If today be sunny and bright, Winter again will show its might.
If today be cloudy and gray, Winter soon will pass away.

In northern climates, the first days of February look nothing like Spring, but if you look closely you can see the small but sturdy signs of changing seasons begin to appear. Maybe it rains more often then it snows, or the days are noticeably longer, maybe the wind’s bite is a little less harsh, or the sun a little warmer. Whatever the sign is, it hints that Spring is just around the corner.

Oimelc falls on February 1st, approximately half way between Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. It literally means “ewe’s milk”, and refers to the ewes are nursing their newly born lambs, another indication of the coming of Spring. It is sometimes called Imbolc, Brighid, Lupercalia (not celebrated until the 13th) or Candlemas (though this refers to a Catholic holiday.) It is sometimes also celebrated on the full moon nearest to February first, we do this in our family.

As with many of the Pagan sabbats, Oimelc’s history is firmly rooted in Celtic tradition, though it also borrows some Roman and Christian ideas. Lupercalia was an ancient, possibly pre-Roman, festival where all evil spirits were driven out of the city and spirits of health and fertility were invited in. Old hearth fire were extinguished and new ones lit, old candles were also replaced and blessed. Many of Lupercalia’s customs were integrated into Catholicism when the Roman Empire converted, minus the orgies of course.

In Celtic culture, this was a time of weather divination, usually done by observing the hibernation patterns of snakes, many believe that this custom evolved into the secular Groundhog Day. The snake was a creature revered for its sacred wisdom. The snake was one of the many animals associated with the goddess Brighid, to whom this day is also given to, Là Fhéill Bhrìghde. She was such a deeply ingrained symbol to the Celtic tribes, the Christian missionaries chose to make her a saint rather then try to remove her from importance.

Brighid was the keeper of the sacred flame and guardian of home and hearth, though she is said to have had two sisters, Brighid the Physician and Brighid the Smith. Most people see these three women as aspects of the same goddess, one of poetry, healing, and smithcraft.

In Scottish legend is the said that one the eve of Oimelc, the Cailleach (Old Woman Winter) takes a journey to a sacred well on a magical island. As dawn breaks, she drinks from it and is transformed into Bride (another spelling of Brighid), the beautiful maiden who’s white wand turns the bare earth green again. Again, many people see the Cailleach and Bride and Brighid as one and the same, often referring to her as a triple goddess, at once maiden, mother and crone.

All these celebrations have led to very diverse Oimelc celebration among modern Pagans. This is a time many will reevaluate personal relationships and habits to decide what needs to be discarded in their lives. Renewal of old pledges or commitments to new ones are done at this time as well. This emotional purging is often accompanied by physical purging, either by beginning Spring cleaning or decluttering altars and other spiritual supplies. Many Pagans make or purchase their candles for the year around this time and consecrate them on Oimelc.

On a personal level, I rarely do much on Oimelc. It has taken me a long time to be able to connect with this sabbat though it is easier now that I have children, it has always felt like more of a home and hearth day to me then anything else. As I have become acclimated to life in the Inland Northwest I have started to see the unique beauty in this time of year too, rather then only seeing a series of cloudy long dark days.

To me, Oimelc represents a hidden transformation. I feel the coming of Spring in my heart more then see it in the land. The increasing daylight lightens my mood and renews my energy so that I can work on projects that have probably taken a back burner during the drearier days Winter. I begin planning my garden on Oimelc and meditate on what I would like to see grow in my life and in my community. If we listen closely we can hear the land whispering of the changing seasons. The Vernal Equinox is only seven weeks away and Oimelc celebrates the anticipation of Spring.

Oimelc: in our home

(Collecting reeds with our friend Sal to make Brighid’s Crosses.)

Activities:

• Bell ringing purification procession
• Burning Winter Solstice greens
• Candle making and consecrating
• Ritual: initiations, dedications
• Spring cleaning
• Visiting a spring or well
• Writing or read poetry

Crafts:

• Bread Making
• Brighid’s Wheel
• Candle Making
• Knitting and Weaving

Decorations:

• Candles
• Cauldron
• Colors: red, white
• Hibernating animals
• Seasonal plants and foods
• Suns
• Woolen items

Oimelc: feast

We went over to some friends this year for Imbolc, so I just made bread and dip to share. Otherwise I would have made red (tomato) and white raviolis with cheese filling, and granitas from fruit I froze last summer. Maybe next year!

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BREAD: focaccia
This year I added 1/4 cup chopped dried tomatoes that I packed in oil this summer. I also infused some of the oil with basil and oregano and used that as well.

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BREAD DIP: Sun-dried Tomato and Basil

• 8 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp dried basil (2 tbsp fresh if you have it)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne

Put everything into a blender and pulse till smooth. Let sit for 6 hours or overnight.

I hope you all have a most blessed and joyful Oimelc, Winter is drawing to a close and the wheel turns to the warmth of Spring.

I have had a craving for bagels for a couple days. The thing is, most store bought bread gives me hives, so my craving had to wait a day, then overnight, then through this morning’s boiling and baking. But finally, I have my bagel, a Potato Bagel Star in fact. (I added some flax and whole-wheat flour to the recipe and topped a few with chia seeds, the rest with poppy or sesame seeds.)

So, I raise my glass of wild sweet orange ice tea to holding out for a craving, and bread in general, and to summer, whenever it decides to arrive. (I suppose we have to get through Spring first don’t we?)

Brightly burns our fire tonight.
Magic dances with candlelight.

Hold my hand and join in song.
Raise the Sun King bright and strong!

Dark is giving way to light.
Brightly burns the fire tonight.

Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It falls around December 21st of each year. It is a festival day in many cultures often calling for bright lights and fires, freshly cut evergreens, feasting with loved ones and singing and dancing. These festivities serve to rekindle the human spirit in the heart of winter.

