Things to Do - Feature Find the Haunts in your Kitchen

Are There Haunted Spirits in Your Kitchen

When confronted by something you don’t understand, do you accept it or do you dwell on it until you can rationalize what is really happening? Most people enjoy a good magic show. However, if they know how the illusion is done, it tends to spoil the effect. The same can be said of haunted houses.

Yes, I’m referring to the Halloween pop-up businesses which provide a spooky atmosphere where you can be startled, surprised and scared by lots of very creative props.

Instead of spending time discussing something manmade, let’s talk about a real honest-to-goodness house, inhabited by the spirit of someone who is no longer living. Do you believe houses can really be haunted? Have you ever lived in one? Have you ever been in one? My next question: how would you know? If someone else sees these elusive images, and you don’t, how can you be sure they exist?

Along about now is when the skeptics move on to another subject. Others who have never seen or heard anything unusual continue to read simply for the entertainment factor. But true believers gather among friends to discuss what new sightings they have experienced. Some even form ghost hunter clubs.

In the past, I would have been among the first group mentioned. In recent years though, I’ve had some in-depth conversations with people I know and trust. The subject: the ghosts which inhabit their homes.

This leads us to the obvious question: how can you live there, knowing of their existence, without being scared, or at least nervous?

It’s simple really. Among all the people I interviewed, they assured me this being has done them no harm. In some cases, they have prevented injuries. In one case, a locked door was heard unlocking just in time to allow rescue workers to enter. Another person explained how an unknown voice kept calling her name until she went looking for the whoever was trying to get her attention. In the process, she found and extinguished a fire before it became large enough to trap her in the basement where she had been working.

Several sources believe there are spirits who only reveal themselves to children. Perhaps this is due to the trusting nature of young people. Or perhaps it is their guardian angels.

These stories sound very similar to one in my family history. After a long hard day in the early 1900’s working on the farm with no utilities, Ida was trying to finish getting her garden planted before the approaching storm arrived. It was hot, humid, and she was totally exhausted.

Are There Haunted Spirits in Your Kitchen ?

By Kandy Derden Things to Do Editor

We’ve all had it happen to us. We suddenly reach that breaking point and simply can’t continue on. Being totally spent, she gave up, and joined her two small toddlers who were playing under a nearby shade tree. The older of the two remembers her saying, “I just can’t do it.” He also witnessed what happened next.

Just before the skies opened up and provided the rain necessary to make the garden grow, two beings appeared and finished planting the garden vegetables which were much-needed to feed her family for months to come. Ida was my great grandmother and she didn’t believe in ghosts. She called them angels. And sometimes that term just might be more correct for these elusive helpers.

That being said, this is the season for telling ghost stories around a campfire. What recipe could be appropriate for this topic? For something with a real kick, skip the marshmallows and break out the Ghost Pepper Cookies.

Ghost Pepper Cookies

1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips or chunks 1 c. margarine, softened 2/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/3 c. sugar 1 tsp. soda 2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. ghost pepper salt* 1 egg 2 c. flour 1 c. nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 c. of the chocolate pieces. Allow to cool. Cream margarine and both sugars. Add soda, vanilla and ½ tsp. salt. Add melted chocolate and egg, blending until smooth. Stir in flour, nuts and remaining chocolate pieces. Drop onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a hint of the remain salt. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets before serving.

*There really is such a seasoning as ghost pepper salt. As you would imagine, it is hot! Even though it pairs well with chocolate, you may find it to be too intense. If so, there is a wide variety of sea salts available which may be substituted to customize your favorite flavor. I normally avoid hot or spicy foods because they are . . . well, hot and spicy. I realize I’m in the minority on this subject but that still doesn’t help me understand why anyone would willingly eat something which causes them pain. Several have tried but no one has been able to fully explain it to me.

When faced with the unexplainable, I try to remember there is no such thing as coincidence; it is usually one of those occasions when God chooses to remain anonymous. So, if you receive unexpected assistance from someone and can’t rationalize it, just be gracious and gratefully accept it.