Free Recipe Download

I've never done this before, so I hope it works!

As you may remember, I have been working on some recipes to go along with the calendars of meatless meals that I have planned for the time between Nov. 1 and Dec. 20.    Well, here they are!   If you're interested in cooking anything that I have planned to make during that time, here is your chance.

The recipes are yours to use and adapt as you see fit.  I've included some menu ideas that are similar to the post I made with the calendars, but there are some variations.  It's a total of 39 pages.  I didn't include every single recipe because some of them, such as spaghetti, are rather basic.

Please let me know if you nab the PDF file, if you cook anything, and how you like the recipes.  What worked? What didn't? What did you change?

Thank you and enjoy!

Nar

Mabon Recipes 2012

I am still working on my recipes for Saturday's meal.  To be honest, some of the recipes will remain experimental recipes or ideas until Saturday.  I know, I know, you're not supposed to test recipes for a big occasion, but some things can be made ahead, in case something effs up.

What I'm going is inviting any brave person(s) to cook along with me.  Here are two of the recipes that will be served for Mabon:

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup

Bacony Brussels Sprouts (I suck at naming things, yo)

I'm also making roasted duck and potatoes, a Mabon salad, and either sweet potato or butternut squash flan.  I think squash.

Anyway, on to the recipes.  Again, I can't vouch for these 100%.  You may need more spice, or it may take longer for the sprouts to cook, depending on your stove.  You may need to add an extra teaspoon of oil.  Whatever changes need to be made will be made after Saturday.

Roasted Carrot-Parsnip Soup

4 cups peeled carrots, cut into cubes

3 cups peeled parsnips, cut into cubes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon grated ginger

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup apple cider or juice

1 ½ tablespoons Ras-el-Hanout

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.  Toss the carrots and parsnips with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread on a large baking tray and roast until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger  and cook 2-3 more minutes.

Add the roasted carrots and parsnips, chicken stock or broth, and juice/cider.   Season with Ras-el-Hanout and salt and pepper to taste. 

Simmer for 10-15 minutes before pureeing.   Add more liquid if necessary – broth, juice, or even water.  Adjust seasonings and serve hot.

Garnish with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, parsley, or chives, if desired. 

Bacony Brussels Sprouts

1 lb Brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed, large ones halved

2 shallots, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 slices bacon, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon drippings

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 ½  tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ cup chicken broth or stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large, lidded skillet over medium. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve the fat. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

Cook the shallots and garlic in the oil or bacon drippings for about 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. 

Add the sprouts and stir to coat.  Add the broth or stock, cover and cook until sprouts are almost tender, 7-8 minutes.

  Remove lid and increase heat.  Whisk together Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar.  Pour over sprouts and cook until Brussels sprouts are tender and liquid has created a glaze for the sprouts. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with bacon bits. 

Mushroom Quiche

I keep adding to my autumn and winter cookbooks. I'm going to have to start weeding out recipes or rearranging them, but this one is a keeper. I didn't make it in time for the full moon, but you certainly can make it for the next one.

Note: Yes, the photos are out of order. I really suck at technology. Sorry! At least the steps of the recipe are in order. ;)


Melt about 3-4 tablespoons of butter on medium-low heat. Add 6 ounces (1 package) of portobello mushroom caps, coarsely chopped. Add 2 minced shallots and 2 minced cloves of garlic. Season with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook until softened, about 12 minutes.



Place the softened mushroom mixture in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Spread on the bottom of a blind-baked pie crust.



Top the mushroom mixture with 1/2 cup grated Gruyere.

Place 4 eggs and 1/4 cream in the food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Whip for a few seconds until combined. Slowly pour this mixture over the mushrooms.




Bake quiche in a 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until set. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Moroccan-Spiced Honey Roast Chicken

This was one of the courses served at my Walking Dead premiere party last week, and it was a big hit. I wish I'd had a chance to snap a picture of the chicken. You get crispy skin, plus a deep golden color from the honey. The Ras-El-Hanout also lends a warm sweetness to this recipe.