In many modern Pagan traditions, Winter Solstice, is a celebration of the rebirth of the sun. Many still hold vigils awaiting the dawn, heralding the sun as the God reborn from the sacred womb of the Goddess. In other traditions a great battle is waged between the Oak King and Holly King where the Oak King triumphs returning to the world to longer warmer days.

It is a near certainty that Winter Solstice was of significant importance to ancient people, especially Proto-Celtic tribes. The evidence of this is obvious in the layouts of the stone monuments of New Grange in Ireland and Stonehenge in Britain. Each of these sites was carefully built to line up with the solstice sunrise. It can be suggested that the marking of midwinter was important for ancient communities because the people needed an approximate idea of how long their stored provisions had to last.

The most common alternate name for Winter Solstice is Yule a term originating from ancient Norse and Germanic tribes. It began as a celebration marking a 60 day time beginning at the lunar midwinter, but by the late Viking Age, it had become a great solstitial midwinter festival that amalgamated the traditions of various midwinter celebrations across Europe. On the the eve of Yule a huge log was lit in honor Thor, god of thunder, and feasting would continue until it burned out, which could be up to twelve days! A portion of the log was saved to be used in the lighting of the next year’s log.

Winter Solstice, as with many sabbats, has been incorporated into other religious celebrations. Most notably, it shares it’s place in the wheel of the year with the Christian religious observance of Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. Many of the traditions common throughout the Christian season correlate to ancient Pagan traditions. There is nothing wrong with this mixing of traditions of course, if anything it reflects how interrelated belief systems can be. Many of the most prevalent traditions celebrated by modern western culture today are echoes of ancient practices.

Santa is an example of a mix of new and old. Many parallels can be seen between Santa and the Germanic god Odin. There are legends that tell of Odin leading a hunting party through the sky on the solstice. He rode upon an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir who could leap great distances, which can be compared to Santa’s reindeer flying through the night. On the eve of the solstice, children would place their boots by the chimney filled with offerings for Sliepnir (carrots, straw or sugar.) In thanks Odin would leave them candy and small gifts.

The tradition of leaving out boots on Yule survived the Christianization of Germanic culture and Odin’s deeds might have become mixed with the legend of Saint Nicholas. Over time These men became Santa and those boots by the chimney became the stockings hanging from the mantle. I have heard that the Goddess Freya rose through the sky in a chariot pulled by stags and gave gifts for the 12 days after the solstice, but I have not been able to find too much information about this. If it is true though, it explains the sleigh with reindeer!

Since a large part of my spiritual practice involves honoring the ancestors I like to take a few moments on the solstice to remember what it must have been like for them. Winter was the season of death, a time for the earth to rest, renewing itself for the birth of Spring. Being in tune with the rhythms of the land, our ancestors would have known that despite the darkness, soon the light would return to the earth, bringing with it life. I can see why the Winter Solstice was so important. It welcomed back the much needed Sun.

To me, Winter Solstice heralds the returning sun as an eternal spirit and light brining. The returning sun reminds us to love our life passionately and to to reawakening our goals that may have been dampened by the long nights. It is a reminder that we too can be light bringers.

Winter Solstice calls us to come together on this longest night and bring with us light in the form of love, peace and joy. This is a light that we can share with each other and send out into the world. The choices that we make every day, as humans, as multi-faceted beings of this universe, should come from open minds and hearts. With this kind of devotion to the betterment of ourselves and each other, I believe we can accomplish anything.

Winter Solstice: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Cookie Plates for Friends
• Dawn Vigil Ritual
• Decorating Tree
• Gift Exchange
• Holiday Light Drive

Crafts:

• Bread Making
• Cookies
• Gingerbread Houses
• Natural Ornaments
• Paper Snowflakes (flat and 3D)
• Pomanders
• Popcorn garlands

Decorations:

• Bells
• Evergreen
• Lights
• Mistletoe
• Seasonal flowers and foods
• Stockings
• Suns
• Winter Solstice Candles
• Yule Tree

Winter Solstice: the feast

We have a larger gathering at our home every year. Sometimes we have a group ritual, sometimes not, but we always have much fun and laughter. I always make a pot roast, but this year I also made the Layered Vegetarian Casserole that I make at Autumn Equinox for our vegetarian friends. I always try to focus on making my meals as local as possible, as to best honor Old Wild Mama Earth. Sometimes I make more side dishes, sometimes our guests bring them to add to the table. (My friend Andrea helped me with quite a lot of tips, as well as a gravy lesson in this kitchen with year. Thank you!) This year’s meal prayer is a bit of a combination of several wonderful ones I have come across recently.

Tonight is the night of the Solstice,
the longest night of the year.
The Wheel turns and the days will brighten
Bringing renewed life to the Earth.

May hands will work for peace and justice,
May hands will work to heal the land.

For the food that stays our hunger,
For the rest that brings us ease,
For friends and memories that linger,
We give our thanks for these.

BREAD: Snowflake Pretzels

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DRINKS

• Egg Nog: I buy this.
• Mulled Cider: To make this, I pour a gallon or two of cider in a big enamel pot on the morning of our gathering. I sprinkle in a healthy amount of spices (I use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves) and set the pot on the stove, cover it and and turn the stove on low and just leave it. It makes the house smell sooooo nice all day. You can also add cranberry juice to change things up a bit or make it in the crockpot.
• Wine: We buy ours locally in Greenbluff, we can also get hard cider this time of year. This year we got a white wine infused with cranberry and spices.

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MAIN DISH: Pot Roast

• 5lb chuck roast (this fed about 9 people with a little leftover)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Italian Seasoning (I make my own mix.)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp pepper (I love pepper.)
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Heat a cast iron skilled on medium high. Mix together oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Rub all over chuck roast. Sear the roast on all sides. Put in 5-6 quart crockpot. (You could put potatoes, carrots or onions under it if you like, I prefer to roast them seperately.) Pour cider and Worcestershire sauce in.

Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours, until beef is tender. (My current crockpot seems to get warmer and cook faster then my last one, so give yourself some extra time.)

