First of all, I would like to with you all a happy, blessed Mabon. I would love to know what you are cooking to celebrate!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I started working on the introduction to the cookbook. I was feeling inspired to get off my butt and start doing some serious word. Then I started going through my notes and recipes and am now feeling completely overwhelmed! There are still so many recipes to test or re-test and exact measurements to figure out and write down. This is gog to take a while. I'm going to concentrate on fall and winter right now, and worry about spring when it gets here. This cookbook project won't be finished while I live overseas. I'm going to have to reutn to the US at some point, if only to have easy access to pork and cheaper alcohol!
Anyway...Thanks for all who read, follow, and comment. You inspire me and keep me going! I am really grateful.
Showing posts with label kitchen witch cookbook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen witch cookbook. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Started the Intro
I felt inspired today and started writing the introduction to the cookbook. My goal is to have at least one season done so I can send it to the folks at Llewellyn (and wherever else) and see if there is any interest. I could use some feedback if anyone is interested in seeing what I have so far. Well, right now it's just one paragraph, but I'm working on it! I'm going to do some more work this evening.
Friday, September 18, 2009
More Recipes for Mabon
Corn Chowder for Mabon
There are several ways you can spice up this delicious chowder. You can give it some southwestern flair by adding chorizo instead of bacon, and seasoning it with cumin and chile. Or you can keep it traditional, with bacon and even potatoes.
Version 1
2 T oil or butter
1 T flour
1 large onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed (small)
4 cups stock
6 slices bacon, cut into small chunks
3 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned or frozen
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil or butter in a soup pot. Add the bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes before adding onion and celery. Cook the onion and celery for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking 2-3 minutes more. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine, cooking another 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the corn and potato. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potato is tender, 15-20 minutes. At this point you can puree a ladleful or two of the soup and return it to the pot. Stir in the cream and check the seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Southwest Corn Chowder
2 T oil or butter
1 T flour
1 chorizo, casing removed
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chile, deseeded
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons (t) ground cumin
1/4 - 1/2 t ground chipotle powder
4 cups stock
3 cups corn kernels
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cream
chopped fresh cilantro
Heat the oil or butter in a soup pot. Cook the chorizo, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Remove the cooked sausage and reserve. Drain all but about 2 T of oil. Cook the onions and chile for 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in the flour. Add the spices, salt and pepper, and stock. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add the corn and simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes. Again, you may choose to puree a cup or cup and a half of the soup before stirring in the cream. After stirring in the cream, add the reserved chorizo. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
As with the black bean soup, you may also garnish with sliced green onions. You can also sprinkle on some grated Monterrey Jack, and/or some chopped canned green chiles. Yumyumyum!
Note: If you make the meatball soup, black bean soup, or this version of corn chowder at home, please let me know! By making these recipes at home you are helping me tweak and perfect them for the cookbook and I would be most grateful. If something needs adjusted, let me know what you did at home. I'll continue to develop and test things here as well.
There are several ways you can spice up this delicious chowder. You can give it some southwestern flair by adding chorizo instead of bacon, and seasoning it with cumin and chile. Or you can keep it traditional, with bacon and even potatoes.
Version 1
2 T oil or butter
1 T flour
1 large onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed (small)
4 cups stock
6 slices bacon, cut into small chunks
3 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned or frozen
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil or butter in a soup pot. Add the bacon and fry for 2-3 minutes before adding onion and celery. Cook the onion and celery for a few minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking 2-3 minutes more. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine, cooking another 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the corn and potato. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potato is tender, 15-20 minutes. At this point you can puree a ladleful or two of the soup and return it to the pot. Stir in the cream and check the seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Southwest Corn Chowder
2 T oil or butter
1 T flour
1 chorizo, casing removed
1 large onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chile, deseeded
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons (t) ground cumin
1/4 - 1/2 t ground chipotle powder
4 cups stock
3 cups corn kernels
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cream
chopped fresh cilantro
Heat the oil or butter in a soup pot. Cook the chorizo, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Remove the cooked sausage and reserve. Drain all but about 2 T of oil. Cook the onions and chile for 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in the flour. Add the spices, salt and pepper, and stock. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add the corn and simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes. Again, you may choose to puree a cup or cup and a half of the soup before stirring in the cream. After stirring in the cream, add the reserved chorizo. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
As with the black bean soup, you may also garnish with sliced green onions. You can also sprinkle on some grated Monterrey Jack, and/or some chopped canned green chiles. Yumyumyum!
