, thirst?  The one that comes to mind is “Apricots, Currants, Grand Marnier and White Pepper = Jam”.  Peaches with brandy, pears with whiskey.  Can you go wrong with that?  I don’t think so.  And even if you did, you wouldn’t remember the next morning.

So go check them out, they are pretty fabulous!  They aren’t just about the jams and jellies either.  While you are there, check out their post (and follow up) on the importance of cooking and sharing pig’s heads.

For all my fellow Canadians, Happy Thanksgiving!  To everyone else, Happy Thanksgiving anyway!

Goddess Bless,
Stacy

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Putting Up the Harvest

September 23, 2011 in Hearth Witchery

This year, for the first time, I tried canning.

I used to watch my mother can things every year – crab apple jelly, cucumber dills, and relish.  I used to take turns at the hand grinder when making the relish.  Up until now, that was the extent of my experience in canning!

For 10 bucks I picked up a water bath canner at Salvation Army, then I got some jars and lids from Walmart, and I proceeded to can.

My Tiny Cupboard of Canned Goods

From left to right are cucumber dills (4 jars), Carrot Pickles (3 jars), Relish (1 jar) and Apple Pie Compote (3 jars).  Everything turned out awesome, and by that I mean all of the lids sealed…We’ve only tried the Apple Pie Compote as of yet!  The relish was by far the most difficult, because I don’t have a grinder.  All of the vegetables were chopped by hand, by moi.  Let me tell you, I was so discouraged that I only made ONE jar of relish after chopping vegetables for an hour.  Ridiculous.  The Apple Pie Compote was an experiment in jam – I didn’t want to use pectin.  Pectin is bitter, so it causes you to add more sugar.  The jams and jellies of generations past were not as thick as the ones of today, so I’m really fine with it.  It tastes amazing.  It would be fabulous poured over Vanilla Ice Cream.

For those who grow a garden, it seems that the only thing that most people can think of is to give their extra produce away.  That’s good too, we should all share the harvest – but we should also think about putting up our own food for the winter.  You can find recipes for canning all sorts of vegetables and fruits – from “normal” things like cucumber dills to the strange like zucchini pickles!

What have you put up for the harvest?

Happy Mabon to everyone, and Happy Ostara to those on the other side!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

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A Magical Mabon Meal

September 13, 2011 in Guests

Menu
Corn Harvest Salad
Pomegranate Carrots
Apple Bread

If you have read my earlier post about changing my lifestyle when it comes to food, you will know that this “Daughter of Herne” has had a rude awakening when it comes to the hunt. My rude awakening has happened in the form of Kidney disease. My body just cannot process protein the way it should so I have to limit the amount of protein I consume on a daily basis. In the past few months I have been switching how I eat which was once predominately meat based to a Vegetarian diet
Since June of this year, I have had a renewed passion for food! Just over three months ago I dreaded to eat anything because I knew what would happen shortly after. I will bare you the yucky details, let me just say that I lost a lot of weight in the course of a few weeks because I simply did not want to eat anything. With my renewed passion, I have taken an interest in what magical properties different foods carry. So with this excitement I am beginning to come up with menus for each of the Sabbats. This is what I am planning on making for Mabon and wanted to share it with you. It is a meal that I plan on honoring the Goddess with my thanks of finally finding out what is wrong with me medically and giving me the opportunity to change my lifestyle, pay better attention to my health, and live long into my Crone years which are still very far to come!
This meal is made with the bounty from Gaia’s (my term for Mother Earth) womb (what I call the ground in this situation). . I feel it is only fitting since Mabon is one of our Harvest Sabbats that this menu be abundant in fruits and vegetables. Some of this meal is also entirely raw. So if you are a busy parent with little time to spare, this might help you out if you have the ingredients on hand!
Corn Harvest Salad
I first learned about this salad at a raw foods class. Once I took it home and looked at the ingredients, I noticed there was a balance of the elements within the items being used. I find this salad is a good addition to the final Sabbat of the “Turn of the Wheel” providing us with balance for the “New Year” of Samhain to come!
4 ears of Corn with the kernels removed or one cob per person or 1 can (Earth)
1 cup of Celery chopped fine (Air)
1 cup of Onion, chopped fine (Fire)
1 small Sweet Red or Orange Bell Pepper, chopped fine (Fire)
1 ripe Avocado, chopped into small pieces (Water)
1 cup chopped Tomatoes (Water)
1 teaspoon of Salt (Earth) Please note that I personally use “Celtic Sea Salt” in my cooking because of the Iodine and Sodium content in regular table salt, I do use it for medical reasons. Using it magically, I agree with Stacy’s past post (http://thepaganhousehold.com/hearth_witchery/kitchen-basics-pantry-staples) there is no taste difference between the two or there is a difference whenever it is used in magick.
6 Tablespoons of Cilantro, chopped please note you will want to chop the cilantro first, then measure it to make sure you put in the right amount. Pending whether or not you like cilantro you can add more or less to your taste (Air)
1 teaspoon Cumin Powder (Fire)
For this salad, you simply put the ingredients into a large bowl and toss. Let this sit for about twenty minutes prior to serving so the flavors will combine. This can be made earlier in the day placed in the fridge to chill or it can be served at room temperature. This is the dish that is completely raw!

