Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice, Midsummer, Litha

By Tara Sutphen

21st June

“In the world’s audience hall, the simple blade of grass sits on the same carpet with the sunbeams, and the stars of midnight” – Rabindranath Tagore (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist, Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, 1861-1941)

Summer Solstice marks the end of the waxing year. And the rays of the sun directly strike one of the two tropical latitude lines. June 21 marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, as winter begins in the southern hemisphere. On this day, the earth’s “circle of luminescence” will be from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle. The equator receives twelve hours of daylight, as there will be 24 hours of daylight at the North Pole and 24 hours of darkness at the South Pole.

All over the world people honor this day as an important reminder of the apex of light and to cast away evil and their problems. Northern Hemisphere inhabitants use June 21 as the day of celebration, but the splendor of light lasts from new moon to full moon.

Worshipping the Sun’s great power, all cultures celebrate in some way. Celts and Slavs dance around bonfires while Chinese marked the day honoring Li, the Goddess of Light. The celebrants of modern and ancient ceremonies tune in that life comes from the sun. It is life giving and life supporting. We’ve recently had the good fortune to have electricity, greenhouses, and shipment suppliers. How will you celebrate? We all may not get a chance to dance around the bonfire but it’s a time to bask in the light, sit in the sun, cast our worries away and awaken to our lives.

Recipes:

Summer Pasta Salad

2 cucumbers chopped

2 big tomatoes chopped

1/2 red onion chopped

5 tbsp lime juice

4 tbsp cilantro (coriander)

2+ tbsp honey

salt/pepper

2 cups shell macaroni (optional: gluten free)

Directions

Cook pasta, drain. 

Combine lime juice, cilantro, honey, salt & pepper in small bowl. 

In a large bowl, combine pasta vegetables. Toss gently in lime dressing.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

1 (16 oz) pkg large shell pasta (optional: gluten free), ½ c. dill pickle juice plus 4 tbsp. pickle juice (divided), 2/3 c. mayonnaise (optional: veganaise), 1/3 c. sour cream (optional: plain yogurt), Salt & Pepper to taste, ¾ c. sliced or diced dill pickles, ¼ c. onion, 2 tbsp. minced fresh or dry dill spice, (optional: 2/3 c. diced or grated cheddar or almond cheese)

Directions: Cook pasta to pkg specifications. Rinse & drain cold water, add ½ c dill pickle juice, set aside, In another bowl, add 4 tbsp dill pickle juice , mayo, sour cream, salt & pepper (optional: dash of cayenne), Drain off excess pickle juice from pasta and mix with dressing, chill one hour and serve.

Spinach-Strawberry Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1-1/2 teaspoons minced onion 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 bag (10 ounces) fresh spinach 1 pint strawberries, sliced thin In a blender, combine the sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oil, and vinegar. Blend well. If the dressing seems thick, add a few drops of water.

Remove the stems from the spinach and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Arrange them on individual salad plates or in a salad bowl. Arrange the strawberries on top. Drizzle the dressing over the strawberries and serve.

Bonnie Brae Strawberry Pie

A mixture of cooked and fresh berries helped make this pie a family favorite.

1 quart strawberries or 1 large package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained 3/4 cup water 4 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup sliced berries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained whipped cream whole berries for garnish Combine strawberries and water in saucepan. Cook until just softened, about 4 or 5 minutes. (Let frozen berries thaw; heat but don’t cook them.) Mix together cornstarch, sugar, and water until smooth; add to hot berries. Cook over medium heat until clear. Add lemon juice; immediately remove from heat and let cool. Place sliced berries in cooked pie shell. To assemble pie, pour cooked mixture over berries, top with whipped cream, and garnish with whole berries.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Wedding Cake

Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened 3 cups sugar 4 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 6 egg whites Preheat over to 350° F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour in buttermilk and begin mixing slowly. Continue to mix until well blended. Add flavorings and stir. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes at 350° F, then lower heat to 300°F and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and cool on racks. After 10 minutes, remove from pans and continue cooling on racks.

