Samhain

Known to most as "Halloween: Samhain is the time that the veil between the world of
the living and the world of the dead is the thinnest. In ancient times it was believed that
this is the time that our ancestors would return to visit us, to give help and advice.
 Samhain History

Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means "End of Summer", and

is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat.

It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is
one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval
when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil
between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is
easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It
is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father,
symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort.

Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food
offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners
still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the
spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the
hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who
were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and
carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee
Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark
was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw,
or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits.

This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the
ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo,
and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-
fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and
plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then
they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the
retrieved stone foretold of that person's fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also
lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested
fields to protect and bless the land.

Samhain is known by most folks as Halloween, but for Wiccans and Pagans it's
considered a Sabbat to honor the ancestors who came before us. It's a good time to
contact the spirit world with a seance, because it's the time when the veil between this
world and the next is at its thinnest.

Contrary to a popular Internet-based (and Chick Tract-encouraged) rumor, Samhain was

not the name of some ancient Celtic god of death, or of anything else, for that matter.
Religious scholars agree that the word Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") comes from the
Gaelic Samhuin, but theyre divided on whether it means the end or beginning of
summer. After all, when summer is ending here on earth, its just beginning in the
Underworld. Samhain actually refers to the daylight portion of the holiday, on November
1st.

Around the eighth century or so, the Catholic Church decided to use November 1st as All
Saints Day. This was actually a pretty smart move on their part the local pagans were
already celebrating that day anyway, so it made sense to use it as a church holiday. All
Saints became the festival to honor any saint who didnt already have a day of his or her
own. The mass which was said on All Saints was called Allhallowmas the mass of all
those who are hallowed. The night before naturally became known as All Hallows Eve,
and eventually morphed into what we call Halloween.

The pagan Samhain is not, and never was, associated with evil or negativity. It has
always been a time to reaffirm our belief in the oneness of all spirits, and in our firm
resolution that physical death is not the final act of existence. Though death is very much
a part of Samhain's symbolism, this Sabbat also celebrates the triumph of life over death.

While it is true that Samhain is no more evil than any other holiday, it is also a fact that
evil does exist, and pagans have always been aware of this. Our ancestors sought to
protect themselves on this night by carving faces in vegetables to place near windows or
at the perimeters of their circle. These were the forerunners of our present day jack-o-
lanterns. These carved pumpkin faces are probably relics of the even earlier custom of
placing candles in windows to guide the earth-walking spirits along their way. Today it
is still a custom in Ireland to place candles in the windows on Samhain night and to leave
plates of food for the visiting spirits.

There are two possible sources for the origin of the Samhain Sabbat's name. One is
from the Aryan God of Death, Samana, and the other is from the Irish Gaelic word
"samhraidhreadh", which literally means "the summer's end". Samhain marked the end
of summer and the beginning of winter for the Celts, with the day after Samhain being
the official date of the Celtic New Year. The reason the Celts chose this point in time as
their new year rather than Yule, when the rest of Western pagans celebrate it, was
because the sun is at its lowest point on the horizon as measured by the ancient standing
stones of Britain and Ireland.

This is also a time for harmless pranks, lavish feasting, circle games, and merrymaking
which can be teasingly blamed on nearby spirits ;) (ala Loki, Abbot, Lord of Misrule
etc.)

Samhain bonfires, called balefires in paganism, were once lighted on every hilltop in
Britain and Ireland as soon as the sun set on October 30. The word "balefire" comes
from the word "boon", which means "extra". The fires serve the purpose of containing
the energy of the dead god, lighting the dark night, warding off evil, ushering in the light
of the New Year, purifying the ritual space or home, and being the focus of ritual. In
many parts of the British Isles these balefires are still lighted on Samhain to honor the old
ways.
 The idea that evil spirits walk the earth at Samhain is a misinterpretation of the pagan
belief that the veil of consciousness which separates the land of the living from the land
of the dead is at its thinnest on this night. This does not mean that hordes of evil entities
cross this chasm. Some pagans believe this veil is made thin by the God's passing
through it into the Land of the Dead, and that he will, for the sake of his people, attempt
to hold back any spirits crossing into the physical plane whose intent it is to make
trouble. In nearly all the Western pagan traditions, deceased ancestors and other friendly
spirits are invited to join the Sabbat festivities, and be reunited with loved ones who are
otherwise separated by time and dimensions of existence.

Some modern scholars claim that Samhain's traditional 'trick or treat' custom was
derived from a ploy to to scare away fairies and other mischievous spirits, but it has
overtones of being a custom of a much later period, perhaps one which grew up around
the Burning Times. During the Burning Times, masking and dark clothing hid the
identities of witches going to their covens so that they might escape detection. The mask
also had the added benefit of frightening away any inquisitor who might happen upon a
lone figure in the woods.

