The Witches’ Compendium: Mabon By Tenae S. The Witch of Howling Creek
Copyright Information The Witches' Compendium: Mabon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Feel free to share the content in any way you like, just please credit when you do. Disclaimer The author of this e-book has used their best efforts in preparing this e-book. The author makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this e-book. The information contained in this e-book is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this e-book, you are taking full responsibility for your actions.
Tenae S. is a practicing kitchen witch from the West Coast of the United States where she lives on a small farm known as Howling Creek. She enjoys emphasizing her Celtic heritage in her craft and celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats throughout the year. She writes “The Witch of Howling Creek� blog and is the founder and editor of the free emagazine Pagan Living.
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Table of Contents 1
Foreword
Hearth & Home 4
Decorating with Natural Materials
6
Decorating with Burlap & Lace
7
Decorations of Wine & Revelry
8
Magickal Fall Cleaning
Magick & Witchcraft 11
Mabon Correspondences
12
Mabon Solitary Ritual
13
Harvest Moon Coven Ritual
15
Spells
Honor & Celebrate 17
Ways to Celebrate
18
Ways to Give Thanks
19
Saying a Pagan Grace
20
Stamping with Apples Craft Project
Fete & Feast 22
Infusing Oils & Vinegars
23
Potluck Pie Social
24
Magickal Popcorn Mix-Ins
26
Mabon Menu & Recipes
32
Magickal Pear Recipes
Foreword Witchcraft means something different to every single witch but following the seasons is an almost universal thread. Mid-September presents us with Mabon, the Witches’ Thanksgiving, a day for reflection, peace and harmony. Mabon ushers in that most beloved of seasons, when witches begin to dust off their pointy hats and pick the first pumpkins of the year. Mabon is the quiet hush that reminds us of the importance of each and every Sabbat and the layers of meaning behind each. When I was growing up, my mother would wait, albeit impatiently, until midSeptember when she could justify putting up her fall decorations. She was never big on Halloween but loved the crisp chill and delicious flavors of the harvest. At the time, I was utterly unaware of the connection to Mabon and the deep spirituality of the season. Living in Northern California, I find myself driving through the Napa Valley on a relatively regular basis and when Mabon is close and the crush is on, the air literally smells of intangible violet. The vines have turned to orange and yellow and the few grapes still left on them are a rich, vibrant purple and I know that autumn has arrived.
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Decorating for, cooking for and celebrating Sabbats as well as engaging in other related, if relatively mundane, daily tasks is essentially a matter of being in tune with the seasons, an endeavor that is both rewarding and practical. Decorations, for example, needn’t be extravagant in order to emphasize the meanings, symbolism and ambiance of each season. Although certain Sabbats, along with a few secular holidays, offer more opportunities to “go all out,” midSeptember is rife with wonderful materials, fabrics and found objets d’art. Think beyond the big box stores and traditional meals for your fall celebrating. Rather, look to the great outdoors and your own well-stocked cupboards and cabinets for a little inspiration to fill your home with the spirit of Mabon.
Tenae S., The Witch of Howling Creek
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Hearth & Home
3
Decorating with Natural Materials Natural materials are abundant in every part of the year and autumn puts all the symbols of Mabon right at your fingertips: maize, cornucopias, apples, wheat and wine. Each offers a unique opportunity for infusing the home with the autumn season.
Maize
Cornucopias
Maize is often readily available at pumpkin patches and harvest fairs. Simply fill a bowl with the colorful corn for quick, easy decoration.
Cornucopias are perhaps the simplest way to decorate for Mabon: simply pick one up at your local craft store, stuff newspaper in the back and fill the front with seasonappropriate items like apples, grapes, pears and squash.
For a bit more involved project, try creating a garland by tying maize together with lengths of raffia. Hang it from your porch, over a mantel or even on a canopy bed to bring abundance to your house.
The unusually shaped baskets are also quite lovely filled with flowers and other autumn items including wheat stalks and grape leaves.
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Apples
Grapes
Apples, known as the most magickal of fruits due to the pentacle hidden in the center of each, provide endless craft and decoration opportunities. For example, press sunflower seeds into the top half of a whole apple and short wooden dowels into the bottom half; then hang outside with natural twine to create a feeder for the last of summer’s birds.