Note: If you make the meatball soup, black bean soup, or this version of corn chowder at home, please let me know! By making these recipes at home you are helping me tweak and perfect them for the cookbook and I would be most grateful. If something needs adjusted, let me know what you did at home. I'll continue to develop and test things here as well.
Mabon Recipes
Mabon is almost upon us. Many consider Mabon to be the Pagan version of Thanksgiving, and some prepare large feasts to mark the occasion. Whether you are hosting a dinner, a potluck, or just taking some post-ritual refreshments, a question you may have is, ‘What do I prepare in honor of this holiday?’ Never fear, the kitchen witch is here!
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, autumn is here. The weather begins to cool down and the produce of summer dwindles. This half of the earth is preparing for rest and for shorter days and colder temperatures.
Mabon marks the second harvest. The fertility of the land is dissipating as the goddess begins to embrace Her Crone aspect. Grain gods and goddesses are in their element. Grains are a very appropriate food for this time of year, especially corn. We can honor the Corn Mother, Demeter (remember that non-Westerners used the word ‘corn’ to mean any type of grain), and Mesopotamian goddesses such as Ashnan, Nissaba, and Ninbarshegunu. * Honor Thor and the Green Man, among others.
Besides corn, squash and beans are appropriate foods for Mabon. Prepare a satisfying pot of corn and bacon chowder, or a stew made with corn, beans and squash, the three most important food plants to Native Americans. Bake a fresh loaf of whole wheat or rye bread and offer some to the gods. Purchase some locally brewed beer if you can.
Another thing you can do to celebrate the harvest is to help those who do not have enough food. Make a donation to your local food pantry if there is one nearby. If not, visit www.thehungersite.com and click daily to generate food donations. May all be fed! That is one of this kitchen witch’s goals.
Now, on to some recipes.
My Spicy Black Bean Soup
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broth
4 cans (15-16 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cumin
¼-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne)
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped
In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and stir, cooking another 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and about ½ cup water, beans, lime juice, cumin and chipotle. Stir to combine.
Turn up the heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and lower the temperature and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check to see if you need more liquid. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Take about ½ of the beans and put in a blender. Add enough of the soup liquid to make a puree. Add about 1/3 cup cilantro before pureeing. Stir this mixture back into the rest of the soup.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls. You can add a scoop of white rice to the middle and garnish with the reserved cilantro. Other garnishes: sliced green onions and finely minced jalapeno (seeded if you don’t want so much heat).
(This recipe will be in the cookbook, should I ever get off my duff and finish it!)
Z’s Family Cornbread
My mom has been making this cornbread for years. I think the recipe actually came as part of a grade school project when I was in the third grade. I don’t know who to credit; I just know it’s delicious and it goes wonderfully with the soup.
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tablespoon (T). baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (t. ) salt
1 cup milk (1 1/4 for buttermilk)
1 egg
2 T. shortening
Mix ingredients and pour into greased baking pan.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Decorate your altar and/or table with vines and miniature squash and light candles of orange, purple and yellow. Raise a glass of wine or beer and give thanks for the second harvest.
For dessert, serve up an apple or pumpkin pie, or maybe a nice gingerbread. (The Williams-Sonoma recipe for carmelized pear upside down ginger cake is so unbelievably delicious! I’ll link anyone who wants it.)
Mabon blessings to you and yours.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, autumn is here. The weather begins to cool down and the produce of summer dwindles. This half of the earth is preparing for rest and for shorter days and colder temperatures.