To make gravy: Put some of the broth from the crockpot to a small saucepan over medium heat. In another small bowl whisk together cornstarch with a little broth to get out the lumps. Add to saucepan and whisk until mixture begins to thicken. (I think I remembered how to do that properly…)

Serves 8-10.

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SIDE DISH: Maple Yams
(Yams are not local, they are the tuber of a tropical vine. Did you know they can grow 7 feet long?! But, well, I adore yams…)

• 5 sweet potatoes (I used yams, not local, but I adore yams…)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 or 3 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.

Poke some holes in the yams and place them in a shallow roast pan (or lipped cookie sheet.) Roast them until they are very soft (and hour or two.) Yams tend to get really stick when they cook, so line your pan with aluminium foil, it makes cleanup way easier.

When your yams are cool enough to handle you can just peel the skins off with your hands. Put in a dish with butter and maple syrup. Mash together (with a potato masher, or fork, or hands, or mixer, or whatever makes you happy.)

Serves 8-10.

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DESSERT: Pumpkin Roll
You can totally do this with homemade pumpkin puree.

It is winter.
It is night.

We await the sun.
We await the light.

In this darkness.
In this night.

We await the warmth.
We await the light.

And the Sun, he rises.

The Festival of Samhain was an ancient Celtic festival, falling on October 31st. A day which also marks Catholic All-Souls-Day and the secular Halloween, both strongly colored by the Celtic festival. Unlike most of the other sabbats, Samhain is not dictated by astrological events and therefor always falls on October 31st. Beltane is it’s counterpart laying directly opposite to Samhain in the Wheel of the year.

Samhain marks the end of the planted harvest and the beginning of the meat harvest. In days long past this time was vital, with the first snows nearing it was time to cull the herds and preserve their meat for Winter; without which the communities survival would be in question. Our ancestors knew this and so lived in harmony and with intuitive knowledge of the weather and changing seasons.

The Celtic year was split into two parts, and Samhain marks the start of the dark half, or Winter, which will transition into summer at Beltane. Now is the time for Old Wild Mother Earth to slip into a deep slumber, there she will gather strength till the Spring planting. This rest period is important, if not vital, not only for Her but also as a lesson to us. We must all take a break from time to time, as to regain our energy. With our renewed energy, the fruits of our labor will be even better.

Historically Samhain was an important festival celebrated for three days in the royal court in Tara (in modern day Ireland.) All hearth fires were extinguished and a ritual fire was started on the Hill of Tara, signaling people to gathered on hilltops all across Ireland and light community bonfires. Sometimes two bonfires were lit and people and livestock passed between then in a purification and protection rite. At the end of the Samhain celebrations a burning ember was taken home by each family to relight their own hearth fires. This was a common flame binding together the entire community.

Beyond being associated with the harvest, Samhain was a sacred time to the Celts. In their lore, on Samhain eve the veil between the worlds grows especially thin. This was a particularly powerful time for the spirits of the dead could interact with the living. Because of this many forms of divination were often done on this night and of course a variety of rituals were done to appease or welcome one’s ancestors. Burial cairns were often opened in villages and torches were used to light the path out so the dead could safely navigate their way into the world of the living. Candles are set in the windows to guide spirits safely to the house. The dumb supper was another common tradition, this is when an extra place is set at the table in honor of one’s ancestors and more recent deceased loved ones. Sometimes apples were buried in the Earth to nourish those who have died but chosen not to rise.

The origin of the Jack-O-Lantern comes from these days long past as well (though back then it was a turnip) it was a light to guide the beloved dead, the scary face was later added to frighten off any spirits will bad intentions. Masks and costumes were also used to hide identities from these malevolent spirits. Of course in the modern day these are harmless traditions times incorporated into Halloween, having mostly lost their meaning to non-Pagans.

In my own path, I celebrate both Halloween and Samhain. Halloween being about fun and family and Samhain having a more somber, but equally family oriented feel. Tonight the veil between the worlds lifts, and the spirits will walk amongst us once again. Be they family, friends or foes, they come into our realm to share whatever weighs on their souls. In my West window a candle burns brightly, guiding my beloved ancestors as they travel. Perhaps they will come in and take a seat at our table, as I have set a place for them, so that they may join us as we share stories, both tall and small, about them.

Honoring the ancestors is an important facet in my personal beliefs and something I do all year around. Samhain however always feels especially significant for paying those respects and sharing their stories, perhaps because I know that there are so many others out their sending their respects to the own beloved dead on this night.

On this eve give thanks to the lessons that the past year has revealed to me and honor its teachings in its death. On the dawn the wheel will turn once again and the new year will rise. May the good come to pass and the bad be cast aside. So mote it be.

Samhain: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Ancestors Ritual
• Divination
• Make Dreamboards
• Nature Hike
• Picking Pumpkins
• Trick or Treat

Crafts:

• Carving Pumpkins
• Bread Making
• Mask/Costume Making
• Pine Cone Bird Feeders
• Samhain Candles

Decorations:

• Acorns, Maple Keys, Pinecones
• Autumn Leaves
• Burial Cairns
• Gourds, Pumpkins, Squash
• Scythe, Bolline
• Seasonal flowers and foods

Samhain: feast

We are having a potluck this year and our vegetarian friends will be coming, hence the meatless meal. I alway try to focus on making my meals as local as possible, as to best honor Old Wild Mama Earth.

We stand now on the eve of the New Year,
I give thanks to the lessons this year has revealed to me and honor its teachings.
On the dawn the wheel will turn once again and the new year will rise.
The Spirits of the Ancestors are here, shinning, and we send our love to them.
Dark are the days ahead but bright are the fires in our souls.
In this coming year may the good come to pass and the bad be cast aside.
May our home be guarded against the cold and our pantries sustain us.
So mote it be.

BREAD: Sweet Potato Biscuits
(I’m using yams this year because I want the biscuits to be orange.)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sweet potato, mashed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Cook and mash sweet potatoes. Chill.

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in sweet potatoes, milk and maple syrup. Pat into 9″ square and cut into 16 squares.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cook on wire rack.

