Kentucky Kitchen Witch Circle

Pagan Pride Day - We Sold Out!

2009-09-28T15:36:00.007-04:00

Well, almost. We had a great time at the festival this year. It was a real success. Our cookbooks and wassail spice kits sold out fast. The peppermint frogs moved well too, after we sacrificed one to the Goddess of Food Samples and people were able to taste how yummy there are. Unfortunately, our Herb Gathering Kits were a bust. Oh well, now we know what sells...food! Hopefully next year we will have even more to offer. Everyone seemed to really enjoy our wassail and harvest dip samples, we quickly earned a reputation around the festival for good food. Here are a few pictures of our table.

A big thank you to everyone who purchased some of our goodies! See you all next year.

Lexington-Bluegrass Pagan Pride Day 2009

2009-08-27T09:36:00.005-04:00

The Lexington-Bluegrass Pagan Pride day is being held on September 19, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3564 Clays Mill Road, Lexington, KY 40503.

Your two ever persistent kitchen witches will be there this year selling goodies and scouting for new members. Please come by and see us. We have our new little cookbook finished! Check out our Exploding Frogs (you'll have to stop by to see these), Herb Gathering Spell Kits, Wassail Spice Mix and a few food and drink samples too.

Our hope is to recruit some new and dedicated members to our little Circle; or as Bet says, "we are really more of a Line right now". It is difficult for two people to form a circle I suppose.

Blessings,
Corwin

So neglected!

2009-05-19T11:18:00.002-04:00

I confess, as it is my personality to not bother with things that get in the way of my everyday life, I have neglected this blog as well as most of my rituals and everyday Kitchen Witch activities. Shame on me. Not that many people read this...but I like to keep track of what I'm doing to celebrate my beliefs and such. So, I now hope to continue this little journal type blog thingy in hopes that I come back into touch with my spiritual self. Here's hoping, right?

Samhain Approaches

2008-10-29T10:58:00.003-04:00

Samhain, celebrated on October 31, is a festival of the coming of darkness in balance with the Wheel of the Year and the celebration of Beltane, the coming of light. In honor of our beloved ancestors we light bonfires and invite our ancestors, friends, pets and others who have passed on to join us in our ritual, feasts and activities.

Light a single candle and place it in your window to help guide the spirits to your ritual. Place an empty chair at your feast for an unseen guest.

Decorate your altar with photos your loved ones who have passed. Of course, the traditional and common colors are black and orange. Use a black altar cloth and bright orange pumpkins.

Although not a common Samhain food, I am making Ajoblanco with grapes which is a very traditional Spanish cold soup made by pureeing blanched almonds with bread and adding cold water.

Ajoblanco with Grapes

9 oz raw almonds, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 oz bread crumbs
5 fl oz extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 quart ice-cold water

coarse salt

9 oz muscatel grapes, peeled and seeded

Preparation:
Soak the bread crumbs in water. Pound the peeled garlic cloves and salt together in a mortar. Squeeze off any excess water from the bread crumbs, then add them to the garlic/salt mixture. If you are making it by hand, continue using a mortar or a round bowl. Otherwise, only use a blender from this point onward. Add the almonds and blend to a smooth paste. Slowly add the oil so that it emulsifies. Now add the vinegar and continue blending until the paste is spongy. Finally, stir in the ice-cold water until you achieve the desired consistency.
Chill until serving time. Before serving, check the seasoning and add more salt or vinegar if needed. Pour into the serving dish and garnish with the muscatel grapes.

Recipe from Spain GourmeTour Magazine

I am sticking to a tapas type menu and along with the soup we are having blue cheese stuffed olives, roasted red peppers mixed with feta, cured ham, assorted cheeses warm bread and mead. Yum.

Mabon - Autumn Equinox

2008-08-15T10:14:00.011-04:00

September 21 is Mabon, the second harvest festival. Food made with corn and grains are eaten and cider is used in celebration. As we prepare for the cold winter months ahead, all herbs and flowers should be brought inside and dried for use throughout the winter. Gone is the Maiden of Spring and Mother of Summer, we now celebrate the Goddess as the Crone. Decorate your altar with the colors of fall, oranges, browns, reds, and gold. Gemstones are carnelian, sapphire, and yellow agate. Use leaves and acorns to adorn your altar as well.