Mabon marks the second harvest. The fertility of the land is dissipating as the goddess begins to embrace Her Crone aspect. Grain gods and goddesses are in their element. Grains are a very appropriate food for this time of year, especially corn. We can honor the Corn Mother, Demeter (remember that non-Westerners used the word ‘corn’ to mean any type of grain), and Mesopotamian goddesses such as Ashnan, Nissaba, and Ninbarshegunu. * Honor Thor and the Green Man, among others.
Besides corn, squash and beans are appropriate foods for Mabon. Prepare a satisfying pot of corn and bacon chowder, or a stew made with corn, beans and squash, the three most important food plants to Native Americans. Bake a fresh loaf of whole wheat or rye bread and offer some to the gods. Purchase some locally brewed beer if you can.
Another thing you can do to celebrate the harvest is to help those who do not have enough food. Make a donation to your local food pantry if there is one nearby. If not, visit www.thehungersite.com and click daily to generate food donations. May all be fed! That is one of this kitchen witch’s goals.
Now, on to some recipes.
My Spicy Black Bean Soup
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broth
4 cans (15-16 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cumin
¼-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne)
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped
In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and stir, cooking another 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and about ½ cup water, beans, lime juice, cumin and chipotle. Stir to combine.
Turn up the heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and lower the temperature and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check to see if you need more liquid. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Take about ½ of the beans and put in a blender. Add enough of the soup liquid to make a puree. Add about 1/3 cup cilantro before pureeing. Stir this mixture back into the rest of the soup.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls. You can add a scoop of white rice to the middle and garnish with the reserved cilantro. Other garnishes: sliced green onions and finely minced jalapeno (seeded if you don’t want so much heat).
(This recipe will be in the cookbook, should I ever get off my duff and finish it!)
Z’s Family Cornbread
My mom has been making this cornbread for years. I think the recipe actually came as part of a grade school project when I was in the third grade. I don’t know who to credit; I just know it’s delicious and it goes wonderfully with the soup.
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tablespoon (T). baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (t. ) salt
1 cup milk (1 1/4 for buttermilk)
1 egg
2 T. shortening
Mix ingredients and pour into greased baking pan.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Decorate your altar and/or table with vines and miniature squash and light candles of orange, purple and yellow. Raise a glass of wine or beer and give thanks for the second harvest.
For dessert, serve up an apple or pumpkin pie, or maybe a nice gingerbread. (The Williams-Sonoma recipe for carmelized pear upside down ginger cake is so unbelievably delicious! I’ll link anyone who wants it.)
Mabon blessings to you and yours.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Meatball Soup for a Cool Autumn Day
Here is the recipe I plan to make this evening. It's full of veggies, beans, pasta and little meatballs. This is a hearty soup and needs only a few accompaniments - good bread, maybe a salad, and a nice red wine.
For the meatballs:
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
¼ chopped parsley
2-3 tablespoons grated onion (you can also use dehydrated minced onion, but only use 1 tablespoon)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to fully incorporate all the ingredients. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and set aside.
For the soup:
½ cup small pasta (e.g. thimble, ditalini, small shells, etc.)
2 cups cooked white beans (I used frozen)
2 carrots, washed, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 small zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen green beans
2 banana peppers, cored and sliced into rings
1 red pepper, cored and chunked
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 tsp fresh basil, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 pints stock or ½ water, ½ stock
Salt and pepper
Optional: 3 Italian sausages, sprinkle of chili flake
If using the sausages, brown along with the meatballs. Slice before adding to the soup.
(I would add the sausages if I could find them, but they aren’t available here. Most pork products are not readily available here.)
In a soup pot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Lightly seal and brown the meatballs so they don’t lose their shape when cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Lower the heat and add the chopped onion and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until slightly tender, then add garlic. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the zucchini and carrots and allow them to cook for a couple more minutes.
