Money and Magic

Money has been on my mind a lot lately.  There's never enough of it to go around, never enough to cover every single bill that needs to be taken care of.  It's a situation, one that makes me lose sleep and cry from time to time.

In the past, I have written about ways to save money in the kitchen, and I do my best to use a lot of those methods.  Still, there isn't much I can do to make my electricity bill lower (I've tried) or the cell phone plan, or, or, or...

I looked at my bank account this morning and saw that the car insurance had cleared.  The water bill is next.  I barely have enough to get gas in the car and a few crappy grocery items.  Payday for the Aussie is the 26th.  For me, it's the 30th.   What's a girl to do?

Sometimes people turn to magic to help with money woes.  I do and don't.  I've been known to whip up a batch of Prosperity Shortbread Cookies from time to time (actually my go-to "get a job" cookie recipe), but as for doing spells to get money, I steer clear.  Why?

Well, it has been my experience - and that of others I've spoken to - that the Universe is not particular.  You can be specific, but it still does what it wants.  If you're not specific, look out!  You might be in for quite a ride.   No, the Universe isn't terribly particular in HOW it helps when you ask it for help.

To illustrate further, a dear friend related a story to me of a man who needed a certain amount of money.  He prayed.  He did spellwork.  He did this and that to get this amount of money, and it worked.  Sort of.  It worked in such a way that it made me want to avoid money magic for the rest of my life.  Let's just say it involved a horrific auto accident in which he remained in the back seat, while his legs joined the driver in the front seat.  He got his money, but at what cost?

I don't do spellwork for money because the money might come from a source I'd rather it didn't.  An inheritance, for example.  I'd rather not have anyone die just so I can get a few extra dollars.  I'd rather not win a settlement from an accident that leaves me disabled, either.  I'm gonna pass on that and just rearrange my retirement funds to get the money I need in order to get caught up on the bills, bills, bills.

If you are in need of a small amount to help you get through the month, I think it's all right to burn that green candle.  Leave out a dish of sesame seeds.  Plant a money plant.  Visualize a little extra coming in from somewhere or something.  Then, you must take some action to make it happen.  Again, the Universe ain't too damn particular, so you kind of have to take matters into your own hands for those small amounts.   Have a yard sale.  Put something on eBay.  Practical steps of that type are what you need to take to make it happen.   Don't depend solely on magic for anything, really.  That's been my stance for a very long time.

Also, evaluate your reasons.  Why do you need the money?  Were you frivolous earlier in the month?   Or did something big and unexpected come up, like a car repair or a home repair?  Did a pet have to go to the vet?   For me, it's a chiropractic bill that my insurance didn't fully cover.  It's a cancelled satellite bill (Suddenlink finally came through and I was able to drop that awful Frontier bullshit).   It's home repairs and owing my parents back payments for the trailer because the Aussie was out of work and I wasn't able to give them anything.   I haven't been buying crazy shit that I don't need; I've just been trying to survive.   (Okay, maybe Internet isn't a necessity, per se, but I do have to work at home sometimes, so it sort of is...)

Anyhell,  it boils down to this:  Avoid the temptation to do money spells for big amounts.  Little bits of prosperity magic should be fine.  Just remember to do your part, too.  Don't leave it all up to magic.

Day : A Recipe for Prosperity

This recipe is a tried and true, and I am going to copy and post the blog entry exactly as it is.  Enjoy!

Prosperity Shortbread

This is a recipe that really works. I tried it one day when I was snowed in. I was wanting to bring some good things into my life - prosperity, a new job, etc. I was very, very unhappy in my current situation. So I took a cue from Scott Cunningham and went into the kitchen. I used a basic shortbread recipe and included some special-purpose additions.


4 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 cup each finely chopped pecans and sesame seeds

Toast pecan pieces and sesame seeds in a dry skillet, stirring constantly. Cook them over medium to medium-low heat for a few minutes, until they smell toasted. I stirred the rune "Fehu" into the nuts and seeds as I toasted them. I put them in a bowl and charged them with my intent - a better teaching job for me (personal prosperity and job-hunting), and prosperity for anyone else who eats a cookie.

