Recipe Testers Needed

If you're interested in testing some recipes, please contact me either through facebook or hariscruff at yahoo dot com. Put "Recipe Tester" in the subject line.

These are recipes that I will NOT be putting on the blog. They are only for the one cookbook or another. Recipe testers must agree not to share the recipe with anyone else - not on facebook, not in a blog, not at a church picnic. ;)

I'm working on some spring recipes and some brunch recipes (also spring-related) right now.

I need testers because all recipes should be tested in multiple kitchens by multiple cooks to check for consistency.

Oh, and recipe testers will be acknowledged in the finished product. :)

A Soup for Ostara

I've been busy-busy lately, working on grades for my students and trying to get recipes organized for my cookbook projects.

I figure the brunch cookbook will end up being published through Create Space, but I'm fine with that. I can't wait to finish it! I'm so excited about it, I'll most likely share some menus and probably a recipe or two with you all.

Today I'm going to share a recipe from the spring cookbook that I'm currently working on. This soup is (another) curry. Yes, you know I love curry! :) It's reminiscent of my curried peanut soup, but it uses almond butter instead of peanut butter. It also features finely shredded carrot and chicken. I served it last weekend to many "Mmmmmmms".

I recommend this gentle curry for Ostara. Serve it with a scoop of basmati rice for a satisfying meal. This Ostara will hopefully be spent coloring eggs with a friend and her young daughter, and then holding an informal ritual.

Now, on to the recipe:


Coconut curried chicken soup

2 chicken breasts
1 1” piece of ginger, sliced in half
5-6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Water to cover

1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1” fresh ginger, grated
2 Serrano chilies, minced
5-6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons hot Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup unsweetened almond butter
Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked Basmati rice, to serve
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Slivered almonds for garnish

Place the chicken breasts, bay leaves, ginger, and peppercorns in a sauce pan.
Cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then drop the heat, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes.
Skim the foam off the surface during the cooking process.
After 10 minutes, cover the chicken completely, remove from the heat, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the liquid and allow it to cool completely.
Shred or chop finely.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onions and carrots and cook for about 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, and chilies and cook another 3-4 minutes.
Sprinkle over the spices and stir to coat.
Add the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Take a ladleful of the broth and mix it with the almond butter.
Lower the heat. Stir in the almond butter mixture and coconut milk.
Add the finely chopped chicken to the pot.
Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with a scoop of Basmati rice on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and slivered almonds.

Serves 4 - 6

And Here It Is!

My first mini e-book is now available here: https://www.createspace.com/3790735


"Recipes for Ostara" includes some recipes from blog land, as well as recipes I've adapted over time. I put together a collection of recipes that reflect the spirit of rebirth and renewal. There is a spicy soup, a quiche, a chutney recipe you've never seen before, and a few other yummy surprises.

It's not perfect, but I think it's pretty darn good for a first try. "Recipes for Beltane" promises to be that much better. It has more recipes, too!

Don't worry - I'm still working on my other cookbook project. This is just my teaser. :)

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.

The Mute Supper

Picture courtesy of www.shelterness.com


Hosting a mute supper for Samhain is practiced by some Pagans and Wiccans of various traditions. I think it’s a lovely tradition and would like to have a group with which to hold one. My plan would go as such:

Set the table with a black cloth, black plates, and black utensils. Place a white candle at the head of the table. Place black votive candles at the place(s) of the ancestors. Your guests may wish to place candles for those they are honoring. The chairs should be shrouded. You could use anything from fake cobwebs to a black trash bag. Use whatever you have on hand. If you have some black sheets, those would work nicely.

Before the guests arrive, the host or hostess should cast a circle, light the white candle, and invite the divine (however you see it) into the space. After this point, no talking is permitted.

Standing at the head of the table, the host/ess should light the first black votive candle to the left from the spirit candle. The guests should light each other’s candles in a clockwise motion.

The host/ess should serve the plates of the dead first, and then the guests from oldest to youngest. Since no one may speak during the supper, food may then continue to be passed family-style around the table. Before guests begin to eat, they should join hands and silently welcome their ancestors to the meal, and to ask for blessings upon the food and the ritual, if desired.

After the meal is over, guests should leave the table silently. They may take their ancestor candles with them, or leave them on the table. The host/ess should then silently close the circle in his/her usual manner. Leave the spirit candle to burn.
Everyone may then go on to practice divination, or hold a separate ritual.

Mute Supper Menu
Persephone’s Salad
Butternut squash cannelloni
Rosemary remembrance cookies
Chai-spiced Cider

Persephone’s Salad
8 cups mixed salad greens (whatever is in season and looks good)
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2/3 cup candied walnut pieces (recipe follows)
Seeds of 1 pomegranate (about ½ cup)

For the dressing, combine:
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Mix first three ingredients together. Whisk in olive oil slowly. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing with the greens, onion, apple, and nuts. Toss well to combine. Top salad with pomegranate seeds and serve.