Sunset on Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The old year has passed, the
harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the
leaves have fallen from the trees. The earth slowly begins to die around us.

This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our
lives. Think about the things you did in the last twelve months. Have you left anything
unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once youve gotten all that
unfinished stuff cleared away, and out of your life, then you can begin looking towards
the next year.

Other Names: Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas
(Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as
All Hallow's Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is
celebrated November 11th), Samhain is now generally considered the Witch's New Year.

Symbolism: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our
place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after
Death.

Foods: turnips, apples, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, gingerbread.

Drinks: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wines.

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sunflower, sage, thyme,
wild ginseng, tarragon, mugwort.

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, cosmos, marigold.

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew.

Incenses and oils: Bay, cedar, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense,
heather, mugwort, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, sage, sandalwood, vetiver, wormwood.

Colors: Black, brown, orange.

Stones: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite,
hematite, jasper, jet, marble, obsidian, opal, pyrite, rose sapphire, ruby, sandstone, smoky
quartz, steel, tourmaline, turquoise.

Animals: Stag, jackal, cat, bat, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin.

Mythical creatures: Goblins, harpies, phooka, medusa, beansidhe, fylgiar, peryton,

erlkonig.

Some appropriate Gods: all Death, Underworld, and aged Gods; Am-Heh (Egyptian),
Anubis (Egyptian), Arawn (Welsh), Cernunnos (Celtic), Dis (Roman), Hades (Greek),
Heimdahl (Norse), Herne (English), The Horned God (European), Kronos (Greek), Loki
(Norse), Nefertum (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Pluto (Greco-Roman)

Some appropriate Goddesses: all Crone and Underworld Goddesses; Arachne (Greek),
Aradia (Italian), Babd (Irish), Cerridwen (Welsh), Elli (Teutonic), Ereshkigal (Assyro-
Babylonian), Eris (Greek), The Fates/Moerae (Greek), Fortuna (Roman), Freya/Frigg
(Norse), Hecate (Greek), Hel (Teutonic), Inanna (Sumerian), Ishtar (Babylonian), Macha
(Irish), Mari (Basque), Morrigan (Celtic), Nephthys (Egyptian), Nicneven (Scottish),
Persephone (Greek), Psyche (Greek), Proserpina (Roman), Rhiannon (Welsh)

Decorations: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn,
sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds.

Traditional activities: divination, drying winter herbs, feasting and partying to defy the
coming darkness (bob for apples, roast nuts, pop popcorn), Witches' Ball.

Spell/ritual work: astral projection, past life recall, Dark Moon mysteries, mirror spells,
scrying, protection, inner work, clearing obstacles, transition, culmination,
transformation. Releasing bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty;
everything you do not want to carry into the new year.
 Samhain Recipes

The Banshee - Mulled Wine

Ingredients:

One bottle of red wine (suggestions: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot or a

Spanish red)
One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot)
One peeled and sliced lemon (keep peel to add zest to taste in cooking pot)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground ginger
5 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar (or honey can be substituted)
2/3 cup brandy or cognac
1/2 cup water

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the
ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally
to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved. When the wine is
steaming and the ingredients have blended well it is ready to serve. Ladle into mugs
(leaving seasonings behind), garnish with a blood orange segment and perhaps black
plastic, Halloween spiders and enjoy!

Apple Sauce Loaf

1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. applesauce
1/2 c. nuts

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together dry
ingredients and gradually add to mixture. Stir until well mixed and add applesauce and
nuts. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Mix together 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. water and
pour on cake while still warm.

Apple Bread

1/2 c. margarine
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. sour milk or orange juice
1 c. chopped cooking apples (no need to peel)
1/3 c. chopped walnuts

In mixer, cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, soda and
salt. Add to mixture and alternate with liquid. Add apples and walnuts. Turn into greased
9x5 loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour at 350.

Apple Muffins

2 cups self rising flour

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped dried apple*
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tins. Combine dry ingredients in a
large bowl and add the egg, milk and oil. Stir the ingredients until they are just blended.
Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into greased muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 15-
18 minutes or until golden brown.

* Dried apples can usually be found in airtight pouches near the raisins in the
supermarket.
Golden Herb Rolls

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 package quick-rising yeast
2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups. Combine milk, butter and
water in small saucepan; heat until butter is melted. If necessary, cool to 120 F. to 130
F. Combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, savory, salt, thyme and dill in large mixer bowl.
Add milk mixture and pumpkin; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 eggs and remaining flour.
Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 10 minutes or until doubled. Spoon into
prepared muffin cups, filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for
30 to 40 minutes or until doubled. Beat remaining egg and brush on top of rolls; sprinkle
with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until rolls are golden and sound hollow
when tapped. Remove from pans; serve warm or cool on wire rack.