In a bowl cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. I used the same motion when mixing those things together. I added the flour and mixed it in with my hands, then I added the nuts and seeds.

I pressed the mixture into a baking sheet, cut them into squares, and inscribed each square with Fehu. They're in the oven right now, at 325. The recipe says about 20 minutes, depending on thickness. Check them after about 12 minutes.





Oh, yeah, I got that new job . :) I ate most of the first batch of shortbread myself, and made a second batch for a potluck. Not long after, the work situation changed.

Note to self: Make a batch of these, ASAP. 

Lentil-Mushroom Prosperity Pot Pie

This recipe was on my calendar menu and I was so excited about the idea of it that I made it a day ahead of schedule.   This is a really nice, comforting dish for a cold day.  Plus, lentils can be eaten to bring prosperity at the new year or any time of year.  Mushrooms provide some moon magic and earth magic.  Lentil-Mushroom Pot Pie is a bountiful, earthy meal.  Serve with some crusty rolls and a salad to make a complete meal.

Lentil-Mushroom Pot Pie - serves 6

1 cup lentils, washed and sorted

1 4-oz. package dried mushrooms (I used shiitake)

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced into half moons

2 small parsnips, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

4-5 cups vegetable broth, as needed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons  grape seed oil

I sheet puff pastry, thawed

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Cover and allow to sit until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a large pot.  Add the parsnips, leeks, and celery and cook 5-7 minutes over medium high heat until fragrant.  Add the garlic and cook 2-3 more minutes.  

Add the lentils, mushrooms, mushroom broth, and vegetable broth or stock.   Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 30-35 minutes.   Add extra broth or water if necessary to keep lentils from scorching.    If extra liquid remains, uncover the pot and allow it to reduce. 

Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.   Pour the lentil-mushroom stew into the casserole dish.   Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, sealing the seams. 

Trim the pastry to fit the casserole dish and place over the rim.    You can use an egg beaten with a teaspoon of water to help seal the pastry to the dish.  Brush the top of the pastry to help it brown, too.

Heat the oven to 450 F.   Bake the pot pie until pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes.  

A Winter Dish for Prosperity

Y'all know I love Indian food.  I curry anything that can't escape my clutches.  I think winter is a great time to eat the warm flavors of sunnier climes, and this recipe is serves up those flavors with a side of pork for prosperity in the new year.

Pork and Fruit Curry

2 lbs pork roast, cut into 1-inch chunks

2-3 tablespoons oil

1 16-oz bag cranberries

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1 medium onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, grated, or 1 tablespoon ginger paste

2-3 chilies, minced

1 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons garam masala

½ cup brown packed dark brown sugar

½  cup apple juice or apple cider

½ cup chicken broth or stock

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat.  Pat the pieces of meat dry and place in the skillet.  Brown the meat for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.  Add more oil to the skillet if necessary.

Cook the onion for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, and chilies and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle the spices over this mixture and stir to coat. 

Add the pork back to the skillet along with the sugar, broth, juice or cider, apples, and cranberries.

Cover the skillet. Simmer  on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, until the pork has cooked through.  

Remove the lid and let the sauce simmer a few more minutes to thicken.   Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with Basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Mercimek Koftesi

1 cup red lentils, washed
1 cup fine bulgur, washed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon red chili flake
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
juice of one lemon
lettuce leaves to serve (butter lettuce, for example)

Cook the lentils in 2 1/2 cups water until soft. Add the bulgur. Cover and set aside until the bulgur absorbs the rest of the water.

In a skillet, heat the oil and cook the onion until soft. Stir in the chili flake, tomato paste and cumin.

Place all ingredients in large bowl. Mix well to combine. Allow the mixture to cool.

Make small torpedoes out of the mixture 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons at a time. Chill. Serve wrapped in lettuce leaves with extra lemon.

This is my take on a favorite Turkish appetizer. I am taking this to the goddess day celebration I am attending tomorrow.