Grape leaves make a beautiful addition to a wild, escapist flower arrangement and can often be found at flower shops and craft stores. Or, bind whole bunches of red grapes to picks with floral wire and add to tabletop centerpieces.
Alternatively, use apples as tealight holders. Carve holes just large enough to fit a tealight candle in the top and place the apples in clusters as a centerpiece or throughout the house.
Wheat Place wheat stalks in a vase as a kitchen centerpiece or weave them into a grapevine wreath for a pretty autumn door decoration.
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Decorating with Burlap & Lace Mabon decorations needn’t be limited to the great outdoors, however. Burlap and lace, at first glance an unlikely combination, perfectly resemble the masculine and feminine energies as well as the rustic elegance of autumn.
Burlap is available at most craft stores both in bolts and in ribbon. The ribbon is wonderful for adding a bit of rustic pizzazz to anything from vases to cake stands to fabric lampshades.
Make good use of a bolt of burlap by trimming large pieces with wide crocheted lace and using as curtains over a picture window. To really make a statement, use a curtain rod or tacks to hang burlap curtains in a wide entryway or hallway and tie back with lace.
Wrap small rectangles of burlap around mason jars or other glass containers and tie off with a piece of narrow lace. These are great for flower arrangements or everyday containers for loose change or pencils.
Tie bundles of herbs together with burlap and lace ribbons and hang upside down in a kitchen or dining area to dry and serve as decoration.
Burlap and lace are a great duo and make for handsomely subtle autumn decorations in any part of the house.
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Decorations of Wine & Revelry Mabon has many themes: thanksgiving, harvest, abundance. But, in a nod to the Roman god Bacchus (and his Greek counterpart, Dionysos), wine and revelry are also a part of the autumn celebration. Luckily, there are a wide variety of decorative materials available to emulate the cheerful and wise spirit of these gods.
Purchase one or more wine barrels from a supplier or winery to use as a table. Cut in half, one barrel can become two end tables or a plank can be placed across two barrels to form a sideboard.
Peel the labels off of empty wine bottles and run them through the dishwasher. Once clean, they make excellent bud vases for single flowers such as roses or chrysanthemums.
Using a glass cutter, cut off the bottom three inches of clean, empty wine bottles and sand down the sharp edges. Fill the bottom pieces with soy wax and a wick to create a custom candle. Fit the neck pieces with small lightbulbs and tightly wire to a metal ring to create a rustic chandelier.
Place cut neck pieces over burning tealights for a wonderfully soft ambiance and to protect the flames during ritual.
There are a myriad of possibilities for Mabon decorations. Whether you embrace the season as a whole or focus in on a particular aspect, decorating for Mabon is all about connecting to the brilliant colors and crisp chill outside.
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Magickal Fall Cleaning With October and the holidays just around the bend, now is the perfect time for a little decluttering, freshening up and reorganizing. Although it is common to do a thorough, deep cleaning once a year in the spring, both equinox seasons are excellent times for it. The equinoxes and the weeks surrounding them represent a time of balance, when day and night are equal partners, neither dominant. This is the perfect time for finding balance in your own life and in your home. (From a less spiritual but equally important perspective, we also tend to be busiest during summer and winter so the in-between times are good for cleansing.) Here are several ways to make your fall cleaning a bit more magickal and perhaps even a bit more interesting:
Make your own organic cleaning supplies and add ground herbs or essential oils for a little magickal oomph. Sage is always a good tool for cleansing but rosemary, bay and juniper are also popular.
Play classical or other relaxing music while you work so that your mind is clear as well as your home – get off to a nice, fresh start!
Sweep dirt out of your home by starting in one corner and working clockwise around each room. (First you might perform a blessing spell on your broom so that it will sweep away negativity and leave a clean space for blessings to come!)
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While on the subject of brooms, why not make your own? Handmade items almost always function far better in terms of magick and energy than those that are store-bought. If you use a besom in ritual, you might not want to use the same one for actual cleaning so you may choose to make two: one fancifully decorated and one very practical for everyday use.