Morning Glory Muffins

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup raisins
4 large grated carrots (2 cups)
1 apple, shredded
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift together the sugars, flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the
fruit, carrots, nuts, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil, and
vanilla. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to blend well.
Spoon mixture into cupcake tins lined with muffin papers. Fill to brim of each cup. Bake
in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Toothpick inserted into the middle of
muffin will come out clean when muffins are done. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes
then turn out on rack to cool. Yield is 16 muffins. Muffins improve even more after 24
hours. Freezes well.

Pumpkin Muffins

3/4 cup natural bran

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup mashed or canned cooked pumpkin
2 eggs (unbeaten)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

In bowl, combine bran, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and
raisins; toss to mix. Add pumpkin, eggs, oil and yogurt; stir just combined.

Spoon batter into paper-lined or nonstick muffin tins. Bake in 400 degree F oven for 25
minutes or until firm to the touch. Makes 12 muffins.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

2 cups flour
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
 3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup chopped dates (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease twelve muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir together
first 9 ingredients. In another bowl, stir together pumpkin, butter, buttermilk, eggs,
molasses and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add
pumpkin mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in pecans and dates.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester
inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes
before removing muffins from cups; finish cooling on rack.

Rye Bread

1 packet yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 quart warm water
3 cups rye flour
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon melted shortening
9 cups all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in the 1/4 cup of warm water, set aside and let stand until frothy.
Pour the quart of water in a large bowl, and add the rye flour, salt, caraway seeds,
shortening, and yeast mixture. Mix well. Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, until
bubbles start to form on dough's surface. Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour, until the
mixture has become a firm dough. Knead on floured board for about 10 minutes. Place in
a greased bowl and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Knead
again for 10 minutes. Form into 2 loaves and put in greased and floured loaf pans or on
cookie sheets for a more natural look. Let them rise again until doubled in bulk, and then
bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees.

Hallowed Stuffed Mushrooms

2- 6oz cans of broiled mushroom crowns

1 tbs. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup smoked cheese spread
1 tbs. catsup
1/4 cup finely chopped turnip*
 1 tsp. minced garlic
Fine soft bread crumbs

Drain the cans of broiled mushroom crowns. Hollow out and chop up enough of the
pieces to make 3 tbs. In a sauce pan, combine the mushroom pieces, onion, turnip, and
garlic. Add the vegetable oil and cook slowly over a low heat. Stir in the cheese spread
and catsup. Stuff the slightly cooled mixture into the mushroom crowns and place on a
greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle tops with the fine soft bread crumbs. Bake at 425 degrees
for 6-8minutes.

Legendary Oven Hash

1 cup coarsely ground beef

1 cup coarsely ground potatoes
1/4 cup coarsely ground onion
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6oz can evaporated milk
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tbs. butter/margarine melted

In frying pan, combine and cook beef, potatoes, onion, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce,
and evaporated milk. Remove from heat and turn out into a 1 qt casserole dish. Mix bread
crumbs with melted butter/margarine and sprinkle on top. Bake in oven at 350 degrees
for 30 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.

Remembrance Cookies

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine (softened)
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 1/2 T. chopped rosemary
Heat oven 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract,
and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cream of
tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat until dough forms and refrigerate for
three hours. Divide dough into halves. Roll out one portion to 3/16 of an inch on a
floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women or men cutters and place on an
ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with second portion. Bake for 5-7
minutes.

Colcannon

Potatoes, harvested from August to October, were a part of the feast in Ireland where they
were made into a Samhain dish known as colcannon. Colcannon is a mashed potato,
cabbage, and onion dish still served in Ireland on All Saint's Day. It was an old Irish
tradition to hide in it a ring for a bride, a button for a bachelor, an thimble for a spinster,
and a coin for wealth, or any other item which local custom decreed in keeping with idea
of the New Year as a time for divination.

4 cups mashed potatoes

2 1/2 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 very find and sautd
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Saut onions (traditionalists saut in lard or grease, but butter is acceptable.). 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.

Barmbrack
The Traditional Bread of Halloween and Samhain
Barmbrack is a traditional Celtic bread served during Samhain with tea, and is the center
of a divinatory ritual for the coming year. To make a traditional Barmbrack, trinkets and
charms are always added into the mixture. Naturally, your own charms and meanings can
and should be utilized as a part of your Samhain traditions. Each charm should be
wrapped carefully in parchment or wax paper and placed equally through the bread
before its final rise. Remember, when choosing to add charms to your Barmbrack, be
certain to warn your guests before consuming!