Lentils

Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Energies: Peace

I was watching "Spice Goddess" today, and the host, Bal Arneson, said that lentils were a sign of prosperity in India. I would add prosperity to the energies of the lentil as well, especially when combined with parsley, as in this recipe.

source: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen

Thanksgiving, Part II

We've briefly discussed the turkey and now it's time for the best part of the dinner for some people - the stuffing.

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, put it in the bird's butt or not, this side dish is always made with bread. Bread, in turn, is made with wheat. Wheat is associated with Venus. Its element is earth and although its energies can vary, the biggest ones are prosperity and money. Adding a stuffing to the inside of the turkey might punch up the prosperity magic if that's what you're going for, but remember that stuffing adds cooking time and if it doesn't cook all the way through, you could be looking at some serious health issues later.

Chestnut Stuffing

4 cups of day-old white bread, cubed - prosperity, money
2 cups day-old cornbread, crumbled - protection, spirituality
2 onions, finely chopped - protection
2-3 ribs celery, finely chopped - peace, psychic awareness
2 sticks butter - spirituality
1 tablespoon dried sage - longevity, health
2 teaspoons dried thyme - love, psychic awareness, purification
1 teaspoon dried savory - can't find energies, but I would say love
1 pound roasted chestnuts, sliced - love
salt and pepper to taste
chicken or turkey stock to moisten

With a sharp knife, cut an "X" into each chestnut. Roast at 450 F until shells open, about 10 minutes. We do this over an open fire at my parents' house, in an old cast iron chestnut roaster.

When chestnuts are cooled, peel and slice.

In a large bowl, combine the breads. In a skillet, cook the onions and celery with the butter until soft, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add to the bread mixture. Mix in the herbs and turn well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Moisten the dressing with stock. Actually, you want it to be fairly wet to keep it moist while it is cooking. Start with two cups and add more. You don't want it to be soupy.

Put the dressing/stuffing/whatever you call it in a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until the top is brown and a bit crunchy.

This is my mom's chestnut stuffing, more or less. She doesn't use thyme or savory, but I finally talked her into using actual celery and not celery seed. Yeesh!

There you have it. A side dish for love, or a stuffing to add extra prosperity to the bird.

Note: If you are stuffing the bird, remember that stuffing adds to the cooking time. Consult your recipe books or the internet for proper cooking times. The meat should reach 180 F in the leg meat when done, and the stuffing should have an internal temperature of about 165. I recommend a digital meat thermometer for this. Don't rely on the pop-up thingie in the turkey.

Signifiance of Thanksgiving Dishes, Part I

This post is going to explore the energies that are connected to the foods on the typical American Thanksgiving table. With Thanksgiving just over a week away, many people are busy planning menus and putting together shopping lists. Some families serve a traditional turkey dinner, while others serve traditional foods from a different culture, such as ravioli in Italian households. We're going to deal with the regular old holiday menu first - turkey and all the trimmings.

First, we have the turkey. I see turkey as being associated with earth and prosperity, similar to most meats. Nothing says bountiful like a huge platter holding an enormous bird, its skin a nice bronze color with snowy white flesh beneath.

To add an extra punch of prosperity or money magic to your dish, try stuffing the cavity of the bird with herbs for prosperity: basil, parsley, or dill.

Thursday is ruled by Jupiter. It is a good day to work for Abundance, Luck, Prosperity and Health.

The foods of Jupiter are useful in promoting money, employment and overall prosperity. Foods ruled by Jupiter include:

allspice, anise, buckwheat, cloves, dandelion, eggplant, endive, figs, macadamia nuts, mace, millet, nutmeg, peanuts, sage and spinach.

Expensive foods such as caviar are good for abundance and prosperity, as are rich foods such as chocolate mousse or fois gras. These things are out of the price range of most of us, however. Meats such as beef, pork and chicken are also good for abundance and prosperity and don't typically cost an arm and a leg.

Splurge on a good cut of beef, or make a stir-fry with Chinese five-spice powder and a cheaper cut of meat. Five-spice powder includes star anise.

Make roast pork with dried fig sauce (Giada DeLaurentiis has a good recipe for this on foodtv.com)

Make eggplant parmesan.

