Witchin’ in the Kitchen at the Bubbling Cauldron

1 cup chopped hazelnuts, roasted
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. brie cheese, rind trimmed, at room temperature
1 tart apple, grated

Blend well the cream cheese with the brie cheese. Add the hazelnuts and apple; blend. Spread on melba toast or crackers.

Chef: Kathleen Morrison

5 ounces hazelnuts
2 ounces sesame seeds
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped sage
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
4 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the sesame seeds and hazelnuts on separate baking trays. Lightly toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. When the nuts are cool, rub off the skins. Grind the nuts and seeds together until they resemble fine crumbs. Or, if you prefer a coarse pate, grind half the seeds and nuts finely and half coarsely. Beat the cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, sage and oil together in a bowl. Add the nuts and seed mixture, combining well. Add the milk to give a moist consistency. The mixture needs to be fairly wet as the nuts will absorb some liquid.
Serve chilled in ramekins or on small individual salads with toast.

1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 12 ounce package frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry.
Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.

This is the main course for our Samhuinn feast tonight

Loin of Pork with Hazelnuts, Parmesan and Rosemary

1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 to 1 1/2 pound piece boneless pork loin, about 3 inches thick
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried leaves
1 teaspoon dried ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except pork loin. Set aside. Remove any visible fat from pork. Butterfly by slitting lengthwise down the center of the loin, cutting to within 1/2 inch of the bottom. From the center cut, slice sides in half, horizontally, to within 1/2 inch of the edges; lay flat. Spread 1/2 of the mixture on flattened meat. Fold sides over filling and place, cut side down, on ungreased shallow baking sheet. Pat the remaining mixture evenly over the tops and sides of the meat. Bake on center rack of a preheated, 425F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue cooking until crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 160F, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest ten minutes before slicing.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 egg, beaten or equivalent of egg substitute
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon grated orange rind, optional
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup currants
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and spices. In another bowl, beat the eggs together with the oil, syrup, applesauce and optional orange rind. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. Stir in the dates, currants and hazelnuts. Pour into an oiled 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean. Cool on a rack, then cover tightly with foil to store or share. Makes 1 loaf; recipe doubles easily for 2 loaves.

( spice cakes from Harry Potter)

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix eggs, sugar, butter,cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla in large mixing bowl on whip for 2 min.
3. Mix other solid ingredients and milk in gradually in the large mixing bowl.
4. Put batter in muffin tins (DO NOT FILL TO HIGH THESE CAKES SHOULD BE SEMI-FLAT) Bake 25 minutes.
5. Decorate with sprinkles and frosting if desired.
6. These cakes go well with honey.

21 small cakes

SOURCE: unknown

1 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine, softened
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup real maple syrup
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced thin (If possible, use
Granny
Smith or Golden Delicious apples, or any other good baking apples)
Whipped cream (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together butter or margarine, sugar and egg
with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to
beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until
smooth. -In
a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup just to a boil; pour into a
greased
square 8″ x 8″ x 2″ in depth baking pan.
Carefully top with a single layer of apple slices.
Pour batter evenly over top of apple slices.
Bake in a 400 degree F (200 degree C) oven for 25-30 minutes or until a
wooden toothpick inserted into cake portion comes out clean.
Immediately invert onto serving platter.
Cool slightly.
Serve warm, topped with whipped cream if desired.
Store any leftover cake in refrigerator, covered with aluminum foil or
plastic wrap. Makes 9 servings.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
generous pinch of nutmeg
3 ounces (three squares or 1/4 cup chips) dark or unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter (if salted, reduce salt to 3/4 teaspoon), room temp
1 cup hot water
1 cup packed brown sugar (use light brown sugar if using dark molasses)
1 cup molasses (use light molasses if using dark brown sugar)
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 f.
2. Prepare a 9 X 13 inch baking pan by greasing with shortening and dusting with flour, shaking out excess.
3. Mix dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg).
4. Melt chocolate over double boiler or very carefully in a low microwave.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the butter together with the molasses and brown sugar, then carefully mix in the hot water. Mix well, although the texture may look a bit odd.
6. Add the eggs quickly so as not to “cook” them, and mix well.
7. Stir in all the melted chocolate, then gently mix in the flour, sugar, and spice mixture. Do not overmix.
8. Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake 45-50 minutes or until gingerbread is springy when touched.
9. Cool 10-20 minutes, remove from pad (flip out onto a rack) to cool completely if you like.
10. Serve with your favorite gingerbread accompaniment!!