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MAIN DISH: Smashed Potato Soup

• 3 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons roasted garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4-1/2 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth today)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (you can use whipping cream or half and half too)
• 4 oz shredded pepperjack (or cheddar)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, combine potatoes, sweet pepper, garlic, and black pepper. Pour broth in. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Mash potatoes slightly with a potato masher. Stir in sour cream, cheese, and the 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions.

Serves 8.

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DESSERT: Aunt Ruth’s Pumpkin Pie
I found this recipe on my Aunt Ruth ’s cooking blog from last year. If you don’t know how to make pumpkin filling from scratch, go here.

I hope you all have a most blessed and joyful Samhain (or Halloween!) Autumn is drawing to a close, so enjoy these last days before the wheel turns to the white softness of Winter.

The cool down of Autumn have finally arrived and so has the peak of the harvest season. Fat pumpkins lay in fields, apple branches bend low with heavy yield and the Earth’s bounty overflows the garden and farm. This harvest begs to be enjoyed, but also preserved. Winter’s icy days draw near.

Technically speaking an equinox is a day when the Sun will spend an equal amount of time above and below the horizon. This happens twice a year, in Autumn and Spring. Autumn Equinox is the tipping point into the dark half of the year. Today we are also entering into the sunsign of Libra, her scales are a perfect echo of the light/dark balance of this equinox. Historically speaking, nearly every culture has some form of harvest festival, many celebrated still today.

Megalithic people of ancient Britain and Ireland obviously placed some kind of importance on both the solstices and equinoxes. Otherwise they would not have build stone structures like Stonehenge and Loughcrew Cairn to determine their dates. Their methods of celebrating these days has been long lost to history though.

The ancient Celts constructed a wickerman around this time of the year as well. It was ritually burned to represent the plant spirits returning to the earth to rest until Spring. An incarnation of this ancient idea has been reborn in recent years in the Burning Man Project, a yearly festival celebrated in the Autumn in Nevada. A giant wickerman is constructed and burned at the height of the week long festival.

The Mayans constructed a sacred pyramid called Chichen Itza, which acted in a similar way to the stone structures of the Megalithic people of Britain and Ireland. On the day of the Autumn Equinox a “serpent of light” descends the pyramid until it joins this a huge stone rattlesnake head at its base. (This serpent is actually seven isosceles triangles that are formed from the sunlight hitting the pyramid stairs.)

The Chumash, a Native American tribe from Southern California, celebrate the Autumn Equinox in a ceremony that takes place after the harvest is picked, processed and stored. After this day the spiritual thoughts of the tribe become focused on unity in the face of Winter.

Teutonic tribes called the period from the Autumn Equinox until approximately October 15th “Winter Finding.” October 15th was Winter Night and their new years. Besoms were constructed to symbolize the man/woman duality. A Harvest Lord was made from straw and burned, his ashes scattered over the fields. A Harvest Queen was woven from the last sheaf of wheat of the harvest. It was dressed in Spring colors and hung from a pole (it also was sometimes called the Kern Baby.)

In Neopaganism, many different rituals are preformed on this day, often echoing ancient traditions. Most of these rites are based on the balance found in nature as well as within ourselves. Some refer the Autumn Equinox as the Witches Thanksgiving as it is a celebration of the harvest and a time to give thanks for the bounty that the Earth has provided.. Wiccans, the most common variety of Neopagans, celebrate the Autumn Equinox as Mabon. The day honors the Sacrificial King who dies and passes into the harvest to be reborn through the Goddess come Springtime.

In my practice, I personify the Earth as Mother and Sun as Father. Now is the time for Father Sun to pass into darkness so that Mother Earth might rest as she nurtures the spirit of Spring within her. Without Winter’s rest many plants could not come forth in the Spring. Autumn Equinox is a time to come together as a community and give thanks for the harvest as well as find peace within ourselves to face the coming darker days. It is a time of year when the goals that summer’s fun kept me from, return to the forefront of my mind. Balances is a powerful force which I invite into my life so that all my workings might come from a place of wholeness and love. Balance is needed in all things from the spiritual to the mundane as it keeps us from the pointlessness excess and the dullness of laziness.

Autumn Equinox: in our home

(This is from a page in my BoS where I list family activities, crafts, home and altar decorations and other miscellaneous ideas.)

Activities:

• Acorn Gathering for Winter Solstice ornaments
• Harvest Festival in Greenbluff
• Thanksgiving Ritual

Crafts:

• Apple Dolls
• Autumn Leaves Stained Glass
• Besom Making
• Bread Making
• Pine Cone Bird Feeders
• Harvesting and Preserving: canning, dehydrating, freezing
• Equinox Candles

Decorations:

• Acorns, Maple Keys, Pinecones
• Autumn Leaves
• Burial Cairns
• Cornucopias
• Dried Herbs
• Indian Corn Bundles
• Scythe, Bolline
• Seasonal flowers and foods

Autumn Equinox: feast

This is a a time when the Earth’s bounty is at her peak, why not make the table groan with your favorite seasonal dishes? Since we go to the apple festival each year fresh apple cider and local wines fill out goblets and we raise them for a blessing a toast.

Eternal Spirits we welcome you into our home on this day of balance.
You who are the wind, water, fire and earth at the soul of our world.

The Autumn Equinox is here and we give thee thanks for the harvest,
and its bounty that nourishes us, sustains us and inspires us.

We give thee thanks for the times we spend together in love and peace,
and all those who have fought so that we may enjoy this freedom.

We give thee thanks for this good green Earth and the kinship of our friends and family,
and for all we have overlooked or taken for granted in our life.

We give thanks for the blessings you whisper into our lives each and every day.
Eternal Spirits we welcome you to our table. Blessed be.

(You can go around the table now and have everyone share what they are thankful for.)

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BREAD: Roasted Potato and Onion Bread
This must be started the night before your feast. It is well worth the effort though!