Combine the rest of the ingredients (except for the pasta) and bring to a near boil. Skim off any foam from the meatballs. Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer until meatballs are cooked and veggies are tender. You may need to add some additional liquid during the cooking time. Keep warm water or stock handy. Don’t use cold as it will reduce the temperature of the soup.
While the soup is cooking, bring salted water to a boil in another pot. Cook the pasta until just al dente. Keeping the pasta separate will keep it from getting mushy. To serve, put some pasta in the soup bowl and ladle over the soup. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes: The ingredients are really flexible. If you're super short on time, use all frozen vegetables. You can buy frozen onions and peppers together as well as frozen Italian vegetable mixes. I'm using frozen barbunya again like I did in the chili recipe because the canned beans can be too mushy. You could even use frozen meatballs but I think they're rather disgusting and prefer to make my own. I can't get a lot of frozen products here, anyway.
Use chicken or beef broth or stock in this recipe. Feel free to leave out the tomato paste if you want a less "tomato-y" soup. Use dried herbs or fresh, but remember to use about half the amount of dried. I have some bush basil growing on on my balcony, and rosemary grows in front of one of the apartment buildings here.
For the meatballs:
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
¼ chopped parsley
2-3 tablespoons grated onion (you can also use dehydrated minced onion, but only use 1 tablespoon)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to fully incorporate all the ingredients. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and set aside.
For the soup:
½ cup small pasta (e.g. thimble, ditalini, small shells, etc.)
2 cups cooked white beans (I used frozen)
2 carrots, washed, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 small zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen green beans
2 banana peppers, cored and sliced into rings
1 red pepper, cored and chunked
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 tsp fresh basil, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 pints stock or ½ water, ½ stock
Salt and pepper
Optional: 3 Italian sausages, sprinkle of chili flake
If using the sausages, brown along with the meatballs. Slice before adding to the soup.
(I would add the sausages if I could find them, but they aren’t available here. Most pork products are not readily available here.)
In a soup pot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Lightly seal and brown the meatballs so they don’t lose their shape when cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Lower the heat and add the chopped onion and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until slightly tender, then add garlic. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the zucchini and carrots and allow them to cook for a couple more minutes.
Combine the rest of the ingredients (except for the pasta) and bring to a near boil. Skim off any foam from the meatballs. Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer until meatballs are cooked and veggies are tender. You may need to add some additional liquid during the cooking time. Keep warm water or stock handy. Don’t use cold as it will reduce the temperature of the soup.
While the soup is cooking, bring salted water to a boil in another pot. Cook the pasta until just al dente. Keeping the pasta separate will keep it from getting mushy. To serve, put some pasta in the soup bowl and ladle over the soup. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes: The ingredients are really flexible. If you're super short on time, use all frozen vegetables. You can buy frozen onions and peppers together as well as frozen Italian vegetable mixes. I'm using frozen barbunya again like I did in the chili recipe because the canned beans can be too mushy. You could even use frozen meatballs but I think they're rather disgusting and prefer to make my own. I can't get a lot of frozen products here, anyway.
Use chicken or beef broth or stock in this recipe. Feel free to leave out the tomato paste if you want a less "tomato-y" soup. Use dried herbs or fresh, but remember to use about half the amount of dried. I have some bush basil growing on on my balcony, and rosemary grows in front of one of the apartment buildings here.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
A different way to purify the home
We interrupt your normally scheduled programming to bring you an article I've been meaning to write and post for a good week. It focuses on a kitchen in a new home, but of course you don't have to move in order to purify your space and generate good energies!
Most of you are familiar with smudging spaces with sage, cedar, sweet grass, or a mixture of those. Ritual spaces are cleaned, people are purified with the smoke before entering the circle, and many people smudge their homes when moving in or out.
Other methods of purification involve sprinkling salt water around the space to be cleansed, or flicking the water with a spring of rosemary, a classic herb for protection that can be used as a stand-in for most other plants as well.
We can even purify with sounds, such as the ringing of a bell or a small gong, or simply by chanting. All of the elements can be involved, or just one or two. It really depends upon your needs and personal preference.