Pomegranate Carrots
This dish in my home represents Persephone and Demeter. Mabon is the time we celebrate this great Mother and Daughter. Demeter one of my Patronesses of Earth begins her slumber after all her hard work she’s been doing these past many months. Her daughter Persephone returns to the fire realm of the underworld returning to her husband Hades.
1 tablespoon olive oil (Earth)
1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Fire)
1 cup pomegranate juice (Fire)
1 cinnamon stick (3 to 6 inches or ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground) (Fire)
1/2 teaspoon salt (Earth)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste (Fire)
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed (Fire)
You will want to heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Then add the carrots and sauté them. Stir them occasionally for approximately 5 minutes. Add the pomegranate juice, cinnamon stick, salt, and pepper. You will want to simmer it uncovered. Stir occasionally until the carrots are tender. The liquid will also reduced to a glaze which should take 20 to 25 minutes. Lastly you will add the coriander seed and cook with stirring the carrots for at least one minute. Prior to serving, you will want to remove and discard the cinnamon stick. The carrots can be served hot from the stove or at room temperature.
Apple Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour (Earth)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (Fire)
1 teaspoon baking soda (Air)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (Air)
1/2 teaspoon salt (Earth)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (Water)
2 cups sugar (Water)
2 eggs, beaten (Water)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (Air)
2 cups apples – peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (Air)
1 cup broken walnuts (Earth)
In a large bowl, combine the dry items: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and the salt. Set the dry items aside. In a second large mixing bowl we will combine the wet items. Put the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and chopped apples. Now take the combined wet items and stir them into the dry flour mixture. Now add walnuts and mix until well combined. Now divide the mixture between two greased (or Pam sprayed) 8-inch x 4-inch bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan. (Note if you do not have a wire rack, check to see if the rack in your microwave is removable. If you have one, flip it over so that it is raised from your countertop or place upon a cool stove. If you do not have a rack you can also substitute an upside down pizza pan if it’s the kind with holes in it as well.)

I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I have enjoyed these dishes in the past. From my family to yours, I wish you a Magical Mabon! Blessed Be now go and enjoy a cup of good herbal tea!
Sincerely,
Crystal LunaRouge

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Banishing the Boredom

August 11, 2011 in Guests

With the hot Texas weather, 105 on most days, comes lazy indoor afternoons.  Having your children inside for any length of time brings about lots of tv/video games, boredom and just plain bickering.  With all this going on, what’s a pagan mama to do?  Start improvising that’s for sure.

