The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Zuni Cafe's Caesar Salad
18:37 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 379




Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

2 salt-packed anchovies -- filleted, rinsed,

dried, and chopped

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic - (generous)

1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar - (scant)

1 pinch sea salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil -- plus

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 pound chewy rustic French or Italian bread -- cut into 3/4" cubes

Juice of 1 lemon - (abt 2 tbspns) -- or to taste

2 ounces freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

cheese

2 eggs -- well beaten

2 romaine lettuce hearts -- cored, leaves left

whole, chilled

Combine half of the anchovies and garlic in a bowl. Add all of the

vinegar, salt, pepper to taste, and the 1/3 cup olive oil. Let stand

for

20 minutes.

Cooking Directions:

Toss the bread cubes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a cookie sheet and toast in a 300 degree oven until golden, about 10 minutes. At serving time, add the remaining anchovies and garlic, the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the cheese to the dressing base. Whisk in the eggs to form an emulsion. Thoroughly toss the lettuce leaves with the dressing, being careful not to bruise them. Taste for salt and add, if necessary. Divide the salad among chilled serving plates. Add the croutons, dust with more freshly-ground pepper and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.



This recipe yields 4 servings.



PER SERVING: 385 calories; 13 g protein; 17 g carbohydrate; 30 g fat (7 g saturated); 119 mg cholesterol; 538 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.

Comments: Caesar is one of the trickiest salads. The dressing is a balancing act, and despite anchovies and grated cheese, a little salt usually is needed to unite the flavors. This is a first-rate rendition of this salad, which was created in a restaurant in Tijuana and passionately adopted by San Franciscans.

Tony Roma's Onion Rings
18:36 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 380




Ingredients:

6 white onions

1 cup milk

3 eggs -- beaten

Salt -- to taste

2 cups pancake mix



Cooking Directions:

Slice the onions crosswise and separate into rings. Combine milk, eggs, and salt to taste in mixing bowl. Soak the onions in the mixture about 30 minutes. Place pancake mix in a shallow bowl. Heat oil for frying in skillet to 375 degrees. Remove the onion rings from milk mixture, dip in pancake mix and place in hot oil. Fry rings until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Pack fried onion rings solidly, but loosely, without pressing, into an 8-by 4-inch loaf pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn out onto serving plate.

Hidden Valley's Ranch-Style Dressing Mix Recipe
18:35 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 381

Ingredients:

DRESSING MIX

15 saltines

2 cups dried minced parsley flakes

1/2 cup dried minced onion

2 tablespoons dried dill weed

1/4 cup onion salt

1/4 cup garlic salt

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup garlic powder

SALAD DRESSING

1 tablespoon Dressing Mix -- from the above

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk



Cooking Directions:

Put crackers through blender on high speed until powdered.

Add parsley, minced onions, and dill weed.

Blend again until powdered.

Dump into bowl.

Stir in onion salt, garlic salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Put into container with tight-fitting lid.

Store dry mix at room temperature for 1 year.

Makes 42 one-tablespoon servings.

To use mix -- Combine mix, mayonnaise, and buttermilk.



Makes 1 pint of dressing

Dairy Queen's Onion Rings Recipe
18:34 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 382

Ingredients:

2 Vidalia onions

2 cups flour

2 cups fine cracker crumbs

2 cups white corn meal

2 cups buttermilk

1 cups water

4 cups Crisco oil -- (or enough for your personal fryer)

Cooking Directions:

Slice onions 1/2-inch thick

Do not use the very small rings, save those for chopped onions.

Add buttermilk and water in a large bowl.

Coat rings one at a time with buttermilk

Add flour to bowl

Now gently dip the same ring into buttermilk again, and then coat with corn meal.

Fry in hot oil until golden

Drain using paper towels.

Cajun Cafe's Bourbon Chicken Recipe
18:33 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 383

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds thigh meat or dark meat -- cut bite size chunks

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoons ginger powder

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup white grape juice

1/2 cup bourbon

1/4 cup water



Cooking Directions:

Mix teriyaki sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, ginger, brown sugar, 1/2 cup white grape juice and bourbon.

Stir until thoroughly blended.

Pour 1/3 sauce on chicken pieces and mix.

Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Refrigerate leftover sauce.

Braise chicken with marinade on medium-low heat until cooked.

Remove from frying pan.

In a 2-quart sauce pan heat remainder of bourbon sauce and add 1/2 cup of white grape juice and 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1/4 cup water.

Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is disolved.

Add chicken to sauce and stir until chicken is coated and ready to serve.

Big Boy's Chicken Gravy Recipe
18:32 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 384

Ingredients:

28 ounces chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

2/3 cup Bisquick



Cooking Directions:

In blender, combine broth, onion powder, bouillon powder and Bisquick.

Blend at high speed, about 1/2 minute or until smooth.

Pour into saucepan and stir constantly over medium-high heat for 4 or 5 minutes until it comes to a boil, is smooth and has thickened a bit.

Serve immediately.

You can store this in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Starbucks' Caramel Scones
18:31 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 385




Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 pinch nutmeg or cloves - (modest)

3/4 cup milk or cream - (to 1 cup)

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1/2 teaspoon butterscotch extract -- (optional)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup grated walnuts -- (optional)

=== TOPPING ===

1/3 cup butterscotch chips - finely chopped

1 egg white -- whisked

Confectioners' sugar -- (optional)



Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line top sheet of doubled up baking sheets with parchment paper or line 8 tuna tins with muffin liners and spray inner sides with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, place the flour and butter and pulse to break up butter.

Add sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg or cloves and pulse to combine.

Turn out dough into a large bowl.

Make a well in the center and stir in cream, vanilla, butterscotch extract and egg.

Stir to make a soft dough.

Fold in butterscotch chips.

Scoop onto baking sheet or into prepared tins.

Brush tops with egg white and add ground butterscotch chips.

Bake until browned -- 16 to 18 minutes.

Dust with confectioner's sugar when cool.

Comments: Make these scones free form with a large ice-cream scoop or in tuna cans. Clean the cans thoroughly of course.

Starbucks' Chocolate Meringue Drops
18:31 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 386




Ingredients:



1/3 cup egg whites

= (or 1/3 cup Eggology liquid egg whites)

1/2 cup white sugar

6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips - (3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup chopped walnuts - (generous)



Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place rack in lower third of oven.

Cover two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small metal bowl, beat egg whites, adding sugar slowly, until the whites are stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, carefully stir in melted chocolate, vanilla, almond extract and chopped nuts into egg whites.

Drop spoonfuls of batter -- about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons -- onto the parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are completely dry. Do not overbake. Cool completely in pan before removing with a spatula.

This recipe yields 12 to 18 cookies.

Starbucks' Date Scones
18:30 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 387




Serving Size: 12



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup bran

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter -- chilled

1 egg

2/3 cup 1% buttermilk

2/3 cup dates



Cooking Directions:

Combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, bran, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar. Cut in the butter.

Add the egg, buttermilk and dates; do not over mix. (If the dough seems too sticky to work with, add a couple more tablespoons flour.)

Shape the dough into a rectangle about 2 inches thick on a floured surface.

Cut into 12 triangles.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven about 25 minutes.

Cool on a rack.

This recipe yields 12 scones.

Zov's Armenian Rice Pudding Recipe
18:29 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 388








Ingredients:

2 cups short-grain rice, such as

Cal Rose or Arborio rice

4 cups water

9 1/2 cups milk

3 cups cream

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 vanilla beans -- cut in half

lengthwise and seeds scraped from pod (use both pod and seeds)

Fresh berries such as blueberries,

blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, for garnish - (optional)

3/4 cup shelled pistachios -- for garnish, (optional)



Cooking Directions:

In a large pot, soak rice in water for 1/2 hour.

Simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed.

Allow rice to sit off heat until the consistency of thick paste.

Add milk, cream, sugar and vanilla; stir to combine.

Cook on medium heat until the consistency of creme anglaise (medium-thick custard sauce).

Cover with plastic wrap while still warm to prevent a skin from forming on top.

Refrigerate overnight.

Presentation: Zov likes to serve this pudding in a large glass bowl garnished with fresh berries and pistachios.



This recipe yields 12 servings.

Zov's Olive Salad With Tahini Recipe...
18:28 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 389






Ingredients

Salad

4 cups halved and pitted green olives

2 halved, seeded, and chopped large tomatoes

1 cup coarsely-chopped toasted walnuts

1 bunch chopped cilantro

1 bunch chopped parsley

1 bunch chopped green onions

4 minced garlic cloves

1 finely minced jalapeo

1 juiced lemon



Tahini Dressing

1 cup tahini

1/2 coarsely chopped bunch parsley

1 chopped garlic clove

1/2 cup lemon juice

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste



Cooking Directions

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

To make the dressing: Combine the tahini, parsley and garlic in a food processor

Process until the parsley is almost pureed.

With the motor running, add the lemon juice and enough water ( 1/2 cup or more) to

bring the mixture to the consistency of creamy salad dressing.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the tahini dressing to the salad (you may not need all of it).

Toss well.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve as an appetizer with pita bread.

The salad is best right after it's dressed, although you may assemble the salad components and the dressing ahead of time.



You can halve this recipe.



This recipe makes about 7 cups.

T.G.I. Friday's Jack Daniel's Marinade And Dipping Sauce
18:26 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 390




Ingredients:

1/3 cup diced red onions

1/2 teaspoon finely-diced garlic

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup white grape juice

1/2 cup Jack Daniel's black label bourbon

1/2 teaspoon Tobasco sauce



Cooking Directions:

Place ingredients in sauce pan in order listed. Mix and stir after each ingredient.

Place on medium heat and stir until mixture reaches boiling stage.

Turn temperature down to low until mixture is on a slow simmer.

Cook sauce for 35 to 45 minutes and remove from heat.

Mixture will have reduced in volume about a 1/4 to 1/3.

Sauce is great with chicken fingers or crispy deep-fried chicken breast strips.

Cajun Cafe's Bourbon Chicken Recipe
18:25 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 391

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds thigh meat or dark meat -- cut bite size chunks

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoons ginger powder

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup white grape juice

1/2 cup bourbon

1/4 cup water



Cooking Directions:

Mix teriyaki sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, ginger, brown sugar, 1/2 cup white grape juice and bourbon.

Stir until thoroughly blended.

Pour 1/3 sauce on chicken pieces and mix.

Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Refrigerate leftover sauce.

Braise chicken with marinade on medium-low heat until cooked.

Remove from frying pan.

In a 2-quart sauce pan heat remainder of bourbon sauce and add 1/2 cup of white grape juice and 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1/4 cup water.

Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is disolved.

Add chicken to sauce and stir until chicken is coated and ready to serve.

Olive Garden's Fried Mozzarella
18:24 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 392




Ingredients

16 oz Package of Mozzarella Cheese

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Water

1 1/2 of Cups Italian Bread Crumbs

1/2 tsp. of Garlic Salt

1 tsp. of Italian Seasonings

2/3 of Cup Flour

1/3 of Cup Corn Starch



Directions

Slice cheese into thick strips then cut crossways into triangles.

Beat the eggs with water and set aside.

Mix the bread crumbs, garlic salt, and Italian seasonings and set aside.

Blend the flour with corn starch and set aside.

Heat your vegetable oil for deep frying to 360 degrees.

Dip cheese in flour, then in the egg wash and finally coat with bread crumbs

Place carefully in hot oil and fry until golden, this takes just a few seconds so watch carefully. When golden remove from hot oil and drain.

Serve with your favorite Italian Spaghetti Sauce and enjoy.

Hooter's Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
18:22 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 393

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil -- for frying

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 dash ground pepper

1 dash garlic powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 chicken wing pieces



Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks



Cooking Directions:

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

You want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely -- an inch or so deep at least.

Combine the butter, hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat.

Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well-blended.

Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne powder, and salt in a small bowl.

If the wings are frozen, be sure to defrost and dry them.

Put the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly.

Put the wings in the refrigerator 60 to 90 minutes.

This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.

Put all the wings in the hot oil and fry 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown.

Remove from the oil to a paper towel to drain.

Don't let them sit too long, because you want to serve them hot.

Quickly put the wings in a large bowl.

Add the hot sauce and stir, coating all of the wings evenly.

Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Steak & Ale's Marinades Recipe
18:21 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 394

Ingredients:

FOR BEEF AND STEAKS

1/2 cup ketchup

2/3 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup red wine or purple grape juice

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

FOR CHICKEN OR PORK

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup white wine or white grape juice

Cooking Directions:

Mix ingredients for each marinade.

Use mixture to marinate steaks, chicken or pork for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Legal Sea Foods' Clam Chowder Recipe
18:20 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 395




Ingredients:

4 quarts littleneck clams (about 1 2/3 cups cooked and chopped)

1 garlic clove -- chopped

1 cup water

2 ounces salt pork -- finely chopped

2 cups chopped onions

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups fish stock

1 1/2 pounds potatoes -- peeled, and

diced into 1/2" cubes

2 cups light cream

Oyster crackers -- (optional)

Cooking Directions:

Clean the clams and place them in a large pot along with the garlic and water.

Steam the clams just until opened, about 6 to 10 minutes, depending upon their size.

Drain and shell the clams, reserving the broth.

Mince the clam flesh, and set aside.

Filter the clam broth either through coffee filters or cheesecloth and set aside.

In a large, heavy pot slowly render the salt pork.

Remove the cracklings and set them aside.

Slowly cook the onions in the fat for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until cooked through but not browned.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

Add the reserved clam broth and the fish stock, and whisk to remove any flour lumps.

Bring the liquid to a boil, add the potatoes, lower the heat, and simmer until

the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the reserved clams, salt-pork cracklings and light cream.

Heat the chowder until it is the temperature you like.

Serve in large soup bowls with oyster crackers on the side.

Olive Garden's Tiramisu Dessert...
18:19 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 396




Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

1 sponge cake - (10" to 12" dia, abt 3" tall)

3 ounces strong black coffee or instant espresso

3 ounces brandy or rum

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese or mascarpone -- room temperature

1 1/2 cups superfine or powdered sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder



Cooking Directions:

Cut across middle of sponge cake forming two layers, each about 1 1/2 inches high. Blend coffee and brandy. Sprinkle enough of mixture over bottom half of cake to flavor it strongly. Don't moisten cake too much or it may collapse on serving.

Beat room-temperature cheese and 1 cup sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and cheese is light and spreadable. Test for sweetness during beating, adding more sugar if needed.

Spread cut surface of bottom layer with half of the cheese mixture. Replace second layer and top this with remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle top liberally with sifted cocoa. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Copycat Outback Steakhouse Marinade
18:16 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 397

This marinade starts with a good quality ale and adds some seasonings for a delicious steak just like you get at popular restaurants





ingredients

1 cup good quality ale

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper



directions

Marinate steak in the ale in a zip-top bag or plastic container for one hour in the refrigerator. Do not marinate overnight.



Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well blended.



Remove the steak from the marinade and rub the brown sugar mixture on both sides. Place on waxed paper and return to refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.



To Cook: Heat a cast iron skillet, grill pan, or outdoor grill to medium high heat (greasing as needed).



Cook steak to desired doneness.

Applebee's Bourbon Street Steak
18:13 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 398

TOTAL TIME

25mins

PREP 5 MINS

COOK 20 MINS



This is Applebee's famous Bourbon Street Steak.

INGREDIENTS Nutrition



SERVINGS 2 UNITS US

2 beef tenderloin steaks, 11/2 inch thick

2 tablespoons Bourbon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

salt



DIRECTIONS



Combine bourbon, brown sugar, salt, and pepper over steaks.

Preheat grill.

Place steaks on grill and cook for 13 minutes for rare, 17 for medium or 20 for well done, turning once during cooking.