Make purification charm bags with herbs such as sage, rosemary, bay and juniper and place in your vacuum bag. Not only will you be cleaning up, you will also be perfuming the room with a beautiful, magickal scent that makes way for good things!
Assemble a “magickal cleaning kit” using a toolbox, available at most hardware stores. Include typical cleaning supplies like sponges, rags and Windex alongside magickal supplies like a sage smudge stick, purification charm bags and homemade or organic sprays.
Cleaning the house will never be fall’s most exciting endeavor but it doesn’t have to be quite the dreaded hassle it often is. You will find when you bring magick into the most simple, mundane activities, they become unique spiritual events.
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Magick & Witchcraft
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Mabon Correspondences Every Sabbat has colors, spices and other items associated with it, most of which are based on the natural world and the current season. These items are particularly magickal around the time of the Sabbat and are a great place to start when designing rituals and spells. Colors:
Brown Violet Red Orange Gold
Stones:
Carnelian Smoky Quartz Yellow Agate
Herbs, Plants & Spices:
Apple Cinnamon Nutmeg Vines Sage Oak
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Mabon Solitary Ritual Sit skyclad or loosely clothed. Light a white, brown, purple or gold candle, reflecting on what you have to be thankful for. Now is your opportunity to perform one of the spells presented on the following pages or a spell of your own creation. Mabon is particularly well suited to spells relating to home, family and blessings. Cut an apple in half to show the five-pointed star in the center and eat in quiet reflection with a glass of cider. Blow out the candle. Blessed Be.
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Harvest Moon Coven Ritual Rituals come in all shapes and sizes, preferences differing from witch to witch. But every ritual has a sense of serenity, a feeling of purpose to it. Rituals are a time to reflect, to center oneself and to connect with something larger, not to mention with the people close to you when in a coven setting. This ritual for the Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest to Mabon, is easily adapted for many different Traditions or even a solitary working. Decide on an area outdoors that will be in view of the Harvest Moon come nightfall if the weather is cooperative (or in an open space indoors if it is too cold or wet outside.) Set up a card table in the center of the space and drape in a white, chocolate brown, purple or other fall colored tablecloth. Place a white pillar candle, a bottle of olive oil, a small bowl, jars of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and a clean, stripped food can on the table. After dark, gather as a coven and sit or stand in a circle around the card table. Ask each coven member or guest to bring at least one can of food to be donated to a local shelter or charity and have them place their donation on the card table. Cast a circle and call the quarters, if desired. Pass out short white, brown or purple taper candles with drip guards. The leader of the group should light the pillar candle, then use its flame to light each of the tapers. As each person’s candle is lit, they should state something they are thankful for, as Mabon is the Witches’ Thanksgiving. When each of the candles is lit, the group leader should return the pillar candle to the card table, still lit.
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The group leader should then fill the small bowl with olive oil and sprinkle in a pinch of each kind of spice, explaining to the coven that the cleaned can is going to represent the entire donation of food and that they are going to bless it so that it may bring success and prosperity to those that eat it. The group leader will then walk around the circle, having each person dip two fingers into the oil and anoint the can, saying “for success and prosperity” as they do so. The group leader should gently blow out the pillar candle, saying “Blessed be,” followed by each member of the circle doing the same with their own candles. The ritual may be over but the party doesn’t need to be! Have a pot of hot apple cider and Cinnamon Crescent Cookies waiting after the ritual along with a large box to pack the donation food into. Alternatively, turn the refreshments into a group activity: set out the ingredients ahead of time and have everyone help make the cookies. They will be all the more delicious infused with the energy of a coven!
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Spell to Keep Blessings in One’s Life As they come to you, write down at least five blessings in your life. Tear the paper into small pieces and either:
Mix in a sachet with appropriate herbs and spices such as broken cinnamon sticks, whole nutmeg, sage, oak leaves or dried apple peel. Tuck the sachet somewhere it will always be near to you to always keep the blessings close. Mix in a small jar, vial or muslin bag with appropriate herbs and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, oak leaves or dried apple peel. Bury the container near your home to always keep the blessings close.