Cream Cheese Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract No wedding needed to have this cake

Other food /drink ideas –

mint iced teas, dandelion salads, strawberry shortcakes, geranium leaf sorbet, berry pies

Ceremonies:

The Druids celebrated with “The Wedding of Heaven and Earth”.

Two people represent Mother Earth and the Sun King. Create a Bonfire, dancers adorned in garlands and flowers, and young men jumping through the tall flames. A time of cleansing and renewal. The participants playing Mother Earth and the Sun King go to each participant, and speak to each person as though planting seeds of growth, imparting words of love, wisdom, thankfulness and prosperity.

Candle or Bonfire Ritual

With a candle or your bonfire – Give blessings in the 4 directions. Cast a blessing for yourself, a blessing for the harvest, a blessing for your loved ones, and a blessing for the earth. (make this blessing 3-5 sentences long for each subject) A Call to Love

Single women are to sleep with 4 flowers under their pillow Flowers:

Flowers blooming in your area, also daisies, roses, lilyof the valley, calendulas, marigolds

Decorations:

daisy chains, lavender wreaths, rosemary garlands Head wreath

Circle base, thin gauge wire, or vines and tie or wire on flowers of your choice Symbols:

Fire to celebrate the power of the sun, Sun Wheels, Medicine Wheels, Stone Circles, Candle Circles, Mother Goddess, Ripening fruits, Sun Dials, Feathers, and Swords/Blades. Candles:

Green & Blue representing the earth White representing God light

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Imbolc – Candlemas

Imbolc Blessings

By Tara Sutphen

the Sabbats, it is an ancient festival generally celebrated on January 31, February 1, or February 2. It is also known as Candlemas, Brighid (“breed/bride”), and Oimelc (“EE-mulk”) which means ewe’s milk. It is the time of year halfway between December 21, the winter Solstice (Yule) and March 21, the spring Equinox (Ostara). Imbolc is in the middle of winter, but is the optimism of spring.The Egyptians and the Romans also celebrated this time, as it was the earth goddess giving birth to the Sun God. The time to ready seeds for the planting of food. A time of planning weddings, love, and romance. Days are getting longer and hope is renewed. The celebration is to light candles. Night of white candles turns the darkness into light.

Restful Mind

Meditation 

Hot soup

Hot tea

Curling up with a good book

Writing poetry 

A nap

Breathing gently 

Hot bath

soothing music

Guided imagery 

Quiet & Comfortable space

Be present – all thoughts of past & future aside

This is a time to restore your balance and gain your equilibrium. Learning how to unwind. We must know when to de-stress. Our bodies can’t help us unless we are fine tuning our consciousness, this is self-care. The cycles are a roadmap. 

Recharge Lifeforce Spell

Recharge Lifeforce Spell

1 candle (white or lavender)

1 chalice (vessel or stem glass) w. Water 

  1. Breathe in 7x – each time easily taking a breath of oxygen
  2. Exhale out any unrest – anxiousness, ailments or issues
  3. Release energetically (feel or know or push away) all problems and stress
  4. Next Breathe 7x White Light deeply filling your whole body, your whole head and your divine spirit
  5. ALOUD: I now recharge my life force, I feel supported by Renewal and the Universe.

We Ask it, We Beseech it,We Mark it and so it is…

Practice for 11 days – extinguish candle and chalice (do not drink)water a plant 

By Tara Sutphen

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The Harvest – Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh

By Tara Sutphen

Lughnasadh is the harvest and reaping great

rewards, it is also a day of feasting. Lugh, is the Celtic God of Light and this Pagan Sabbat is the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Some bake a figure of the “corn god” in bread, and then symbolically sacrifice and eat it. The tradition of eating and sharing the first fruits, vegetables and grains of the season started with Lughnasadh in Ireland. In England, it became the medieval festival known as Lammas day. In keeping with the Lughnasadh tradition, the first grains were offered to the gods, the form of a baked loaf of bread. The loaf was blessed and cut into four pieces, with one piece placed in each corner of the home for good luck.  