This recipe comes from the Almond Board of California and is a perfect snack for Mabon.

Jalapeno Almonds

1/4 cup salted butter

1/3 cup hot pepper sauce

1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

4 cups whole natural almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over low heat and stir in pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauces, garlic powder, salt and dry mustard. Toss almonds in mixture and place on large roasting pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes stirring occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Lughnasadh August 1

2008-08-01T12:11:00.000-04:00

This is the first of the Pagan harvest festivals. It heralds the end of summer and is often celebrated with baking breads, having outdoor parties and craft fairs. At this time we honor the Goddess as the Earth Mother. Decorate your altar with sunflowers, and corn husks. Use light browns and greens mixed with golds and yellows to symbolize the harvest. Again, think of what is harvested this time of year: oats, grains, nuts, squash, apples, blackberries, lamb, etc. Another wonderful treat is a sweet blackberry wine. Try checking out some local vineyards and wineries in your area, they often have this type of harvest wine that is produced locally! If you are lucky enough to live in Kentucky check out http://www.wildsidevines.com/ in Versailles, they have a wonderful blackberry wine as well as a cherry wine and a sparking apple cider that is so good for this time of year!

My garden is currently overrun with acorn squash plants. My husband and I love them and are always looking for new ways to make them. Here is a recipe that is wonderful for your acorn squash. By the way, if you have grown lots of acorn squash it will keep long in to the winter if you store it in your basement or anywhere cool and away from light.

Acorn Squash with Pecans and Goat Cheese

2 acorn squash, halved crosswise and seeded

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons maple syrup plus more to drizzle (use the real stuff here)

1/2 teaspoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

4 oz. log goat cheese

Heat oven to 375F. Sprinkle inside of squash halves with salt and brush with melted butter. Turn upside down on baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.Stir together pecans, maple syrup and thyme. Turn squash upright on baking sheet. Reserving about 3 tablespoons pecan mixture, fill hollow of each squash with remaining pecan mixture. Slice goat cheese crosswise into four equal rounds. Place a round of cheese in hollow of each squash and sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture.Bake 10 minutes more. Drizzle with more syrup as desired and serve.

Witchvox

2008-07-31T10:18:00.003-04:00

I have been getting a lot of e-mails via Witchvox concerning our Kentucky Kitchen Witch Circle! We are currently looking for new members and I would love to hear from anyone interested in joining our little group. Please e-mail me (mymysticmuse@hotmail.com) and/or come to see us at the Pagan Pride Festival held on September 20, 2008 from noon to six at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington on Clays Mill Road.

Blessings,

Corwin

Zucchini Fritters

2008-07-10T16:37:00.007-04:00

My husband and I have mistakenly planted way too many zucchini plants this year in our garden. We love them and try to come up with as many ways of preparing them. Unfortunately we still have way to many for two people to consume. I'm giving them away like candy at work right now. I experimented last night and came up with this zucchini fritter recipe.

Zucchini Fritters

1 zucchini squash grated

2 large eggs

1 cup self rising corn meal

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

pinch of nutmeg

Canola or peanut oil

Grate your zucchini and allow to drain in a colander to remove excess water. Beat eggs, corn meal, salt, pepper and nutmeg, then add drained zucchini. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Drop a small amount of mixture in oil to test temperature. If it immediately sizzles and begins to brown it is ready. Drop tablespoon sized dollops of batter into oil, flatten slightly. Fry on one side two minutes, flip fry an additional two minutes or until browned and cooked through. Serve with warm marinara sauce. Enjoy.

Lexington Pagan Pride Day 2008

2008-06-26T16:36:00.005-04:00

The Kentucky Kitchen Witches will have a table set up at the Pagan Pride Festival this year on September 20, 2008! We are currently working on a COOKBOOK which we will have for sale. It follows the wheel of the year and is full of yummy recipes and magical correspondences. We are now happily taste testing several recipes to assure they are delicious! We will also have some food samples, treats, herbs and other items for sale. Please come by and say hello.

Watermelon Fruit Basket

2008-06-09T11:09:00.016-04:00

With the heat index reaching over 100 in the summer, no one really wants to slave over a hot stove. Here is a great recipe for those hot summer days.... no oven required.