Serve my Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon.

Charge a handful of peanuts with your intent and visualize as you eat. Do the same with macadamia nuts, or make some macadamia nut cookies. Eat before a job interview.

Pecans

Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Energies: Money, employment

Eat pecans when seeking employment.

Pecans are falling from the trees here in the South. It's time to pick up a sack and start collecting! Imagine a warm, gooey homemade pecan pie devoured at the next new moon. What a delicious way to stir up some money magic! I also added pecans to my Prosperity Shortbread.

Pecan Pie recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com


Ingredients

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1 9-inch pie shell, chilled for an hour if freshly made, defrosted for 10 minutes if frozen.
Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread pecans along the bottom of the pie shell. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over pecans. The pecans will rise to the surface of the pie.

2 Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes until the filling has set. About 20 minutes into the cooking you may want to use a pie crust protector, or tent the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil to prevent the pie crust edges from burning.

3 Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Serves 8.

Saturday, January 16 - Honoring Betoro Bromo

On this date in Indonesia, the fire god Betoro Bromo is honored by Buddhist monks and pilgrims. The faithful gather at Mount Bromo. At the stroke of midnight, offerings of food and flowers are cast into the volcano where Betoro Bromo is believed to live.

This festival is known as the Kasada Festival, and among the main participants are farmers who rely on the fertile ground around the volcano. Participants murmur their prayers and wishes to the god and leave their offerings.

If you live in an area that has an Indonesian population, perhaps you are lucky enough to have a good restaurant nearby. If not, it is still easy enough to put together a tasty meal with foods that will please Betoro Bromo. Even though we cannot journey to Indonesia, and most of us do not live near a volcano, you can still leave an offering in his name, buried in the ground.

The Indonesian rice table, or Rijsttafel is a Dutch adaptation of a traditional Indonesian feast called nasi padang. The meal consists of rice prepared in various ways and served with many (up to 40 or more!) side dishes.

Suggestions:

Pork or chicken satay
Gado-gado (vegetables with peanut sauce)
Eggrolls
Banana fritters
Indonesian yellow rice (nasi kuning)

Nasi Kuning - Yellow Rice

This is rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric. It is traditionally served in a cone and is supposed to represent a heaping pile of gold. It is eaten on special occasions and is a symbol of prosperity.

Recipe courtesy of www.thingsasian.com

Serves 10 to 12

3 cups rice, rinsed
3 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemon grass (I would imagine it is acceptable to omit this if you cannot find it)
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon, ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

Place all ingredients, except butter, in a saucepan, then bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes over low heat or until all liquid has been absorbed, stirring a few times. Turn off heat and cover, then allow to stand for 20 minutes. Add butter and fluff, then place on a platter and serve hot.

Pork

Pigs are a symbol of prosperity, wealth, and luck. Demeter kept a sacred pig which became a symbol of fertility. Sows were sacred to Isis and sacrificed to Osiris. The Celts also considered the pig to be an important, sacred animal, and the Druids were rather fond of it as well. I won’t go into all the details and lore about the pig here, though. There are many resources available if you are interested in the Druids’ or the Celts’ views on this animal, or any other culture’s view. I’m more interested in the ‘meat’ of the matter (pun definitely intended!).

The pig would be best associated with earth. Its energies are, of course, wealth and/or prosperity.

Pigs are popular symbols in the kitchen and are available in many forms: cookie jars, aprons, magnets, pot holders, tea towels, on dishes, etc. Adding a pig decorate or two to your kitchen or placing a small statue on your kitchen altar would be a good way to start if you wish to attract prosperity.

Pork is one of the traditional foods of Samhain. It is also lovely served at Yule, a time when food was often in short supply, and much of it was preserved. People were especially lucky to have some meat for nourishment in the depths of winter.

