************************************************************ RECIPE: Harvest Pumpkin Bread ************************************************************ INGREDIENTS: 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup Margarine 1/4 cup applesauce 2 eggs 1 cup (8 ounces) solid pack pumpkin 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped DIRECTIONS: Lightly grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan or coat with vegetable spray. Beat sugar, margarine, and applesauce until creamy and light (about 5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat. Add pumpkin and mix until smooth. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir into pumpkin mixture and mix until smooth. Add raisins, orange rind, orange juice and nuts (optional). Stir well and pour into loaf pan. Bake at 3500F for 60-65 minutes. You can test for doneness by sticking a wooden pick into loaf. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. YIELD: 1 loaf, appx 12 Slices ------------- Samhain Cider 2 quarts apple cider 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/2 cup apricot brandy In a large pot, combine the apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar. Simmer slowly on low heat for about 15 minutes - do not boil. Add the apricot brandy and serve warm. Spiced Hot Chocolate 3 ounces semi-sweet dar chocolate, grated 2 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and cloves Dash vanilla extract Slowly heat chocolate and milk in saucepan until chocolate has melted and blended in. Add cinnamon and cloves and stir. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and serve. Makes 2 servings. Wild Mushroom and Pumpkin Risotto Canola oil 3 minced shallots 1 cup chanterelles 1 cup quartered shiitakes 1 cup morels 1/2 tablespoon fresh minced thyme 1/4 cup white wine 1 tablespoon butter (optional) 2 cups fine diced pumpkin 1 teaspoon five spice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock 4 cups vegetarian risotto Salt and black pepper to taste Truffle oil for garnish 1 cup shiitake chips, for garnish In a hot saute pan coated with oil, caramelize the shallots. Season. Add the mushrooms and thyme. Saute until mushrooms are soft and check for seasoning. Deglaze with wine. Add butter and set aside. In same pan, add a little oil and saute pumpkin. Add five spice and honey. Add 1/2 cup stock and stir. Pumpkin will absorb the stock and end up. Add more stock if needed but do not over cook it. Add back the mushrooms and the risotto. Heat thoroughly and garnish with truffle oil and shiitake chips. Shiitake Chips 1 cup thinly sliced shiitakes Salt to taste In a fryer at 375 degrees, fry shiitakes until brown. Drain well and salt. Chocolate de Mexicanos (serves 4) 41/4 cups milk 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted 5 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1 shot tequila Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. With a hand-held mixer or traditional molonillo (a wooden beater resembling a honey dipper), beat the mixture until it stops boiling and becomes slightly frothy. Stir in tequila. Serve immediately in mugs garnished with cinnamon sticks. Granny McCoy's Pumpkin Pie (makes two nine-inch pies) 3 cups cooked pumpkin (canned is fine) 11/4 cups evaporated milk 21/2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 scant teaspoon salt 1/4 rounded teaspoon allspice 1/2 rounded teaspoon cinnamon 4 well-beaten eggs Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into two deep, unbaked pie shells. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out of the center clean. Colcannon (serves 8) 4 cups mashed potatoes 21/2 cups cabbage, cooked and chopped fine 1/2 cup butter (avoid corn oil margarines as they will not add the needed body and flavor) 1/2 cup evaporated milk or cream 3/4 cup onion, chopped fine and sauteed 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper Saute onions. Boil the potatoes and mash them (do not use artificial potato flakes). In a large pan place all of the ingredients except the cabbage and cook over low heat while blending them together. Turn the heat to medium and add the chopped cabbage. The mixture will take on a pale green cast. Keep stirring occasionally until the mixture is warm enough to eat. *Lastly drop in a thimble, button, ring, and coin. Stir well and serve. *It was an old Irish tradition to hide these in it: a ring for a bride, a button for a bachelor, a thimble for a spinster, and a coin for wealth, or any other item which local custom decreed in keeping with the idea of the New Year as a time for divination. If you make colcannon with these little objects inside, please excercise caution against choking. Wassail (Makes one large punch bowl) 11/2 cups water 1/2 cup heavy cream 6 baked apples, cut into small pieces 5 egg