To begin, take a sharp knife and slice a small thin piece off the bottom of your melon to keep the bottom flat so it will not roll around on the counter.

Next, take the tip of a marker/pencil and draw a horizontal line in the middle of the watermelon. Then mark a strip of about 2 inches wide in the middle in the top half of the melon - this will form the handle of your basket. The marks form 2 large "wedges" on either side of the handle. Carefully cut the 2 wedges from either side of the handle. Remove the fruit from under the handle with a small knife.

Take a melon baller or spoon and hollow out the inside of the watermelon. After removing all the edible parts, take a large spoon and gently scrape out the sides of your "basket". Be care not to scrape too thinly on the handle. To avoid liquid from collecting in the bottom of the "basket" and making the fruit soggy, make small "drainage" holes in the bottom of the watermelon after hollowing it out and before filling with the fruit. Display the basket in a container filled with ice cubes to keep the fruit cold, and to catch any juice from the drainage holes.

Mix the watermelon with other ripe fresh fruits. You can decorate the bowls using your knife to cut designs as shown in the picture above. Be creative and enjoy!

Summer Solstice or Litha

2008-06-09T10:05:00.008-04:00

The Summer Solstice is a festival in tribute of the Sun King. Occurring on or about June 21 it marks the longest day of the year when the sun is at its northernmost point moving into Cancer. This is a wonderful time to gather herbs or other vegetables. It is also the time to collect your magical water for usage around the house since Cancer is a water sign. Collect rain water in a jar and store on a shelf. Always remember to leave offerings after collecting your magical items!

The full moon, occurring on June 18, is known as the honey moon. The tradition is to gather honey from beehives at this time to make mead and other dishes. That being said, have mead at your altar with honey cakes for your offering. Decorate your altar with greens, golds and orange. Chamomile and lavender are excellent herbs.

You may want to try a few activities at this time as well, such as making a Witch's Ladder by braiding three strands of red, black and white yarn into a three foot length. Weave nine feathers of various colors into the braid and hang up in your home. Use feathers of green for money, white for balance, black for wisdom, etc.

Here is a fun and rather disturbing Summer Solstice recipe:

Squashed Frogs

1 stick of butter
10 oz. bag marshmallows
5 cups corn flakes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons green food coloring
1 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies

Melt margarine in large saucepan. Add marshmallows and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and food color. Mix. Add corn flakes and M&Ms and mix until well coated and bright green. Drop from a tablespoon on a piece of waxed paper and cool the globs.

Beltane

2008-04-21T13:58:00.006-04:00

BELTANE

Beltane or May Day occurs on May 1 and is the last of the three spring fertility festivals. It is a time when people, plants and animals prepare for the warm months ahead. Beltane is often celebrated with a May Pole in which ribbons of purple, yellow, pink, green and white are tied and wrapped around a pole. Traditionally, the ribbons were white and red to symbolize the God and Goddess and their union, however if you prefer the brighter more spring time colors can be used. Other traditions include jumping the Beltane fire and baking Beltane cakes as offerings to the God and Goddess. It is a festival of love, lust and fertility. Animals often associated with Beltane are goats, rabbits and honey bees. Decorate your home and altar with fresh flowers and greenery. Serve Beltane cakes, vanilla ice cream or marigold custard. Meade is a good drink for this festival.

Marigold Custard

Beltane Marigold Custard
Recipe by Scott Cunningham

2 cups milk
1 cup unsprayed marigold petals
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 to 2-inch piece vanilla bean
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. rose water
whipped cream
Using a clean mortar and pestle reserved for cooking purposes, pound marigold petals. Or, crush with a spoon. Mix the salt, sugar and spices together. Scald milk with the marigolds and the vanilla bean. Remove the vanilla bean and add the slightly beaten yolks and dry ingredients. Cook on low heat. When the mixture coats the spoon, add rose water and cool.
Top with whipped cream, garnish with fresh marigold petals.
{The above recipe for "Beltane Marigold Custard" is quoted directly from Scott Cunningham's book "Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner", page 153, Llewellyn Publications, 1988/1990.)