Spell to Protect the Home Gather a piece of eucalyptus, sage leaves and an oak twig (preferably with leaves still attached.) Cut a piece of twine at about 18 inches and center a cedar “hang-up” on the string. Lay the oak, eucalyptus and sage on top of the piece of cedar. Wrap the twine around the cedar and other ingredients several times. Tie a knot at the back of the piece of cedar so it is tight enough to hold all the pieces together. Hang up in a closet or other location to purify and protect the home.
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Honor & Celebrate
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Ways to Celebrate Honor the many aspects of Mabon, including thanksgiving, the autumn season and an abundant harvest, with these simple, easy activities.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Donate canned food. Hold a family feast with a wide spread of food. Create gift baskets of baked goods, seasonal crops and wine or ale for friends and family. Fill a cornucopia with seasonal fruits and vegetables and place in the center of the family table. Visit a pick-your-own farm and gather apples and pumpkins. Make a centerpiece by filling a vase with wheat stalks, colored leaves and dry branches. Hang apples on a tree as natural birdfeeders. Set up a Mabon altar on the mantelpiece with items such as fall leaves to represent earth, brown and gold candles to represent fire, a fan of brown feathers to represent air and driftwood to represent water. Add a bit of Mabon spirit to your technological world by using a fallrelated photo (such as an orchard in fall colors) as the background on your computer or smartphone. Go for a hike in a local park and take a picnic with you to enjoy outdoors. Harvest the last of your homegrown fruits and vegetables and clean out the garden for next year. Use the plants to create a compost pile (or add them to an existing one.) Perform your final harvest at night by the light of the Harvest Moon.
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Ways to Give Thanks The Witches’ Thanksgiving offers a variety of opportunities to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives, no matter how big or small.
Write “thank you” notes to people who have made a difference in your life over the past year. Provide paper and pens for guests at your Mabon dinner to write down what they’re thankful for and then share after the meal. Compile the notes from the Mabon dinner into a scrapbook and note the year and name on each page. The scrapbook can then be added to each year with new blessings. Spread the wealth: try to give someone else something you have that you’re thankful for such as a good meal or warm clothes. Give thanks to the earth or Mother Nature by planting a tree or cleaning up the garden before winter sets in.
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Saying a Pagan Grace ‘Grace’, the practice of saying a blessing or prayer before a meal, is very common among Christians, to the point that it is almost taken for granted. Yet giving thanks for food and blessings is hardly unique to Christianity and suits paganism quite well. Saying a simple blessing over the most mundane of meals is a lovely idea, especially at Mabon, an entire season devoted to thanksgiving. It can be quite an uplifting feeling whether you hold hands with your neighbors or simply clasp your own in front of you. Giving thanks is an important part of being in tune with nature and our surroundings and it helps us focus on what’s really important during difficult (and even abundant) times. Goddess, Mother Thank you for this meal before us Thank you for friends and family around this table Thank you for love, grace and harmony this Mabon night Blessed Be
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Stamping with Apples Craft Project Apples are an incredibly magickal fruit that suit all sorts of spell and ritual purposes but it is the hidden pentacle inside each and every one that truly sets them apart. A fun way to show off the magick of apples this Mabon season is with an easy stamping project: 1. Cut an apple in half from top to bottom. 2. Pour a small amount of paint onto a paper plate and tip so that it forms a puddle a little larger than the apple. 3. Dip the cut-side of the apple into the paint, then press onto a piece of paper, leaving behind an apple imprint, star included. These stamps make great additions to Book of Shadows pages, fall cards, canvas totebags and kids’ placemats.
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Fete & Feast
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Infusing Oils & Vinegars Olive oil has long been a staple in Italian kitchens like the one I grew up in and is becoming more and more popular as a healthier replacement for vegetable oils and even butter. Olive oil is also delicious in its own right, however, and is wonderful paired with vinegar and fresh, warm bread. Mabon is the perfect time for infusing olive oil with all sorts of delicious ingredients, fresh from the garden (or at least the farmer’s market.) Rosemary is a popular herbal choice, along with basil and thyme, but fruits such as kumquats and apricots are also excellent options. How to Infuse Olive Oil 1. If using, gently pound herbs with a pestle to release the flavor. 2. Place bruised herbs and/or fruits in a bottle and pour olive oil over them. 3. Cork and place in a cool, dark place for two weeks or more. For a little more variety, try creating infused vinegars in the same way.