Some older customs include carrying part of the old hearth fire into the new home, or bringing in a loaf of bread and some salt before anything else is carried into the new place. The bread is to represent an abundance of food, and salt for luck.
The home has many superstitions associated with it, but no room has more lore, customs and superstitions than the kitchen. Much lore is focused on the hearth, and in these modern times the hearth is often the stove, or the entire kitchen itself.
Since so much importance is placed on the kitchen – in fact, it is often referred to as the heart or soul of a home – why not start in this room? People move for different reasons, but most of us wish to move away from negative things and open themselves up to new opportunities.
One way to start bringing positive energies into your new home is to start in the kitchen. By all means, smudge the house or do any other ritual you deem appropriate first. Once you have unpacked your kitchen things (and feel rested enough to cook!), stir up some magic. Cooking a dish that involves lots of garlic and fragrant spices, such as a curry, fills the whole house with a warm aroma. The garlic offers protection as you consume it, and the oils released during the cooking also infuse the air. The other spices may generate energies for protection, or peace, etc., depending on what you use.
Some may say that you shouldn’t include ingredients that have conflicting energies. However, so many foods have more than one magical property attributed to them, and some may be more dominant than others. It depends on a lot of factors, especially the magical worker’s intent. If you want to include love and protection together, by all means do so. We protect the ones that we love.
Pick up a book or two about magical food correspondences (I recommend Scott Cunningham, as you know) and explore. Experiment. See what feels good and tastes good to you. The following recipe is one that I love to make because it is simple, healthy, and full of magical ingredients. Again, visualization is key. Say a blessing or a chant as you cook, or over the cooked food, and light a candle or two if you wish. And enjoy.
Pasta for a New Home (or any home)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced – protection
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake – protection
½ teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning) – prosperity, love
Fresh chopped parsley (optional) – love, luck, prosperity
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts - money, love
Parmesan cheese – various (up to you)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil – peace, spirituality
1 lb pasta – spaghetti is my preference - longevity, prosperity
1 1-lb can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – prosperity, wealth
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and let it soften for a couple of minutes. Don’t let it brown. Add the red pepper flake it let it infuse the oil for a minute. Add the beans and oregano. Let the beans heat through and combine with the other flavors. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove the cooked pasta from the water with a spaghetti fork and add to the bean mixture in the skillet. Toss the pasta with the beans so all the pasta is well coated. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toasted pine nuts and spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese.
The bean mixture is also good served on slices of crusty bread or toast. Add a green salad and a glass of red wine if you wish.
Most of you are familiar with smudging spaces with sage, cedar, sweet grass, or a mixture of those. Ritual spaces are cleaned, people are purified with the smoke before entering the circle, and many people smudge their homes when moving in or out.
Other methods of purification involve sprinkling salt water around the space to be cleansed, or flicking the water with a spring of rosemary, a classic herb for protection that can be used as a stand-in for most other plants as well.
We can even purify with sounds, such as the ringing of a bell or a small gong, or simply by chanting. All of the elements can be involved, or just one or two. It really depends upon your needs and personal preference.
Some older customs include carrying part of the old hearth fire into the new home, or bringing in a loaf of bread and some salt before anything else is carried into the new place. The bread is to represent an abundance of food, and salt for luck.
The home has many superstitions associated with it, but no room has more lore, customs and superstitions than the kitchen. Much lore is focused on the hearth, and in these modern times the hearth is often the stove, or the entire kitchen itself.
Since so much importance is placed on the kitchen – in fact, it is often referred to as the heart or soul of a home – why not start in this room? People move for different reasons, but most of us wish to move away from negative things and open themselves up to new opportunities.
One way to start bringing positive energies into your new home is to start in the kitchen. By all means, smudge the house or do any other ritual you deem appropriate first. Once you have unpacked your kitchen things (and feel rested enough to cook!), stir up some magic. Cooking a dish that involves lots of garlic and fragrant spices, such as a curry, fills the whole house with a warm aroma. The garlic offers protection as you consume it, and the oils released during the cooking also infuse the air. The other spices may generate energies for protection, or peace, etc., depending on what you use.