Candied Walnuts
2 cups walnut halves or pieces
2 egg whites
½ cup brown sugar

In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites. Toss the walnuts to coat. Sprinkle on the brown sugar. Mix well with your hands until the nuts are all evenly coated. Spread the nuts onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 300-degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.


Butternut Squash Cannelloni**

1 butternut squash, roasted, scooped out and mashed (instructions follow)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3 small shallots, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt, white pepper
12 lasagna noodles, cooked until almost al dente (flexible)

5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk
Salt, white pepper
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the shallots on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage and cook 2-3 more minutes.
Scoop out the halves of butternut squash and mash in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the shallots, garlic, sage, thyme, and ricotta cheese. Season with salt and white pepper.
Take one of the drained noodles and lay flat on an oiled baking sheet. Spread some of the butternut squash filling on the noodle, leaving some space at both ends. Roll the pasta and place seam side down into an oiled 9 x 13 dish. Repeat.
In a saucepan, melt the butter for the béchamel. When the butter is melted, stir in the flour. Cook 4-5 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Simmer the sauce until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour the béchamel over the rolled pasta. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is brown.

To roast a butternut squash, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Heat the oven to 400 F. Brush a tablespoon of oil over each half. Roast, flesh side down, until tender, 40-45 minutes. Cool, scoop out the flesh, and transfer to mixing bowl. You can mash the squash with a potato masher or a fork.

Rosemary Remembrance Cookies
1 ½ cups softened butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vaniila
5 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vaniila. Mix in the rosemary. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover and chill the dough for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface ¼ inch thick. Cut into shapes with seasonal cookie cutters, or use gingerbread men and women-shaped cutters so the cookies resemble people. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6-8 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Chai-Spiced Apple Cider
This warming libation is full of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. This makes a good love blend and is a perfect match when combined with a food of love – the apple.
1 gallon apple cider
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup brown sugar
In a cheese cloth or piece of muslin, combine:
7 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (or you can use ½ teaspoon ground cardamom)*
1-2 star anise
4-5 peppercorns
9 whole cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks (or use 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon)


Pour the cider into a large pot and begin heating on medium heat. Dissolve the ground ginger and sugar into the cider. Tie the other ingredients in a piece of muslin or cheese cloth. Tie closed, whack lightly with a rolling pin to crack some of the pods, and pop into the pot. Simmer the cider and spices together for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bundle of spices with a slotted spoon and discard. Serve hot.
• If you’re using ground spices instead of whole, simply add them when you add the sugar and ground ginger.


All recipes are from the autumn cookbook I am currently working on. They may not be reproduced without permission. All that copyright hoopla that's over here ---> applies.

** You can just layer the lasagna noodles and make butternut squash lasagna if you don't feel like rolling up each noodle. They're slippery with oil and usually pretty hot!

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

More Cookbook Ideas

Well, ideas for the cookbook I'm sort of working on right now. I also have ideas for other cookbooks if I ever finish one!

I think I might include a special section on breakfast/brunch foods for Yule, since some people have sunrise rituals. At Imbolc and Samhain, some people stay up all night. I might include some special recipes for those nights as well. I'm also working on some alky-hol recipes! w00t!

Seafood Curry

Okay, here is the experimental recipe I talked about in my last newsletter. I've made some changes and wanted to share the final recipe. I wish I could share pictures of this beautiful, green-flecked golden curry, but alas, I've no digital camera right now. Here is the Seafood Curry with Crispy Fish for autumn:

½ pound sea scallops, cut in half if large
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined
½ cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chili (deseeded for less heat)
1 tablespoon ginger or ginger paste
1 can coconut milk or light coconut milk
1 -2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Green onions
2 tablespoons oil, plus nonstick cooking spray

4 white fish filets, such as tilapia
flour to coat
salt and pepper


Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat with spray before heating. Lightly dust the fish with the seasoned flour and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the fish is flaky and the outside is crisp. Remove and set aside.

Coat the skillet with more nonstick cooking spray. Sear the shrimp and scallops for about a minute on each side. Remove and set aside.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in the same skillet. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, chili and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes more, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Sprinkle over the curry powder and stir. Add the coconut milk and lower the heat to a simmer.

Gently place the seafood into the sauce and submerge is as best as you can. If the sauce doesn't cover the seafood entire, turn it once. Simmer 3-4 more minutes, turn the seafood and simmer another 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is pink and scallops are opaque and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place a mound of jasmine rice onto a plate. Layer the crispy fish and cover with the seafood and coconut curry sauce. Add fresh chopped cilantro and green onions to garnish. Serve with sugar snap peas (love).

This recipe, like most of the others, will serve about 4. You could get six servings out of this curry, however, because it is very rich. Try cutting the recipe in half for a romantic dinner for two. Magic might happen...

