Potions Rare

 The Brewer

In the cauldron steams and brews

Potions rare that boil and stew.

Steeps thy fortune wise and true,

All that’s good will come to you!

Now for the recipe!

The White Witch

For your sipping pleasure on Hallows, May I suggest a White Witch!

2 cups vanilla ice cream 

2 Oz vodka 

2 Oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

Let ice cream soften a bit then add all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth and serve. Makes 1 serving.

http://www.hollyscheatday.com/the-white-wi

21 Days of the Winter Solstice 17

Wassail! Wassail all over the town!
Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown;
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;
With the wassailing-bowl, we'll drink to thee!

And here is to Dobbin and to his right eye!
Pray God send our master a good Christmas pie,
And a good Christmas pie that we may all see;
With our wassailing-bowl, we'll drink to thee!

So here is to Broad May and to her broad horn!
May God send our master a good crop of corn,
And a good crop of corn that we may all see;
With the wassailing-bowl we'll drink to thee!

Then here's to the maid in the lily-white smock
Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock;
Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin,
For to let these jolly wassailers in.

from the Gloucestershire Wassail

For many years I have made our own version of wassail. It is a non-alcoholic version, but one can add rum, whiskey, or whatever. 

Sleighride Punch 

1 quart of apple cider

1 quart of Constant Comment tea

2 cups of orange juice

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup real maple syrup

3 cinnamon sticks

1 sliced orange studded with whole cloves

1 sliced apple, core removed, studied with cloves

freshly ground nutmeg to taste

3 slices of buttered, toasted cinnamon bread,

cut into triangles.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, remove from heat

and add 6 Constant Comment tea bags. Let brew 6 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and return to medium heat. Add the orange

juice, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  Stir well. Bring to a simmer.

Slice an apple, removing core, and  an orange, stud edges with 

whole cloves. Add the fruit to the pot along with the cinnamon sticks

and nutmeg. Allow to simmer for about an hour. 

Keep the pot on the stove, on warm, or transfer to a crock pot.

Just before serving, place the triangles of toast on top.

If you use the crock pot, you can keep the brew warm constantly

to be ready anytime guests appear.

Blessings dark and deep!

Hallows Everyday - 19

Souling Song - Samhain Version

Soul, soul, soul cakes!

We come hunting for soul cakes!

We are dead, but like we said,

On this night we'll take your bread

And while you're out of your abode,

Lighting fires of Samhain old,

Think of us, out of body

As we are, you, too, shall be.

Samhain Night, at long last,

We parade from ages past

A journey from the Otherworld

Oh, the hairs that we have curled!

Winter's Eve surrounds us,

Its open portal astounds us.

We creep into the living sphere,

And see where memories summon here.

Find us in this coldness,

Visiting with much boldness.

Share your food; we'll share our power

To discern a future hour.

Summer's End, Summer's End

Will the sun return, vital warmth to send?

Summer's End, Summer's End

Darkness lengthens in its stride across the sleeping land.

Little Jack, Jack sat on his gate,

Offering goblins and demons his cake.

Up with the chill and down with the sun,

Waning and waning, the Dark Half's begun.

All this night as boundaries untie,

Visitors friendly and frightful stop by.

Up with your mask and down with your feet,

Marching and marching to lead out the fleet.

How about this dwelling?

Its offerings are compelling,

With drinks and cakes and porridge,

And cherries and berries from storage.

Rattles at your door!

Don't be scared, but give us some more!

A banshee or a fershee might delight by new firelight.

Songwriter & Singer: Kristen Elsie Lawrence

Recipes for Soul Cakes

http://www.food.com/recipe/soul-cakes-143070

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhaincooking/ht/Soul_cake.htm - a variety of different recipes.

http://www.cooksinfo.com/soul-cakes-recipe

Blessings dark and deep!

Hallows Everyday - 17

Witch's Brew Pumpkin Squash Soup/Stew

This recipe is a sort of hodgepodge, very forgiving, adjusted over the years, adding this, one year and that, the next... so just go with it. It is very, very yummy! Read through the entire recipe before cooking since it is a hodgepodge and you want to make sure you have everything you need.


Ingredients
2 large butternut squash or whatever squash you like
29 oz can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
fingerling potatoes - or any other small potato
2 large apples, peeled, cored, quartered
3 sweet onions, nice and large, chopped
4 stalks of celery, sliced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 quarts rich stock - veggie, chicken, or beef
butter
olive oil
barley (quick cooking is fine)
real maple syrup - grade B if you can get it
apple butter or sherry
salt, ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice
optional: ground beef, stew meat, chicken, or pork - shredded
sour cream or heavy cream

Wash the squash and poke some holes in them, then bake, along with a handful or two of fingerling potatoes and a couple of large peeled, cored, and quartered apples, all having been tossed with  some olive oil, in a 350 degree oven until just tender, about an hour. I cool and then cut the squash in half, scrap our the stringy stuff and seeds, peel off the skin and place in a large dutch oven or soup pot, then use a potato masher and mash the squash a bit, leaving it somewhat lumpy. I add the canned pumpkin, mix it well with the squash, then add a good chicken or vegetable stock; I start with a quart to a quart and a half, depending upon how thick I want the soup - I want it nice and thick. I then add the potatoes whole or halved and the apple which I coarsely chop.