Some may say that you shouldn’t include ingredients that have conflicting energies. However, so many foods have more than one magical property attributed to them, and some may be more dominant than others. It depends on a lot of factors, especially the magical worker’s intent. If you want to include love and protection together, by all means do so. We protect the ones that we love.
Pick up a book or two about magical food correspondences (I recommend Scott Cunningham, as you know) and explore. Experiment. See what feels good and tastes good to you. The following recipe is one that I love to make because it is simple, healthy, and full of magical ingredients. Again, visualization is key. Say a blessing or a chant as you cook, or over the cooked food, and light a candle or two if you wish. And enjoy.
Pasta for a New Home (or any home)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced – protection
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake – protection
½ teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning) – prosperity, love
Fresh chopped parsley (optional) – love, luck, prosperity
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts - money, love
Parmesan cheese – various (up to you)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil – peace, spirituality
1 lb pasta – spaghetti is my preference - longevity, prosperity
1 1-lb can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – prosperity, wealth
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and let it soften for a couple of minutes. Don’t let it brown. Add the red pepper flake it let it infuse the oil for a minute. Add the beans and oregano. Let the beans heat through and combine with the other flavors. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove the cooked pasta from the water with a spaghetti fork and add to the bean mixture in the skillet. Toss the pasta with the beans so all the pasta is well coated. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toasted pine nuts and spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese.
The bean mixture is also good served on slices of crusty bread or toast. Add a green salad and a glass of red wine if you wish.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
What You Want in a Kitchen Witch Cookbook
As I have mentioned before, one of the reasons I started this blog in the first place was to try to generate interest in a kitchen witch cookbook. There are a few on the market already, and some of them have the same information in them, while others are a bit different.
Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson is one that stands out. Some of the recipes are common sense, but she has included information on magic(k)al cleansing, customizing your own kitchen goddess apron, setting up a shrine to your personal kitchen deity, etc. I like that her book is more than just recipes and the same information on the Sabbats that we've read a thousand times. Some of the recipes sound tasty, but to be honest, I bought the book for the rituals, meditations, and apron suggestions!
My question for those of you who read this blog is "What do you want to see?" What do you want in a kitchen witch book? Would you like to see more information on the magical lunchbox? Would you like to read about my suggestions for creating a kitchen altar, or is that information old and tired? Would you rather I just talk about the food? Leave me some feedback. Yes, I'm writing this book for myself because I feel that it's inside waiting to come out, but I also want to write this book for the readers. What would you like to see? Where are your other kitchen witch books lacking? I can't promise I will be able to include everything in one book, but I'll do my best to accommodate my readers.
Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson is one that stands out. Some of the recipes are common sense, but she has included information on magic(k)al cleansing, customizing your own kitchen goddess apron, setting up a shrine to your personal kitchen deity, etc. I like that her book is more than just recipes and the same information on the Sabbats that we've read a thousand times. Some of the recipes sound tasty, but to be honest, I bought the book for the rituals, meditations, and apron suggestions!
My question for those of you who read this blog is "What do you want to see?" What do you want in a kitchen witch book? Would you like to see more information on the magical lunchbox? Would you like to read about my suggestions for creating a kitchen altar, or is that information old and tired? Would you rather I just talk about the food? Leave me some feedback. Yes, I'm writing this book for myself because I feel that it's inside waiting to come out, but I also want to write this book for the readers. What would you like to see? Where are your other kitchen witch books lacking? I can't promise I will be able to include everything in one book, but I'll do my best to accommodate my readers.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
New recipes tested
While I was in the United States visiting friends and family, I took the opportunity to get into my mother's kitchen and test some recipes for my kitchen witch cookbook. I need to get off my lazy you-know-what and get some real writing done so I can submit it. Bad Z! Someone light a fire under me, por favor.
Anyroad, the blueberry lemonade recipe a few posts back is going into the summer section of the book. It's delicious, refreshing, and perfect for Lughnasadh.