Moroccan-Spiced Honey Roast Chicken

1 3 ½ -lb chicken, giblets removed, washed and patted dry
3-4 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1-2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout (recipe given in an earlier post)
1 lemon
4 tablepoons honey, heated
1 cup water
Salt and pepper

Combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and butter with the Ras El hanout . Loosen the skin of the chicken and put this paste between the meat and the skin. Cut the lemon in half and place it in the cavity. Rub the other 1-2 tablespoons of oil or butter onto the skin of the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 450 F. Place the chicken on the rack of a roasting pan, breast-side down. Pour the water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the chicken at 450 F for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 400 F and continue roastingfor another 35-45 minutes. Flip the chicken and brush with the honey. Return to the oven and roast another 10-15 minutes.

When the chicken is done, the juices should run clear and a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 F. Discard the lemon. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.

Samhain Pumpkin Seeds

Wondering what to do with all the leftover seeds from your pumpkin carving? Pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas in Mexico, are a tasty, nutritious snack that is easy to prepare. You can be as creative as you wish. Here I have included two recipes for pumpkin seeds - one with Indian spices and one with the warm, fragrant spices of a pumpkin pie - ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Pumpkin seeds make a delicious addition to your Samhain festivities, and if you're the type to stay up all night in remembrance, these will give you the energy you need to keep going.



Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with Indian Spices

1 cup pumpkin seeds, washed and dried
1 – 2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Lay the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and drizzle with the butter or olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle on the garam masala and salt. Toss again to coat with the spice mixture. Place in the oven and roast until crunchy, about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.


Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds, washed and fried
1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
1 to 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Lay the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and drizzle with the butter or olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle on the sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Toss again to coat. Place in the oven and roast until crunchy, about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.

AMC's The Walking Dead

I'm hosting a party on Sunday night for the first episode of season 2 of The Walking Dead. I love, love, love this show. Anyone who knows me knows I'm nuts for zombies.

I'm also going to be testing out four, yes FOUR recipes for my autumn cookbook.

Moroccan-Spiced Honey Chicken
Orange-Butter Broccoli
Persephone's Salad
Butternut Squash Cannelloni

Foods of October: Apples

Apples are in season in October. Glorious, round, red or green crunchy apples. What is more autumn than that? Autumn is the season of crisp air, colorful falling leaves, mugs of cider, football (if you’re into that sort of thing), and apple picking.

The apple is a fruit of love. It is ruled by the planet Venus and its element is water. Its energies include love, health, and peace.

Apple seeds play a part in Halloween divination. A young lady would take three apple seeds, name them each for a suitor, and stick them either to her forehead or cheeks. The last one to fall off was her true love.

Another apple divination is to throw the peel (whole) over your left shoulder. It should fall in the shape of the initial of the person you're to marry. I don't know which initial.

For love, bake an apple pie with cinnamon and cloves, or simply carve a heart into an apple and eat it with intent.

Applesauce Loaf Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large loaf pan (or 2 smaller ones) with nonstick cooking spray.

In one bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Add the applesauce, vanilla, sour cream, and egg. Mix to combine. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir into the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time. Fold in the raisins and nuts, if using.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Harvest Home Rolls

Here is a lovely, fluffy, lightly sweet roll to serve at your Mabon meal.

Harvest Home Rolls – Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 9-12 rolls, depending on size

½ cup milk, warmed to 110 F
1 package yeast
¼ cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/8 sugar
½ - 1 tsp. salt
2 ¼- 2 ½ cups unbleached bread flour ( I used KA), plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon oil
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Bloom the yeast in half the milk. I always add just a pinch of sugar at this stage too, maybe ½ tsp. Wait 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the warm milk, melted butter, sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve. Add the beaten egg and stir.

Gradually mix in the flour with a wooden spoon. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until the dough makes a satiny ball.
Pour a tablespoon of oil into the bowl. Place the ball of dough into the bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.

After an hour, punch down the dough and let it rise until doubled again, 45-60 minutes.

After the dough has risen a second time, lightly oil your hands and pinch off 12 small balls of dough. Do this by squeezing the dough between the thumb and forefinger of your fist.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush beaten egg on top of each roll before baking. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. The egg wash will make the tops a nice, golden brown.