In a frying pan, I add a couple of good sized pats of butter and a splash of olive oil, heating over medium heat. I then add 3 chopped onions and 4 celery stalks, sliced, cooking until the onions are browned a bit and the celery is cooked. I then toss in 6 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely but not minced and let that just cook until fragrant - don't brown the garlic, it will get bitter. Add these veggies to the soup pot and bring to a simmer. Add ½ - ¾ cup of barley (quick cooking is fine) when the soup is very hot. Cook over medium low heat for about an hour. Check the thickness, add more stock if the soup is too thick for your taste. Taste the barley to make sure it is chewy but not hard.

Season with salt to taste, as well as about a 1/2 cup of real maple syrup, grade B if you can get it. Add ¼ teaspoon of group cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice, then mix well. Take a taste and adjust the seasoning and maple syrup to your liking. I also add about a ½ cup of apple butter and blend in well. This is a very forgiving soup, adjust it as you like, add anything extra including more stock to thin if too thick. I have left out the barley and added cooked ditalini instead, but the barley gives it a very nice, traditional flavor. You can also add browned and cooked stew beef or ground beef, shredded chicken or pork, or all three. If you decide to add beef, use a good beef stock for a very rich flavor. I've also added cup of sherry instead of the apple butter and that was quite good too. Do as you will, cackle - just a little witchly humor! ;)

And there you go... a lovely seasonal soup/stew, full of autumn flavors, very easy and very satisfying. I like to serve it with corn bread and plenty of butter. A dollop of sour cream or a splash of heavy cream adds a nice touch too.  I would love to hear from anyone who tries this recipe, how you liked it, and how you made it your own.

Blessings dark and deep!

This design is from an old magazine, no clue who the designer is.

Please advise if you have info.

Hallows Everyday - 16

Well, we all know this is pumpkin time, especially since there is pumpkin everything available. I love pumpkin so I eat a good amount of it, along with a plentiful variety of squashes. I have a very basic, nothing fancy way to prepare it - spit it in half, scrape out the seeds, and bake cut side down in a little water until nice and soft. Sometimes I'll flip it over, brush with a little butter and roast until it gets a nice and browned. I then mash it up, add plenty of butter, ground cinnamon and cloves, a good splash of maple syrup or brown sugar, and maybe a splash of sherry or rum, just a little for flavor. Yum! 

I also like to add some pumpkin to my coffee or spiced tea. I take about 2 cups of good strong coffee or black tea, add about a cup of mashed pumpkin, canned is just fine; I whip the pumpkin into the coffee, and add some spices to taste. I like a teaspoon of cinnamon, a shake of ground cloves, and a good grating of nutmeg. I warm about 1 ½ cups of whole milk and half and half mixed with some heavy cream, if I have it; if not I use 1 1/2 cups of half and half blended with whole milk - about half of each. You can add a spoonful or two of maple syrup, brown sugar, or other sweetener, but I don't. Warm it until just right, then add your coffee/pumpkin/spice mix and warm a little more, but don't boil. Whip it so it blends nicely. And there you are, a lovely season beverage!

Devotional activity: Get yourself a supply of those little fresh pumpkins that are available; you can even get them by the bagful. Decorate the outside with some colored Sharpie pens or carve if you like. Make a blessing over the pumpkin and let it sit on your altar for a day or so, then take it to some special place: hedge, base of tree, lake, and leave it as an offering after saying the appropriate offering blessing. Do this every week through Hallowstide, or more if you can. Cemeteries are also a good place to leave this offering. 

Blessings dark and deep!

Hallows Everyday 19

Witch's Brew

1 quart apple cider

1 quart brewed spiced tea

(I like Constant Comment or Vanilla Chai)

3 cinnamon sticks

13 whole cloves

2 - 3 pieces of crystalized ginger (to taste)

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients, except the vanilla extract, into a pot and bring almost to a boil. 

Let simmer, covered, for half and hour or so. Strain into a crock pot and add the vanilla 

extract, then set to low to keep the brew warm.

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 14

The Samhain Vow

On the Wheel of the Year now does Winter begin;

The world is austere and we all turn within.

I vow now to face the shadows I find

and work to unlace all their powers to bind.

I vow to invoke my ancestors' relief,

and release in the smoke all my fear and my grief.

This task do I claim as I mark this Samhain,

and swear by the flame behind Jack's cheery grin.

Make this vow before a Jack-O-Lantern you have carved and placed a candle in.

Burn some cinnamon and clove incense. After making the vow, feast upon some

roasted pumpkin seeds and spiced pumpkin cream tea, being sure to offer some to the spirits.

Pumpkin Cream Tea

3 cups of strong spiced tea

(I use decaf Constant Comment - choose what you prefer)

1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup Half-and-Half (or more to taste)

(substitute almond milk if you are dairy free)

sweetener to taste

Whipped cream

Brew the tea and set aside. In a small pot, combine the pumpkin, spices, vanilla, and

half-and-half. If you prefer, add some sweetener to taste, such as honey, maple syrup, or 

molasses. I prefer mine without sweetener. Warm the mixture until just at a simmer; do not boil. Remove from the heat and add the brewed tea, whipping to combine. Warm if necessary. Serve immediately with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. This is very yummy!

Blessings nine!