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MAIN DISH: Layered Vegetarian Crockpot
Layer in crockpot:

• 6 potatoes, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup peas

Any vegetable mixture really works. I didn’t have a zucchini today so I used green beans. If you have a garden, even better! Wander around and see what’s fresh.

Pour over top:

• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Salt & Pepper

Cook 8 to 12 hours.

• Spread 1 cup shredded cheese over top and serve once melted.

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DESSERT: Apple Pie
I think everyone has their preferred family recipe for this one, mine seems to change from year to year as I seek to find one that is truly special. Since we did not go apple picking this weekend (Michael was sick) we will be going next Sunday. So the apple pie is on the backburner so to speak, until then. If anyone has a tried and true apple pie recipe that they don’t mind me sharing through my blog if we like it, I would be more then willing to try it! (The crust cannot contain shortening, I am allergic to cottonseed oil.)

I hope you all have a most blessed and joyful Autumn Equinox, Mabon, Harvest Home, or whatever you celebrate. And if you celebrate none, I still hope you get outside rain or shine (rain for us this year!) and enjoy the beauty of Autumn.

(Clipart courtesy FCIT.)

This is the dehydrated stew we are taking camping with us. I dehydrated all this stuff myself but I suppose you could buy it all pre-dried if you don’t have a dehydrator. The veggies can vary in it depending on what you have. The batch I made for this weekend’s camping trip also has zucchini and extra potatoes in it. Just add extra water if you intend on adding more of course, basically you want to just cover the ingredients in water to rehydrate.

For my fellow ounce counters, the dry weight of this is 5oz (not including the carrot.)
Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups water
• 1 cup dried tomato pieces
• 1 cup jerky pieces
• 1 cup dried potato slices
• 1 cup dried green beans
• 1 cup dried corn
• 1 tbsp dried bell pepper
• 1 tbsp dried onion
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• Fresh carrot, sliced (optional)
• 1 cup dried brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a camping pot combine 4 cups of water and all ingredients, except carrot and rice. Let sit for 30 minutes to rehydrate. You can do this while you are starting the fire. Once you get the fire going boil the remaining cup of water.
2. Mix one cup boiling water with your rice. Cover and let rehydrate for 15 minutes. While rice is rehydrating put your stew on to cook, after 15 minutes add rice to stew. You can add the carrot here if you wish.
3. Cook for 30 minutes to one hour, until jerky is tender.

I’m going to be serving this with my whole-wheat cornbread while we camp (I can post that recipe if you wish, it is cooked in cast iron.) Oh you can also do this stew in a crockpot at home and simmer it on low for 6 to 8 hours. It is nice to have in your cupboard for an easy meal.

Blessed Lughnasadh!

Lughnasadh is going to be quite different for us this year since we now have Damian! His grandpa Tolman will be here to visit. I want to make an effort to celebrate all the sabbats with Damian but this one might wait till next weekend. I like that cross-quarter days are flexible like that! Heck my solstices and equinoxes kind of are too.

This year I am going to share my seasonal feast recipes with you. All my recipes are all very loose and leave a lot of room for personal taste. I rarely follow instructions except if I am making bread… even then I tend to switch to whole wheat.

Speaking of whole wheat, Lughnasadh celebrates the grain harvest so how about we start with a bread recipe:

BREAD: Baguette

• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup bread flour
• 3 cups whole wheat flour

- In a large bowl combine honey and warm water, stir in yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Add salt. Add flours 1 cup at a time until dough starts to come together. Turn out onto a floured surface and kneed in the rest of the flour until smooth (about 10 minutes.)
- Place dough in an oiled and turn to coat the surface. Cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Punch down and form into long slender loaf (approx 21 inches long and 3 inches wide.) Place diagonally on a lightly greased large baking sheet and let rise uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- After loaf has risen make 3-6 diagonal slashes on it with sharp knife and lightly brush top with cool water. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack. (If you can wait long enough for it to cool, warm baguette smothered in fresh butter or preserves, yum!)

APPETIZER: Bruschetta
There is about a dozen different ways to make this, but this is the way I grew up with, more or less. The ingredients are very flexible and can (and should!) be done to taste.

• 6 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (I use a garlic press)
• a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette (homemade)
• Olive oil

- Toss together tomatoes, garlic and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Slice baguette into 1-inch pieces and toast. Drizzle with olive oil. (Alternately you can cut the garlic cloves in half and rub them against the toast before drizzling.)
- Top with tomato mixture and serve.

MAIN DISH: Grilled Chicken Salad

• 4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• Homemade raspberry vinaigrette
• 1 head lettuce, torn up – I like red leaf or romaine
• 2 cups spinach, torn up
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1 cup corn
• 2 or 3 or 4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cup mozzarella, cubed or shredded

- Make vinaigrette. Mine uses about 8 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp raspberry vinegar, 1 to 2 tbsp local honey, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper. Still all that in a jar and shake. Viola vinaigrette. (I make my own raspberry vinegar but I have seen it in some stores, you could use any fruit vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, or balsamic for that matter.)
- Marinate chicken breasts in some vinaigrette for 30 minutes to and hour. Or you can be inpatient like me and stick some vinaigrette and the chicken in a ziplock and hit with with a rolling pin a few times until it flattens. Force marination.
- Grill chicken and slice. I like it left warm but you could certainly chill if that is your thing.
- In a large bowl toss together your chicken and your other ingredients with more vinaigrette. (Alternately, you could layer it lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, cheese.)

DESSERT: Grilled Peaches

• Peaches, 1 per person
• 2 tsp brown sugar per peach
• Melted butter, enough to brush your peaches with
• Vanilla ice cream

- Cut peaches along the seam all the way around and twist off the pit. Brush cut sides with butter.
- Cook, cut side down, on a hot grill until fruit has grill marks, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Brush tops with butter, turn over, and move to indirect heat. Put 1 tsp of sugar in each peach where the pit was.
- Cover grill and cook until sugar is melted and fruit is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

If you celebrate Lughnasadh what do you intend of filling your family’s bellies with? Even if you don’t what are you having for dinner? Some local foods too I hope!