The pig is often misunderstood. Many people believe it to be an unclean animal, and more than one religion has a taboo against the consumption of pork. Pigs actually seem to be cleaner than chickens, at least from my experience with both types of animal. Even though the pig is an unclean, unholy animal for some cultures, it was revered by others. ( As for their intelligence, I can’t really say. Again, they’re smarter than chickens, but that isn’t saying much. Some pigs, especially the pot-bellied variety, can show great intelligence. ) Today, most pigs aren't left to just forage for their food. The meat is leaner now, and the animals' diet isn't as dodgy as it used to be, making trichinosis a worry of the past.

If you wish to incorporate pork into a prosperity diet, try to avoid factory farmed animals. Again, buy locally if you can. Also try to avoid the heavily processed, over salted cuts of meat, such as bacon and ham. If you choose a cut of meat that has a layer of fat on it, symbols of prosperity can be carved into the skin before cooking.

Here is one of my favorite ways of preparing pork. It is simple and flavorful. You don’t have to use tenderloin either. Use whatever is on sale. If you’re using this recipe to draw prosperity, chances are you won’t be buying the most expensive cut of meat!

3 lbs boneless pork tenderloin
1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Place the piece of meat into a baking dish. Mix the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper with enough olive oil to make a paste. Paint this mixture onto your tenderloin. Roast for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 F.

A Simpler, More Cost-Effective Recipe

Again, if what you’re trying to do is attract wealth and prosperity, chances are you aren’t going to go to the store and buy a big tenderloin, unless you have a bit of cash to spend for a special occasion. Here, then is a simple, money-drawing recipe. It also happens to be my absolute favorite home-cooked meal. My mom prepares this meal any time she knows I’m coming home.

1 1-lb bag of pinto beans, rinsed, sorted (to make sure you don’t have bits of gravel in there too) and soaked overnight

1 ham hock (maybe two, if two come in the package)

Place the rinsed, soaked beans into a slow cooker. Add the ham hock. You can tuck in a bay leaf or two if you wish. Cover with water and set the cooker on low. Cook for 8 hours, or until beans are tender. During the last hour or so, add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flake if desired. Taste for seasoning. Add pepper and extra salt to taste.

In my house we serve this with cornbread and some chopped raw onions, which we stir into the hot beans. Beans are also good for attracting money.

As the beans cook, visualize your goal. Burn a green candle (but don’t leave it unattended!) as the beans cook. If you don’t have a crock pot, you can make these beans in a Dutch oven, or on the stovetop in a big pot. Just check back every once in a while and make sure you have enough liquid so the beans don’t scorch.

There you have it. An extremely cheap meal that will make an abundant amount, and both of the key ingredients can be incorporated into a kitchen witch’s spell for increased prosperity.

Meat Consumption and Magic

(It was hard to come up with a title that didn't sound...adult. *L*)

Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (a favorite resource of mine), has the following to say concerning vegetarianism:
“We’re all separate, distinct persons, connected with the rest of our fellow creatures and with the universe, and yet apart. No one diet is correct for everyone, just as no single type of haircut, food, or religions is suitable for all. “

He goes on to state that some people feel that adhering to a strict vegetarian diet is essential in order to practice magic. However, he also write, “ If you’re vegetarian because you feel that it’s the only way in which you can achieve any form of spiritual enlightenment, fine. If you’re vegetarian because you’ve decided that you can’t practice magic if you eat meat, again, fine. But others can make alternate decisions. They can decide to be omnivores, achieve spiritual enlightenment, and still successfully practice magic. Neither position, once again, is correct for all.”

I agree with Scott Cunningham on this. I do not believe that a person or group of people is morally, intellectually, or spiritually superior to another person or group of people because of their diet. His book, though, does not include information on meat that walks upon the earth. There is a section on food from the seas and rivers, but nothing concerning beef, pork, poultry, or game.

He lists several reasons for this. One, meat was and still is very scarce in some parts of the world. Two, many practitioners of magic are vegetarians, and he wanted his book to be useful to all people. The third reason he lists is the fact that there isn’t much ritual or magical information available regarding meat. In researching information for his book, he found very few references to meat.