Kneading dough is an excellent time to infuse it with your intent. Love? Protection? I find that the time passes more quickly when I sing/chant as I'm kneading. "Hoof and Horn" is a favorite of mine because I feel that bread baking also honors gods of grain and agriculture, as well as the cycle of life.

Listening to "John Barleycorn" would also be appropriate. I listened to some Emerald Rose today (www.emeraldrose.com)

Whatever you serve, make the preparation of the meal part of the ritual. Listen to some special, meditative music. Chant. Light a candle as you cook. Say any words that seem appropriate at the time. It's up to you.

You can knead herbs into the bread dough for extra intent, if desired. For example, rosemary would be appropriate at Samhain for remembrance.

Mabon Recipes: Side Dishes

Sweet Potato Souffle is a recipe I am trying tomorrow. Hopefully it will turn out. Souffle has a reputation for being very persnickety and easily upset.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 c cream or milk
5 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Boil sweet potatoes until tender, 10-15 minutes, depending on size of dice. Drain and set aside.

Preheat over to 350 F. Grease a 2-quart souffle dish. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar and turn to coat.

In a large bowl, mash together sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, egg yolks, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they peak. Gently folk egg whites into sweet potato mixture in a figure-8 fashion, 1/4 at a time. There will be flecks of white in the finished product.

Pour into souffle dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Mabon Recipes: Dessert

Applesauce Loaf Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

optional: 1/2 cup each chopped raised, dates, and pecans

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in applesauce. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to wet ingredients and stir well to combine.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

What's Cooking This Weekend

The weather is a little bit cooler now, and that has me thinking of all the comfort food I want to cook when the weather gets even chillier. I felt like experimenting a little bit today, to try to come up with a casserole that would be nice and soothing for the fall and winter.

This is in the oven right now:

Filling:

1 lb ground pork
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1-2 TBL soy sauce
Pepper to taste

10 Savoy cabbage leaves, blanched and tough middle removed
8 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, sliced


Sauce:
½ cup teriyaki sauce
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
Chili flake to taste


Heat the oven to 350 F.
Mix the meat filling ingredients together in a large bowl. Take the blanched cabbage leaves and roll 2-3 tablespoons of the meat mixture up, burrito-style, in each leaf.
Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer the vegetables on the bottom. Place each cabbage roll on top.
Mix together the sauce ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup. Pour over the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked through.


Eat this dish for comfort and to increase prosperity and abundance.

Leftover Magic

Thanksgiving leftovers? Never fear, the kitchen witch is here! I wasn’t able to enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving feast this year, but I am still here with ways for you to use up some of the leftover food you may have, and stir up some witchin’ in the kitchen to boot.

The following soup is just the thing to lift you out of the post-Thanksgiving slump. In fact, it’s good for helping lift you out of the winter doldrums, so it’s a good one to hang on to until spring. Plus, being a spicy soup, it’s good not only for warming and protection, but you can also serve it at Imbolc.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

First, let’s talk about that pumpkin. As we have discussed before, this is an excellent symbol of the harvest. Its round shape represents fertility and abundance. The seeds are also symbols of fertility and can be toasted and eaten, or dried and marked with runes for divination. If you like to do things the slower way, maybe you’ve purchased a pumpkin and roasted it yourself. If so, good for you. Roasting the pumpkin intensifies the flavor and brings out a lovely sweetness. If you’re short on time, however, canned or raw pumpkin will work just as well. This recipe is partially about the spice.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
1 hot red chili, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ½ cups pumpkin (used canned or roasted, whichever you have)
3 cups water
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
1 14-oz can coconut milk
3 tablespoons butter or oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, melt butter and cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili, and spices. Stir to coat everything with the spice mixture and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the pumpkin, water and broth and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk and continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in your blender or use a stick immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Soup can be thinned with a little extra water or stock if it’s too thick for your liking.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves if desired.

Not in the mood for soup? You can also turn this into a satisfying, chunky curry to serve over rice. Use cubes of roasted pumpkin instead of canned, and omit the water and stock, keeping the coconut milk.