I also taste-tested a recipe for grilled pork with a marinade made up of fire- or Sun-ruled ingredients, in honor of the summer sun and gods of the harvest. I was trying to create a recipe that balances the golden sun and warmth of late summer as well as the promise of a later harvest, going into a time of darkness.
Another recipe that I want to finalize is one for blueberry-cardamom bread. The first time I made it it came out too moist and fell apart. I need to adjust the liquid ingredients. Anyone want to help out with this one?
I plan to do more cooking in the coming months and complete/create recipes and start reworking the introduction to the book, as well as introductions to each section. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck!
Anyroad, the blueberry lemonade recipe a few posts back is going into the summer section of the book. It's delicious, refreshing, and perfect for Lughnasadh.
I also taste-tested a recipe for grilled pork with a marinade made up of fire- or Sun-ruled ingredients, in honor of the summer sun and gods of the harvest. I was trying to create a recipe that balances the golden sun and warmth of late summer as well as the promise of a later harvest, going into a time of darkness.
Another recipe that I want to finalize is one for blueberry-cardamom bread. The first time I made it it came out too moist and fell apart. I need to adjust the liquid ingredients. Anyone want to help out with this one?
I plan to do more cooking in the coming months and complete/create recipes and start reworking the introduction to the book, as well as introductions to each section. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
A Few Ideas
I don't want to be one of those cookbook authors who refuses to share recipes from books for free, but I can't give away all of the culinary secrets just yet :) Some of the recipes I've included in this blog so far have been mine, while others have come from other sources (which I have dutifully cited).
Here are some of the dishes that will be included in the Summer section of the book, encompassing Midsummer and Lammas/Lughnassadh. There will be meat, dairy, and gluten-free recipes as well.
Appetizers and Drinks (note to self - find cute title :P)
Shrimp Enchilada Dip (recipe featured in an earlier blog entry)
Guacamole (everyone has a recipe for this, I know, but I promise you mine is amazing)
Summer Wine Punch (a refreshing mixture of wine and fruit, but lighter than sangria)
Mango lassey with mint
Main Courses
Grilled Kofte (the Turkish influence is creeping in!)
Grilled vegetable Skewers with Middle Eastern-style marinade (also a grilled chicked version)
Pesto Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Vegetables
Sides and Salads
White Bean Salad
Red Potato Salad with Dill
Quinoa Tabbouli
Dessert
Grilled Pineapple with Ginger, Honey, and Lime
That's just a sample of the recipes I have been working on and plan to continue testing. The book will also include information about the magical uses of some many of the foods included in the recipes, plus a few surprises.
Here are some of the dishes that will be included in the Summer section of the book, encompassing Midsummer and Lammas/Lughnassadh. There will be meat, dairy, and gluten-free recipes as well.
Appetizers and Drinks (note to self - find cute title :P)
Shrimp Enchilada Dip (recipe featured in an earlier blog entry)
Guacamole (everyone has a recipe for this, I know, but I promise you mine is amazing)
Summer Wine Punch (a refreshing mixture of wine and fruit, but lighter than sangria)
Mango lassey with mint
Main Courses
Grilled Kofte (the Turkish influence is creeping in!)
Grilled vegetable Skewers with Middle Eastern-style marinade (also a grilled chicked version)
Pesto Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Vegetables
Sides and Salads
White Bean Salad
Red Potato Salad with Dill
Quinoa Tabbouli
Dessert
Grilled Pineapple with Ginger, Honey, and Lime
That's just a sample of the recipes I have been working on and plan to continue testing. The book will also include information about the magical uses of some many of the foods included in the recipes, plus a few surprises.
Let's Talk Cookbooks
Specifically, I want to talk about the cookbook(s) I have in the works. For a while now (I'm ashamed to say how long), I've been toying with the idea of writing a kitchen witch cookbook. That's one of the reasons I started this blog. I enjoy cooking and I like combining ingredients for specific purposes - finding a new job, making people feel warm and loved, etc.