Spring Equinox

2008-03-06T08:59:00.005-05:00

OSTARA (March 21)

Ostara is the spring equinox, occurring when the night and day are of equal length. It is a festival of fertility and balance. During this time eggs are colored and placed on the altar, as well as rabbit figures and baskets of fresh flowers. Bless seeds for future planting or you can begin planting seeds indoors to be replanted outside once it is warm enough.
Herbs: Honeysuckle, jasmine, iris, mint
Incense: Violet, strawberry, jasmine
Colors: Pastel pinks, greens, blues and yellows
Gemstones: Aquamarine, red jasper
Foods: Hard boiled eggs, honeycakes, fresh fruits, seeds and leafy greens

You can celebrate the coming spring with a light and flavorful dish with lots of fresh veggies!

Eggplant Sandwiches

1 eggplant sliced into rounds
1 cup grated mozzarella
4 Tbls. olive oil
2 Tbls. lemon juice
salt and pepper (to taste)
1tsp. fresh basil
Fresh leafy salad greens
Warm Italian bread
Sliced tomatoes

Whisk oil, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper. Brush mixture onto each slice of eggplant. Place eggplant on baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip half of the slices over and sprinkle with cheese. Top with remaining eggplant to form little sandwiches. Broil and additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with bread, greens and tomato slices. Make additional oil and lemon mixture to toss greens and tomatoes with if you wish.

Or make homemade honey-lemon jelly for your offering cakes on Ostara!

Honey-Lemon Jelly

5 to 6 lemons
2-1/2 cups honey
1 package (3 oz.) liquid pectin

Grate rind from lemons to measure 4 teaspoons; set aside. Squeeze juice from lemons to measure 3/4 cup pour lemon juice through fine strainer, discarding seeds and pulp. Combine rind, juice and honey in 6-quart saucepan, stirring well. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return mixture to a rolling boil, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim off foam with metal spoon, if necessary. Pour jelly quickly into 2 hot, sterilized pint jars, filling to 1/4 inch from tops; wipe jar rims. Cover immediately with metal lids and screw on bands. Process jars in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Cool jars on wire rack.

When it Snows - Make Snow Pea Salad!

2008-02-19T11:32:00.007-05:00

I love snow peas! You can get them all year in your grocery and they are fabulous. So, we had a bit of a snow storm here in Kentucky and I thought I would make a little snow pea salad to fight off the winter blues.

This salad is full of magical properties: Snow peas - love and goddess magic, Radish - protection, Vinegar - purification.

Snow Pea and Radish Salad

1/2 cup thinly sliced radish

1 1/2 cups snow peas

6 Tbls. rice wine vinegar

1 Tbls. five spice powder

1 tsp. Chinese hot mustard

3-4 tbls. dark sesame oil

Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking and combine with sliced radish. Snow peas should still be crisp. Combine vinegar, five spice powder, oil and mustard with a wisk or shake in a jar. Pour over snow peas and radish. Toss to coat. Eat now or chill. This is so good!

2008-02-01T14:20:00.001-05:00

Kentucky Kitchen Witch Imbolc Brunch

For our Imbolc celebration our little Circle is having a brunch on Saturday, February 2, 2008, including bacon and potato quiche, lemon raspberry muffins, salad and mimosas! We are going to make fairy houses to celebrate the coming of spring. I will add a tutorial and pictures of our houses when they are finished!

Close the circle:

Call to Brigid
In unison:

"Amid the darkness the Lady is stirring,
Gently awakening from frozen dreams,
All the world has awaited this moment
The return of the Maiden,
And Her promise of oncoming Spring."

Circle closer:

"Hail Lady Brigid, Goddess of creativity and heralder of the Spring.
We ask that you enter our circle and join us as we honor and thank you
For the gifts you bestow."

The eternal flame within
Red candle is lit by Circle closer. Each person sets a white candle in front of them and passes the red candle lighting their white candle. The red candle is extinguished.

In unison:

"Blessed Brigid of the golden flame, listen as we call your name
I invoke your spirit to burn in me, as I will, so mote it be."

Look into the flame of your candle and visualize Brigid's power of inspiration and transformation flowing through you and making your goal a reality. Allow the white candle to burn throughout your celebration.

Open the Circle.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 Tbls. vegetable oil

1 Tbls. lemon juice

2 egg whites

1/2 t. lemon extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 t. grated lemon zest

1 cup frozen raspberries

2 Tbls. sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg whites, and lemon extract.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Gently stir in raspberries.
Spoon batter evenly into the muffin cups.
Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins on wire rack and enjoy.