1cup of Orange Spice tea, prepared

4 cups white flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter
1 package of yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
1 1/4 cups luke-warm milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried fruit

The evening before, soak the raisins and dried fruit in the brown sugar and tea. Drain
before using.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Sift flour, spices and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter.
2. Add the yeast to the teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of the warm milk.
3. Pour the rest of the warm milk and the egg into the yeast mixture and combine with the
dry ingredients and the sugar. Beat well and knead until the batter is stiff but elastic.
4. Fold in the prepared fruit. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place
until the dough has doubled. Knead again for another 2 or 3 minutes and divide between
two greased 1 1b loaf pans.
5. Wrap the charms in greaseproof paper and then hide them in the dough. Be sure they
are well distributed. Cover again and let rise until the dough comes up to the top of the
pan (30 minutes to an hour).
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, until the top is nicely browned and the bread
sounds hollow when thumped.
Keeps about one week in a sealed container, but do note: Stale Barmbrack is still
delicious when toasted and buttered!

Ichabod Crane's Baked Pumpkin Mousse

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar
4 eggs, seperated
5 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 6-cup ovenproof bowl.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cups sugar. Beat in the yolks, one at a
time. Stir in the cornmeal, pumpkin, and spices, then the cream.
Beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Add the salt. Continue to beat until soft peaks
form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a teaspoon at a time, and continue
beating until the whies are stiff and glossy but not dry. Fold the whites into the pumpkin
mixture and pour the mixture into the buttered bowl.
Set the bowl in a larger pan filled with 1 inch of hot water and bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2
hours, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm from the bowl,
or let it settle on a cooling rack for 30 minutes and then invert the mousse onto a plate.
Make a jack-o'-lantern face with currants and serve with unsweetened whipped cream.
Serves 8.

Autumn Stew

1 lb meat
1 onion, cubed
3 carrots, cut and sliced
4-5 stalks celery, roughly chopped
few sprigs of thyme, 3-4 sage leaves
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
32oz container of some type of stock
1 1/2 cups apple cider (or hard cider)
3 apples cubed
roughly 1/8 cup flour
1/2 cup or so dried cranberries
salt & pepper

Cut the meat in cubes and cover the cubes with flour. Pour some olive oil into a pan and
cook the meat. Add the celery,onion and carrots. Also, add about 2-3 bay leafs. Season
with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. After everything starts to get tender,
you can add the apples, cranberries and herbs. Let it cook for another few minutes, then
put in the cider or wine and the stock. Let it cook for about 5 to 8 minutes and serve.

Witches Brew

1 Gallon Apple Cider

1 Apple
1 Orange
3 Cinnamon Sticks
3 Slices Ginger
1 Handful Dried Rose Petals
1 TBS Spice (your choice)

Slice the apple and orange. Place all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer for two hours and
serve.
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients for the pie crust

220 g flour
1 teaspoon salt
110 ml oil
60 ml milk

Mix in the flour and salt. In a separate bowl mix the oil and milk. Add in the flour/salt
mix and blend well, For the crust to turn out well, make sure the ingredients are cold and
that you dont handle the dough with your hands a lot. You can also refrigirate the dough
until the filling is ready.

Ingredients for the filling

1 large cup of pumpkin puree

2 eggs
230 ml milk
150 g sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2-3 cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs well, then add the pumpkin, the sugar mixed separately with all the spices
and the milk. Dont worry if the mixture is loose, it will come together in the oven. Put
the filling in the pie crust and bake for about 30 minutes at 180C, You can use a tooth
pick to check if its ready. Enjoy!
 Samhain Incense and Oil recipes

Incense #1

2 parts Cinnamon
1 part ground cloves
1 part Dragon's Blood resin
1 part Hyssop
1 part Patchouli
2 parts Rosemary
1 part Sage
A dash of sea salt

Incense #2

Dried Mullein Leaf

Dried Patchouli Leaf
Powdered Sandalwood
Dried White Sage

Incense #3

tsp Frankincense
tsp Myrrh
tsp Bay
tsp Vervain
tsp Wormwood
tsp Patchouli
tsp Cinnamon
tsp Sandalwood

Incense #4

Copal resin (whole or powdered), for honoring the Ancestors and dearly departed
Cinnamon (ground), for spirituality and psychic awareness
Marigold (calendula) flowers, for honoring the Ancestors and dearly departed
Sage, for purification and releasing
Rosemary, for remembrance
Patchouli, for grounding and Earth
Oil #1

Carrier Oil
Sage Essential Oil
Patchouli Essential Oil
Sweet (or Regular) Orange Oil
1 Citrine Stone

Oil #2

3 drops cedarwood
3 drops clove
3 drops frankincense
3 drops patchouli
3 drops rosemary

Oil #3

3 drops Rosemary
3 drops Pine
3 drops Bay
3 drops Apple
2 drops Patchouli