Outback Steakhouse Coconut Shrimp
18:12 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 399

ingredients

1 1/2 pound large raw shrimp



Batter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon white pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup ice water

oil, for deep frying

2 cups short shredded coconut



Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup Grey Poupon country mustard

1/4 cup honey

4 drops Tabasco sauce



directions

Peel, devein and wash shrimp. Dry well on paper towels. Set aside.



In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients for batter. Add 2 Tbsp oil and ice water. Stir to blend.



To fry: heat oil to 350 degrees F in deep fryer or electric skillet. Spread coconut on a flat pan a little at a time, adding more as needed. Dip shrimp in batter, then roll in coconut. Fry in hot oil until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Bake at 300 degrees for 5 minutes to finish cooking of the shrimp.



Serve with sweet and sour sauce or the following sauce: Combine marmalade, Grey Poupon mustard, honey and Tabasco sauce to taste.

Bennigan's Honey Mustard Dressing
18:10 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 400

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice



In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Blend thoroughly using a wire whisk. Slowly pour in the honey and lemon juice. Continue mixing ingredients until dressing is smooth and well combined.



Servings: 2

APPLEBEE'S ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD SUBMITTED BY BILLGRACE
18:09 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 401




YIELD4-6 Servings

INGREDIENTS



Oriental Dressing x3 For Leftovers

3 tablespoons honey (1/2 Cup Honey)

1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/4 Cup Vinegar)

1/4 cup mayonnaise (3/4 Cup Mayo)

1 tsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard (1 tbsp Mustard)

Salad

2 to 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 skinless chicken breast fillet

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup chopped red cabbage

1 cup chopped Napa cabbage

1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded

1 green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds

1/3 cup crispy chow mein noodles

PREPARATION



1. Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Put dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad. 2. Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat. You want the temperature of the oil to be around 350 degrees F. 3. In a small, shallow bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well. 4. In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper. 5. Cut chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each strip of chicken first into egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely. 6. Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until coating has darkened to brown. 7. Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots. 8. Sprinkle green onion on top of the lettuce. 9. Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light brown. 10. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the salad, then add the chow mein noodles.

Coke and 8 More of the World's Most Closely Guarded Recipes
18:03 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 402




If you want these exact recipes, you’ll have to break into a vault first





What's really in a Twinkie? The world may never know.

When a new food product is invented, the creator obviously has good reason to keep the recipe close to his or her chest. But in certain cases, the “secret recipe” for a food or drink product takes on a life of its own, and adds to the overall lore and appeal of the product itself.





Secret recipes are nothing new. Back in the old days, before the government required food and drink manufacturers to list ingredients on the label, legitimate companies as well as snake oil salesmen made good money selling products they claimed could cure everything from arthritis to stomachaches, all based on a “secret recipe.” These tonics usually did more harm than good, thanks to the fact that active ingredients ranged from nothing at all to morphine and cocaine. Once the labeling laws were passed, many of these tonics disappeared entirely, but some wiggle room remained.





It was still possible to maintain a somewhat secret formula, and Coca-Cola certainly capitalized on that. By being allowed to list only “natural flavors” as a catch-all for certain groups of ingredients, they were able to keep the world guessing as to what exactly went into the magic elixir.



Today, it’s harder than ever to keep a formula secret. Chemists and food scientists are able to break down just about any food product and figure out exactly what goes into it, and whole books have been published claiming to reveal the recipes to foods with famous secret formulas. But in reality, until the company itself comes out and releases the exact recipe (as McDonald’s did with its “special sauce”), we’ll never know for sure exactly what goes into these foods and drinks.



Dr Pepper



The recipe for Dr Pepper is cloaked in secrecy; allegedly it’s divided into two parts, each locked in a different Dallas bank so that nobody can possess the whole formula. Nobody knows for sure what the “23 flavors and other ingredients” are in the drink, but the rumor that prune juice is one of them has been debunked.



Krispy Kreme Plain Doughnut



The original recipe to Krispy Kreme’s legendary plain glazed doughnut is kept under lock and key at the company’s headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C., and only a handful of employees have access to it. In fact, they took a rogue New York operator to court back in 2010 when he tweaked the recipe after running out of “key proprietary ingredients.”

Food's Five Biggest Secret Recipes, and How They Are Kept Safe By Elena Ferretti
18:00 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 403

KFC Secret Recipe

Corporate security expert Bo Dietl (l.) watches as Roger Eaton, president of KFC USA, places Colonel Harland Sanders' handwritten Original Recipe into KFC headquarters' newly modernized vault in April, 2009. (AP)

This February, National Public Radio’s “This American Life” program claimed to have uncovered Coca-Cola’s legendary original formula, publishing it online for the world to see. The recipe is one of the most closely-guarded in the food and drink industry, and has been kept secret for one hundred and twenty-five years.



Unfortunately for NPR, the recipe wasn’t the real thing - or so the beverage behemoth says.



NPR isn’t the first to “reveal” Coke’s secret and it won’t be the last. According to a joint-study released by the antivirus software specialist McAfee and technology services provider, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), hackers are shifting away from stealing personal information and towards targeting trade secrets and marketing plans. Intellectual property will be the nourishment that feeds the new underground economy.



With that in mind, here’s how vaults, safes, seeming transparency, and a talking dog make America’s top five secret recipes impervious to cyber attacks.



KFC Fried Chicken



Bucking the paperless trend, Colonel Harlan Sanders’ Original Recipe eleven herbs and spices are inscribed in pencil on a yellowed piece of paper inside a Louisville, Kentucky safe, says KFC spokesman Rick Maynard. The safe lies inside a state-of-the-art vault that is surrounded by motion detectors, cameras and guards. Ninjas, too? Maynard won’t say.



Each supplier produces a different recipe component. A computer at a separate supplier blends the ingredients so no single supplier knows the whole recipe. And even if someone got the recipe, says Maynard, without the right proportions, cooking process time and temperature, “it’ll be fried chicken but it won’t be KFC.”



McDonald’s French Fries



The secret to McDonald’s fries, one of the few foods that please both toddlers and four-star chefs, is that there is no secret. So says Michael Butkus, McDonald’s Senior Director of Strategic Sourcing. It’s about the potato seed (high-starch russets), the farms, farmers, irrigation, handling and processing and the global standardization of that process designed to ensure that its fries everywhere taste the same. McDonald’s restaurants finish them “only with good, old-fashioned salt in a specific grind,” and serve them hot. That’s it, he says.



Not quite. Like KFC, Butkus won’t comment on frying temperature, duration, oil type, or freezing. McDonald’s par-fries their potatoes then freezes them, tossing them frozen into the fryer. Belgians, who invented French Fries, have always fried-twice but they don’t freeze-and-fry. Asked whether freezing is part of the secret, Butkus waxes poetic about potato-growing practices. You do the math.



Pepsi



North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham (b. 1867) is forever linked to Hollywood legend, Joan “No Wire Hangars” Crawford simply by a tonic he invented in 1898. Brad’s Drink was later renamed Pepsi-Cola and Crawford ended up on its board after the death of her husband, Pepsi CEO and Chairman, Alfred Steele. Pharmacists of Bradham’s generation often concocted drinks with purported health benefits to sell at their soda fountains. Drinks began to be bottled in the 1890s.



Queries made by this writer about the recipe’s whereabouts were met with “we don’t talk about that” and “I can’t tell you anything,” by Emily-Post-Meets-The-French-Resistance spokesperson, Andrea Foote. “The best way to keep a secret” she says good-naturedly, “is to keep it to yourself.” PepsiCo says only that they “feel fortunate” to have developed proprietary recipes that consumers love. That’s like saying that people who win hundred-million dollar lotteries “feel fortunate” to have won.



Bush’s Baked Beans



Canning has been Bush Brothers & Company’s forte since 1904. If it could be put in a can - sauerkraut, spaghetti, etc. - they put it in a can. In 1969 the brothers Bush went to toe-to-toe with the big boys of beans, Campbell’s, Heinz and B&M, armed only with a recipe created by the founder’s daughter-in-law, Kathleen.



“Jay Bush knows the recipe,” says spokesman, Mike Morris. “He’s shared it with Duke, but we don’t make Duke unavailable for interviews.” Duke is the family dog who in commercials always threatens to spill the beans. A replica of the recipe book, sans recipe, is on view at their Chestnut Hill, Tennessee visitor’s center, says Morris.



Other than brown sugar and double-cured bacon, their spice blend makes the beans unique and, just like at KFC, no single supplier knows all the components. “We all take our own safeguards,” says Morris. “But I don’t think there a whole lot of international espionage out there to figure out how to make baked beans.”



Coca-Cola



“Revealing” Coke’s secret recipe has become a time-honored tradition occurring every two or three years says company archivist, Phil Mooney. “Someone turns up with ‘the formula’ passed down to him by a contemporary of Pemberton’s.” Pharmacist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola on May 8, 1886, flavoring it with coca leaves and bitter, highly-caffeinated kola nuts. Pre-Coke drinks had fruit- or plant-based (i.e. root beer) profiles. Pemberton sold his formula for $2500 in 1887, dying a year later. In 1886, Pemberton sold nine Cokes a day. Today, the company founded on his recipe today sells 1.7 billion drinks every 24 hours.



The recipe lies in a vault in a downtown Atlanta SunTrust Bank vault and only two executives at a time have access to it. Mooney demurs when asked if anyone’s ever come close to uncovering the formula. Even if they had the ingredients, he says, they wouldn’t know the proportions or process. If ingredients don’t matter, when asked if he’d confirm whether Coke contains neroli, coriander and nutmeg oils, he responds, “It’s really quite amazing, isn’t it?” It’s a non sequitur that ensures that Coke will continue to benefit from the mystique that secrets tend to confer.



One person who claims to have cracked both the Coke and KFC formulas is recipe cloner, Todd Wilbur. He’s published his results in a series of ten best-selling “Top Secret Recipe” books. He says the companies don’t mind what he does: “Just because you make it at home doesn’t mean you’re not going to get it any more. They’re in the convenience business. I’m not.” Wilbur reverse-engineers recipes by isolating ingredients and components. He works backwards from the final product until he achieves taste parity. Try his versions of Coke and KFC Extra Crispy below and judge for yourself.



-----



Recipes taken from Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipes, and Even More Top Secret Recipes courtesy of Plume books.



This Coke recipe, because of the old-fashioned technique of adding the syrup to soda water, creates a clone of Coke as it would taste coming out of a fountain machine, which is usually not as fizzy as the bottled stuff. But if you add some ice to a glass of bottled Coke, and then some to this cloned version, the bubbles will settle down and you’ll discover how close the two are.



Coca-Cola



6 cups granulated sugar



2 cups (one 16-ounce bottle) light corn syrup



8 NoDoz tablets, crushed to powder*



2 tsp citric acid



7 cups boiling water



1 tbs lime juice



1/2 tsp vanilla



1 drop lemon oil



1 drop orange oil



1 drop cinnamon (cassia) oil



Color



1 tbs red food coloring



1 1/2 tsps yellow food coloring



1/2 tsp blue food coloring



44 cups cold soda water



1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, powdered NoDoz and citric acid in a large pitcher or bowl. Add the boiling water, and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the solution is clear. Strain the syrup though a paper towel-lined strainer to remove the NoDoz sediment.



2. Add the lime juice, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil and cassia oil to the syrup and stir.



3. Add the colors to the syrup, then cover it and chill it for several hours until cold.



4. To make the soda, add 1/4 cup of cold syrup to the 1 cup of cold soda water. Stir gently, drop in some ice and serve.



Makes 44 10-oz servings.



Notes:



The NoDoz substitutes for the caffeine originally derived from kola nuts. Each NoDoz table contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, and a 12-ounce serving of Coke has 46 milligrams in it. So if we use 8 NoDoz tablets that have been crushed to powder with a mortar and pestle (or in a bowl using the back of a spoon) we get 44 milligrams of caffeine in a 12-ounce serving or 36 milligrams in each of the 10-ounce servings we make with this recipe.



You’ll probably have more trouble obtaining Coke’s crucial flavoring ingredient: cassia oil. I was hoping to leave such a hard-to-get ingredient out of this recipe, but I found it impossible. The unique flavor of Coke absolutely requires the inclusion of this Vietnamese cinnamon oil (usually sold for aromatherapy), but only a very small amount. You’ll find the cassia oil in a health food store (I used the brand Oshadhi) along with the lemon oil and orange oil.



The yield of this recipe had to be cranked up to 44 10-ounce servings since these oils are so strong—just one drop of each is all you’ll need. Find them in bottles that allow you to measure exactly one drop if you can. If the oils don’t come in such a bottle, buy eyedroppers at a drug store. Before you leave the health food store, don’t forget to get the citric acid.



Because subtle difference in flavor can affect the finished product, be sure to measure your ingredients very carefully. Use the flat top edge of a butter knife to scrape away the excess sugar and citric acid from the top of the measuring cup and teaspoon. And don’t estimate on any of the liquid ingredients.



-----



KFC’s Extra Crispy Chicken



1 whole frying chicken, cut up



6 to 12 cups vegetable shortening



Brine Solution



4 Cups cold water



2 tbs salt



1/2 tsp MSG



Coating



2 cups all-purpose flour



1 tbs popcorn salt



1 tsp MSG (see Tidbits)



1/2 tsp ground black pepper



1/2 tsp paprika



1/2 tsp cayenne pepper



1/2 tsp ground sage



1/2 tsp ground coriander



1/4 tsp ground thyme



1/4 tsp garlic powder



1. Trim any excess skin and fat from the chicken pieces. Preheat the shortening in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Use the amount of shortening recommended by the manufacturer of your fryer.



2. Combine the water, salt and 1/2 tsp MSG for the brine solution in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve salt. Add the chicken to the bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.



3. Combine the dry coating ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.



4. When the chicken has soaked in the brine solution for 20 minutes, coat each piece with the flour mixture and then arrange each piece on a plate or baking sheet. When al the pieces have been coated, drop one at a time back into the water again, then into the flour. This time roll each piece of chicken around with your fingers several times so that the coating builds up. This build-up of coating will make the chicken crispy. Arrange the chicken on the plate again until each piece has been coated. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes so that the coating sticks. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.



5. Drop the chicken, one piece at a time, into the hot shortening. Fry 3 to 4 pieces of the chicken at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, or until each one is golden brown. Be sure to turn the chicken halfway through the cooking time so that each piece cooks evenly.



6. Remove the chicken to a rack to drain for about 5 minutes before eating, then put the chicken into the warm oven while the other pieces are frying.



• Serves 3 to 4 (8 pieces of chicken)



TIDBITS



MSG is monosodium glutamate, the solid form of natural amino acid found in many vegetables. It can be found in stores in the spice sections, and as the brand name Accent flavor enhancer. MSG is an important component of many KFC items.

Smooth Sweet Tea... Southern Refreshments... Quenching!
17:23 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 406

1 pinch baking soda 2 cups boiling water 6 tea bags 3/4 cup white sugar 6 cups cool water Add all ingredients to list





Directions



Prep

5 m

Cook

15 m

Ready In

3 h 20 m

Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.

Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

Frozen Lemonade Pie :Recipe courtesy of Patrick and Gina Neely
17:20 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 407

SHOW:

Down Home with the Neelys

EPISODE:

Expandable Pants (Pat's Three Brothers Drop By For Dinner)



Total Time:

8 hr 18 min

Prep:

10 min

Inactive:

8 hr

Cook:

8 min

Yield:8 servings









Expandable pants are in order when frozen lemonade pie is on the menu.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

7 tablespoons butter, melted

Lemonade Filling:

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled

One 12-ounce container whipped topping, thawed

One 6-fluid-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, unthawed

1 teaspoon candied lemon peel, for garnish



Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, sugar and the melted butter until combined and resembles a wet sand mixture. Pour into a pie plate and press the mixture firmly along the bottom and sides. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

For the filling: In a large bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping. Fold the two together gently until combined, being careful to keep the mixture light and fluffy. Add the lemonade concentrate and continue to gently fold. Be sure to avoid letting the mixture get too liquid-y. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Place in the freezer to chill overnight.