The non-sporting competitions in festivals were singing, dancing, poetry-reading and storytelling. Trial marriages were performed, couples would join hands through a hole in a slab of wood. The experimental marriage would last one year and a day, after which it was annulled without question.

Celtic festivals like Lughnasadh was an opportune time to make political, social and economic deals. All weapons and rivalry’s were laid down so the neighbors could get to know one another. Chieftains held important meetings, farmers would make trade agreements about crops or cattle for the coming season. 

A common tradition of Celtic festivals were to visit holy wells. People would give offerings to the wells and decorate them with flowers and garlands, they could leave coins or clooties (cloth). They would walk around the well in a sun-wise direction praying to the Gods.

Recipes

Farm Fresh Quiche

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cups chopped fresh mustard greens or spinach
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and onion; cook and stir until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir in greens and garlic; cook and stir 4-5 minutes longer or until greens are wilted.
    Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Fill with
    broccoli mixture. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese; pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
    Bake 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Wild Rice Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
  • 1 cup half-and-half cream
  • 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
  • 4 cups cooked wild rice
  • 2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
  • 1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds

Directions

  • In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cream, chicken, rice, mushrooms, pimientos and parsley; heat through.
    Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

White Spaghetti Casserole 

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided

Directions

  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach and half of the onions. Pour into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated though. Top with remaining onions; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

Pasta Pizza Skillet Casserole

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
  • 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
  • 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
    In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green pepper and onion; saute until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Increase heat to medium-high. In same skillet, heat remaining oil. Spread pasta evenly in skillet to form a crust. Cook until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
    Turn crust onto a large plate. Reduce heat to medium; slide crust back into skillet. Top with pizza sauce, sauteed vegetables and olives; sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-12 minutes.

Layered Fruit Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • FRUIT SALAD:
  • 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
  • 3 medium bananas, sliced
  • 2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
  • 1 medium red grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
  • 1 cup seedless red grapes

Directions

  • Place first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick.
    Layer fruit in a large glass bowl. Pour juice mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours.

Berry Pie

Ingredients:

5 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts

1 cup sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon sugar

Method:

Sprinkle berries with lemon juice; set aside.

Fit half of pastry in a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions.

Combine 1 cup sugar and next 3 ingredients; add to berries, stirring well.

Pour into pastry shell, and dot with butter.

Unfold remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface; roll gently with rolling pin to remove creases in pastry.

Place pastry over filling; seal and crimp edges.

Cut slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape.

Brush top of pastry with beaten egg, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar

Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until golden.

Cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, if necessary.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Lughnasadh or Lammas is a harvest festival. In other languages:

Irish – Lá Lúnasa 

Welsh – Gwyl Awst (August Feast)

English – Apple Day  (drinking Apple juice, Apple cider, or Mead

Lughnasadh Harvest Spell

sit down in the middle of a circle of candles (tealight)

Cup your hands ready to receive

Repeat Aloud:

Thank you Mother Earth and our Amazing Land  

Thank you for the seeds creating the food

Thank the nourishment feeding everyone we love, Thank the Farmer for tending the crops

Thank the handlers to get the crops to market, Thank you for the market representatves

Thank you Food Preparers, Thankful for Food. Let us Pray. So Much to Be Thankful For