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Potluck Pie Social Pie bridges the gap between summer and autumn, in the in-between weeks that are the end of August and the beginning of September. So why not celebrate the end of summer or beginning of autumn with a Potluck Pie Social for friends and family or your coven? A pie social is the easiest of parties to pull off and it’s great for Sunday afternoon mixing and mingling. Set up a buffet area on a kitchen counter or table with cake plates (sans lids) and sturdy boxes covered in fabric to act as risers and add interest to the display. Each guest should bring a pie of their choosing (it’s best if you ask ahead of time what flavor they’re bringing so as not to end up with duplicates.) Cut 3×4 pieces of cardstock or parchment paper, fold in half and place in a basket along with pens so when guests arrive they can label their flavors. As host or hostess, you should provide the savory snacks necessary to break up the onslaught of sweetness. Arrange a variety of crackers and sliced cheeses as well as a wheel of brie with cheese knives on a large platter. Pair with bunches of red and green grapes, sliced apples, prosciutto and salami. Traditional antipasto items such as whole scallions, sautéed mushrooms and olives are also appropriate. Potluck socials are great fun for any group and a nice way for covens to mingle outside of rituals and Sabbats. It doesn’t have to stop with pie either: why not try a Chili Social or a Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Social?!
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Magickal Popcorn Mix-Ins There is something extraordinary about the crunch of light, fresh popcorn, a simple pleasure we too often deny ourselves in favor of the convenience of the microwaveable version. Next time you’re looking for a sweet or savory afternoon snack, however, turn to the stove instead of the microwave. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a small saucepan, then add two tablespoons of uncooked popcorn kernels. Cover, turn the stove on to medium heat and leave it be until the popping subsides. In the meantime, melt two to four tablespoons of butter (you can use the microwave for this part) to pour over your freshly popped popcorn, along with a pinch of salt. To give your snack a little extra magickal oomph (not to mention flavor), try one of these simple, tasty recipes: Spicy Aphrodisiac Popcorn for Steamy Romance 2 tablespoons uncooked popcorn kernels 1 tablespoon olive oil 2-4 tablespoons butter, melted Salt, to taste Dark chocolate shavings, to taste Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
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Nutty Popcorn for Wealth 2 tablespoons uncooked popcorn kernels 1 tablespoon olive oil 2-4 tablespoons butter, melted Salt, to taste ¼ cup pecans, chopped and roasted ¼ cup almonds, chopped and roasted Autumn Herb & Berry Popcorn for Courage 2 tablespoons uncooked popcorn kernels 1 tablespoon olive oil 2-4 tablespoons butter, melted Salt, to taste ½ cup dried cranberries 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
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Mabon Menu & Recipes Serve this unique and delicious menu filled with the flavors of fall at a Mabon feast (or any other autumn special occasion!) Turkey Pot Pie Roasted Shiitake, Portobello & Crimini Mushrooms Turnip Gratin Mulled Wine Applesauce Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping
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Turkey Pot Pie
Bring filling mixture to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer to thicken if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in peas and chopped parsley. Pour filling into 9inch-diameter glass pie dish and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup thinly sliced peeled carrots 1 cup diced potatoes ½ cup diced celery 7-8 oz diced cooked turkey ¼ cup frozen green peas, thawed 1 cup gravy 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water, beaten 1 9-inch purchased pie crust
Lightly brush rim of filled pie dish with egg glaze. Place crust atop filling and fold edge of dough over edge of pie dish. Pinch dough rim to seal crust all around and press down on top edge of crust with fork tines to seal decoratively. Chill 10 minutes.
Melt unsalted butter with extravirgin olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Add sliced carrots; cover and cook until carrots soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Add remaining vegetables. Add diced turkey, gravy, and chopped fresh thyme.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush top of pie with glaze. Make three to four 1/4-inch slits in center of pie to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.
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Roasted Shiitake, Portobello & Crimini Mushrooms Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com 1 ¾ pounds mixed shiitake, baby portobello, and crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, shiitakes stemmed, all mushrooms cut into 1 ½-inch pieces 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs, cut into ½-inch pieces 5 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 500°F. Combine mushrooms, rosemary, and garlic in large bowl. Mix in oil. Spread mushrooms in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast mushrooms until brown, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl and serve.