Recipe for Imbolc Potato and Carrot Soup

2008-01-21T13:17:00.000-05:00

Potato and Carrot Soup

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 head white cabbage, cored, thinly shredded

dash of nutmeg

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. fennel

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

5 cups vegetable broth or light chicken broth

6 Yukon Gold (or yellow) potatoes, peeled and cut

1/2 cup milk, or almond milk

1-2 Tbs. light cream, or soy cream

fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

In a heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat, and sauté the onion until softened. Add the carrots, cabbage and spices, sea salt and white pepper, stir and cook for ten minutes. Add in the vegetable broth and potatoes, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. When the vegetables are done, carefully ladle the soup mixture into a blender, reserving about a cup of the whole vegetable pieces in the soup pot. Cover the blender and puree the soup mixture until it is smooth, then pour the pureed soup back into the soup pot, stirring it together with the reserved vegetable pieces. Stir in 1/2 cup milk, and gently heat it through, being careful not to bring the soup to a boil.
Add in cream, if desired.
Garnish with fresh chopped chives.
Serves 4-6

Serve this soup with fresh baked herb biscuits and a salad topped with goat's milk cheese. All representing the coming of SPRING!

The lore of Brigid's Day (Imbolc)

2008-01-11T09:14:00.000-05:00

One folk tradition that continues in both Christian and Pagan homes on St. Brigid's Day (or Imbolc) is that of the Brigid's Bed. The girls and young, unmarried women of the household or village create a corn dolly to represent Brigid, called the Brideog ("little Brigid" or "young Brigid"), adorning it with ribbons and baubles like shells or stones. They make a bed for the Brideog to lay in. On St. Brigid's Eve (Jan. 31), the girls and young women gather together in one house to stay up all night with the Brideog, and are later visited by all the young men of the community who must ask permission to enter the home, and then treat them and the corn dolly with respect.Brigid is said to walk the earth on Imbolc eve. Before going to bed, each member of the household may leave a piece of clothing or strip of cloth outside for Brigid to bless. The head of the household will smoor the fire and rakes the ashes smooth. In the morning, they look for some kind of mark on the ashes, a sign that Brigid has passed that way in the night or morning. The clothes or strips of cloth are brought inside, and believed to now have powers of healing and protection.On the following day, the girls carry the Brideog through the village or neighborhood, from house to house, where this representation of the Saint/goddess is welcomed with great honor. Adult women - those who are married or who run a household - stay home to welcome the Brigid procession, perhaps with an offering of coins or a snack. Since Brigid represents the light half of the year, and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence is very important at this time of year.

You can purchase a corn husk Brigid doll kit at www.SacredMists.com a WONDERFUL pagan site!

Imbolc

2007-12-26T11:46:00.001-05:00

February 2, 2008

Imbolc, (pronounced "IM-bulk" or "EM-bowlk"), also called Oimealg, ("IM-mol'g), by the Druids, is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of life is flowing into their teats and udders. It is the time of Blessing of the seeds and consecration of agricultural tools. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. It is the festival of the Maiden, for from this day to March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal.

The first of three Spring Festivals. Lavender and white candles can be burned in honor of the holiday. This is a good time to work in the house, changing curtains, room painting, etc. The Candlemas Sabbat marks the time to welcome the spring. This festival is for fertility and to celebrate the things that are yet to be born, just barely waking under winter's cold shroud.

Colors: White, pink, red and yellow

Herbs: Basil and heather

Stones: Garnet, Ruby and Bloodstone

Foods: Poppy seed cakes, all dairy products, garlic

CORN DOLLY

Supplies: 8 fresh husks from ears of corn (or dried ones from a craft store)

several cotton-wool balls, string, and a pair of scissors.

To make the head and body, take a couple of corn husks and overlap them lengthways. Place a row of cotton-wool balls in the hollow of the husks, bend the husks over and tie them firmly at the neck and waist. Then slide a rolled husk, with the ends tied for hands, through the body.

Position the arms midway between the doll's neck and her waist. If the cotton stuffing spills out through the armholes, push it back inside the body.