I am an omnivore, a Pagan, and the occasional practitioner of magic. I may not do a lot of spell work, per se, but I use the magic of cooking and prayer in my daily life. After going through the Encyclopedia or Wicca in the Kitchen for the twentieth time (at least), I started to think about meat and its significance in the world of ritual and magic.

Meat has long been prepared and eaten for special occasions, such as marriages and harvest celebrations. What, then, is its importance? We know it’s a source of protein, iron and fat, along with B vitamins, all of which are important to us. Nowadays we have alternate sources, but many years ago meat provided essential nutrition and it was consumed when available, and often preserved by salting and drying.

Brahmins ate beef around 1000 B.C.E.. The veneration of the cow as a sacred animal did not begin in India until about 2000 years ago. The cow, a producer of meat, milk, and leather, is seen as sacred because of the life-sustaining gifts which it bestows upon us. Beef, like other forms of meat, was and still is a luxury item to many.

If we look at the Runes, Fehu is said to represent the horns of cattle. It is a symbol of cattle and wealth. For this reason I associate beef (and some other forms of meat which we will discuss later) as such:

Element: Earth
Symbol: Fehu
Energies: Prosperity

A simple, inexpensive cut of meat can be used in prosperity magic. A tough cut of meat can be prepared in a crock pot, cooked slowly for hours until it becomes tender. Before cooking, inscribe the rune Fehu into the meat and visualize what you need, be it a better job, employment in general, or simply more money coming in. Picture how your life will change once you have extra income and are able to pay off your student loans, your mortgage, whatever.

Some sample dishes that combine prosperity ingredients would be sesame beef, beef served with leafy greens such as spinach or cabbage (stuffed cabbage would be ideal, just trace the rune into the air over the ground meat, or visibly mark it before mixing), or pasta with meat sauce made with tomatoes, basil and parsley.

Stay tuned for most posts involving different meats including poultry, pork and game. I would also associate pork with prosperity energy.

Hummus

I am in the land of chickpeas and lentils. Besides being tasty, these two legumes pack quite a nutritional punch. They are full of protein and fiber and have little or no fat. Red lentils also cook down nicely, making them an ideal food for those of us who aren't quite ready for solids yet. I had surgery a couple of weeks ago and am still consuming a mostly liquid diet, but I have added these tasty little orange-red gems into my diet because they are soft and nutritious.

"Humus" means "chickpea" in Arabic, so while other recipes may carry the name "hummus", they aren't exactly. Whatever you call it, though, these dips are delicious and versatile, and perfect for parties. When I make hummus or another version of this spread, I make it the same way. Tonight I am making red lentil "hummus" because I don't have any canned chickpeas. I have a bag of dried garbanzos, but they take for-ev-er to soak and cook, so I'm going with the kirmizi mercimek instead.

Whatever you use, here's a simple recipe that is very flavorful:

1 cup dried red lentils (or 1 can garbanzos/chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste, available in speciality stores, health food stores, or sometimes in the Jewish food section of the grocery store) (use less with the lentils)
2 Tbsp olive oil (use less with the lentils)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
pinch or two of cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin
salt to taste

If using the red lentils, cook until very soft. Drain of excess moisture and allow to cool.

Place the legumes in a food processor and pulse until pulverized. Add garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. Combine in the food processor until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water or a bit of vegetable broth in order to acheive a smooth, creamy consistency. I usually add a bit of water. You will not need any extra liquid if using the red lentils. You only need some extra liquid when pureeing the larger, harder chickpea.

Place in a bowl or on a platter and chill. Before serving, drizzle with a little more olive oil and garnish with small, whole black olives. You can also sprinkle on a little paprika for color, or add some chopped parsley. Or both! Oh, the red lentil spread is so, so delicious!

*** Legumes and sesame seeds are often used in spells for prosperity, as has parsley. This is an excellent dish for some prosperity magic.***


A nice accompaniment to the hummus is simply 1 cup of yogurt combined with a few spoonfuls of freshly chopped dill. Add salt to taste.

Make a layered dip with the hummus and yogurt/dill dip with chunks of cucumber and tomato in between. If you add the olives, make sure you pit them first. Rejoice in spring and know that summer is on its way!