This recipe makes about 8 pancakes, enough to feed Michael and I, though I ate a double batch all by myself the other day. I have a feeling that may have been a craving though…

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp safflower oil

1. Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl (I usually add 2 heaping tablespoons of flaxseed here too, it is a very loose recipe, sometimes I only use whole wheat flour as well.) Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth, you can add a little water if you like flatter pancakes (like I do.) You can also fold in blueberries, banana slices or chocolate chips here if you want.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little oil in it. (I always use a 10-inch cast iron skillet to make pancakes I find it cooks them most evenly and makes them that perfect brown color.)

3. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan and cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the batter. Flip and cook until a bit of steam comes from the side of the pancakes. Pancakes should be golden.

You can also put thinly sliced bananas in the pan and pour batter over them.

4. Serve warm with butter, maple syrup and jam.

Have you heard Into the Night by Santana and Chad Kroeger? Sexy Rwar!

Anyhow, soup…

Golden Squash Soup
servings 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 3/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 6 oz can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Peel and cut up squash in a 1/2″ dice.
2. Heat 2 tbs broth in a medium soup pot and saute the onions until tender. Add garlic and ginger and saute for another minute. Stir in turmeric and curry powder. Mix well.
3. Pour in remaining broth and add the squash. Turn heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes (or until the squash is tender.)
4. Pour the soup mixture into a blender and add coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Return mixture to the soup pot and add cilantro, salt and pepper. Reheat and serve hot.

With the Autumn Equinox approaching, my thoughts turn towards the harvest, especially the Apple Festival in Greenbluff coming up. Michael and I have a little tradition of going out there with friends each year to picking apples, drinking fresh cider and go on a hay ride or two.

As far as apples go though, I admit that I have not always been too keen on apples. As a child I much preferred strawberries and other softer fruit. I still do not like eating apples raw and unsliced. Living in Washington State though has softened me to them a little. Anyhow with the Apple Festival near, I have been researching apples a little. I am the type of person who always likes to have tidbits of info to share, in and our of circle. This article in the sum of the information I have gathered.

General Info
The apple tree is in the species of Malus domestica of the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the mostly widely cultivated tree fruits in the world. It is also one of the oldest fruit trees to have been cultivated. The petrified remains of apples have been found in tombs dating back as far as 5000 years. Though the modern apple came from a single variety in Asia, there are now about 7,500 varieties of apples in the world.

The fruit of the apple tree is, of course, the apple, which is full of nutrients and can be stored for long periods of time, this made it ideal for winter storage. The apples was an important stable in Europe and Asia because of this (and later in North and South American with the arrival of Europeans.)

The apple has long been valued for its healing properties, I doubt we would say “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” if it were any other way. Modern research suggests that many vitamins and antioxidants in apples can help reduce the risk of cancer (particularly colon, prostate and lung cancer) by preventing DNA damage. There are also some studies that suggest that a certain group of chemicals found in apples might help protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases, such are Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Folklore
The long history of traditions and legends associated with the apple can most likely be tied to the fact that it has been a stable of the human diet for so long. Sometimes it seems the apple is about as polarized in legend as the raven.

• To many Christians, the apple is often named as the forbidden fruit which Adam and Eve shared, leading to their expulsion from Eden. Naturally, this point is hotly debated by religious scholars, particularly since the word “apple” has been used as a generic term for many fruit, including berries and nuts, as late as the 17th century.
• In Norse folklore, the Apple is the tree of immortality. A sacred orchard was kept by the goddess Idunn. She fed the apples to the other gods keep them forever youthful. To the Norse, the apple represented long life, wisdom and love.
• In Greek folklore, Gaia gave Hera an apple tree when she married Zeus. That tree is kept in the Garden of the Hesperides, guarded by the dragon, Ladon.
• In Silesia (now modern day Poland) sleeping under the apple tree or with an apple under your pillow was said to induce dreams.
• In Celtic folklore, the apple symbolized life, death and rebirth as well as healing and youth. It was said that the apple tree was the bridge between the realm of the living and the dead.
• In Arthurian legend, the isle of Avalon (or Avallach) is believed to mean “Isle of Apples”. It is ruled by the Fairy Queen, Morgan le Fey.
• Irish folklore, the god Óengus gave three miraculous apple trees as a wedding gift for the one of the Milesians. One was in full bloom, one shedding its blossoms, and one in fruit.
  It was also said that if a woman should peel the apple skin in one continuous ribbon and throw it over her shoulder, it would land in the shape of her future husband’s initials.
• In Druidism, “tuiloc” (mistletoe) is a sacred plant. Because it was often in apple trees, this also made apples sacred. They also had a sacred apple tree from which the Silver Bough was cut and from it hung silver apples which sounded like bells and could lull because into a trance-like state. It was said that the Druids could make contact with the other world through these trances.
• In South West England the Apple Wassail is a traditional form of wassailing still practiced in some cider orchards, it is sometimes called “howling”. It is thought that this practice originated from Pagan practices as offering to the Gods for a fruitful harvest. On Twelfth Night, men would go to the cider orchards with their wassail bowls and sliced of bread. Bread was laid at the roots of each tree and a cider libation was also poured over the tree roots. The ceremony is said to “bless” the trees to produce a good crop in the forthcoming season. Sometimes certain songs were sung (this is thought to be one of the origins of Christmas Caroling.) A few of the traditional ones are (from Wikipedia):

“Here’s to thee, old apple tree,
Whence thou mayst bud
And whence thou mayst blow!
And whence thou mayst bear apples enow!
Hats full! Caps full!
Bushel–bushel–sacks full,
And my pockets full too! Huzza!”
(South Hams of Devon, 1871)

“Stand fast root, bear well top
Pray the God send us a howling good crop.
Every twig, apples big.
Every bough, apples now.”
(19th century Sussex, Surrey)

“Here we come a wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a wandering
So fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year.
And God send you a happy New Year.”
(Somerset, 1871)

Some deities associated with the apple in legend and lore are:

• Celtic: Cerridwen, Morgan le Fay, Olwen
• Norse: Freyja, Idunn
• Greek: Aphrodite, Dionysus, Gaia, Hera
• Roman: Cupid, Pomona, Venus
• Middle Eastern: Ashtarath, Astarte, Ishtar, Shekinah

Modern Paganism
Different circles and families have their own unique traditions too, like Michael and I going out to the Apple Festival each Equinox. I know a lady who buries a few apples each Samhain with her children. She tells them it is to honor the fey and spirits. She also uses it as a stepping stone to talk to her kids about family ancestors and the cycle of life.