To make the skirt, place some husks around the figure's waist so that they cover her head and body, and tie them firmly in place at the waist. Now fold the top ends down to make a skirt and trim them straight across the bottom.

Stand your corn doll upright on her skirt and keep her through the winter until the following spring, when the new crops start to grow.

Kentucky Kitchen Witch Yule Celebration

2007-12-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

The Greenman

The name "green man" was coined in the late 1930s. Other names for this figure are Jack in Green or Jack of the Green. Many believe the greenman is related to the pre-Christian Celtic deity Cernunnos; others that it is simply an expression of the forces of nature, or even a reminder that we, too, are part of the cycle of life. There is no real evidence linking the images to any particular philosophy, cult, or belief, although the faces are strikingly uniform through time. The greenman is not a strictly European phenomenon- similar images appear in Asian, Indian, and Arabic architecture and art as well. Whatever his origin, the Green Man serves as the embodiment of untamed nature, an emblem of the male principal, and a symbol of fertility and vibrant life energy.

Yule Ritual

The Kentucky Kitchen Witch Circle will be celebrating Yule on December 9, 2007, at 5:00. Our Yule feast will include turkey, homemade cheddar herb bread, cauliflower salad, homemade caramel apple cake. We will be making individual Yule Log candle holders to take home (see directions below).

Tools Needed: Boline, myrrh or olive oil, sea salt, wine, one green candle, wooden matches, Yule log of either Pine, Fir, Evergreen.

Using your Boline carve a representation of the sun into the log.
Place the log in your fire place or a burning pit. Open a circle and call the four elements:

South (fire) rub the oil onto the carved sun figure saying, "The Wheel has turned full circle, we call you back to warm us." (L)

West (water) pour the wine on the log saying, "You, who have died, are now reborn." (R)

North (earth) sprinkling salt over the log saying, "Since time began we celebrated the birth of God. The darkest of nights gives birth to the new sun." (Corwin)

East (air) taking the wood match, light the fire saying, "I light this fire in honor of all. Thank you God for the light you will bring us. Thank you mother for the warmth of your son. Live within us." (Bet)

"So mote it be!"

Close circle.

Cheddar-Herb Bread

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

3 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley

3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

nonstick cooking spray

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir in cheese, green onions, parsley, dill, thyme, and rosemary. In another bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, and butter; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly coat an 8x4x2 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon batter into pan, spreading evenly.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center come out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, cool 30 minutes more. Serve warm.

Magickal Properties

Cheese- Element - earth

Energies - joy and health

Dill - Element - fire

Energies - love and protection

Parsely - Element - air

Energies - money and protection

Green onions - Element - fire

Energies - protection

Caramel Apple Cake

Cake:

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups oil

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 1/2 cups dried apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar, eggs, and oil. Add flour; mix together until well blended. Add vanilla, nuts and dried apples. Spread into a lightly greased and floured 13x9 pan; bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center come out clean. When cake is done, punch holes in it with a knife and pour topping over.

Caramel Topping:

3/4 pound butter (3 sticks)

2 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup of milk

Heat all ingredients together over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Let boil 2 minutes. Pour over warm cake.

Magickal Properties

Apples - Element - Water

Energies - Love, Health and Peace

Butter - Element - Earth

Energies - Spirituality

Yule Corn Pudding

2007-11-22T15:48:00.000-05:00

Yule Corn Pudding

2 cups frozen or fresh corn (chopped)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 whole eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1¼ cup milk

Blend butter, sugar, flour and salt. Add eggs, beating well. Stir in corn and milk. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Stir once half way through cooking. When done, the pudding will be golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle will come out clean.

Magickal Properties of Corn

Corn is regarded as a food of prosperity, protection and spirituality.

Rulers: Sun, Aztec and Mayan deities, Earth Mother.

Celebrate Yule!

2007-11-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

Yule
December 21, 2007

This is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It is a solar festival that is celebrated by lighting a Yule log. The colors of this celebration are red and green. Holly wreaths and cookies are often used in the Yule ritual.

FYI December 23 is the Full Cold Moon. Here is the Farmer's Almanac's description of the Cold Moon. During this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. It is also sometimes called the Moon before Yule. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.