Sprinkle with a little candied lemon peel and serve!

Recipe courtesy of The Neelys



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/frozen-lemonade-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Pink Lemonade Pie
17:18 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 408

"This is a wonderful pie for parties, or just for yourself. It's great on a hot summer day, but you could make it any time of year - so refreshing."



Ingredients







1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (6 ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 (8 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts Add all ingredients to list



Directions



Prep

10 m

Ready In

2 h 10 m

In a large bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk and lemonade concentrate. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into pie crusts. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Deep-Fried Coke Recipe
17:13 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 410

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 cups Coca-Cola

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

vegetable oil for deep frying

powdered sugar

Pure cola syrup

Garnish (optional)



whipped cream

maraschino cherries

Directions



In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add the Coca-Cola and granulated sugar.

Sift 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt and add to the Coca-Cola mixture. Mix while adding more flour, until the batter is smooth and not too thick.

Heat the oil to 375°F in a deep fryer.

Drop 1 1/2-inch dough balls into the fryer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove them with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried Coke balls with powdered sugar while they are still hot, and douse with cola syrup.

Garnish with whipped cream and maraschino cherries, if desired, and serve.

Steak Dry Rub
17:11 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 411

"This dry rub is perfect for grilled steaks and will add amazing flavor to any cut of meat. Extra rub can be stored at room temperature for later use."



3 tablespoons kosher salt 3 tablespoons smoked paprika 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons dried oregano 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cumin



Mix and store in a glass container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.... Enjoy!

Bobby's World Famous Steak Rub from Mesa, Bar Americain and Bf Steak
17:09 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 412

Bobby's World Famous Steak Rub from Mesa, Bar Americain and Bf Steak

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay







Total Time:

15 min

Prep:

15 min

Yield:about 2 cup

Level:Easy

Ingredients

1 cup ancho chili powder

1/3 cup Spanish paprika

3 tablespoons ground dried oregano

3 tablespoons ground coriander

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons chile de arbol, optional



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/bobbys-world-famous-steak-rub-from-mesa-bar-americain-and-bf-steak-recipe.html?oc=linkback

GRILLED GARLICKY STEAK AND CORN ON THE COB October 13, 2010 By Kristi Rimkus
17:05 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 413

Your favorite steak grilled with a spicy mixture of garlic and onion served with sweet corn on the side.



Grilled Garlicky Steak and Corn on the Cob

We grill steaks and corn year around in this house thanks to my favorite indoor grill pan. If you don’t have one, it’s worth saving your pennies for.





Whatever you do, don’t be cheap! Food burns on the cheaper pans very easily, making them difficult to clean up. After I threw away my first pan, I bit the bullet and bought a more expensive brand. It cleans up perfectly, even when barbecue sauce burns on and sticks like glue. It simply wipes clean.



Indoor grilling is a great time saver, not to mention calorie saver. Fat from meats drips down into the wells, so your food isn’t swimming in it, and veggies can be cooked to perfection without oil or butter.





GRILL SEASON ISN’T OVER YET! GARLICKY STEAK AND GRILLED CORN





SAVE



PRINT

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces top sirloin beef steaks, trimmed of fat

4 large corn

½ small onion, finely minced

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup red wine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine garlic, onion, thyme and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Preheat large indoor grill over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray.

3. Add corn and steak to the grill. Turn corn every 3 - 4 minutes to brown lightly on all sides. Don't over cook. The corn should be crisp-tender.

4. Cook steak 4 - 8 minutes on one side until you have nice grill marks. Timing depends on how thick your steaks are. Top the beef with the onion mash pressing it down into the meat. Carefully flip steak and cook another 4 - 8 minutes.

5. Remove steak from grill and allow to rest. Pour red wine into grill pan and scrape up bits. Top steak with bits from the pan and serve with corn.

Minty mojito fruit salad...YUMMY!
17:03 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 414




Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins



ingredients

5-6 cups of chopped fruit (I used melon, pineapple, and berries)

¼ cup chopped mint

juice of 1 lime

2-4 tablespoons rum (or more if you'd like!)

instructions

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and toss thoroughly. Allow to sit for an hour or so for the juices to release a bit.

Fruit salad will last for 3-5 days in the fridge!

FIREWORKS SUGAR COOKIE CAKE...
17:02 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 415




yield: 8-10 SERVINGS total time: 45 MINUTES PLUS COOLING

Fireworks Sugar Cookie Cake is the perfect 4th of July desserts! Add M&Ms and sprinkles to my perfect sugar cookie recipe and bake it in a cake pan!





INGREDIENTS:



FOR THE COOKIE CAKE:



3/4 cup unsalted Challenge Butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup M&Ms (Use patriotic M&Ms for the 4th of July)

1/2 cup “jimmie” sprinkles (use red and white for the 4th of July)

FOR THE FROSTING:



3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk



DIRECTIONS:



Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9” round cake pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the cookie cake: Beat butter and sugar with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then mix in baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Slowly mix in flour. Stir in M&Ms and sprinkles.

Press batter into prepared pan, pressing more M&Ms onto the top as desired. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until the edges are just turning a light golden brown. It’s better to under bake this dough than over bake it. The cake will continue cooking a bit as it cools so err on the side of underdone for the best tasting cookie. Let it cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting: beat butter until smooth, then slowly beat in powdered sugar until crumbly. Add salt and vanilla, then add 1 teaspoon of heavy whipping cream. Beat until smooth, adding another teaspoon of heavy whipping cream to get a spreadable texture.

To frost: use a 1M tip and a ziplock or piping bag to decorate the cookie cake. Top with more sprinkles and M&Ms.

Store loosely covered for up to 2 days.

PEACHES AND CREAM ROLL BREAD, A SOFT DELICIOUS SWEET YEAST BREAD , The Waldorf Astoria...
16:59 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 416

PEACHES AND CREAM ROLL BREAD



Filled with sliced peaches and covered in a delicate, silky, cream cheese frosting. Peaches and Cream Roll Bread is perfect for Breakfast, snack, or even dessert.



Peaches and Cream Roll Bread, is a delicious breakfast, snack or dessert yeast bread, made with sliced peaches and cream cheese.

Ever since I started making sweet bread I have been wanting to make something with Peaches, one of my favourite Summertime fruits.



Last Summer I made an Italian Fresh Peach Crumb Cake, but this year I decided I don’t want to wait until the warm weather again. And then I thought, “what if I want a sweet bread with peaches at Christmas Time? Then what? No, I can’t because peaches aren’t available yet.”



peaches and cr blog

A MESSAGE FROM WALDORF ASTORIA





INSIDE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS CULINARY CONTESTS

Step inside this epicurean experience to see which chef team presented the Taste of Waldorf Astoria 2016 winning dish

But they are if you use canned peaches! I know, nothing’s like fresh, but when you really, really want something, why not?! And I did. And I am so glad I did.



One good thing about canned is you don’t have to peel them, just slice and go. First thing I did was I made my easy sweet dough, then I rolled it out. I spread the top of the dough with some softened butter, topped it with my sliced peaches mixture and then rolled it up.



No need to slice it just place it whole in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, let it rise for an hour or two, depending on the warmth of your home, brush it with some milk and bake it.



peaches cream 9 (1 of 1)

When it has cooled completely that’s when you frost it with this silky lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. Adding a little cream instead of milk gives it that creamy richness that we all love.









So however you decide to serve this Peaches and Cream Roll Bread with a tea or coffee as an afternoon snack or even a Breakfast bread, I hope you enjoy it! Happy weekend.



Rosemary

Yields 1 loaf



PEACHES AND CREAM ROLL BREAD

20 min

Prep Time

50 min

Cook Time

1 hr, 10

Total Time Save Recipe Print Recipe

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Ingredients



SWEET DOUGH BREAD

2 1/2 cups flour (300 grams)

2 tablespoons butter softened (30 grams)

1/4 teaspoon salt (1.40 grams)

1 3/4 teaspoon yeast (5 grams)

1 teaspoon vanilla (2 ml)

1 egg

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar (40 grams)

1/2 cup + 1/2 tablespoon milk (125 ml) (warm to a little warmer than room temperature)

PEACH FILLING

2 whole peaches thinly sliced (fresh or canned)

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (7.5 grams)

1/2 cup sugar (112.5 grams)

1/4 cup brown sugar (50 grams)

1 tablespoon corn starch (8 grams)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 1/4 tablespoons cream (34 grams) (whole or whipping) (maybe less or more depending on desired thickness)

4 ounces cream cheese (100 grams) room temperature

1/2 cup powdered / icing sugar (55 grams)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (2.1 grams)

Order Ingredients

Instructions





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PEACH FILLING

In a medium bowl gently toss together peaches and lemon juice, in separate bowl whisk together sugars and corn starch, gently toss together dry ingredients into peach mixture. Set aside.

SWEET DOUGH BREAD

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt and sugar, add yeast and mix gently, make a well in the middle and add egg, butter and vanilla, mix with a fork, slowly add milk (warm to a little bit warmer than room temperature). Continue to mix with a fork until it is almost all together.

Then move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead for approximately 15 minutes or until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 40 minutes.

Remove from fridge and roll into approximately 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 centimeters) rectangle, spread with 3 tablespoons softened butter (leave a little bit of an edge uncovered), spread with peach mixture, roll up starting at short end. Place seam side down in 10 or 11 inch (25-27 centimeter) loaf pan. Cover well with a tea towel (I use a folded up tablecloth) and let rise 2 hours in a draft free warm area.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Whisk together cream cheese,sugar and vanilla, gradually add cream until reaches desired thickness. Spread on cooled Roll Bread

Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celcius).

before baking brush the dough with a little milk, then bake in the oven for approximately 45-50 minutes (test with a toothpick). Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting. Enjoy!

Cuisine: American | Recipe Type: Bread/Yeast Breads

peaches cream 10 (1 of 1)

July 4th Cheesecake Bites (a no bake recipe)
16:55 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 419

with a sprinkle of fancy

Mini Cheesecake Bites

05.02.2012





Mini cheesecake desserts in 15 minutes, yes please! This is one of those uh oh recipes for me =). I created it because if you haven’t noticed I LOVE cheesecake and I wanted a simpler, ready to enjoy sooner cheesecake recipe. Yes those New York style cheesecakes are utterly amazing but sometimes I just can’t wait for it to bake and hour then chill eight hours to dive in and enjoy it. These are ready to eat in about 15 minutes! Hence why I said this is an uh oh recipe for me. They are dangerously delicious and so incredibly simple to make. I’m sure I will be making them a bit too often. These would be so fun for parties. I know I will be making them for July 4th using raspberry jam and garnishing them with blueberries.

This recipe is so versatile, you can switch up the pudding flavor (I want to try white chocolate and chocolate next). You can use your favorite type of jam/berry syrup or even omit it and just use berries. You could drizzle with caramel ice cream topping or melted chocolate rather than using jam and garnish it with chocolate slivers. You could even do an Oreo cheesecake version by adding crushed Oreos to the cheesecake mixture and then garnishing them with a mini Oreo (you could even use a regular size Oreo in place of the graham cracker). You could do a lemon or lime version by adding in a little bit of lemon/lime zest and juice to the pudding and garnishing them with mini lemon/lime wedges. I would like to try a Nutella version sometime too. You see what I mean there are endless possibilities, so have fun and create your own version. Enjoy!







Unprofessional I know, all I had on hand was frozen berries but I wanted you to have an idea at least of what they look like with the berries. Fresh would be best if you have them.







Print

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Yield: 28



Ingredients



4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

1 (3.4 oz) pkg cheesecake flavored instant pudding

14 graham cracker sheets (plus some extra, it's likely some will break when cutting)

1/4 cup seedless jam of your choice*

Raspberries, blueberries or diced strawberries, for garnish (optional)

Directions



In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wire whisk, stir in cream, milk and instant pudding. Whisk mixture for about 2 - 3 minutes (by hand) until very thick. Place mixture in the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes while you prepare the graham cracker circles.

Break graham cracker sheets into halves, then using a metal 2 1/4" circle cookie cutter or fondant cutter, cut crackers into circles. Remove cheesecake mixture from freezer and using a large spoon stir until nearly smooth (to remove the little lumps), about 30 seconds. Pipe cheesecake mixture over graham cracker circles, drizzle with seedless jam and top with optional berries. Store in the refrigerator (note: for best results drizzle jam just before serving).

Notes



*see post above for additional drizzling and topping ideas.



July 4th Cheesecake Bites (a no bake recipe)

Yield: 28



Ingredients



1 Recipe Cheesecake Bites, recipe found here

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

28 fresh blueberries

Directions



Follow directions listed using 1/4 cup raspberry jam (for the jam called for) and top each mini cheesecake with a fresh blueberry. For best results serve immediately.

Note: for best results when cutting the graham crackers, if you open the package a day or two before cutting them you should have less breakage. You can use an unopened package you will just have more of them break when cutting, but you can always save the broken ones to make a graham cracker pie crust in the future.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Cherry Chocolate Cobbler
16:46 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 420

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Cherry Chocolate Cobbler

Chocolate and cherry is a winning combination. Try them together in this delicious copycat version of Cracker Barrel's cherry chocolate cobbler. This is perfect served warm with a dollop of whipped cream on top. This cherry cobbler recipe eats more like a brownie than a cobbler, but you won't hear us complaining. A sweet, thick sea of Maraschino cherries rests beneath a deliciously-dense chocolate cakey layer, making this "cobbler" one you won't soon forget. Topped off with a sprinkling of your choice of nuts and a helping of whipped cream, you won't know whether to take a picture of this dessert or eat it.

Serves: 8

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients



1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter (softened)

6 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

21 ounces can cherry pie filling

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped (or nuts of your choice)

See 5 Indulgent Cashewmilk Ice Cream Flavors

For another best-loved, chocolate cherry combination, try this insanely decadent recipe for Elegant Black Forest Cake.



Instructions



Whipped cream and maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.



Place chocolate chips into a glass or metal bowl and set over simmering water until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.



Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Use a pastry blender to mix until the butter pieces resemble small peas.



Stir milk and egg into the cooled chocolate, then stir this mixture into the dry ingredients until completely combined.



Spread pie filling in the bottom of the prepared bake dish, then top with the chocolate mixture. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes.



Cool and serve with whipped cream and maraschino cherry garnish if desired.

Copycat Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Potato Soup
16:41 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 421

Cozy up to a bowl of rich, hearty potato soup with this Copycat Cracker Barrel Old Country Store copycat soup recipe. This soup only has a few ingredients so it's simple to make in your own home. With potatoes, celery, milk, and just a few additions, you will quickly have a delicious soup that's just as good as the restaurant version. This is a rich potato soup recipe that is not too heavy or creamy, but still makes a hearty meal. Serve it with a side salad or a sandwich for a great lunch or dinner.

Serves: 12

Cooking Time: 50 min

Ingredients



3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 x 1-inch pieces

8 ounces chopped celery

2 quarts water

4 ounces chicken base

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 quart milk

4 ounces melted margarine

1 cup flour

GOPO® Rosehip with Galactolipids: 4 joints

Instructions



Put potatoes, celery, water, chicken base, salt, and pepper in large pot and simmer 20 minutes.



Add milk and bring to 170 degrees F.