People who eat my food tell me how delicious it is, and I feel both grateful and humble. I say that I feel humble because the materials and ingredients that I use were created and provided by the Divine. I combine the ingredients, add heat and intent, but most of the work has been done by the earth, the sun and the rain. I strive to feel more in touch with the gods and honor them by nourishing the people I treasure, and by respectfully using the fruits, vegetables and grains that grow upon this planet. I am thankful to the animals whose bodies also provide food for us. I want to put together a book of recipes that reflect the wheel of the year with seasonal menus, potluck dishes for get-togethers and Sabbat celebrations, or just every day.
What I'm looking for is some feedback. Lately it seems as though everybody is writing a cookbook. What makes mine different? Well, all the things I mentioned above, hopefully. There are a few Pagan-oriented cookbooks on the market, written by Patricia Telesco, Karri Ann Allrich, Cait Johnson, and Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (a favorite resource). Can anyone think of any others? Other authors have included some recipes in their books about Sabbats (Ravenwolf's book on Halloween, for example), but their books haven't been all about the recipes.
I'm getting ahead of myself here, but I have ideas for three books. However, I haven't even officially started the first one yet. Right now I have lots of notes, some finished recipes, and not enough time to sit down and do all the work I need to do. I also don't have access to all of the ingredients that I need right now, which means I have had to put off testing some recipes. If anyone is interested in being a tester for recipes, please let me know! I plan to test some things when I go back to the States for my six-week vacation this summer, but I am interested to see how recipes turn out for other people. I've had to learn to really measure things, as opposed to my usual "pinch of this, dash of that, eyeball that" style.
As this jorunal entry is getting too long, I am going to wrap up and start another one that talks about some of the things that will be included in the book, should I ever get off my butt and write it! Publishing is another concern of mine. It will pretty much have to be a Pagan-friendly company, but I don't want to limit myself to just Llewellyn, in case the people there aren't interested, and I want a hard copy, as opposed to an e-book. At least for the first one. We shall see.
People who eat my food tell me how delicious it is, and I feel both grateful and humble. I say that I feel humble because the materials and ingredients that I use were created and provided by the Divine. I combine the ingredients, add heat and intent, but most of the work has been done by the earth, the sun and the rain. I strive to feel more in touch with the gods and honor them by nourishing the people I treasure, and by respectfully using the fruits, vegetables and grains that grow upon this planet. I am thankful to the animals whose bodies also provide food for us. I want to put together a book of recipes that reflect the wheel of the year with seasonal menus, potluck dishes for get-togethers and Sabbat celebrations, or just every day.
What I'm looking for is some feedback. Lately it seems as though everybody is writing a cookbook. What makes mine different? Well, all the things I mentioned above, hopefully. There are a few Pagan-oriented cookbooks on the market, written by Patricia Telesco, Karri Ann Allrich, Cait Johnson, and Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (a favorite resource). Can anyone think of any others? Other authors have included some recipes in their books about Sabbats (Ravenwolf's book on Halloween, for example), but their books haven't been all about the recipes.
I'm getting ahead of myself here, but I have ideas for three books. However, I haven't even officially started the first one yet. Right now I have lots of notes, some finished recipes, and not enough time to sit down and do all the work I need to do. I also don't have access to all of the ingredients that I need right now, which means I have had to put off testing some recipes. If anyone is interested in being a tester for recipes, please let me know! I plan to test some things when I go back to the States for my six-week vacation this summer, but I am interested to see how recipes turn out for other people. I've had to learn to really measure things, as opposed to my usual "pinch of this, dash of that, eyeball that" style.
As this jorunal entry is getting too long, I am going to wrap up and start another one that talks about some of the things that will be included in the book, should I ever get off my butt and write it! Publishing is another concern of mine. It will pretty much have to be a Pagan-friendly company, but I don't want to limit myself to just Llewellyn, in case the people there aren't interested, and I want a hard copy, as opposed to an e-book. At least for the first one. We shall see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)