There is one thing I have heard mentioned more often then anything else when it comes to the apple and it has little to do with folklore and more to do with the appearance of the apple.

When you cut an apple in half on it’s equator, it’s seed casings are revealed. The arrangement of these form a five-pointed star. This symbol, the pentagram, is an ancient symbol for occult knowledge and the love goddess, Venus. The seed pentagram turns into a pentacle when you factor in the circular shape of the apple’s flesh. The pentacle often used as a the symbol of protection, the earth, sacred knowledge and sometimes the Goddess (it represents a lot of other things too but that is for another essay.)

Magical Uses
Apple wood is often used to make magical items like wands, besoms, pendulums, wreaths and pentacles. This is probably because of its ties to primarily female deities and many Pagans tend to be more Goddess oriented. I personally use a lot of apple wood because I have easy access to it, I love its energy vibration and it looks beautiful.

Apple blossoms have five petals (again like the pentagram), are white or pale pink and being a flower, associated with female energies. To many this ties them with the love goddesses Venus and Aphrodite, and makes them good for love spells and sachets.

Apples often adorn festive harvest altars along side of pumpkins and corn. Cut crosswise they can be used and natural or impromptu pentacles and representations of Earth and fertility. Of course if you celebrate a particular deity who is linked to the apple it makes sense to place them on your altar. Sometimes they are made into apple dolls. A great tutorial for making apple dolls can be found here.

Apple juice is often used as a substitute for wine in circles, particularly when underage people are present. I see no problem with the substitution, though I find it to be something that is almost only done in the United States (probably because of the stigma attached to alcohol.)

Rituals and Meditations
I have these on my grimoire (which is membership only) but I will post a couple of them on my blog later this week. This article was written for my grimoire but I love to share too much to keep it all hidden.

Recipes
If you have a tried and true apple recipe to share, let me know!

• Apple Pie in a Jar
• Apple Sweet Potato Bake
• Autumn Jam

Miscellaneous Tidbits

• Herbalists have long used apple juice fasts to flush out gallstones.
• The Chinese associate the apple with Yin (female energy.)
• In astrology the apple is associated with the planet Venus.
• Apple wood is one of the nine woods traditionally placed in the Wiccan balefire.
• In the modern Reclaiming tradition, (which, from what I understand is heavily influenced by Celtic and Arthurian lore) the dead journey to the Isle of Apples to await rebirth.

Sources

• Druidry.org
• Sacred Spiral
• Wikipedia

In Sunday’s blog entry I talked about grinding wheat and flax to make banana bread. I made some yesterday and this is my recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup ground flaxseed
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I used almonds this time)

(Question: Do you think this recipe would still work if I substituted brown sugar or honey for the white sugar?)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan.
2. Sift flours, flax, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, mash bananas. Beat in eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into loaf pan.
4. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Enjoy!

(PS: One of my wisdom teeth is breaking through, that explains my headaches from the past few days. Why do we even have these damn things, hurts like a bitch… I need a teething ring!)

My typical breakfast:
- A bowl of plain yogurt (mmm probiotics) usually mixed with some homemade jam, topped with fruit and homemade almond oat granola. Sometimes I munch on an extra piece of fruit too.
- A homemade muffin of slice of quick bread topped jam or honey butter.
- A glass or organic 2% milk, vanilla soymilk or juice.

Now to share a couple recipes.

Almond Oat Granola
I made granola for the first time this weekend, rather then buying it. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and it is suppose to be able to store for a long while in the fridge.

• 4 c. rolled oats
• ½ c. almonds, slivered
• ½ c. honey or maple syrup
• ¼ c. olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ c. raisins or craisins (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Toss together dry ingredients (except the dried fruit) and then mix in the wet ingredients. Coat the oats throughly. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake 10 more. Keep turning until the oats start to brown, about 30 minutes (the granola will harden as it cools.) Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Cool.

Store in airtight container in the fridge.

~~~

Maple Blueberry Conserve with Almonds
This is modified from “The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving“. I love it but I would probably use only ¼ tsp. of ginger next time.

• 2 c. frozen or fresh blueberries
• ½ c. water
• ¼ c. maple syrup
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 c. white sugar
• ½ raisins
• ¼ c. chopped almonds
• ½ tsp. allspice
• ½ tsp. ground ginger

Combine blueberries, water, maple syrup and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then cover and reduce heat. Gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until the fruit is tender. Stirring occasionally.

Stir in sugar and raisins. Return to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered this time for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture has formed a light gel. Stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and spices.

Pour into sterilized jars and waterboil for 5 minutes.

This makes 1 1/2 cups of conserve.

~~~

So what do you eat for breakfast?

A few people have been asking me for this recipe lately. It is from The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving. I really recommend the recipe book, I think it is lovely for anyone who loves homemade preserves but doesn’t want 100 jars.

Ingredients:

• 5 plums (pitted and sliced)
• 2 medium apples (peeled and cored)
• 2 medium pears (peeled and cored)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp lemon rind (grated)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions:

1. Combine plums, apples, pears, water, lemon rind and juice in a non-reactive saucepan (I use an enamel camping one.) Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat – cook for 10 minutes until the fruit softens.
2. Add sugar and return to boil – stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves (this burns really easily make sure you use a wood or even better – metal – spatula to scrap the bottom of the pan.)
3. Boil rapidly and uncovered (still stirring but not to vigorously) until the mixture gels. It takes about 30 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into canning jars with 1/2″ of head space, screw on lids and water bath for 5 minutes (10 for me since I am up on the South Hill…) Let cool for 24 hours.