The Sustenence, the Healing, The nourishing and the nurturing. Blessed Be

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Happy Spring Equinox

lavenderwisteriagarden

Spring Equinox, Ostara, Eostre, Easter, Vernal Equinox

By Tara Sutphen

  • 21st March   Spring Equinox marks the mid-point of the Waxing Year, the nights and days are balanced once again; the time when Kore, (Persephone) was believed to have returned from the Underworld where she had ruled throughout the Winter. The spark of light, born at Winter Solstice has reached maturity, and from here onwards, the days progressively grow longer than the nights. Western culture proclaims this the first day of Spring.Older traditions called the Spring Equinox, Ostara; the time of the festivals of the Grecian Goddess, Eostre, and the Germanic Ostara, both fertility Goddesses of Dawn. These influenced the naming of the modern-day Easter Holiday. New greenery bursts forth from sleeping seeds in the countryside, as metaphorically, pagans also plant their own seeds for future goals, future projects and growth at this time.Decorated eggs, being symbols of fertility are symbolic of Ostara. In days gone, Europeans gave gifts of decorated eggs to new brides, in the hope that they would bear many children. Similarly, bowls filled with eggs were given to farm workers by the farmer’s wife, to ensure a rich harvest. Most all cultures see the egg as a symbol of Life; the actual home of the Soul. In Russia, decorated eggs are still given as gifts to loved ones and buried in graves to ensure rebirth.

    The women gathered the eggs only from hens which were around a rooster and decorated them, allowing no one to watch them work as they transferred the goodness of the household to the designs on the eggs, thus keeping evil away. Dyes were mixed to secret family recipes and special blessings placed on each egg.

    Colors of Ostara Eggs:

  • White:
  • Purity
  • Yellow:
  • Wisdom, a successful Harvest, or Spirituality
  • Green:
  • Spring, rebirth, wealth, youth, growth, happiness
  • Blue:
  • Good health, clear skies
  • Orange:
  • Power endurance, ambition, courage
  • Red:
  • Happiness, hope, passion, nobility, bravery, enthusiasm, love
  • Brown:
  • Enrichment, good harvest, happiness
  • Purple:
  • Faith, trust, power
  • Pink:
  • Success, friendship, love
  • Black:
  • Remembrance

Lore:

  • The custom of eating Hot Cross Buns also has pagan origins. The Saxons ate buns that were marked with a cross in honor of Eostre; Ancient Greeks consumed these types of buns in their celebrations of Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, and the Egyptians ate a similar cake in their worship of the Goddess Isis.
  • There are conflicting ideas as to what the cross symbol represents. One suggestion is that it is a Christianisation of horn symbols that were stamped on cakes to represent an ox, which used to be sacrificed at the time of the Spring Equinox. Another theory relates to Moon worship; the bun representing the full Moon, and the cross, its four quarters. Christianity gave new meanings to the symbolism of the buns, saying the cross represented the Crucifixion Cross. Thus, superstitions arose crediting these buns as being charms against evil, so after Good Friday, people would save one or two of them to hang in their homes as amulets. During the festival season and indeed, for a long time afterwards, fishermen would carry these Easter buns in their boats, for protection.
  • The Spring Equinox defines the season where Spring reaches it’s peak, with the powers of light increasing. The God of Light, (Llew), now gains victory over his twin, the God of Darkness. Llew was reborn at the Winter Solstice and is now old and strong enough to vanquish his rival twin and mate with his Mother Goddess. The great Mother Goddess, who returned to her Virgin aspect at Imbolc, welcomes the young Sun God’s attentions and conceives a child. The child will be born nine months from now, at the next Winter Solstice, when the cycle closes, only to begin anew.
  • The Easter Bunny is another symbol which has obvious links to fertility, rebirth, and the abundance of life which is evident in Spring.
  • Eostre was a playful Goddess whose reign over the earth began in Spring when the Sun King journeyed across the sky in his chariot, bringing the end of Winter. Eostre came down to Earth then, appearing as a beautiful maiden with a basket of bright colorful eggs. Eostre’s magical companion was a rabbit who accompanied her as she brought new life to dying plants and flowers by hiding the eggs in the fields.

Traditional Foods

  • Dairy foods
  • Leafy Green Vegetables
  • Nuts such as Pumpkin
  • Sunflower
  • Pine
  • Hot Cross Buns
  • Flower Dishes
  • SproutsHerbs and Flowers
  • Jonquils
  • daffodils
  • Woodruff
  • Violet
  • Gorse
  • Olive
  • Peony
  • Iris,
  • Narcissus
  • spring flowers.Incense
  • Jasmine
  • Rose
  • Strawberry
  • FloralsSacred Gemstone
  • Jasper

Recipes:

Hot Cross Buns

1/4 cup apple juice, beer or rum

1 cup raisins, dried currants, or dried cranberries

1 1/4 cups milk

3 large eggs, 1 separated

6 tablespoons soft butter

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Glaze:

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon milk

Frosting:

1 cup & 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

4 teaspoons milk

oven 375*

20 mins

Beer Bread

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup beer or apple juice

1 tablespoon butter

2 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 egg

9×5 Bread Pan

Dry Ingredients

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast

Beer or Apple juice and other ingredients

warm the beer/ingredients on the stove.