Altar decorations: pine cones, holly, mistletoe, Yule log, candles in red, green and white.
Herbs: Bayberry for good luck, pine and rosemary.
Incense: Bayberry, pine, cedar.
Colors: Red, green, white, silver and gold.
Gemstones: Ruby and cat's eye.
Food: Eggnog, turkey, mulled wine, caraway bread, nuts, and fruitcakes.

How to make a Yule log:

Small log of Oak, Ash, Holly or Pine

Drill

Three votive candles in red, green and white

Holly, glitter, berries, leaves or other decorations

Glue gun

Shave the bottom of the log flat so that it sits flat and stable. Drill three holes in the top large enough to accommodate the votive candles. Decorate the log with chosen materials. Light the candles during your Yule festivities and enjoy!

A Yule Feast:

Caraway Rye Bread

3 packages dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/4 cup molasses

1/3 sugar

4 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons caraway seeds

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons shortening

31/4 cups white flour

1 egg white

2 tablespoons water

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in molasses, sugar, salt, and caraway seed. Stir in enough of the rye flour to make a smooth dough. Work in shortening. Using your hands, work in enough of the white flour to make a dough that is easy to handle. Turn onto a floured board and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in a clean, greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Shape dough into two rounds, slightly flattened on top. Place on a large, greased baking sheet with plenty of room to rise. Cover with damp cloth and let double in bulk. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine egg white and water and brush on loaves. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until done.

Celtic Folklore Cooking by Joanne Asala.

Chestnut Soup

Lightly salted water for boiling

1 Pound chestnuts

5 cups chicken stock

2 cups fresh milk

Pinch of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground mace, or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Croutons to garnish

To skin chestnuts, make a cut along the flat side of each chestnut and drop them into a pan of boiling, salted water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Chestnuts must be peeled while hot, so only take out a couple at a time. Remove both the outer shells and inner skins. In a fresh pan of water, simmer the peeled chestnuts for about 15 minutes until they are tender. Be careful not to overcook them, or else they will fall apart. Discard the water and puree the chestnuts in a blender, then return them to the soup pot. Add the stock, milk, nutmeg, and mace. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat and serve with croutons for garnish.

Celtic Folklore Cooking by Joanne Asala.

November Meeting

2007-10-30T15:28:00.001-04:00

Our next formal meeting of the Kentucky Kitchen Witch Circle will be on Sunday, November 18, from 2-4 at the Good Foods Co-Op on Southland Drive.

FYI - November 24 is the Full Beaver Moon the Farmer's Almanac describes it as the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon. Here is a link to a short video. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid219243171/bclid1134982617/bctid192955662

I am bringing Pimento cheese spread with crackers for a snack on Sunday. Here is the recipe.

Pimento Cheese Spread

3 oz. cream cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack

1/2 cup mayo

3 tablespoons pimento chopped

salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Blend the cream cheese until light and fluffy, mix in all other ingredients. Store in fridge. This is best made the day before. You can serve it with crackers, veggies, or on a sandwich or burger! YUM

Agenda for November 18 meeting: (pictures of altar to follow)

Set up altar (altar cloth, orange, brown and tan candles, pomegranate, dragon's blood incense, crystal)

Review minutes from first meeting

Review action items

Voting on discussion protocol

Herb kit

Starting a magical cookbook

*We will be having a study group on Sunday, November 4, from 1:00 - 3:00 at Jacobson Park. Bring To Ride a Silver Broomstick for discussion.

Samhain

2007-10-22T10:38:00.001-04:00

We are celebrating Samhain on October 29, 2007, with a ritual, altar and feast of ham, dressed eggs, pasta, bread, cake, mead and cider. A picture of our altar is below.

This is the Witches New Year. Celebrations to honor the dead are done at this ritual, along with speaking with those who have passed over; divination is heightened on this night. It is said that on this night the veil between the worlds is weakest. Jack-o-lanterns, gourds, cider and other fares of the season can be used in ritual and family celebration. Black candles are used to ward off negativity, and of course, the colors for this holiday are black and orange. The Goddess is honored in her aspect as The Crone, the Goddess of the Dark Mysteries. The God is honored in his aspect as the Horned God of the Dead, not only of humans but of animals as well.

Herbs: sage, oak leaves, mandrake, and heather.
Incense: apple, mint, nutmeg
Colors: black, orange, white, gold, and silver
Gemstones: onyx and obsidian
Food: apples, pumpkin, nuts, pork, breads, soul cakes, cider and mead.