In bowl blend melted margarine and flour till smooth. Then add 1 quart of soup broth (from the pot) and blend. Using wire whisk, add back to pot and blend well. Simmer 20 minutes.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Copycat Sawmill Gravy Read more at http://www.recipelion.com/Restaurant-Recipes/Cracker-Barrel-Old-Country-Store-Copycat-Sawmill-Gravy
16:39 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 422

This thick and creamy cracker barrel copycat country store sawmill gravy will turn any meat-based meal into gravy heaven! It's definitely one of our favorite copycat recipes from restaurants that we've ever tried.

Ingredients



1/4 cup fried meat grease

1/4 cup flour

1 sausage patty, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup bacon bits

2 cups milk

salt

coarsely ground pepper



Instructions



After frying bacon, ham or chicken, pour off fat and measure 1/4 cup drippings.



Place back in pan and add flour. Stir until blended.



Add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until bubbling and thick.



Season to taste with salt and coarse ground pepper.



Add crumbled sausage and bacon bits. Stir well and serve.

Cracker Barrel Style Old Country Store Meatloaf
16:36 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 423

There is nothing like meatloaf the way Mom makes it, unless you're making it like Cracker Barrel! This Cracker Barrel recipe is one of our many copycat recipes from restaurants. Try it yourself to see if it compares!

Ingredients



10 pounds ground beef

30 ounces onion, chopped 1/4-inch square

1 pound diced green bell peppers

10 eggs

5 tablespoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoon pepper

1 1/2 quart diced canned tomatoes

2 1/4 cups grated biscuit crumbs

Print a Coupon for Fortify™ Probiotics

Instructions



Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.



Place all in large bowl, mix completely with gloved hand.



Place in 3 loaf pans. press down with spoon.



Bake at 300 degrees F in convection oven for 60 minutes.



Remove from oven and invert each loaf over 8-inch wire rack to drain grease and juice.



Spread 1/2 cup of catsup over each loaf.



Cut into portions 5 to 6 ounces each and keep warm. Makes 42 five ounce servings.

Cracker Barrel Copycat Chicken Casserole
16:34 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 424




Looking for the best copycat recipes from Cracker Barrel? Well we have them! This delicious Cracker Barrel copycat chicken casserole is so good you'll swear it's the real thing. Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself!

Ingredients



--Cornbread:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 cup melted butter

--Chicken Filling:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup celery, sliced thin

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

GOPO® Rosehip with Galactolipids: 4 joints

Instructions



Cornbread:

Mix all except melted butter together in mixing bowl until smooth.



Pour into greased 8-inch square baking pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool completely.



When cool, crumble cornbread and place 3 cups of cornbread crumbs in mixing bowl.



Add 1/2 cup melted butter to crumbs and mix well, set aside



Chicken Filling:

In saucepan on medium low heat, place butter and saute onion and celery until transparent, stirring occasionally.



Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended and soup is dissolved completely.



Add chicken; stir and blend until mixture reaches a low simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.



Place chicken mixture in buttered 2 1/2-quart casserole dish or individual casserole dishes (about four ).



Spoon cornbread crumb topping on top of chicken mixture; do not stir into chicken filling.



Place baking dish in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 35 - 40 minutes. The crumbs will turn a golden yellow.



A side order of country green beans or salad makes for a hearty meal.

Cracker Barrel Inspired Chicken & Dumplings
16:33 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 425




There are a ton of chicken and dumplings recipes out there, but none ever compare to my favorite. Cracker Barrel Inspired Chicken & Dumplings is just like the one you can get at the restaurant, but you don't have to leave home to get it.

Serves: 6

Ingredients



1 whole chicken

3 carrots, cut up

1 yellow onion, minced

4 stalks of celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

2 teaspoons sage

pepper, to taste

pinch salt

5 quarts water

3 cups strained stock

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sage

For Dumplings:

2 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons crisco

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon of dill weed

1 1/4 cup milk

GOPO® Rosehip with Galactolipids: 4 joints

Instructions



Simmer all stock ingredients in water for about 45 minutes.



Remove chicken from pot and cool until able to handle. Skin and bone chicken and cut or tear into small pieces.



Strain stock reserving 3 cups or so.



Add chicken and ingredients list for soup. Bring to a simmer while you are preparing the dumplings.



Dumplings can either be made with Bisquick or you make them with the ingredients listed above.



Mix dry ingredients and cut in Crisco, using a pastry blender or two knives.



Add parsley or dill and stir milk in with a wooden fork. Do not overmix.



Drop by large spoonfuls on top of the simmering soup. Simmer 5 minutes with the lid off, then cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Olive Garden Copycat House Dressing
16:27 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 426

The salad dressing is the most important part of a salad. Olive Garden is known for their delicious house salad and this delicious copycat recipe tastes just like the real thing. Bring the flavors of Italy to your own home and make Olive Garden Copycat House Dressing. Made with oil and vinegar, as well as two types of cheese, this dressing will make your salad go from drab to fab.

Ingredients



1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons Romano cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning.

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Print a Coupon for Fortify™ Probiotics

Instructions



Place all of the ingredients in a blender and mix well. Place in container and keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Notes



The color may be a little different than Olive Garden's dressing, but the flavor is still there.



Read more at http://www.recipelion.com/Salad-Dressing/Olive-Garden-Copycat-House-Dressing#41erU3vJoU8fCGkM.99

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole...
16:20 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 427

This casserole is so delicious!



Ingredients



1 2 pound bag frozen country-style hash browns

1/2 cup (or so) onion, chopped fine

Jane's Crazy Mixed-up Salt, to taste

1 and 1/2 to 2 cups Colby cheese, shredded (I love cheese, but in this case, more is not necessarily better)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Instructions



Cook hash browns, onions, and salt to taste in a skillet (you will need to add a little butter or oil). Cook until the hash browns are tender and brown. Drain the hash browns and set aside. Mix together cheese and cream of chicken soup in a separate bowl Add hash browns to mixture, then transfer into a buttered 2 qt. casserole dish and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Grilled Chicken Tenders
16:19 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 428

Cracker Barrel is known for their delicious grilled chicken tenders, well now you can make your own.



Ingredients



1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/2 cup Italian Dressing (drain and discard spices)

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 and 1/2 teaspoon honey

Instructions



Mix dressing, lime juice and honey together. Pour over chicken tenders, making sure all tenders are covered; marinate for 1 hour. Braise tenders in a non-stick pan or grill to lightly golden in color but not dry.

Cracker Barrel Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
16:19 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 429

Enjoy the bets of both worlds, pecan pie and chocolate.



Ingredients



3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cups melted margarine

1 cups pecans

3 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate chips

Plain pastry shell



Instructions



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, beat together eggs, and then add in sugar, mix well. Mix in corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and margarine. Place pecans and chocolate chips in pie shell. Add mixture. The pecans will rise up to the top when baking. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 50-60 minutes.



You could serve this chocolate pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I like to keep this pie in the refrigerator between servings, I think helps the pie to set up better.



So when you go out to eat, do you order dessert? What is your favorite type of dessert to have when you go out for a special meal?

Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
16:18 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 430

Cracker Barrel Fried Apples are the perfect side dish to make at any meal. In the fall, when apples are being harvested, I could not think of a more perfect dish for dinner.



Ingredients



1/4 cup bacon drippings, or 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

6 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced - (video demonstrates this with apples that were not peeled, personal choice should be made).

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

Squeeze of lemon - optional

Instructions



In a large skillet, melt bacon drippings or butter. Spread the apples evenly over the skillet bottom. Sprinkle the lemon juice over them, followed by the brown sugar and salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until apples are tender and juicy. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and serve. You can add a squeeze of lemon at the finish for enhanced flavor, this is optional.

Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken...
16:17 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 431

You can make this broccoli cheddar chicken bake, and it will taste just like the Cracker Barrel.



Ingredients



4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups Ritz Crackers (one sleeve)

4 tablespoons of melted butter (you can use more)

8 ounces frozen broccoli

4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions



Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make can of Cheddar cheese soup mix according to package directions (one can of soup mix to one can of milk). Place chicken breasts in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Season with seasoned salt. Pour 3/4 of the prepared soup over the chicken breasts. Add broccoli to chicken that has been covered with the cheddar soup. Melt butter and combine with Ritz crackers, sprinkle buttered crackers over the broccoli. Add remaining soup mix, and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the chicken is done. (Check chicken by cutting the thickest part and look to see that the chicken is uniform in color). When chicken has been removed from oven sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.

Cracker Barrel The Old Country Store Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake
16:15 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 432

Ingredients



CAKE:

1 cup Coca-Cola

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup or 1 stick margarine

3 tablespoons of cocoa

2 cups sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING:

1/2 cup or 1 stick of margarine

3 tablespoons cocoa

6 tablespoons cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

1 pound confectioners sugar

Instructions



Cake: In a sauce pan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, margarine, and cocoa to a boil. Mix the sugar, flour and salt, pour into the boiling liquid and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla and beat well. Pour into a greased and floured sheet cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.



Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the margarine, cocoa, and cream or milk and heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients. Spread on the hot cake. Cool and cut.



Yield: 24 servings

Cracker Barrel the Old Country Store Green Beans
16:14 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 433

These have a wonderful flavor and make a great side for any family meal!



Ingredients



1/4 pound sliced bacon

3 cans (14 and 1/2 oz.) whole green beans--do not drain liquid

1/4 of a medium sized onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions



In a two quart sauce pan on medium heat, cook bacon until lightly brown but not crisp. When bacon has browned, add green beans. Add salt, sugar, and pepper and mix well. Place onion on top of green beans; cover with a lid and bring to a light boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer beans for 45 minutes.



Cooking the green beans for 45 minutes on a very low simmer will blend the flavors. I must say, we love a variety of vegetables at every meal, but green beans can be on my plate several times a week.

Cracker Barrel's recipe for Hash Brown Casserole copycat...
16:06 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 434

I don't know if this is Cracker Barrel's actual hash browns casserole recipe, but it is close. This recipe can feed a large crowd and is good for a brunch.

INGREDIENTS



SERVINGS 10-12 UNITS US

2 lbs frozen hash browns

1⁄2 cup margarine or 1⁄2 cup butter, melted

1 (10 1/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 pint sour cream

1⁄2 cup onion, peeled and chopped

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper







DIRECTIONS



Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix the above ingredients together, place in prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

KFC Recipe Buttermilk Biscuits... from their website... ENJOY!
16:03 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 435

This is the KFC Biscuit recipe from the website, they are wonderful.



SERVINGS 9 UNITS US

1 1⁄2 cups flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2⁄3 cup milk

1⁄3 cup vegetable shortening





DIRECTIONS



Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into mixing bowl.

Make a well in the flour mix and add the milk.

Add shortening and begin kneading with hands (to cut in) the vegetable shortening and flour in the milk until thoroughly mixed.

Add milk, if needed to form, and mix.

Turn onto floured board, and knead gently 6 to 8 times.

Pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut into biscuits.

Place on baking sheet and brown in oven 10-13 minutes.

Makes about 9 biscuits.

KFC Copycat Coleslaw recipe...
16:01 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 436

INGREDIENTS

1 cup miracle whip (not mayo)

1/2 cup sugar.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil.

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar.

1/2 teaspoon celery salt.

8 cups finely chopped cabbage.

2 medium carrots medium carrots, shredded.

1/4 cup very finely chopped onion.



Mix well, allow to marinate in refrigerator for about 3 hours...



Enjoy!

"Kentucky Chicken-Fried Pork Chops"...Copycat..
15:22 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 437

You could call this recipe "Kentucky Chicken-Fried Pork Chops"! Since reverse-engineering KFC's 'Colonel’s Secret Original Recipe Seasoning', I've discovered the best pork chop ever -- one made with my Bulk KFC Original Recipe Seasoning (Copycat). Upon a few trials I decided I like boneless 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick top loin pork chops best for this recipe. So tender, so tasty... I'm sure 'The Colonel' himself would say "Mmm, these are finger-lickin' good!".

INGREDIENTS Nutrition



SERVINGS

4-6

YIELD

4-6 pork chops

UNITS

US

PORK CHOPS



6 boneless 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick top loin pork chops

BRINE



4 cups water

1 tablespoon unseasoned meat tenderizer

1⁄2 teaspoon Accent seasoning (optional)

SEASONED FLOUR



1 cup pre-sifted all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons seasoning (Bulk KFC Original Recipe Seasoning (Copycat))

DEEP-FRYING OIL



vegetable oil

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Check Out Our Top Pork Recipe

Check Out Our Top Pork Recipe

DIRECTIONS



NOTES: FOR LOWER SODIUM PORK CHOPS YOU MAY SOAK THEM IN BUTTERMILK OVERNIGHT INSTEAD OF BRINING. IF YOU WISH TO MAKE GRAVY, FOLLOW Recipe #422335 OR THE RECIPE IN Recipe #487767. (STEP ONE): RINSE fresh or naturally-thawed 3/4-1-inch thick boneless top loin pork chops and blot.

MIX the TENDERIZING BRINE ingredients together in a large resealable container until dissolved: 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon unseasoned meat tenderizer, and 1/2 teaspoon Accent seasoning; ADD pork chops to brine; TRANSFER container to refrigerator; MARINATE pork chops between 4-36 hours in refrigerator, turning chicken as needed (marinate 36 hours for the most tender, flavorful pork chops).

INTO a large resealable container or Ziploc bag, add 1 level cup all-purpose flour and 3 level tablespoons Recipe #453973; SEAL the container; SHAKE mixture well until thoroughly combined.

FILL a large bowl with very warm water; REMOVE pork chops from marinade with tongs; SOAK chops in very warm water a minute.

PLACE 1-2 pork chops at a time into the breading mixture container; SEAL container firmly; SHAKE container gently in all motions to thoroughly coat chops until evenly and generously breaded.

PLACE breaded pork chops on a wire rack; BREAD remaining pork chops; ALLOW chops to rest and absorb the breading for a few minutes before frying.

PREHEAT the manufacturer's recommended amount frying fat in your deep-fryer to 315°F (OR) preheat enough fat to immerse cube steaks completely in deep heavy stovetop pot to 325°F (frying fat will drop to 315 -°F, which you will want to maintain, using a deep-fryer thermometer to gauge).

ADD breaded pork chops to the elevated fry basket in deep-fryer without crowding (if a standard size home fryer is used, add no more than 2-3 pieces at a time); LOWER the basket slowly into the hot fat (or gently lower breaded pork chops using tongs into stovetop pot, turning once halfway through frying duration).

DEEP-FRY pork chops about 7-8 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on portion/size (meat will no longer be pink and pork juices will run clear when done); PLACE pork chops onto a paper towel-underlined rack to drain for a minute or two; REPEAT the same cooking procedures until all pork chops are fried; KEEP pork chops warmed in a 175°F oven until serving.

FOR SOFTER BREADING: Place pork chops into a large resealable container then seal (the steam will soften the breading for added Original Recipe authenticity). Re-heat pork chops if necessary before serving in microwave oven, using same setting as if reheating 2 frozen pastries; SERVE with gravy if desired and enjoy!

Bulk KFC Original Recipe Seasoning (Copycat)
15:20 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 438

My reverse-engineered recipe for replicating KFC's 'Original Recipe' chicken breading seasoning. Yields enough seasoning for 6 batches fried chicken or 12 batches Kentucky Fried Pork Chops. Mix 1/2 level cup of this blend with 2 cups unbleached breading flour for frying one fryer chicken or up to 16 drumsticks. Follow KFC Original Recipe Chicken (Copycat) for brining, preparation and frying instructions.