whites 11/4 cups granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 teaspoons allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 8 whole cloves 1 quart ale 1 cup cooking sherry 1 cup Irish whiskey Bring water and cream to a slow boil and remove from heat. Beat the egg whites well. Thoroughly mix in all the remaining ingredients except the alcohol. Allow this mixture to cool slightly- enough so the heat from it will not crack your punch bowl. If you have a non-glass container for your wassail, you can skip the cooling process. Blend in the alcohol just before serving, and be sure to offer the traditional toast to the old apple tree before drinking. Information was taken from Edain McCoy's book "The Sabbats- A New Approach to Living the Old Ways" and Scott Cunningham's book "Wicca- A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner" ------------- Samhain Cakes (YummY) Makes about 3 dozen, dough must be chilled several hours to overnight. 1/2 c veg. oil 4 sq unsweetened chocolate (4 oz) melted 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups pastry flour (not hard, sifted or cake flour) 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup confectioner's sugar Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours to overnight. Heat oven to 350 deg F [175 deg C]. Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball (yes, it's messy). Drop balls into confectioner's sugar & roll around until coated. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 min. They will be a little soft but should not be mushy. Edges should be firm. Don't overbake---these burn easily. Scrying Brew ( NOT for internal use) 1 handful mugwort 1 handful lemon balm 1 handful white rosepetals ( if you cannot find, use red instead) 1 big pinch yarrow 1 pinch nutmeg 1 pinch meadowsweet 1 pinch cinqufoil Place this in a cauldron, and add water. Bring to a boil. and allow the steam to fill the atmoshphere. Sit back. and let the visions come. This mix would also be good to use as a simmering potporri in one of those little pots that you burn the tea candles under to cook. Simply mix up the herbs in a jar and place a healthy pinch in the pot. Add boiling water, and light the candle underneath.Use when doing scrying or tarot card reading outside of the circle. Crockpot Animal Stew 1 large onion, chopped 1 carrot, sliced thin 1-3 cans tomatoes ( depends on the volume of meat) 1 potato, cubed 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 lb of any meat you have consumed during the year, such as pork beef turkey ham chicken organ meats seafood tuna fish sauage hot dogs lamb Saute the onion and garlic in a small pan till transparent. Transfer to a crockpot, and add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hrs. On the night of the Ancestors ( October 31), we have altars set up through the house for each of our ancestors whom have gone to the other side. Each contains a candle, a momento, a photo if possible, and a small dish of their favorite food. We , the living, feast on these dishes as well. So dinner is always a kind of feasting overload smorgasbord ! Our combined family gene pools feature people from Ireland, England, Italy, Germany, Russia and France. I cook for 2-3 days and we roll away from the feast :-) One other thing is always featured...pork roast. Many Goddesses have appeared in the form of a sow throughout history, so it is said. Some have speculated that this is the true reason behind the ban on eating pork amongst the Jews and Moslems. Eating is a magical act...what you take into your body, you also absorb their energy into your spirit. The phrase "you are what you eat" is even more so for magical purposes than it is for physical health. For these reasons, and others, we include pork roast in our feast. Samhain Pork Roast 1 boneless pork loin roast ( 3-5 lbs , depending on how many you are feeding) 1 t garlic powder 1 1/2 t rosemary 1/2 t thyme 2 c assorted dried fruits ( apricots, raisins, prunes all work nicely) 1 c beer stand your roast on end so that it looks like a tall cylander. With a sharp butcher knife, insert the knife in the top of the roast, and push to the bottom ( you are making a tunnel through the roast). Remove knife and make another cut ...the tunnel is to form an x. Now place a peice of the fruit in the x tunnel of the roast, and use the handle of a wooden spoon to push it through to the bottom. Repeat with all your fruit. Then combine sht herbs and rub all over the roast. Place the beer in a crockpot and set the roast in the crockbot. Cover and cook on low for 10 -12 hours. It will be falling apart tender, and very delicious ! Pumpkin Cookies 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup butter 1 egg 1 cup pumpkin 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup raisins Mix wet