Spring, the Introduction

Well, part of it, anyway. I'm not good at this, so I need feedback, constructive criticism, what have you.

Spring is a time of new beginnings. We stand facing East, the direction of the rising sun. Our eyes shine with hope and the promise of things to come. The earth is awakening. Early spring flowers push their way through the cold ground and turn their purple and yellow faces to the light. We are ready to emerge from our warm nests and regain our strength by eating warming foods and fresh new vegetables.

Spring is when we start planning our gardens and starting seeds indoors. Bless your seeds with what you wish to grow and nurture during the coming year, into the harvest.

Fresh asparagus, eggs, milk, goat cheese and seeds are appropriate foods for this season and the sabbat of Imbolc, as are fiery foods such as curries spiced with garlic, ginger and chiles. Decorate your table with crocuses and daffodils and purple, yellow and white candles. Honor gods of fertility and creativity and nurture your own creativity

At Beltane, the Maiden dances around the May Pole, gleefully combining masculine and feminine energies. Carry this passion into the kitchen with more dairy, more spice, oats and maybe even a glass of May Wine. Light candles of pink and green to celebrate love and fertility.

Curry Experiment a Success!

Yes, yes, yes, another damn curry. *L* In my last newsletter I mentioned experimenting with a recipe and posting what I thought it might end up being. Well, I changed a few things around and succeeded in making a rich, sumptuous curry featuring plump Tiger shrimp and buttery sea scallops. Oh yeah. Someone - I think it was Diandra - was asking about fish recipes for autumn. I think I found one for you!

I don't k now how to begin to describe this soup. It's...perfect. It's velvety in texture, warms the throat, and is richly scented with ginger, garlic and curry. This is just about the only time I use curry powder instead of garam masala or making my own blend. I used hot Madras curry powder, which you can easily find in the grocery store these days. This recipe is very Africa meets the Subcontinent (India) and it's an excellent way to start bringing more warmth into our lives after a cold winter.

Curried Peanut Soup

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small chili, deseeded (or not)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
1 sweet potato
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut milk

Chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro to garnish

Begin my cooking the sweet potato in the microwave for about 10 minutes, until soft. Allow the potato to cool, slice in half and scoop out the flesh.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and allow to often for about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chili and cook until garlic is fragrant, 3 minutes more.

Sprinkle over the curry powder and stir to coat everything. Add the broth and the sweet potato. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Stir in the peanut butter and use an immersion blender to puree everything. If using a regular blender, mix the peanut butter with about 1/2 cup of the hot broth before stirring it into the soup.

Lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Taste for seasonings, including the sugar. Serve hot with a garnish of fresh chopped cilantro and/or chopped peanuts if desired.

I couldn't find cilantro so I didn't garnish the soup at all. It was so silky and rich. I hope no one is afraid of calories!

Recipe Sucess!

Last Sunday, as soon as I arrived in WVa, I had my parents drop me off in Morgantown. Jessi had promised to make my pumpkin samosas at the restaurant where she works. They were offered to workers and a few customers, just to try. They were a hit! People loved them. They are definitely going into the book. I'll also post my apple-cranberry chutney, which would be the perfect dipping sauce.

Autumn Revisited

Autumn's not over yet, so let's take a look at the revisions that have been made to the recipe line up for the cookbook, shall we?

sweet and spicy nuts
acorn squash soup
black bean soup
mushroom soup
autumn salad
cranberry-apple chutney
corn cakes with pintos
pumpkin samosas
beef and stout pie
green beans with cranberries and walnuts
glazed beet salad
Prosperity Shortbread
pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips and hazelnuts, with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting


I still feel that I am missing something. Any ideas?

Post # 300 and a Peek at Winter

This is my 300th post! Cool. Well, since I am working on organizing the recipes for the cookbook and have already posted the autumn section, I thought I would go ahead and post some ideas for the winter section as well.

Here goes.

Winter

wilted greens with bacon
sesame cabbage
potato soup with rosemary and ham
goat cheese ball/log
ricotta and feta pie
Sun God Fritatta
glazed carrots
stuffed cabbage
hot buttered rum
brandy slush - working on this
orange-rosemary pork loin
herbed roast potatoes
cornmeal cookies with pine nuts and currants

That's all I have so far. I need to get a few more things. Autumn is by far the biggest section right now. You'd think I'd be inspired by summer's bounty or the beautiful new freshness of spring, but me, I like autumn, when shit is dying. Go figure.

Cookbook Update

Well, so far I have the main introduction mostly done. I need to work on an introduction for each season, which is something I plan to do more of when I have more time off from work. I worked on organizing recipes last night, came up with a few more ideas to try, and did a count. So far I have 50 recipes and ideas, mostly tested. I gotta get my butt in gear! November is almost in the bag.