Below you will find some activities that just might be the thing you need to banish the hot summertime boredom and add in a bit of pagany play along the way.

1.  Dream Catcher:  The book, Nature’s Playground, is an invaluable resource for any pagan or nature loving family.  It is divided into sections based on seasons.  Wild Weaving is one of the many activities included in the summer section.  Before beginning, you’ll need to go on an early morning or late evening hike to find all the needed materials.

Here’s what you do:

First, bend a twig into a circular form.  Wrap twine or floral wire around the ends to secure.  Next, tie twine onto the circle.  Wrap it haphazardly across and back around the frame forming a web.  Tie the lose end to the frame to secure.  Finally, tie a loop of twine on the top of the frame and 3 strands of twine to the bottom.  The bottom strands will be for securing decorations from nature.

To decorate your dream catcher, find treasures from nature to weave into the web and hang from the bottom twine.  You may even weave grasses and leaves around the frame to add some extra flare.

2.  Nature Collages:  Use left over materials from the dream catchers and a bit of water color to create an eye pleasing collage from nature.  Paint a 9X9 square of thick paper with naturally pleasing colors.  It’s always fun to choose two colors like red and yellow.  The children will be amazed when the third color magically appears.  Allow the paint to dry.

Next, arrange a variety of natural materials onto your painted mat.  Move the items around until you find a position that you enjoy.  Removing one item at a time, glue all materials into place.

Finally, find a location to hang your collage for others to see.

3.  Forts:  Your little ones will need a handful of flat sheets, some clothes pins, and bar stools.  Demonstrate how to lay the sheets on top of furniture, on bar stools, etc.  Show your kiddos how to wrap the material from the sheet around the furniture and clip tight with clothes pins.  From there, let their imagination take over.  Hopefully, fort building will be an adventure that fills the entire afternoon.

4.  Hedgehog Rolls:  Make a batch of yummy rolls shaped like cute little hedgehogs. Consider using Pillsbury french bread or biscuits if making bread from scratch isn’t for you.  The directions can be found HERE.

image source unknown

5.  Thumbprint Art: Directions are posted on my blog, Natural Simplicity.

6.  Homemade Air Dry Clay:  Use these directions to create wonderful clay sculptures of animals, leaves, whatever you imagination can ponder.

7.  Story Sack: A story sack is a great tool to use in story telling.  With a little prep work and alot of imagination, your family will be weaving a tale worthy of a Caldecott.

8.  Game of Nim:  Collect 20 coins and get ready to play this simple, yet challenging math game.  Even the youngest kiddos can join in the fun.

9.  Homemade Baggie Ice Cream:  What more needs to be said?  Head on over to Makin’ Magic and snag the directions.

10.  Sandy Beach Self Portraits:  More fun than playing with paper dolls.  This activity is bound to give your kidlets an interactive afternoon that is totally unplugged.  Directions are HERE.

Hope you got a few ideas to keep your little ones active and your sanity intaked.  Enjoy these last days of summer.  Soon we greet Cousin Fall in all his glory.

Blessed Be.

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Kids in the Kitchen: Broccoli Slaw

July 14, 2011 in Guests

Need a smile?  Join your children in the kitchen.  You are guaranteed smiles and a sprinkling of giggles too.    

 First, head outside and gather veggies from your garden.  Then, give your kiddos a chance to improve their culinary skills… with your help, of course.

Broccoli Slaw Kiddie Style

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of broccoli washed and chopped into florets
  • 1-2 cups of shredded cabbage
  • 1/2 cup diced onions (the smaller the better)
  • 1/2 bag of dried cranberry
  • 5 slices of turkey bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • sugar to taste (about 4 tablespoons)

Directions:

  1. Mix together the top four ingredients.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the mayo, vinegar and sugar.
  3. Dump the mayo mixture over the broccoli slaw and mix together with your hands.  I promise it just mixes it up better.
  4. Sprinkle cooked and crumbled bacon on top.
  5. Cover container and place in fridge for several hours before serving.