ingredients, then add dry ingredients. Blend well, but do not overmix. Bake at 300 for 22-24 minutes per sheet. Pumpkin Bread 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins 2 1/3 cups biscuit Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Test with a knife-if the knife comes out clean, the bread is ready. If not, put back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Cool before removing from the pan. Keep in a plastic bag, in a cover dish in a cool location or in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, cut into slices, then cut out slices with a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter and spread with cream cheese or jam. Sugar Cookie Pumpkins 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cookie decorator (in a 4 1/2 -ounce pressurised can) In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and 1 cup flour and mix well. By hand, fold the remaining flour, the baking soda, and the baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick. Cut out the cookies with a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly before decorating. Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies Black Cat Cupcakes 1 1/4 c Reduced Fat Oreo cookie crumbs 18 1/4 ozs reduced fat chocolate cake mix 24 pcs Halloween Oreo cookies 16 ozs reduced fat milk chocolate frosting black string licorice jelly beans semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 24-2 1/2" muffin cups with cooking spray and flour; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions; stir in cookie crumbs. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack. Make cat faces on each of the remaining cookies: using some frosting, attach 4-1 1/2" licorice strings for whiskers, 2 jelly bean halves for eyes and 2 chocolate chips for ears. Let set at least 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Stand cat faces on edge on each cupcake. Place 3" piece licorice string on back half of each cupcake for tail. OATMEAL DATE BARS Filling: 1 cup dates, pitted and coursely chopped 1/2 cup raisans 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla Crust: 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup sifted whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 packed brown sugar OR 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup melted margarine or butter Preheat oven to 350 F, spray 8x8x2" pan with non stick spray. Simmer together dates and water until thickened. Stir in vanilla (1 tsp.),set aside. Combine sugar (or honey), oats, and flour. Add margarine and vanilla while stirring. Press half of oat mixture into pan. Cover with date mixture, then sprinkle with remaining oatmeal mixture. Pat gently, bake for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Yum! Ghoul-Ade For Halloween Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Halloween Beverages and Punch Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method - -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 Envelope kool-aid grape flavor unsweetened mix} 1 Envelope kool-aid orange flavor unsweetened mix 2 Cups sugar 3 Quarts cold water 1 bottle (qt.) ginger ale -- chilled Preparation : Mix Kool Aid's together with sugar, in large pitcher. Add water and mix. Just before serving, add ginger ale. JACK-O'-LANTERN PIE 1 package (4-serving size) Orange flavor Jello 1 cup boiling water 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 1 chocolate crumb pie crust Whipped topping Candy corn 1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Spoon in ice cream, stirring until melted and smooth. Chill until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. 2. Pour gelatin mixture into pie crust. Chill until firm, about 2 hours. Garnish with whipped topping and candy corn. Yield: 8 servings. JELLO POPCORN BALLS 1 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup sugar 1 package (4-serving size) Jello, orange or lime flavor 9 cups popped popcorn 1. Mix corn syrup and sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add jello; stir until dissolved. 2. Pour mixture over popcorn; let stand for several minutes. Shape into balls. Cool. SALEM WITCH PUDDING - 4eggs seperated - 1 cup light brown sugar - 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree - 3/4 cup half and half - 5 tbsp. RUM - 1/2 tsp ground cloves - 1/2 tsp Ginger(ground) - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg - 1/4 tsp. Salt IN an electric mixer or large mixing bowl, beat the egg white until stiff. In a different bowl beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the yolks witht he remaining ingredients; mix together well; and fold in the egg whites. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a buttered 1quart souffle dish.Place in a pan of hot water and bake at 350 degrees preheated over for about 45 minutes.