Green Beans with Cranberries and Walnuts

I've had this in my head for a while and decided this weekend would be a good time to experiment. I must say, it turned out really well! This is a delicious, festive-looking recipe to grace your Thanksgiving and Yule tables.

1 bag frozen green beans, cooked according to package directions
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces

Dressing
1 small shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the green beans, drain and rinse with cool water. Toss in a bowl with toasted walnut pieces and dried cranberries.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Whisk in the olive oil last, until well combined. Pour over green beans.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Simple and delicious.

I know this recipe is already on my other blog, but I wanted to show pictures of the making of the cheese ball. It's just a simple little appetizer to serve on Imbolc. Serve it with some sesame seed or poppy seed crackers, which are also appropriate for that Sabbat.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4-6 oz. goat cheese (chevre), softened
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dried Mission figs, chopped fine

My pictures are *always* out of order because I'm a techno-moron.

Obviously you blend the softened cheeses together first. You really have to give the chevre a good mashing because it's creamy yet crumbly. The cream cheese is the binder.

Add the chopped dates, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for an hour.

In the meanwhile, toast some pecans either on the stove top or in the oven. Put them in the food processor. You'll need about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of crushed pecans. Place them in a bowl and roll the cheese ball around to evenly coat it. Wrap it up and put it back in the fridge until it's time to serve.

Protective Spice Mix

This spice mix does double duty. You can sprinkle it on your food or just sprinkle it around your property for protection. Make a double batch and do both.

3-4 bay leaves, center stem removed, leaves crumbled
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder or granulated onion and garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

In a coffee/spice grinder pulverize bay leaves, peppercorns, and dried rosemary leaves. Put in a small bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Add this to protective foods or other dishes to add protection. I'm thinking of sprinkling some on a steak or a nice pork roast this weekend.

Spice Blends for Love

Here are two spice blends combining herbs and spices that carry love energies (amongst other energies). I'm still working on the measurements and such.

Sweet:
Anise, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger

Combine about 1/4 teaspoon anise and cloves with 1/2 teaspoon ginger and cardamom and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to add to sweet things such as apple cider or apple, carrot or pumpkin cake.

Savory:
Basil, marjoram, thyme, fennel and coriander and rosemary

Combine a teaspoon of each (1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds), dried, in your blender or spice grinder (to pulverize the dried rosemary and the fennel seeds)

Add this blend to something like a tomato sauce, or sprinkle liberally over pork, beef or poultry.

Entire Intro (Rough Draft)

Please to be reading and give the feedbacks.

I worry that it gets a bit repetitive.

Btw, you should notify me if you try any of the recipes so I can put your name on the thank-you page. :)


Food is sacred. It is part of the earth to which we are all connected. Food keeps us alive, comforts us, makes us feel loved. We can also create recipes for magical purposes, such as love and prosperity. The fruits, vegetables, grains and herbs that we use all have magical properties - protection, love, healing, prosperity, psychic development, etc. I take this to be further proof of the sacredness of food itself.

The hearth was a sacred spot to our ancestors. At the hearth they warmed their hands and feet and prepared their simple meals, using what was available to them at the time. Today, in place of the hearth, we have the gas or electric stove - a modern hearth that can be just as sacred and alive as a fireplace.

Today most of us have an abundance of food. We go to the grocery store instead of depending upon the harvest. For most of us, winter no longer carries the risk of starvation. Fruits and vegetables are available all year. Our meat comes pre-packaged in foam and cellophane.

We are not as attached to our food as we used to be. We are no longer at the mercy of the elements for our survival. We have become rather disconnected from the gods in that sense. However, we can easily become connected once again through food, that which is so sacred.

People don't seem to know - or care - where their food comes from. There are some small groups of people who try to eat locally, but most of us wouldn't know where to begin. We, as followers of an Earth-based spirituality, should take pride in knowing where our food comes from, and be thankful. We spend time and energy on finding the perfect ritual tools and robes, or learning Reiki or doing past life meditations instead of finding ways to ground ourselves and really, really connect with Nature. Food.

Preparing a meal can be a ritual in itself, as can eating a meal with loved ones. Using the bounty of each season, you can honor that time of year and what the gods have provided. The evidence of the harvest will be on your plate.

I'm not telling you that you have to move to the country and grow everything yourself, nor am I telling you that you must buy organic. What I do want to draw your attention to is the foods that are in season so you can use them when they are at their freshest, most flavorful, and cheapest. In this way you can connect with the seasons in a way similar to our ancestors. They wouldn't have had a fresh tomato in January, and we shouldn't either!

This book is dedicated to all of you who wish to make a deeper connection with the earth and the seasons. If you think the kitchen isn’t magical, this book is also for you. Inside you will find recipes to celebrate the earth’s bounty, as well as some suggestions for making your kitchen a more magical place. Welcome to my kitchen. Please come inside.