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Turnip Gratin 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ½ pounds medium turnips, trimmed and left unpeeled 1 tablespoon chopped thyme ½ tablespoon fennel seed 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon dark chili powder 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Melt butter in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet, then cool. Roughly slice turnips, then arrange one third of slices, overlapping tightly, in skillet, keeping remaining slices covered with dampened paper towels. Sprinkle with about a third of thyme, fennel, kosher salt, and dark chili powder. Make 2 more layers. Cook, covered, over medium heat until underside is browned, about 10 minutes. Add cream and cook, covered, until center is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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Mulled Wine 48 ounces dry red wine 18 cloves 4 cinnamon sticks 4 twists of lemon peel 5 teaspoons superfine sugar 1 teaspoon allspice Combine all ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan and heat, but do not allow to boil. Strain into a pitcher.
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Applesauce Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping For topping ¼ cup all purpose flour ¼ cup brown sugar, packed 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sift flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg, sugar and applesauce. Add milk and vanilla. Fold in flour mixture and mix well.
For cake 1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring) 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten ¾ cup sugar 1/3 cup applesauce ½ cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layercake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.
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Magickal Pear Recipes Pears are a light, refreshing fruit perfect for sweet, spiced desserts as well as warm, comforting entrees. While not quite as magickal as their autumn cousin the apple, they are still potent both in kitchen witchery and delicious fall dishes. Due in part to their feminine shape, pears are often used in love and lust spells. The easiest way to use them, of course, is to simply imbue a pear dish with your intent but you can also use dried pear pieces or skin in charm bags for more focused magick. Also, spray on a little pear-scented perfume as a sweet aphrodisiac! (As always, use GREAT CAUTION when practicing magick related to matters of the heart.) Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears Crispy Prosciutto Cups with Pears Pear Tarte Tatin Gingerbread Pear Muffins
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Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears Recipe courtesy of MarthaStewart.com 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 ½ pounds total), excess fat and silver skin removed 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 Bartlett pears, quartered and cored Preheat oven to 475 degrees. With a paring knife, cut 10 small slits in each tenderloin. Stuff slits with garlic and thyme; season pork with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium. Add pork, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add pears to skillet. Transfer to oven, and cook, tossing pears once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers 145 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork and pears to a platter; let rest 5 minutes. Season pan juices with salt and pepper, and pour into a gravy boat or small bowl. Slice pork, and serve with pears and pan juices.
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Crispy Prosciutto Cups with Pears 3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced 1 ripe Bartlett pear, finely diced 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon sea salt Grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut prosciutto into 24 two-inch squares. Place one square (overlapping any tears) in each cup of a mini cupcake tin. Bake until fat turns golden, about 15 minutes. Using a fork, immediately transfer to a paper towel to drain; cool completely. In a small bowl, combine pear, juice and salt. Place 1/2 teaspoon mixture in each cup just before serving. Top with Parmesan cheese.
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Pear Tarte Tatin Recipe courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
stirring, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in butter. Arrange pear wedges in a circle along the edge of skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until pears are crisptender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
All-purpose flour, for rolling 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed ½ cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 firm, ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, each peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
Drape chilled pastry round over pears, tucking edge under. Place a small oven-safe plate or pot lid on top of pastry; bake 15 minutes. Remove plate; continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let tart cool in skillet, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of skillet, and carefully invert tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to an 11 1/2-inch square; using a plate as a guide, cut out an 11-inch round. Refrigerate until ready to use. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, combine sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, without
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Gingerbread Pear Muffins 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2/3 cup mild-flavored molasses ¼ cup applesauce ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 egg ½ cup boiling water 2 small pears, cut in 6 wedges each 3 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate broken in small pieces
applesauce, brown sugar, and egg. Pour into flour mixture. Stir until combined. Whisk in boiling water. Divide evenly among muffin cups. Add 1 pear wedge to each muffin, press lightly. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Add chocolate piece to top of muffins. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Use table knife to smooth melted chocolate. Remove from cups. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 12.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and flour. In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl whisk together molasses,
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