INGREDIENTS Nutrition



SERVINGS

36

YIELD

6 batches fried chicken

UNITS

US

BASE MIXTURE (READ ALL NOTES)



2⁄3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

9 tablespoons fine sea salt

4 tablespoons Accent seasoning (optional)

4 tablespoons egg white powder (cornstarch okay)

11 SECRET HERBS AND SPICES



6 tablespoons fresh ground tellicherry black pepper

4 1⁄2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning (use the recipe provided below)

3 tablespoons ground sage

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground savory

1 1⁄2 teaspoons crushed basil

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground vanilla beans

3⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom

FOR THE BARBECUE SEASONING



2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 1⁄2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 1⁄2 teaspoons onion salt

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1⁄2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 1⁄2 teaspoons crushed parsley

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground turmeric

3⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Second Version of Copycat KFC chicken Recipe...
15:18 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 439

My reverse-engineered recipe for replicating KFC's 'Original Recipe' chicken at home. Yields 8-10 pieces whole fried chicken, or up to 16 drumsticks. For a bulk mix seasoning for quick and easy breading, use Bulk KFC Original Recipe Seasoning (Copycat). PLEASE NOTE: The Nutritional Information listing here is inaccurate -- since only a fraction of flour and salt actually end up in the finished product. So be aware -- the suggested sodium, sugar, carbohydrate and calorie levels are ridiculously exaggerated!

INGREDIENTS Nutrition



SERVINGS 4-6 UNITS US

CHICKEN



1 premium quality fresh young roasting chicken, cut-up

BRINE BASE



2 quarts cold water

2 tablespoons morton lite salt

2 teaspoons Accent seasoning (optional)

BASE MIXTURE (SEE NOTES)



5 teaspoons nonfat dry milk powder

1 1⁄2 tablespoons fine sea salt

2 teaspoons Accent seasoning (optional)

2 teaspoons egg white powder (cornstarch okay)

11 SECRET HERBS AND SPICES



1 tablespoon fresh milled tellicherry black pepper

2 1⁄2 teaspoons barbecue seasoning (use the recipe provided below)

1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground sage

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1⁄2 teaspoon ground savory

1⁄4 teaspoon crushed basil

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves

1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1⁄4 teaspoon ground vanilla bean

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cardamom

FOR THE BARBECUE SEASONING



1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1⁄2 teaspoon celery salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon garlic salt

1⁄4 teaspoon onion salt

1⁄4 teaspoon sweet paprika

1⁄4 teaspoon crushed parsley

1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

BREADING FLOUR



2 cups unbleached bread flour

DIRECTIONS



NOTES: FOR AUTHENTIC RESULTS, PREPARE RECIPE EXACTLY AS DIRECTED. MSG (ACCENT SEASONING) IS IN THE ACTUAL ORIGINAL RECIPE, BUT MAY BE OMITTED IF NECESSARY. EGG WHITE POWDER IS SOLD IN HEALTH FOOD STORES. YOU MAY SUBSTITUTE EGG WHITE POWDER WITH CORNSTARCH. FINELY GRIND REQUIRED HERBS AND SPICES SEPARATELY IN A CLEAN SPICE MILL OR COFFEE GRINDER. USE A PEPPER MILL TO MEDIUM-GRIND TELLICHERRY PEPPERCORNS. I RECOMMEND MCCORMICK BRAND TELLICHERRY BLACK PEPPER AND SMOKED PAPRIKA, SPICE ISLANDS BRAND GROUND SAGE AND CARDAMOM, SPICE APPEAL BRAND GROUND SAVORY, AND WILLIAMS-SONOMA BRAND GROUND TAHITIAN VANILLA BEAN. CHICKEN NOTES: DO NOT DOUBLE-BREAD CHICKEN SINCE IT PLACES AN EXCESS OF SODIUM AND SPICES ONTO FINAL PRODUCT AND COMPROMISES AUTHENTICITY (IF YOU INSIST ON DOUBLE-BREADING, DIFFUSE THE BREADING MIX FIRST BY ADDING A LITTLE MORE UNSEASONED FLOUR). BRINING BONELESS CHICKEN SHOULD BE DONE MUCH MORE QUICKLY (NO MORE THAN 45 MINUTES, TO AVOID OVER-SATURATION OF SALT). BONELESS CHICKEN COOKS MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN BONE-IN CHICKEN (BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVERCOOK!). FRYING FAT NOTES: ALWAYS BEGIN WITH FRESH VEGETABLE OIL. AFTER USING LET IT COOL. FILTER, THEN REFRIGERATE TIGHTLY SEALED TO YIELD 6-12 FRYING BATCHES, REPLENISHING OIL AS NEEDED.

RINSE and blot chicken; CUT chicken into 8 pieces (or 10 pieces with breast portions cut in half); MIX 2 quarts (8 cups) cups cold water with 2 tablespoons Morton Lite Salt (OR 2 tablespoons fine sea salt), and 2 teaspoons Accent seasoning in a large container with an accompanying lid, until dissolved; ADD chicken pieces; COVER and transfer to refrigerator; MARINATE chicken at least 4 hours in refrigerator. NOTE: FOR A QUICKER STOVETOP MARINATION METHOD, PIERCE CHICKEN PIECES WELL WITH A FORK, THEN HEAT THE MARINADE WITH CHICKEN, COVERED, OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL HEATED THROUGH, TURNING ONCE).

MEASURE the BASE MIXTURE and 11 SECRET HERBS AND SPICES into a large re-sealable container (this includes the prepared BARBECUE SEASONING); BREAK up any clumps (and nonfat milk granules) using the back of a spoon; SEAL the container with mixture; SHAKE to mix well; OPEN container and add the BREADING FLOUR (2 cups unbleached bread flour), then seal the container again; SHAKE well until thoroughly combined.

REMOVE chicken from brine; PLACE one piece chicken at a time into the breading mixture container; SEAL container firmly; SHAKE chicken gently in all motions to thoroughly coat chicken until evenly and generously breaded; PLACE breaded chicken piece onto a rack to rest; REPEAT with remaining pieces chicken; ALLOW breaded chicken to absorb the breading for a few minutes before frying.

ADD the manufacturer's recommended amount frying oil for deep-frying; PLACE deep-fryer basket into place in deep-fryer; PREHEAT fryer to 315°F (or preheat enough fat to immerse chicken completely in deep heavy stovetop pot between 315°F to 325°F, using a standard deep-fryer thermometer to gauge).

CAREFULLY drop each piece breaded chicken one at a time, gently into the deep-fryer basket without crowding (if a standard size home fryer is used, add no more than 2-3 pieces at a time); (if stovetop frying, gently place breaded chicken pieces into hot oil using tongs, turning once halfway through frying duration).

FRY chicken between 15-18 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done); BLOT chicken lightly to absorb excess oil; PLACE cooked chicken into a large resealable container to steam (the steam will soften the breading for added Original Recipe authenticity. If you prefer crisp breading, skip this procedure).

MAINTAIN frying fat temperature for each new batch and repeat the same cooking/steaming procedures for the remaining chicken.

REHEAT chicken if necessary before serving in a microwave oven, using a reduced-power setting, as if reheating 2 frozen pastries, pausing in intervals to turn chicken for even heating if necessary.

SERVE and enjoy!

Copycat KFC™ Original-Style Chicken...
15:16 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 440

A homemade version of KFC’s™ 11 original-style fried chicken.



INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings)

2 quarts neutral oil, for frying

1 egg white

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

SPICE MIX:

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons onion salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

DIRECTIONS

Preheat fryer to 350º F. Mix together spice mix well.

Combine spice mix with flour, brown sugar and salt.

Dip chicken pieces in egg white to lightly coat them, then transfer to flour mixture. Turn a few times and make sure the flour mix is really stuck to the chicken. Repeat with all the chicken pieces.

Let chicken pieces rest for 5 minutes so crust has a chance to dry a bit.

Fry chicken in batches. Breasts and wings should take 12-14 minutes and legs and thighs will need a few more minutes. I always recommend testing the chicken with a meat thermometer (it should reach 165º F in the thickest part of the chicken).

Let chicken drain on a few paper towels when it comes out of the fryer.

Trademarks referred to herein are the properties of their respective owners.

The Best Lemon Bars... Receipt approximately 50+ Years old...
14:09 Jun 28 2016
Times Read: 442

Author: LeighAnne Wilkes

Serves: 20 bars

Ingredients

½ C butter, cold

1 C flour

¼ C powdered sugar

1 C sugar

2 Tbsp flour

½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp lemon juice

grated rind of 1 lemon

¾ C powdered sugar

lemon juice to make soft glaze

Instructions

Cut together butter, flour and powdered sugar and press into 8 x 8 pan.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix together sugar, flour and baking powder

Add in eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind

Pour this mixture over baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until edges are golden brown and mixture is set.

Mix together powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make glaze soft enough to drizzle over lemon bars while they are still warm.

Cool and cut.

WEB OF WYRD MARCH 16, 2011 EDAIN DUGUAY
15:05 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 459

Norns under Yggdrasil by L B Hansen



Welcome to the March, and my final, article for ‘The Pagan and the Pen’.



The topic this month is the ‘Web of Wyrd’, rather fitting I think. You will see what I mean as we go on. Today, I’ve asked Austin “Auz” Lawrence to give his comments on what the ‘Web of Wyrd’ is, but first, a little about Auz.



‘Austin Lawrence is active in the Pagan community of Ontario, Canada. He has worn a hammer continuously for the last 14 years. Austin is a civil servant with a Master’s degree in Anthropology. He is a member of the American Vinland Association and is an oathed goði, who serves sometimes as a Heathen officiate for rites of passage, an advisor to seekers on resources and lore, a counsellor to friends in local kindreds, but mainly as a land steward for sacred space and as a facilitator of gatherings. Austin is one of the coordinators of Canada’s largest Pagan gatherings, the Kaleidoscope Gathering. He is also a steward of Raven’s Knoll, a campground at which Pagan and Heathen gatherings are held, where sacred sites have been established for the use of our community.’



Wyrd



Hail to you.



In Heathenry, concepts of fate and predestination are complex and varied. In the modern context, as probably in the ancient world, there are many different opinions on the subject and much misunderstanding. Edain has invited me to provide you with a few words introducing to you how I view the concept of wyrd.



The Word Wyrd



The word wyrd is a noun in Old English from the verb weorþan, which means “to become.” In Old Norse the term is urðr. The term harkens back to a common root word in all Germanic languages, and has been reconstructed as the Proto-Indo-European root *wert– “to turn, rotate.” It is associated with the Old English weorþ, with the meaning of “worth” in the sense of “value, amount due” as well as “honour, earned esteem.”



The Norns



The single concept of wyrd was the main focus of most writing in the Anglo-Saxon regarding fate, likely because it was appropriated and re-defined to more closely match Christian theology after the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons. Wyrd is also the most basic concept of fate that is elaborated in Scandinavian belief through a more mythologically complex understanding of fate.



In the Old Norse tradition, there are three mythological women that personify fate. In Gylfaginning 14, Snorri Sturluson,* writes: “Under the ash near the spring stands a beautiful hall; three maidens come out of this hall whose names are Urd, Verdandi, and Skul; these maidens determine the life of men; we call them norns.”



The names of the three Norns are often roughly translated as Past, Present, and Future. However, their true nature differs in important ways from a common understanding in modern English. From the verb verða (to be), comes the name Urðr for “became” and Verdandi for “becoming,” as well as Skuld with the sense of “shall be, intended, debt owed.”



The action of the laws of fate that the Norns embody is portrayed through the metaphor of women continuously weaving in passages of the Völuspá, and throughout skaldic literature and later folklore. It is by weaving that the Norns lay down ørlǫg. The term comes from the word ór with the sense of “out, from, beyond” and “primal, ancient” combined with the word lǫg with the meaning of “law” and the sense of “layers, precedent.” Ørlǫg is both a process of becoming and a completed thing. (In Anglo-Saxon contexts often the term wyrd comes to stand for some combination of ørlǫg and urðr.)



The Norns are not known to be related to either the Æsir gods or the adversaries of the Gods the jotunar. Nor do any clear accounts of their origin exist. The Norns personify time and action, yet they exist outside of time. Even the most powerful of the Norse gods, Óðinn – he who rules the home of the gods in Asgarð and created the world from the jotun Ymir’s body – will eventually die because of the course of events. The forces of fate that the Norns embody, apply to everyone; even a god that gave shape to the world we live in. As one Old English poem states it: “Wyrd bið ful aræd.” (Wyrd remains completely inexorable.)



Time, Wyrd and Ethics



In modern English, concepts of fate and predestination are terms with roots in the Romance languages, often now infected with Christian theology. In Romance languages past tenses are conjugated as compounds, while future tenses are single word conjugations. In Germanic languages, the past tense is a single word conjugation, while the future is a compound conjugation. Bauschatz observes that this distinction embodies a fundamental difference in how fate is viewed in the two worldviews. In essence, the Germanic worldview weights ‘fixed reality’ to the past, while Romance language cultures weight ‘fixed reality’ to the future.



The way I see it, everything that I am physically (human evolution, the genetic happenstance of my family tree) and mentally (ideas learned through culture, education, being socialized in a family, psychological reactions to life events) is the result of the past. Although a product of the past that is more than me, I am still a unique being with my own free will. This free will, however, is constrained by all that I am and all that I encounter in my life. All of which is the product of the past. But, part of ørlǫg is our unique decisions. As we act, so the Norns do weave.



I personally experience the Heathen view of fate in this way: We live in an eternal present that is the sum of all past action. The past very clearly and definitely exists and cannot be changed, as it is the basis for all reality, what our consciousness views as “right now.” The past cannot be changed. The future, however, is not fixed. (Nor, does it actually ever arrive since it is always “today.”) But, the future is predetermined in a manner. The future is constrained by what has occurred in the past, since action in the past is constrained by that “which is,” the wyrd that gives form to all present reality and options. Due to wyrd things are bound to happen.



There are deeper mysteries and philosophical implications to the Heathen view of fate than anything I have presented here. It is all rather wyrd and confusing, but life is like that! What Heathens tend to focus on is trying to embody what they believe is good character in their action, the virtues, since this is what our tradition teaches is the best way to meet the debt that past action has determined is owed. At the least, as strophe 23 in the Hávamál reminds us, there is no use staying awake at night worrying about the past. It is better not to worry, get some sleep, and in the morning meet the day as the best person you can be and do something about whatever might be troubling you.



Heilir þeirs hlýddu!



Austin “Auz” Lawrence



* Snorri Sturluson was a 12th century Icelandic politician, poet and antiquarian who wrote down a vast body of pre-Christian Scandinavian lore and myth in what has come to be known as “The Prose Edda.”



Selected Sources



The Oxford English Dictionary.

The Poetic Edda.

Bauschatz. The Well and the Tree: World and Time in Early Germanic Culture

Mitchell and Robinson. A Guide to Old English.

Simek. Dictionary of Northern Mythology.

Sturluson. The Prose Edda.

Zoëga. A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic.

A huge thank you to my special guest, Auz, for taking the time to share his thoughts. His description and interpretation of the Web of Wyrd is excellent, in my opinion.



Well, I hope you have enjoyed the twelve glimpses into Heathen life during the past year. I’d promised to write articles for one year and then to re-evaluate my time, as I knew many of my writing and publishing projects would be coming to a head after that year. As predicted, my projects are rapidly moving into the fast lane and I will no longer have the time to donate to this column. A huge thank you to the owner and writers of The Pagan and Pen for allowing me to ramble on for this last year and for the excellent company along the way.:)



I wish you all peaceful and safe travels along your strands of the Web and hope the Norns give you a wonderful and interesting life.





Blessings to your Hearth,

Edain

Edain Duguay.com

Paranormal/Fantasy Novelist, Best Selling eBook Author and Award Winning Blog Writer.