Pumpkin Candles

Supplies:

6 small baking pumpkins
Paraffin or soy chips
Wicks
Candle dye
Candle scent in pumpkin, vanilla, ginger spice, or your favorite scent

Directions:

Cut "lid" off pumpkin and scoop out insides scrapping as much flesh from the pumpkin as possible. Discard or save to make pumpkin pie! Melt the paraffin in a double boiler or the soy chips in the microwave. Add dye and scent to melted wax. Place wick in the pumpkin and slowly pour in the wax. Reserve a small amount of the wax for later. If the wick starts to fall you can prop it up with a skewer or butter knife. Allow wax to harden. If an indentation has formed around the wick use reserved wax to fill it in. Trim the wick to 1/4" and you are ready to burn your Samhain Pumpkin Candle. Never leave a burning candle unattended. The flesh of the pumpkin will burn easily so make sure to monitor it as it burns. Enjoy.

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Samhain Ritual 2007

Altar: table, table cover, tealights, apple, almonds, marigolds, photos of those we have lost, pumpkin candles, incense, saltwater, glasses of mead, athame.

Mark off Circle with 4 pillar candles placed in the four directions of north, east, south and west. Also mark Circle with pumpkin candles.
Cleanse area with saltwater or sweep the area clean.

Smudge one another with incense.

Close off Circle boundaries with athame. (Once this is done we do not leave the Circle until the ritual is over)

New Years Ritual (in unison)

"In sacred space we gather tonight

Asking Spirit to make wrongs right.

Element of fire cleanse our past

We start anew with this spell cast.

With harm to None - SO mote it be."

We then all burn our lists of negative things we want to leave behind for this new year.

Honoring the Dead (in unison):

"Tonight we honor the dead who have passed,

But live on in our hearts and minds.

Let the flame carry our blessings to those,

With whom our souls are entwined."

(We now light our remembrance candles)

"We are one in Spirit, returning to source of All,

Once our time on earth is through, we return home to Spirits call."

(Pick up your glass of mead/water)

"As above,"

(Lift your glass in toast - take a sip)

"So below."

(Pour the rest of your mead/water on the ground)

"Blessed be to those who have passed till we meet again."

(Take pieces of apple and almonds and scatter on ground as offering to the dead)

End the ritual by opening the Circle.

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UPDATE: Thanks to all my fellow Kitchen Witches for such a great night celebrating Samhain! Our little Circle is growing fast, it is great to have so many new friends!

Kitchen Witch Bottle

2007-10-16T14:07:00.000-04:00

The witch bottle is a very old spell device. Its purpose is to draw in and trap evil and negative energy directed at its owner. A traditional witch bottle is a small flask, about 3 inches high, created from blue or green glass. Larger and rounder witch bottles, up to 9 inches high, were known as Greybeards, Bellarmines, or Bartmanns. Bellarmines were named after a particularly fearsome Catholic Inquisitor, Robert Bellarmine, who persecuted Protestants and, in consequence, was labeled as a demon by his victims. Greybeards and Bellarmines were not made of glass, but of brown or gray stoneware that was glazed with salt and embossed with severe bearded faces designed to scare off evil. Taken from Wikipedia.

Project:
Kitchen Witch's Bottle to aid against food contamination and to help you in all your kitchen magic!

Three needles
Three pins
Three nails
Small jar (mason, baby food, mustard, or anything you can find that fits the above)
Salt
Red Wax

Fill your jar with salt, needles, pins, and nails. Securely close the lid and shake vigorously nine times. Seal the jar lit with red wax. Store it in your kitchen cupboard to do its Magic!

Taken from SnowCat's Cave. A great little site with lots of information. Check it out http://www.catscave.com/

Our first meeting is coming up!

2007-10-12T12:29:00.001-04:00

Save the date - Sunday, October 21, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Good Foods Co op on Southland Drive. This will be a meet and greet. Please feel free to bring a snack although it is not required!

Also, brush up on your Pagan pronunciation by visiting this site. Offering "The Pagan Talking Dictionary". Pretty cool when Lughnasadh comes around, huh?

http://www.thestonepentacle.com/project/dictionary.html