This recipe makes 4 cups.

I got this from the newspaper awhile ago and tweaked it a little. Since these are going to be gone before Yule I will have to make another batch for our little gathering, Michael loves them.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 oz mixed nuts (unsalted)
• 1 large egg white

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine sugar, spices and salt in a little bowl, set aside.
3. In another bowl coat the nuts with egg white (I just toss them around with a fork for awhile.) Add sugar mixture and toss again.
4. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet as evenly as possible, try to separate them as much as you can – it saves work later.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and break them apart with a wooden spoon. Return them to oven for another 5 or 6 minutes to dry them well. Remove from oven and break them up again. Let cool in a dry cool place for at least an hour so they can fully harden. Store them in an airtight container (I just put them back in the nut tin I bought.)

Michael and my beautiful caramel.

If you would like to make caramel, it is so easy! This makes 2 1/2 pounds.

You’ll need:

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 pound brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 15oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A dash of salt

Notes:
A candy thermometer is an important tool. You can buy them at most groccery stores. You just clip them to the side of the pot (make sure the bottom of it is not touching the bottom of the pot.) Use a wooden spoon, plastic ones will melt.

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. It may go without saying to some but I usually always cook over medium heat, it might take longer but there is less of a chance of the sugar scorching to the pan (and just me, that is a pain to clean.
2. Once the butter is completely melted add the sugar, mix throughly. Add the corn syrup and mix it in well. Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk.
3. It is important to stir constantly or it will burn. You want the carmel to reach the firm ball stage which is about 245F. This will take about 15 minutes of cook time. Stir constantly.
4. Once the firm ball stage has been reached remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour into a buttered 9×9x2 pan. Let it cool (we just let it cool on the counter) turn it out of the pan and cut it up how you would like.
5. Viola, caramel!

Labels aren’t attached yet because I ran out of glue…

Michael brought me 20lbs of nectarines home the other day from work. Half are still sitting out in the living room but I used some to make chutney. While I normally used peaches for this, I really like the way it turned out this nectarines.

In Indian cuisine, a chutney or chatni is a term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments, originally from the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent. I use mine on meat as well as in pastas. Sometimes I just eat it on saltine crackers.

You’ll need:

• 8 cups of peeled and pitted nectarines (I think it was about 10lbs)
• 3 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup of seedless raisins
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cayenne
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice

Instructions:

1. Cut up nectarines (I actually mashed them loosely with a potato masher since I like chunky chutney), onions and garlic and put in the large non-reactive pot (I use a big enameled camping pot.)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the pot to the boiling point (chutney is to thick to get to a boil like water does.) Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered while stirring occasionally until the chutney is a desired consistency and is deep brown in colour. My nectarines this time where very juicy so it took 2 hours. It can be as little as one though.
4. Bottle in 6 sterilized pint jars. Process in boiling water for about 10 minutes.

I love to make this pie for Summer Solstice because the nectarines remind me the sun and the blackberries of the longer nights that will now be returning. Besides that it just tastes really good.

Ingredients:

• A pie shell

Ingredients for the nectarine layer:

• 3 cups of nectarines or peaches (peeled and sliced)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine

Ingredients for the nectarine layer

• 4 cups of blackberries or blueberries (I use 2 cups of each)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• A dash of cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine

Instructions:

1. Bake pie crust at 350ºF for about 15 to minutes. Let cool on rack.
2. Mash the peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch and pour into a saucepan. Cook on medium for 5 minutes until it thickens.
3. Mash 2 cups of the berries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook in saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add in the butter with the rest of the whole berries and stir. Cool and pour it over top of the peach layer.
4. Chill and serve.

By popular demand, (or just Kim’s ), this is the griddle bread recipe I mentioned in the other entry. It is a simple (I like simple if you can’t tell by now) recipe I found in 1,000 Indian Recipes.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups stone-ground durum whole-wheat flour*
• 1 cup (approx) of water or nonfat plain yogurt
• 3 to 4 tbsp melted glee or butter for basting (optional)

* I cannot find durum flour here in Spokane, so I use organic kamut flour which is what durum flour was developed from. I have also used normal whole-wheat flour as well, but the durum and kamut flours have a much denser and richer taste then normal whole-wheat.

Instructions:

1. Put 2 cups of flour in a large bowl and add the water or yogurt (I use yogurt.) With your fingers stir lightly with circular motions until the flour starts to gather.
2. Knead for about a minute as you would normal bread until you have a soft pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. If the dough sticks to your hands while kneading put a little oil on them.
3. Pat the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour (and no more then 4 hours) at room temperature. Doing this allows the guten in the flour to develop.
4. In a dish (like a pie plate) put remaining cup of dry flour, this will be used for coating later.
5. After the dough has rested, divide it with lightly oiled hands into 10 or 12 equal balls.
6. Heat your grill (I use a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat, you know it is heated right when by sprinkling a little flour over it, it immediately turns dark brown. Wipe of flour before proceeding.
7. Working with each ball seperately, place it in the dish of dry flour, flatten with your fingers and coatwill with flour. Then transfer to a clean surface and with a rolling pin, roll into a 6 to 7 inch circle. It dough sticks to rolling pin dust with some more flour.
8. Immediately put on hot grill and start rolling your next one (they are served hot.) You will know when it is ready to be turned over when little golden dots form on the bottom. The other side will be done when larger brown dots develop and the chapati starts to puff up (the puffing up part takes some practice but they are good either way.)
9. Transfer to a plate and baste with butter and crumble*.

To crumble chapati, baste it lightly in butter and place the chapati in a clean kitchen towel, crumple it like you would a piece of paper. The butter seeps into the cracks and further flavors the dough.