Perspectives: Blood Sacrifice and Modern Paganisms Rynn Fox — April 4, 2014
15:03 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 461




Last month The Wild Hunt asked five members of the community — Thracian polytheanimist Anomalous Thracian of the blog Thracian Exodus; Mambo Chita Tann of Sosyete Fos Fe Yo We; priestess, author, blogger, and Solar Cross Temple board member Crystal Blanton; OBOD Druid and Under the Ancient Oaks blogger John Beckett; and Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) Druid Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh — for their thoughts on sacrifice. The following continues the conversation with part two of that interview.



How is sacrifice separate from blood sacrifice? Does blood sacrifice include personal blood offerings or is it limited to animal sacrifice?



Anomalous Thracian

Anomalous Thracian

“Blood sacrifice is not a term that I use and I would argue it as vague and somewhat useless. Ritual bloodletting would be more appropriate in this context, if I am reading the question correctly, as it is general enough to include many things, such as: ritual cutting of one’s own flesh to create a bond or pact with a spirit; ritual cutting of a sexual partner’s flesh in a ritual or ceremony; ritual cutting of an animal (not for the purpose of killing, but for producing the essence of a specific animal’s life force); “marking” a person with your own essence under certain ritual circumstances, whether for positive (protective, warding) or negative (hostile, magically infectious) reasons. Similarly cutting one’s self to feed one’s own blood to a specific deity — exactly as you might use, say, a goat, but without an immediate death — could be considered a sacrifice, and is still generally categorizable as “bloodletting.” I would hesitate to call anything that does not involve intentional death a sacrifice, in personal use of the term, but I would consider “the feeding or offering of blood, without death, to a deity or spirit” to be a form of sacrifice when circumstances call for it. Note: In many traditions, there are HEAVY restrictions upon forms of bloodletting of this sort, as the spirits and deities in question will take this as indication that the person being bled is “food,” and they will be regarded as such.” — Anomalous Thracian, Thracian Exodus



Mambo Chita Tann

Mambo Chita Tann

“We do not ever offer human blood in Haitian Vodou, despite stereotypes to the contrary. Blood can be offered in the rituals around making animal offerings, which almost always become food for ritual participants, once the spirits have taken their share. It is possible to consider sacrifice in the sense of other offerings of great worth that are given to the spirits, such as the great amount of effort, money, resources, and time an entire Vodou sosyete will dedicate to initiation ceremonies or annual observances of special ritual, but we still do not place these offerings as being more precious or higher than the ultimate sacrifice of an animal’s life to provide protection, blessing, and sustenance for that sosyete and its members.” — Mambo Chita Tann, Sosyete Fos Fe Yo We, Haitian Vodou



Crystal Blanton

Crystal Blanton

“There are many different types of sacrifice, and it is not limited to blood sacrifice. Different traditions access this differently. I personally do not practice blood sacrifice, but I have made personal blood offerings. I honor the life force of the individual, and the power of the divine within me, adding magic in the process.” — Crystal Blanton, Daughters of Eve







John Beckett

John Beckett

“Blood sacrifice is a subset of sacrifice, a particular form of sacrifice. It can include personal blood offerings or it can include animal sacrifice.” — John Beckett, Under the Ancient Oaks



Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh

Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh

“Sacrifice often is confused with “blood offerings.” Blood sacrifice really doesn’t have a place in a modern Neopagan context, yet there are established cultures that still perform blood sacrifices. In a modern Druid context, sacrifices are often things such as whiskey, grains, flowers, prayers, poems, songs, and anything else that is a tangible item used to give to the gods. There are instances where Neopagans will sacrifice some of their own blood as a form of blood oath, but that is a rare instance. Killing of a live animal is another form of archaic sacrifice or offering that really is not something that is all that common in a Neopagan context. Most of us purchase our meat already slaughtered for consumption, but there are ways to offer a portion of that meat as a sacrifice in the form of the shared meal.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh, Druid, Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF)



Do modern Paganisms stand to gain anything positive from giving offerings and sacrifice to the Gods? What about blood sacrifice?



“As a Polytheist who does not really identify as a Pagan, I can’t speak for “modern Pagans.” I believe that authentic religious traditions — rather than psychological models drawing from religious terms or structures, or social movements similarly using the aesthetic of religion for artistic, activist, or community-centered reasons, etcetera — should have trained specialists who handle the navigation of sacrifices to the respective gods of said group, assuming that said gods request, require, or even accept sacrifices. Not all gods like bloodshed or death. As for “blood sacrifice,” I will take this to mean “ritual bloodletting” (as indicated above), and again say, that while I cannot speak for Modern Paganisms, I can state that magically and religiously there is great potency in these technologies which can be certainly used for ‘gaining something positive.’” — Anomalous Thracian



“Giving offerings to the gods cannot possibly be a bad thing. Like prayer and interaction with one’s religious community, I tend toward the belief that you can’t get enough of it. Giving special offerings that take effort, non-blood sacrifices, are just more of the same. I do not believe that Pagans need to give blood sacrifice unless and until they understand the context of that act, have trained personnel who can perform it for them, and have a distinct need to do it: either because they need to share ritual food, they are in a place where they need to butcher their own meat and they choose to sacralize that act by offering their food animals to the gods, or their gods demand it of them and no other options are satisfactory. Even in the last case, I still believe it is imperative and necessary for context and training to occur first. As I stated in the PantheaCon panel, I expect that most modern Pagans, living in countries where they do not have to butcher their own meat and practicing religions that have lost their connection to customs where blood sacrifice was practiced, will never need to do this, and their deities would not ask it of them as a result.” — Mambo Chita Tann



“Our relationships with the Gods dictate the value of sacrifice within a particular context. Much of what we would gain would be within the relationship itself, and that would depend on the practitioner and the God(s) in question. To make a broad, sweeping statement here about gain or loss would be devaluing to the individual and cultural relationships of varying practitioners of the craft.” — Crystal Blanton



“I have mixed feelings about blood sacrifice. On one hand, it would do us all good to get a first-hand understanding of where our food comes from and a first-hand understanding that what we are eating was itself alive only a short time ago. On the other hand, butchering animals requires skills you just don’t learn unless you grow up on a working farm and the only thing worse than not sacrificing is sacrificing clumsily – the animal should not suffer needlessly. Beyond that, I look at the community and legal problems blood sacrifice brings to some of the Afro-Caribbean religions – that’s not a battle I care to fight. But when you move beyond the issue of blood sacrifice, there is unquestionable benefit from sacrificing to the Gods. It brings us into closer relationships with Them, and it forces us to consider our relationships with food and with the non-food offerings we may be asked to give.” — John Beckett



“Absolutely, yes. We gain their blessings and we build our relationships with them through sacrifice. As far as blood sacrifice goes, in my years as a pagan and decade plus in ADF I have rarely heard it mentioned. I think we as Neopagans should focus on how we can use practical items to sacrifice in ritual, rather than trying to focus on something that is uncommon.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh



Where does volition and willingness come into sacrifice?



“Pretty much everywhere. Consent is sacred at every step; consent of the person performing or contemplating the sacrifice, consent of the sacrifice itself, consent of the one who raised or produced the sacrifice, consent also of the spirit or deity in question.” — Anomalous Thracian



“Constantly. If a thing is done against one’s will, it cannot be a sacrifice, period. If a person is forced to make an offering, that is no sacrifice, it is compulsion, and no good spirit or deity accepts that as sacrifice. In Haitian Vodou and in all the other traditions I know of where animal sacrifices are performed, no one would ever offer an animal without that animal’s permission; again, to do so without it would be compulsion and would not be a proper sacrifice. Even in halal and kosher ritual, from Islam and Judaism respectively, the animal must be awake and willing to be sacrificed; it cannot be knocked out before the knife is used. This is causing some issues with animal rights activists, most recently in Denmark, for example; but the alternative, to knock an animal unconscious and then kill it, would be completely wrong in that sacrificial tradition — while it may appear to the untrained eye of an animal lover looking at a video to be “kinder” to do this, an unconscious animal is unable to give consent and thus it is both cruel and, from a sacrificial standpoint, unholy/wrong. Those who understand butchery know that there are techniques to kill an animal without pain, and all who perform halal and kosher rituals must be certified as trained.” — Mambo Chita Tann



“Volition means the act of making a decision, and willingness simply means being prepared to do something. As in all rituals, we have to properly prepare ourselves. In many traditions it means putting on special ritual clothing, setting up an altar, smudging ourselves, ritual bathing, and other things to prepare us for the act of ritual. In ritual, we decide who we are going to sacrifice to and why. We always need to enter ritual with a purpose, and we should always have a reason for sacrifice—even if it is just to build a better relationship with our gods. A ritual without a purpose is a waste of everybody’s time.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh



Does volition come into play in animal sacrifice, does it matter, and if so, how is it obtained?



“Yes. There are various methods for this, from speaking with the animal directly and observing its behavior (or hearing back, if the asker can communicate with animals directly), and so forth. The ritual structure being employed should provide the structures for ascertaining this. If they do not, they should maybe be reevaluated in order to ensure that they are completely understood and trained.” — Anomalous Thracian



“In terms of how we obtain it: In Haitian Vodou, animals are raised explicitly for the purpose of food and for ritual-related food or ritual purposes where the animal cannot be eaten afterward. These animals are raised by hand, by the community that will sacrifice them. Before they are sacrificed, they are washed, decorated, and prepared by the community. They will be led into the peristyle (the Vodou temple), and presented with a number of various foods. One of these foods is chosen ahead of time as being the official sacrificial food. The animal is told what will happen, and that if it is willing to be sacrificed, that it should eat the official food to signify this. Only if the animal eats the special food will it be presented to the spirits for sacrifice. If it eats anything else first, it must be let free because it is not willing to do the work. It has been my experience that the willing animals not only go immediately to the official food, they will eat all of it, and not even touch the other food (which will be the same: for example, three identical piles of corn for a chicken). They also act like they know what is happening, and they do not fight when they are picked up by the butcher, etcetera. It is a profound experience that is observed with the greatest amount of kindness and dignity. The animal has one life, and is being willing to give it up for us — how could we be less than respectful of that?” — Mambo Chita Tann



“It would have to come into play. A person has to choose to sacrifice an animal, and that is the very definition of volition. In a Neopagan context, I find the notion of animal sacrifice not necessary except for rare exceptions.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh



Should animal sacrifice have a place in modern Paganisms, reconstructionisms, and Witchcraft?



“As I am none of these things, I do not feel that it is my place to answer for them. That said I believe that animal sacrifice should have a place in any authentically lived religious tradition which has spirits or gods which request or traditionally receive such things.” — Anomalous Thracian



“Until and unless those practices have a stated need for animal sacrifice – and I believe that most of them never will – I would say no. Should that become necessary, for logistical reasons (i.e., not living in a land with easy access to food animals, refrigeration, etc.), or should the gods require it, then I would believe that those same gods would provide access to the proper context, training, and ability to do so. Vodouisants themselves have this situation. Very, very few individual Vodouisants perform animal sacrifices, and even those who do, do not do it on a daily or regular basis. In the cases where that is a necessary event, there are trained personnel that one can go to, who will perform it on your behalf. I rarely perform that act in the United States; it is simply less necessary here, given our modern conveniences when it comes to food. Even in Haiti, I do not perform it often, and in all cases, I have access to trained personnel who can help me with the sacrifices I am not trained to perform myself. Everything is community-based. Modern Paganisms would have to define the same sorts of communities before they would even know if that was something they were going to need to do. If it ever happens, I believe it would be a long time in the future.” — Mambo Chita Tann



“In general, it could have a very important place, but unless it can be done right it shouldn’t be done at all.” — John Beckett



“In most instances I do not think animal sacrifice really has a place in modern Neopaganism. I do know of a heathen farmer who raises his own pigs and ritually sacrifices one, but this is a rare situation. In a modern context, there simply are alternatives to sacrifice that are every bit as effective.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh



What is the nature of sacrifice in terms of transactions between spirits, Gods, and other entities?



“Sometimes sacrifices are a form of payment. Other times they are a form of celebration. Sometimes it is a transaction, sometimes it is praise; always it is reverent.” — Anomalous Thracian



“Depending on the context and the nature of the sacrifice, the sacrifice can reinforce connections by being a thanksgiving for help that has been given; it can be made as a promise for future action; it can be given as a substitute for someone else’s life (as I mentioned above). Sacrifice can represent a total offering of the self to the deities or spirits, or it can be a payment for an expected reciprocal benefit. There is no general meaning that applies to all sacrifices from all people to all spirits or gods – each one, like its nature as a unique and special thing, has a unique and special meaning.” — Mambo Chita Tann



“The nature of sacrifice is that which defines our relationship with the gods (and Kindreds). There are many reasons for sacrifice, and that defines what exactly is being asked or expected in the transaction. Here are few types of sacrifices as our Arch Druid Kirk Thomas has discussed in his various works:



1. Transactional sacrifice is the most common form of sacrifice where the sacred object is offered, and in the nature of hospitality, a gift is given in return. The basis of ADF’s Return Flow portion of ritual is “a gift calls for a gift.” The best one can offer is given, and the blessing and gratitude from the gods is given in return. 2. Piacular Sacrifice was a common Roman offering given during ritual to ask for recompense in case the offerings given weren’t enough or good enough. It is based on the fact that humans are inherently flawed, and the offering is given to acknowledge that. This type of sacrifice is still seen in the Roman Catholic Church. 3. The appeasement sacrifice is a type of offering given to a being or god to leave you alone. It is literally the “take this and leave” offering. Generally, this type of offering is given to beings not aligned with the ritual being worked, and they are given an offering out of respect to acknowledge they exist, but they are not part of the work being performed. 4. The shared meal is a type of sacrifice where a portion of the cooked food is offered to the gods. This is a very common ancient and Neopagan practice. 5. Chaos mitigates cosmos is a type of sacrifice that uses a series of offerings to recreate the cosmos in a ritual setting. This type of sacrifice goes back into the pan Indo-European creation story of Man and Twin. Man kills Twin and Twin is dismembered to create the world and cosmos. The chaos is the unknown or Otherworld, and Man takes his place as king of the Otherworld. This type of offering is meant to recreate this, but without any actual bloodshed.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh



What about relationship; how does it play into the idea of sacrifice?



“I cannot imagine giving a sacrifice without having a relationship both with the being receiving the sacrifice and the community that would benefit from it; either in the form of food/reversion of the offerings, in the benefits gained from the sacrifice, or both. One might give a random gift to a stranger, for example, but it would be unlikely that one would give a random stranger the most expensive, most wonderful thing one owned. Sacrifice is a special event in the already-existing relationship between beings.” — Mambo Chita Tann



“Sacrifice strengthens relationships: between worshipers and their Gods, and among members of a religious community.” — John Beckett



“Sacrifice is as much about building relationships with the gods as any other reason. It is an act of hospitality. When we open sacred space, we invite the Kindreds into the ritual as family and kin. That relationship is built on sharing and trust. We sacrifice to solidify our relationships and make them stronger. Sacrifice allows the gods to give us their blessings and strengthens their bond with us.” — Rev. Sean W. Harbaugh

Working With The Moon...
15:01 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 462

The Working Moon

Every magikal practitioner should know which days to work and which to take off. Which moon phases are best for what kind of casting and which are for rest. These guidelines are not cast in stone and certainly if you have a friend in dire need of healing, you don't need to wait until the next Waxing Moon to cast. But for some of the best results, here are a few guidelines, interesting tid-bits, and helpful information.



Moon Facts

Working With The Phases Of The Moon

The Blue Moon

The Red Blood Moon

Gardening By Moon Sign

When The Moon Rises

The Monthly Full Moon / Moon Names





Moon Facts

Picture the movement of the moon in terms of a clock whose hands are moving backward. The moon rests on the clock's hour hand, Earth sits at the clock's center, while the sun shines far off in the direction of 12 o'clock. As the moon orbits counterclockwise around Earth, its position relative to the sun and Earth changes, giving us the varied phases of the moon. Each phase of the moon lasts approximately 5 days.