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Kitchen Basics – The End

June 17, 2011 in Hearth Witchery

Well folks, this will be the end of my Kitchen Basics series. Today, I want to share with you my favorite recipe. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve never shared it. It’s fabulous and delicious. It’s amazing. If you use it in a recipe instead of its over-processed, store bought brother, your recipe will be elevated to ambrosial level.

I speak of homemade mayonnaise. And yes, it really is that good. It’s actually fairly easy; the only time I’ve ever had an issue with it is when I rushed it. Take it slow and steady, and you will never want to go back to jarred mayonnaise.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade Mayonnaise, made by myself!

1 Large Egg Yolk

2 Tsp Lemon Juice

1 Tsp Vinegar

1/4 Tsp Mustard

1/2 Tsp Salt

3/4 Cup Oil, Divided

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using a 1/4 tsp measure, add 1/4 cup of oil to the yolk mixture one spoon at a time. Whisk constantly throughout. Slowly add remaining 1/2 Cup of Oil in a slow thin stream, whisking constantly until mayonnaise is thick. Cover and Chill.

This recipe is easy to altar and customize. For a fruitier flavor, use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Use white wine vinegar instead of normal white vinegar. Use Dijon mustard instead of regular yellow mustard. If you want to make aioli, add one clove minced garlic and use olive oil. If you want it to taste more like Hellman’s mayonnaise, substitute all white vinegar for the lemon juice.

Remeber 1 egg yolk can emulsify 3/4 cup of oil and no more. If you want to make more mayonnaise, you will have to use an extra egg yolk! This is an awesome mayonnaise to use for everyday sandwiches, but it really makes a potato salad. It tastes a little salty, slightly tangy, and simply superb. Like no other mayonnaise you’ve ever had.

Hope you enjoy!

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

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Earth Day Kitchen Basics – Sustainaibilty

April 22, 2011 in Hearth Witchery

Today for Earth Day, I thought I would talk about sustainability in the kitchen. Especially for us as Pagans, this is an important issue. We can truly make a difference even through our cooking, even though it may not seem that way at first.

Sustainability is simply the endeavor and ability to endure. We want nature to be sustained; she is our mother, after all. One of the best ways to do this is simply to waste less, and do things in a “green” manner. It can pertain to food waste, as well as paper and plastics that are used in the kitchen. Here are a few ideas on basic sustainability in the kitchen.

5. Don’t waste Sauce! Chance are, when you make pasta (or other saucy things) you make a lot more sauce than you actually need. If you use sauce from a jar, maybe you try to use only half the jar of sauce instead of the whole jar, trying to save the rest for later. But do you ever really use it? We make giant batches of pasta sauce, use what we want, and freeze the rest. If you have extra ice cube trays, these are perfect! Spoon pasta sauce into the tray, and freeze! When frozen, empty into a Ziploc bag. Repeat until the sauce is gone! Not only are you not wasting the sauce, you are now portioning! Each of the “pasta sauce cubes” is about 1 Tbsp. worth of pasta sauce.

4. Plastic Wrap. This is a big thing for me. Not only is plastic wrap infinitely annoying, getting stuck to itself, it is obviously not good for the environment. Sometimes, you need it. Everything, of course, in moderation. There is a Etsy shop, Orion Baby Designs, who makes reusable bowl covers! Cotton on the outside and polyurethane coated fabric inside, they keep moisture in just like plastic wrap, but are even machine washable! Who can say no to that?

3. Compost and Garden! This is one of the biggest ways not to waste. Some of us, this isn’t feasible for. Some of us live in tiny apartments, or as my husband and I did for years, a tiny basement suite. For those who can though, it’s a great way to conserve and reuse. Organic “garbage” goes into the compost, which you use to fertilize soil, where you grow more vegetables, which produce more organic “garbage”! It’s a great cycle of sustainability.