Add egg last – cover & let raise 30 mins.

Kneed on flour surface, cover & let raise another 20 mins

Grease pan: place in pan, cover & let “another” 20 mins

Oven 375*

30-35 mins

Lavender Goat Cheese Figs

6-10 figs

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1/4 cup goat cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried lavender

1/2 tablespoons honey

cut figs in half, spoon in cheese/lavender mixture

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***repost if you want

ps. Happy Fall Equinox to the Southern Hemisphere –

Tara is in New Zealand & Australia until Late April 2017

If you would like a session or attend seminars:

Please contact: +64 021 162 4445

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Winter Solstice & Yule – DEC 21

Winter Solstice & Yule

By Tara Sutphen

Dec 21: The Winter Solstice is a celebration of the heart, vessel of our dreams. Through the darkest time on the planet we are to find solace once again, returning to our inner resting place. Gallantly gazing upon our life’s daily uncertainty and unknowing future. May the earth fold us in comfort away from any harshness. As the light dims we are to harmonize and begin to sincerely replenish our hearts and minds. The pagans called this holiday Yule, where the people of Europe and Scandinavia made festive. It is not considered religious. The pagans were naturalists, such as the Native Americans and other indigenous communities around the world. They followed the course of the sun, the moon and cycles of the seasons for planting food and generally planning survival strategy. As winter comes we recognize our need to rest our minds, hearts and bodies while warming at the hearth. And as we come back out of the darkest day-night of the year and begin to gain more minutes of sunlight and replenishment each day. We linger for a glimmer of light to awaken, reconnecting our spark to life, to the sun and the conviviality of our own beating heart.

Recipes for Winter Solstice & Yule

Hot Apple Cider

Juice Apples or Buy Apple Cider

6 cups Apple Cider

½ tsp whole cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

3 cinnamon sticks

Heat ingredients, simmer, strain & serve hot

Hearty Stew

1 ½ pounds Beef stew meat

water

¼ c. flour

Add tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onion

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp mustard

Salt/pepper

Cook until meat is cooked and vegetables are tender

This can be a vegetarian dish if you prefer

Squash Casserole

6 c. diced yellow squash or zucchini

Onion

Garlic

Salt/pepper

Butter or oil

Add into casserole dish

Bake 325* bake until squash is tender 20-45 mins

Alternative added ingredients into squash casserole

Crushed crackers

Cheese

Sour cream

Yule Log Cake

10×15 inch jelly roll pan – line with parchment paper & butter the paper.

Pre-heat oven 400*

4 eggs room temperature

2/3 c. sugar — 7 minutes beat eggs while adding sugar 1 tbsp at a time

Add sifted flour ½ c, to batter – stir don’t beat

Add other ½ c. of flour – stir

Pour into pan – BAKE 10 min. Do not overcook

While hot- put cake into clean dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar so it doesn’t stick.

Remove parchment paper, still warm – roll the cake with the dishtowel in. Let cake cake cool.

Unroll cake – spread desired filling, jam, or frosting onto cake and re-roll cake.

Frost outside & decorate, Refrigerate to set overnight

 

Winter Solstice Spell

1 white candle

Repeat:

My Heart is the vessel of my dreams

I gaze inward to my inner glow

I look forward to my every need being met

I look forward to all my problems being solved

I look forward to what I seek will be found

I look forward to genuine people entering my life

I look forward to beautiful surprises

Miracles abound, I believe

In darkness I rest and dream

in the light I enjoy my life

behind me and before me

I ask it, beseech it, mark it & so it is………

Repost if you want

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