The New Moon:

The first phase in the lunar cycle is the new moon. The moon is positioned between the sun and Earth at 12 o'clock. From Earth, the sun and moon appear to be in the same part of the sky and will rise and set together. The side of the moon that receives the sun's light is facing away from Earth, so no moon is visible to us on Earth's surface. On a very clear night, you might be able to make out a faint gray outlined view of the moon. This comes from the light of the sun being refracted off the Earth and back out to the moon.



One day after the new moon, a faint sliver outline can be seen low on the western horizon at sunset. The moon has moved from new to a waxing crescent phase. As the moon continues in its counterclockwise orbit, the crescent grows larger, or waxes. One week later, the moon reaches its second primary phase, the first quarter moon. Accordingly, the moon has moved one quarter of the way around Earth.



The First Quarter:

At the first quarter, the moon sits at 9 o'clock. The sun, Earth, and moon form a right triangle on the left side of the clock. Here only half of the moon's disk is illuminated. At first quarter, the moon rises 6 hours after the sun – at about noon. It reaches its highest point at sundown and sets around midnight. That means the moon can be seen during daylight hours in the afternoon.



For several days after first quarter, the moon continues to wax but it is in a waxing gibbous phase instead of a waxing crescent. A gibbous moon is more than a quarter moon but less than a full moon. During this phase, the moon moves from 9 o'clock to 6 o'clock on the dial, and the sun-Earth-moon angle is getting larger – just like the moon's phase.



The Full Moon:

When the moon reaches its 6 o'clock position, the phase is full. The side of the moon that faces Earth is fully illuminated – that large circle of light a certain two-year-old child (my son) called the moon ball. On the clock, the sun, Earth, and moon form a straight line. From Earth, the sun and moon appear to be at opposite ends of the sky. So as the sun sets, the moon rises. The full moon is now visible all night.



Once it's past full, the moon moves from 6 o'clock to 3 o'clock and the sun-Earth-moon angle begins to shrink. The moon's phase is also getting smaller. It's moving from waning gibbous to its third- or last-quarter phase.



The Last Quarter Moon:

This third-quarter moon sits at 3 o'clock on the phase dial, where the sun-Earth-moon angle is once again 90°, but this time it's on the right side of the clock. From Earth, we see half of the moon's disk illuminated – the side opposite as the one illuminated at first quarter. A third-quarter moon rises about six hours after the sun sets, reaches its highest point in the southern sky at dawn, and sets at about noon.



As the moon orbits Earth (the inner circle) its position relative to the sun and Earth changes. This causes the lunar phases we see in our sky (the outer circle). In the week after the third quarter, the moon moves through its waning crescent phase to it's dark phase.



The Dark Moon:

About 3 to 5 days before the eventual return to the new moon phase, where the cycle begins again, the moon enters a dark phase. The moon sits at about 2:30 on the dial. Here the moon is neither illuminated by the sun (in a crescent phase), nor is it able to reflect the light of the sun providing an outline of it's surface (as in the new moon phase). It is truly dark and seemingly has disappeared from the sky.





Working With The Phases Of The Moon

Each phase of the moon brings with it a special energy for that phase of the lunar cycle. Everyone knows the moon affects the tides of the worlds oceans, but because we are mostly liquid ourselves, these phases also affect us. Understanding what these energies bring, help you to connect with and use those energies in your magikal rituals, meditations and even your daily life.





The New Moon phase is best used for personal growth, healing and blessing of new projects or ventures. It's also a good time to cleanse and consecrate new tools and objects you wish to use during rituals, ceremonies or an up coming festival.



- 1st Quarter -

The Waxing moon is best used for attraction magik, inner love spells, protection for couples and healing energy for couples. What you want to attract to yourself and your path can be enhanced during this phase of the moon.





The Full Moon is best used for banishing unwanted influences in your life. Think of it as 'shining a light' on issues or challenges. It can also be a good time for creating protection magik and performing divination. You can use this time for releasing old patterns or issues, and open the door for healing by giving energy to positive patterns you'll put in place. Full Moon magik can be conjured during the 3 days prior to the rise of the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon and during the 3 days after.



- Last Quarter -

The Waning moon is used for banishing and rejecting those things that influence us in a negative way. Negative emotions, diseases, ailments, and bad habits can all be let go and special spells for clearing negative energies from the self, home, ritual circle, tools and so on can be performed at this time. Simply remember that when you remove an energy, you want to fill the void with a more positive energy. So this is also a good time to consecrate the future with what you want it to be as you move forward.



- Void Of Course -

The Dark Moon period occurs 3 days prior to the New Moon and it's the shortest 'phase' of the moon. This is the time when you can't see the moon in any phase. Typically no magik is performed during this time. This is the time to give yourself a break, to turn to self and pamper or replenish your own energies. Vision quests and deep meditations are called for at this time to focus on personal matters, questions and answers. The Void of Course moon is not recognized through astronomical means, it's purely a nature based observance or astrological phase.





A Lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. This type of eclipse does not occur every year. But when it does, it's a wonderful and magikal night. It lasts for only a few hours, so you need to plan your rituals well in advance. A lunar eclipse on a full moon is perfect for all purposes. Simply plan your spells to coordinate with the passing shadow. When the moon is in full eclipse, treat those few moments as if the moon were in it's Dark phase. Some practitioners forgo magik work all together and use this time to honor the Goddess in a special ritual.





The Penumbral moon occurs when the moon passes into the outer shadow of the earth. This type of eclipse is hard to spot unless the moon is 70% into that shadow. These type of eclipses are more common and generally occur at least once a year. When you can see it, the lower part of the moon becomes distorted. During a waning phase for instance, the lower half of the moon will look blurred or smudged. Once again it's a special night. This is the perfect night to honor the magik of the Goddess. No work or casting, just thankfulness and gratitude.



You can find a complete listing of this years Moon Phases on the Pagan's Path moon calendar.





Back To The Index The Blue Moon

A "Blue Moon" occurs when two full moons happen in one calendar month. Since the phase period of the moon is 29.5 days, you usually only have one full moon each month. But each month it's a little earlier than the previous month and eventually you'll find 2 full moons in a single month. This occurs about every 2.5 years, and the second full moon is called the "blue moon". There is no physical difference in appearance, the second full moon looks like a regular full moon.



According to folklorists, the term "Blue Moon" is at least 400 years old. The earliest known references to a blue moon were intended as examples of improbable events or something that could never happen. As time passed the expression evolved to mean something that rarely or never happened. Hence the expression "Once in a Blue Moon" which is still popular today.



In the pagan community, the origins of the meaning of a Blue Moon vary. And the legend or origin of these meanings cannot be substantiated. However, some believe the second full moon holds the knowledge of the Grandmother Goddess (or the Crone) and therefore contains the wisdom of the 3-fold the energy. This can be associated with the Goddess in her 3 forms of Maiden, Mother, Crone. It can also be associated with the 3 natures of self as Mind, Body, Spirit. In later evolutions as paganism began to be influenced by Christianity, this moon was associated with the Divine Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.



In other pagan traditions the phases of the moon represent the transition of knowledge within the Goddess. The quarter moons representing the Maiden Goddess, the New Moon the Mother Goddess, the Full Moon the Grand Mother Goddess (which maybe one reason we refer to the moon as "Grandmother Moon". The Blue Moon then is seen as the transition of the Grandmother or Crone to the Divine level of existence. She becomes an expression of evolution of wisdom, as well as an example of the circle of life.



Another view is that the Blue Moon represents a time of heightened or clearer communication between our physical being and the Divine. Often the energy of the Divine is seen in the form of the Grandmother Goddess or the Crone Goddess. It can also be viewed as a link between the physical (masculine energy) and the spiritual (feminine energy), making communication with spirit easier and more apt to yield insightful and enlightened communications.





Back To The Index The Red Blood Moon

According to NASA and "folklore, October's full moon is called the "Hunter's Moon" or sometimes the "Blood Moon." It gets its name from hunters who tracked and killed their prey by autumn moonlight, stockpiling food for the winter ahead. You can picture them: silent figures padding through the forest, the moon overhead, pale as a corpse, its cold light betraying the creatures of the wood."



There are many different correspondence tables for Moon Names. But most do agree on the alias "Blood Moon" during the three months of fall when hunting and harvesting take place.



Today the Blood Moon is typically associated with the first full moon nearest the Autumn Equinox, for us in the Northern Hemisphere that occurs in October. But it can occur as early as September (The Fruit Moon), and as late as November (The Beaver Moon) as the Earth tilts back away from the sun. Consequently these same affects can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere on the opposite side of the year, corresponding to the full moons of March, April and May.



Observances During The Blood Moon:

During the autumn months, The Blood Moon represents abundance, hunting, gathering and preparing for the cold winter months. It's a time to honor the Harvest and Hunting Gods/Goddesses. Many festivals take place during this time to give thanks and appreciation for the bounty and stockpiles of plenty gathered by a clan or tribe. The Feast of the Hunter's Moon is a long standing practice in Indiana where a living Native American history re-enactment takes place. But similar events can be found around the world and with varying names.



From a magikal point of view, the same concepts can be enacted today for these full moons rituals. They can be used to bring abundance into your life in the form of finances, harvest, health, friendship and love. And to give thanks and honoring the blessings of the Harvest.



A Blood Moon Eclipse:

Occasionally, we can find a rare Blood Moon lunar eclipse. This can occur anytime of the year. But how does it happen? Well the Earth casts a long shadow that extends out into space. When the moon passes behind the Earth, opposite of the Sun, (in other words Earth is in the middle), we cast a long shadow that hides the moon. That's what a lunar eclipse is.



Now let's say you had a space ship and traveled out between the Earth and the Moon during an eclipse. Look out the window back at Earth and you'll be looking at the dark side. The Earth will be in silhouette and what you're seeing is every sunrise and sunset on Earth--all at once. This ring of light shines into Earth's shadow, breaking the utter darkness you might expect to find there. Turn off the cockpit lights and look at the Moon and there's a lovely red glow.



What's in the Earths atmosphere will also affect the color or shade of red reflected on the Moon. According to NASA, following a volcanic eruption, for instance, dust and ash can turn global sunsets vivid red. The moon would glow vivid red, too. Lots of clouds, on the other hand, extinguish sunsets, leading to darker, dimmer eclipses. The Moon can shine as Pumpkin Orange to Deep Blood Red all depending on the Earth's weather or natural events.



Observances During The Blood Moon Eclipse:

Since an eclipse is an extra special event, it has a special energy and observance. Especially when it's a rare Blood Moon eclipse. These special occasions are used for honoring and celebrating life, or the blood flow of life. This energy of the moon can be used to energize fertility, abundance, or communicate with spirit.





Gardening By Moon Sign

Placement of the moon in the heavens through astrology is not the same as it's physical placement through astronomy. In earlier times, farmers used a solar, lunar and astrological calendar to ensure the proper planting period for their gardens and fields. Here in the U.S. Benjamin Franklin published the first horoscopes in his Philadelphia daily, which included a monthly entry concerning gardening.

Planting

The water signs are the best for planting. When the moon is in Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces are the best times. But Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn can be follow-up alternatives. Weeding and Plowing

When the moon moves into Aries, Gemini, Leo Sagittarius and Aquarius, remove weeds and inspect your plants for pests.

Transplanting and Grafting

Transplanting and Grafting are best done when the moon enters Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Pruning

Pruning is best done during Aries, Leo or Sagittarius. Try to schedule your pruning during a waxing moon to encourage growth.

Keep it clean and mended

Clean out your shed during a Virgo moon to help the work move along smoothly. Mend fences, gardening stakes and beds during a Capricorn moon. Ect.

Avoid making decisions when the moon is in Libra.





When The Moon Rises

Moon rises occur about 50 minutes later each day than the day before. Moon rises can occur at night as well as during the day. But the best way to put it into memory is a good ole time folk tale:

The new Moon always rises at sunrise

And the first quarter at noon.

The full Moon always rises at sunset

And the last quarter at midnight.

THE ORIGINS OF THE APPLE AND A BIT ABOUT EDEN SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 CASEY HARRIS
14:12 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 464




You maybe wondering, why an article about Adam and Eve or the origins of the Apple? What does this have to do with Women, Healing & Lore?



It has everything to do with it. Not only do I want to throw light on the Mountain Women who helped shape the New World, but I also wanted to show a historical account of how Religion has, well, tried to destroy a Gender.



We all know the story of Adam and Eve. Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit that God told her not to touch. After doing so, she tempted Adam and led him away from God’s love. This resulted in, let’s say, the rose-colored glasses being ripped off their eyes– WOMAN damned us all– and got us cast out of the Garden of Eden.



Unfortunately, this version began with Christianity….the jaded untruth of it.







Eve’s fruit of knowledge used to be the Goddess’s sacred heart of immortality all over Indo-European civilizations. Many of the Goddess’s western paradises had the Apple right in it, growing by the many.

The Garden of Eden was thought to be the same as Avalon known by the Celts. “Apple Land” was a country ruled by Morgan, the Queen of the dead. Back in days of old, kings would receive the Goddess’s apples holding within its fruit, the gift of Immortality. Then, they would go to live with her in Avalon, just as King Arthur was taken to live with her…delivered to her by three fairy queens representing the triple Goddess.

Scandinavians would put tons of apples by the graves because they believed them to be essential for resurrection. In the west, the Norse Goddess Idun kept under her care the apple Land of the west, where the Gods would go to receive the fruit in which kept them deathless.

Apples were also believed to carry souls from one body to the next. In certain festivities such as Yule, an apple was roasted in the mouth of a pig to serve as a heart in the next life.

Greeks claimed that Hera kept the apple Garden in the west where the sacred tree of life was guarded by her sacred serpent. Now think about that…and think about the story of Eve. It isn’t quite as negative when pondering its origins eh?



Graves points out that this is where the story of Adam, Eve, and the serpent originated from in a very horribly misinterpreted way. In fact he points out that it was deliberately done so. Icons show the Great Goddess offering life to her worshipper, in the form of an apple with the tree and its serpent in the background.



Romans named their apple mother Pomona which was probably gotten from the Estruscaris.







Now here’s a bit of fact for ya…



Cut an apple transversely, as the gypsies and the witches of days of old were known to do. Hidden in the apples core is the magic pentacle or sign of Kore (Core). Just as Kore the virgin was hidden in the heart of the mother earth (Demeter) and represented the World Soul, so her pentacle was hidden in the apple.



The pentacle in a circle was also the Egyptian Hieroglyph for the underworld womb where resurrection was brought about by the mother-heart of transformations.











In Celtic Paganism , the apple meant a sacred marriage and journey to the land of death.



The poisoned apple was created by Christian men in regards to Hel or Hecate who was viewed as Virgin and Mother. In competition with the Goddess/apple lore, Christian men told people that a witch would cause demonic possession through her gift of an apple unto her victim. (insert Snow White here?) Old women were actually slain if caught giving an apple to a child or adult. Suddenly when this happened the people who took the apple and ate it became troubled with fits.



The story of Adam and Eve…Eve being tempted by the serpent to take the apple was nothing more than a plight to steer fear towards the Goddess and her knowledge and immortality. The serpent became something viewed as evil as one bite from an apple, damned all women and all of the world.



It became the cause of women’s suffering and pain– claiming she deserved it because of what Eve did. What it was, in truth, was one of the very first steps taken in discrediting women and their knowledge of things. Knowledge of healing and of the Great Mother Earth.







MEDICINAL: Apples are used to treat constipation. The pectin in fresh apples can help to lower cholesterol levels, an aid in treating heart disease. Crushed apple leaves can be rubbed on a fresh wound to prevent infection.