2. Paper towel. From wiping up spills to cleaning windows, paper towel can be useful in so many places! But so can kitchen towels. I use crocheted cloths, one for natural cleaners, one for chemical cleaners, and one for wiping up spills. They are each a different color so I don’t confuse them, and it really cuts down on the amount of paper towel we use. I sell some myself on my Etsy store, in Sabbat Colors.

1. Shop used. One of the biggest issues in the kitchen is the need for better, newer, shinier products. I have a Kitchen Aid mixer. I bought it refurbished, not brand new. It works just fine, is shiny, and was about 200$ less than brand new. You can find gently used kitchen items on EBay, vintage ones on Etsy, and of course everything else in your local thrift store.

I was a child during the birth of the current recycling movement. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It’s a great concept that is still used today, and it is something that we should remember all year long, not just on Earth Day.

What can you do to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle this year?

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

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Kitchen Basics – Spices

April 8, 2011 in Hearth Witchery

Making a kitchen from scratch is a difficult thing to do. So many of us for so many years have turned to fast food or pick up meals instead of cooking ourselves. In recent years this is starting to change, most of us now realize the benefits of cooking in our own homes. Less fat, less salt, and more family.

Which one to use?

So when one is creating a kitchen, what do you need? This is the first in a series of posts about kitchen basics, things that in my opinion no kitchen should be without. Mealtime staples, pantry items, kitchen tools, and standby recipes are a few of the things that will be covered over the coming weeks. Today I’ll be looking at the top 10 spices to keep in your cupboard.

10. Paprika

Paprika adds a wonderful smoky flavor to anything

you put it in. It’s wonderful in soups and barbecue sauces, and of course on top of deviled eggs. It’s wonderful on top of hash browns as well!

9.Rosemary

Rosemary leaves are quite like pine needles in look. Rosemary has a slight bitter taste and is wonderfully aromatic, and it lends itself well to strong meat flavors and soups.

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is actually the inner bark of a tree, believe it or not. Aromatic and pungent, use it in pies, with chicken and lamb, and with chocolate.

7. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is actually the seed of an evergreen tree that grows in the Indonesian Spice Islands. It is used in sweet and savory dishes, and lends itself well to everything from pumpkin pie to pasta.

6. Basil

The most common basil used is sweet basil, a member of the mint family. Basil was originally cultivated in India, and is best added to dishes at the end of cooking as overcooking can ruin the flavor. Popular in Italian Cuisine, it is wonderful in homemade pesto and I love it in soups.

5. Oregano

America developed the taste for Oregano after WWII, when American soldiers stationed in Italy got a taste for it. It is more flavorful when dried, and is wonderful on roasted vegetables and beef, and of course on pizza!

4. Bacon Salt

Mmmm....Bacon...

Bacon Salt. Where do I begin? This is a staple in my kitchen, although not many people have heard of it yet. I add this to soups, to chicken dishes, beef dishes, pork dishes, potatoes. It is one of the most versatile things I’ve come across, and when used in the right amount adds a subtle smokey flavor of, well, bacon! Check it out here at J&D Foods.

3. Onion Powder

The most common kind is white onion powder, although it can be found in Red, Yellow and toasted varieties as well. Add to anything you want to have a taste of onion when you don’t have any, or if you can’t eat them.

2. Dill

Not many things are more flavorful than fresh dill. I admit I use the dried variety a lot, it’s just easier to get for a lot of us. I add Dill to my chicken salad, to eggs, potatoes, and beef. I find that almost anything can be improved with a few shakes of dill, but that might just be me.

1. Garlic Powder

Number one on my list is of course Garlic Powder. I would bet 90% of people reading this have it in their spice rack or cupboard. Garlic powder is awesome in everything, but if you take some garlic powder, add some paprika, bacon salt, onion powder and a little salt it makes a great dry rub.

This, of course, is my list. My top ten. What are the spices you use the most in your kitchen? Are they similar, or completely different?

Goddess Bless,

Stacy

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