Note: Another way to handle the “remove from pan” dilemma is to use buttered parchment paper inside the already prepared pan, and then after the gingerbread has been “flipped,” it is easier to get the pan off the cake without too much damage, as long as you are very careful when peeling off the parchment paper.

from www.chocoholic.com

Enough for 5 small aluminum cake pans.

6 eggs
3 cups white sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups oil
9 tbsp. orange or apple juice
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2c. medium apples - pared and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
icing sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare apples and set aside.

In a large bowl, using a whisk, beat together the liquid ingredients.
In another bowl, blend dry ingredients and then add and mix well into
wet mixture. Fold in 1/4 of the apples. To the remaining apples, add
the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spoon some batter into the bottom of
each non-greased aluminum pan (half the batter goes on the cake
bottom, the rest is for the top).

Arrange sliced apples on top of batter in each pan. Top with
additional spoonfuls of batter. Spread as evenly as possible, using
the back of a wet spoon. It doesn’t matter if this part is uneven -
batter spreads during baking.

Bake until done - 45-55 minutes. Test with a knife or cake tester.
When properly cooled, top with icing sugar and cinnamon.

Another Samhuinn tradition in Ireland, the potato pancake

1 cup raw potato
1 cup mashed potato
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
large knob of butter, melted
about 1/2 cup milk

Grate the raw potatoes into a bowl. Turn out onto a cloth and wring, catching the liquid. This will separate into a clear fluid with starch at the bottom. Pour off the fluid and scrape out the starch and mix with the grated and mashed potatoes. Sieve the dry ingredients and mix in along with the melted butter. Add a little milk if necessary to make a pliable dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Divide into four and form large, flat cakes. Mark each into quarters but do not cut right through, and bake on a griddle or in a heavy pan.

If liked, more milk and an egg can be added to make a batter which can be fried in bacon fat like drop scones.

SOURCE: A Little Irish Cookbook.

Bairín Breac or Barm Brack is served in Ireland on Oíche Shamhna or Hallowe’en which is celebrated the eve of the Celtic New Year holiday Samhain. It is custom to bake this fruitcake with a Ring-marriage or continued romance in your marriage, a Coin-a prosperous year, a Piece of Wood-travel, a bit of Cloth-poverty (all are wrapped separately in a bit of parchment paper and added before baking). Some include a thimble (spinsterhood) and a button (bachelorhood) as well.

1/2c. lukewarm milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh yeast
2c. flour
1 tsp. mixed spice
pinch salt
1 egg
3 TB butter
2c. mixed fruits (currants, raisins, sultanas, candied peel)
2TB superfine sugar

In a small bowl, add sugar and yeast to milk and let sit 5 mins. or foamy. In a large bowl, sift in flour, superfine sugar and spice and rub in butter until crumbly and coarse. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture and the egg into the centre. Beat with a spoon for about 10 min until a good dough forms. Work the fruits and salt in by hand and kneaded well. Put into a warm, greased bowl covered well and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
Knead lightly and place into a lightly greased cake tin, cover lightly and allow a second rise of 30 minutes. Bake near the top of a 400* oven for 45 minutes. When done a glaze can be made from 2tsp of sugar dissolved into 3TB of boiling water which is then drizzled over the brack.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl cream together, butter, sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg: set aside.
Combine applesauce, molasses. Add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce mixture to egg mixture. Fold in raisins, nuts.
Pour into a greased 9 1/2 x 5/1/4 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 F. for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan and continue cooling on a wire rack.

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts
Six 1 1/2-ounce milk chocolate candy bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using electric mixer, beat butter in a medium mixing bowl 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and salt and beat until well blended. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add flour and beat just until blended. Stir in half of the hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts.

Spread batter in a buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Immediately place candy bars on top of the hot crust. Let stand until chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly over crust. Sprinkle remaining nuts over chocolate. Cool in pan on a rack. Cut into bars.

SOURCE: (and more recipes to be found) Pagan Hearth Recipes

2 cups Pumpkin Puree- canned or fresh
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Ginger
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Package Cream Cheese, softened

Place pumpkin puree and cream cheese into a large bowl and mix together.
Add all other ingredients.
Mix ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.
Serve with Crackers, gingerbread, celery, carrots, etc.

Tips: For a lighter dip, substitute sour cream for cream cheese.

1 1/2 cups softened butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon each ground ginger and clove
1 teaspoon salt
Additional sugar

PUMPKIN DIP:
8-ounce package softened cream cheese
18-ounce pumpkin pie mix
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill overnight. Shape into 1/2 inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

For dip, beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin pie mix; beat well. Add sugar, cinnamon and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with cookies. Store leftover dip in the refrigerator.

Yield: about 20 dozen (3 cups dip).