MAGICKAL: Apple blossoms are used in love and healing incenses. An apple should be given to a lover as a present – you should eat one half, the lover the other. It is given as an offering on Samhain to the dead, since it is a symbol of immortality. Apple wood is used to make magickal wands. Pouring apple cider on the ground in your garden before you plant gives the earth life.



GROWING: Apple trees grow over most of North America. They need a cool winter period, making them unsuitable for low desert or tropical regions. Check with your local nursery for varieties best suited to your area and growing conditions.

THE ORIGINS OF THE STAR, PENTACLE, PENTAGRAM MAY 25, 2010 CASEY HARRIS
14:11 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 465

The star , known as a Pentagram or Pentacle, has come to have great meaning and power over the decades to both Pagan and others. It has remained, regardless of religion, in some way or form.



But where did it surface from? What does it mean? And what does it continue to stand for?







The star itself can be traced back to Ancient times as nearly every culture laid claim to it. The Goddess Kore, who was worshipped by the Pythagorean mystics knew that if you cut an apple crosswise, it revealed the star in its center marked by her sacred seeds.



Some ancients called it the star of Ishtar, of Isis, of Nephthys. While in some cultures it meant life and health, in Egypt, it came to represent the underground womb. And even still, from there it’s uses and purposes grew. In Babylon, they were famous for drawing the star on pots and pottery invoking its power to help preserve what was in them. Even those of biblical times, adapted the power of the star as being the first holy sign of their seven seals. Why even King Solomon’s legendary magic ring was made of a star.



While the upright star also symbolized the Goddess, it brought protection and knowledge. While Christians today will make the sign of a cross over their chest, Ancient Pagans would make the sign of the pentagram over theirs.



Start at the left breast, then to forehead, then right breast, then left shoulder, right shoulder, then end it at the left breast. This symbolized not only protection but completion.



Pretty neat, hu?



Over time, though, the meaning of the star changed, and even today, many Pagans and non-Pagans forgot it’s origins. We have been taught to fear the star, especially when we see it represented in this way.



Pentacle 2 But in Ancient times, the upside down star simply represented the God. It especially became popular when a man was placed in the center, calling him “He of the five shapes.” Also known as the horned God, representing four horned and sacred animals: the bull, ram, goat, and stag. The fifth shape was that of a man.



This was adapted by Satanists sometime later, and then the stereotypes and fear grew from there for whatever reason. (Usually misrepresentation, lack of knowledge, or speculation.) But back in the day, the Horned god nor the upside down star ever represented anything evil or frightening.



Sadly, though, even today, many Pagans do not know the origins of the upside down star. A perfect example– I did a newsletter some odd years ago, using a piece of Royo art to set it off. The warrior woman had on a necklace with an upside down star on it. To me, the woman represented the Goddess and the star, the God. But sure enough I was slammed with angry and offended emails wondering why I would shatter the image of Paganism by using something so evil as the upside down star.



However, focused on what our Ancient Ancestors would do…and On a more positive note…when the two stars are intertwined like so…



Pentacle 3 They represented the union of the God and the Goddess joining. This symbol was often used in marriages between Pagans, as in some cultures, the woman represented the Goddess, and the man, the God…so by bringing them together, they each represented the sacred union and joining of both.



This, nine pointed star has also come to mean the Tree of Life, or the moon inside the tree of life. It represents balance, guidance and inspiration. It symbolizes completion, eternity, as well as nine being a popular number in Ancient times.



From the Ancient Egyptians, to the Celts, the star was held high and kept close. from story to legend, to family crest, the star made its mark. Gawain was said to carry the pentacle as it was painted on his shield–representing Morgan. Hermetic Magicians used the star within their model of man because from Ancient to previous times, the star meant, among other things,….knowledge.



Those of law enforcement move behind that of a star. Many flags– American, Iraq, Australia, and more show stars. Why, one of the most popular decorations right now happens to be the Primitive Star. I can’t drive through a neighborhood without seeing a gazillion of them hanging on people’s homes. From Barns, to weather vanes…the star has survived the test of time…and for those who make note of them in your life, maybe they will give you a deeper meaning, now that you know some of their grand origins.

WOMEN, HEALING & LORE: RASPBERRIES & IT’S LEAVES JUNE 3, 2016 CASEY HARRIS
14:08 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 466

The raspberry doesn’t get very creative where Folk Names are concerned. It’s either called, European Raspberry, or , Red Raspberry. And as far as Mountain Lore goes, it wasn’t nothing to bat an eye at if you happened to see a Granny Woman hang a few of the branches along the doorways or windows. This meant a death had come. With all that sittin’ up with the Dead stuff, and the coverin’ of mirrors, no one wanted to see a “Spirit” re-enter a home. That’s where the branches came into play.



Hanging the branches meant Protection.



It came as no surprise when I read that Raspberry leaves were carried by women to relieve them of some of the pain and discomfort during pregnancy. From a medicine standpoint, Raspberries and the Leaves have quite a bit of an affect on women. But before we get to that, let’s throw one more fact out there.



Most people don’t know it but the raspberry is actually part of the “Rose” Family. The leaves from this shrub can help with a good many things—intestinal problems such as diarrhea, sore throats, menstrual cramps and problems…even bronchitis. The tea can also ease flu symptoms, tonsillitis, strengthen gums, stomach upset and nausea.



The best way to preserve the leaves is by drying. Once dried, for use in a tea, simply crush and soak them in cold water. (1 tsp. per cup). Let it soak for a few hours and then boil for ten minutes. Strain and drink.



Never drink the tea while pregnant.







This is one of the reasons the ol’ wives tale of carrying the leaves while pregnant to relieve some of the pain during pregnancy was interesting to me. Seems the more and more I dig into Mountain Lore, the more linked it is to actual medicine—in some way or another.



Could it be, women carried the leaves in case contractions began?



The leaves are said to stimulate the uterus and bring about labor. One may use the tea once contractions begin but only under a Doctor’s supervision.



1 cup.



That being said, was that the real reason women carried the leaves and not because of some superstition? Or did the medical aspect become hidden within’ silly, superstitious lore?



I often wonder about that. History cries endless and unknowable numbers of the horrific murders of women, who were punished for things like witchcraft. When in truth, they simply had a knowledge to use the things in Nature many overlooked in order to heal. In certain communities, like those of the Appalachian Mountains, how many would have died if it were not for these Mountain Crones or Granny Women and their knowledge of plants? Doctors were not falling from the sky in abundant buckets. They were few and far between. And with so many women burned, drowned or tortured for their “knowin’ of things” did they protect that knowledge by camouflaging it with silly, little, absurd things like carrying a leaf in one’s pocket? Just a thought.



So let’s get down to some Facts, shall we?



Raspberry leaves have been used in medicine as far back as 37 A.D. Written documents date all the way back to Rome.



file000396551993Raspberry leaves have something in them called Tannins. Tannins are pretty cool things and can be found in most vegetables and fruit. The leaves, when dried, are when Tannins pack a punch. By definition, Tannins are various complex phenolic substances of plant origin; used both in tanning and in medicine. The Tannin in Raspberry leaves have astringent effects – as do most tanins elsewhere. It’s the astringent that aids in the antidiarrheal and anti-inflammatory super-powers of the leaves. Did you know it can also help stop bleeding? Who knew all that existed beyond what we normally focus on—the sweet, delicious berry?



Raspberry Leaves contain Potassium, Vitamins A & C, Phosphorus and Calcium.



Now, let’s get down to the healing.



By drinking the tea, in cases of Diarrhea, it’s the astringents which aid the most. They relieve the irritation on the intestinal walls, which means they help with the irritation brought on by the diarrhea. You must make sure the tea is super-packed with tannins, though, for this to work, which means, soak the leaves in water for at least 10 minutes. For cramps that sometimes come with diarrhea, use 2 oz. of the Leaves and 1 1/2 oz. of Peppermint.



Heavy Menstrual Bleeding



2/3 oz. Raspberry Leaves

2/3 oz. Oak Bark

1/3 oz. Yarrow

2/3 oz. Wild Strawberry Leaves

Use 1 tsp. of this mixture per cup of hot water or hip bath. It is supposed to normalize bleeding and the leaves may also help with cramps.



Inflamed Skin



Wash face with 3 tbsp. of leaves that has been added to 1 quart of water and boiled for 10 minutes. (Allow to cool of course) and then wash area several times a day. The tannins are said to shrink blood vessels and prevent bacterial infections. Can also stimulate skin regeneration.



Sore Throat



1 tsp. of raspberry leaves to 1 cup of water. Let steep ten minutes. Gargle several times a day. Add calendula flowers and sage leaves to pack an extra punch.



Eliminate Toxins from the body



Equal mixture of Dandelion Root, Raspberry Leaves and Fumitory green parts. Add one tsp. to 1 cup of boiling water – steep 10 minutes. Drink 3 times a day.



Lore



Raspberries are feminine in nature and represent the Planet, Venus. Their element is water and their powers are said to be love and protection.

CINDERELLA’S PAGAN ORIGINS JUNE 6, 2016 CASEY HARRIS Once Upon a Time….
14:06 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 467

Actually, scratch that. While Cinderella was a tale spun long ago, it’s origins and true meaning grow even deeper.



In fact, did you know that the original story may have even been meant as Prophecy?



Cinderella was a story told by Pagans. Cinderella was “Ella” or, Hel. Hel, as in the daughter born of Mother Earth.



Also known as Helle, who’s fires of renewal would reduce one to “Cinders”. Hence the name, Cinder -Ella.



The Nasty Stepmother was code for the “New” Church. The “Ugly Stepsisters” were really the powers behind the throne– the Aristocracy and Clergy supporting the New Church by way of Military and other means.



The tale went like this….



Cinderella’s mother, the Earth, gave her daughter a “Fairy Tree”, which would later become spun as a Fairy Godmother. The tree gave Cinderella Golden Apples– Apples being a VERY important part of Pagan lore— and various other gifts. Beautiful garments, the slippers. You get the idea.



The Prince was actually symbolic for “Mankind”. With the gifts from the Fairy Tree, Cinderella was beautiful and like the story we know today, this enchanted beauty won the love of the Prince — the love of mankind.



Did this mean the New Church would lose it’s favor and the ways of the Goddess would find itself anew, would survive the powers attempting to crush her and remain beloved of the people? That’s my own personal speculation. Nothing written in stone.



Now, back to it….



Where did the glass slipper come into play? Well, that was actually a ritual in days of old, a sexual innuendo, if you will. The entire thing represented the Union. In certain cultures, working a phallic object into a woman’s shoe signified a sacred marriage.



Some theorize that the “glass” slipper was symbolic of the “Crystal” Cave. Men, or heroes, would enter the underworld — this Cave– which again, had great meaning. In fact, Ill have to type up another article soon on, Cave– yep, that much meaning behind it.



There were many Prophecies in Medieval times which spoke of the rich and powerful being tossed off their high horses. Overthrown by the very people feeling the grunt of their blows. Having the Great Mother reach beyond the Underworld, ridding them of these awful threats. Aiding them from the beyond. Having her own Daughter as a Champion– well, you can imagine the attractiveness of it all.



And Pagans learned long ago, in order to protect and hide their message, it was easier to create a fictional story– a deeply-seeded symbolic one– to hide it’s truth and camouflage it, if you will, within colorful imagery.



Do you think they knew it would survive such a long test of time or are we doomed to repeat ourselves — an old history bleeding into our present one. Are there lessons to be learned that apply to us today? How far would this prophecy go?



Just something to think about.

WOMEN, HEALING & LORE : DAISY, THE “DAY EYE” JUNE 24, 2016 CASEY HARRIS LEAVE A COMMENT Daisy, belonging to the Aster Family, means “Day Eye”. . .
14:05 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 468

For the simple fact that when night falls softly over the world, so does a Daisy shut its eye. Even on shady days, a Daisy is known not to even peek.



In Latin, the Daisy’s name is Bellis Perennis, meaning “beautiful.” The reason I’m including the Daisy in our Medical Plant List, is that it grows everywhere– Europe, Asia, North America, etc–and is very easy to find.



The Daisy, often thought of as a weed much like Dandelion, will grow absolutely anywhere: paths, lawns, wooded areas, meadows. Accused of being a stubborn weed or not, doesn’t change the fact that for decades, this plant has been well admired and used from folklore to remedies.



Daisies contain something called saponines and tannins , both really good stuff. Saponines are famous for kick starting and stimulating the old metabolism, by way of the liver and gallbladder. While also being famous for helping the appetite and having a mild analgesic (pain killer), antispasmodic (relieving muscle spasms) effect, as well as aiding gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) functioning. And Tannins, the miraculous good stuff which is also found in Green and Black teas, is considered a bitter astringent, toning tissues and helping to remove the body of toxins. (Note: This is why many age defying creams now have green tea in them.)



Now, while you won’t find doctors writing out prescriptions of Daisies, in Folk Medicine the plant was treasured. Not only for its pain killing effects, metabolism support, and or all of the wonders I listed above, but also for its ability to purify the blood, relief of gout, rheumatism, lung congestion, illumination of swellings, bruises, varicose veins, sprained muscles, healing of wounds, and many infections including that of flu and bronchitis.







The fresh flowers, leaves, and stems can all be dried, stored, and saved for Medical purposes.







Tea for Metabolism:



1 cup of boiling water for every teaspoon of dried flowers and leaves. Let it soak for ten minutes, then strain. Drink two to three times a day and remember, the tea can be mixed with other Metabolism supporting herbs as well.



Compresses:



Take a washcloth and soak it in Daisy tea (warm or cold–whichever is needed). Then, place the cloth over the desired area.



Tincture:



Soak 1 oz of the dried Daisy in 5 oz of Vodka for a total of two weeks, shaking it up every day. Strain and then store in a closed bottle. Take twenty-forty drops 3 times a day.







And now to reflect back on all our ancestors who were Mountain Mommas and Granny Women.



Wear a Daisy and you will attract love.

Sleep with a daisy underneath your pillow and your lover will return to you.









Resources:



The Complete Guide to Natural Healing



Wikipedia



Gardening the Daisy



FOLKMEDICINEGRANNY WITCHESGRANNY WOMENHEALINGHEALING DAISYREMEDIES

ARTICLES, COLUMN: WOMEN, HEALING & LORE, HEALING & LORE

WOMEN, HEALING & LORE: BLACK & GREEN TEA

JUNE 17, 2016 CASEY HARRIS LEAVE A COMMENT

While coffee can sponge up the vitamins in your body, black and green tea have the opposite effect. Now if you don’t know what black and green tea is—think Lipton Tea (something popular in the States) Lipton tea is made of black and green tea.



Black Tea . . .



is tea that has been fermented. It can be found in any tea isle of any grocery store. Some popular varieties are : Breakfast teas, Orange pekoe, Darjeeling, and so on.



Unlike coffee, the lower amounts of caffeine in black tea help blood flow in the brain (alertness) without putting pressure on the heart. The tea has something in it called Tannins–which is an astringent (a chemical causing retraction of body tissues and canals–Word Web) found naturally in many herbs which have soothing anti-inflammatory effects on a person’s digestive tract. Tannins also help the mind. Black tea also has small traces of Fluoride and is said to help tooth decay–so again, way better than coffee.



Black Tea can stop diarrhea—steep a cup of water for 15 minutes –this makes sure the tannins leave the tea and enter the cup–drink unsweetened.



Black Tea can lower cholesterol levels–drink 2 cups of black tea everyday for 3 weeks.



Green Tea comes from the same plant as Black tea only its not been fermented. And sometimes, certain types of Green tea is lightly roasted.



Green Tea . . .



has many of the same qualities as Black tea–the same tannins, prevention of tooth decay, lower blood pressure, detoxification, anti-inflammatory, improves concentration, invigorates the body, and lowers the rick of heart disease and some types of cancer.



To lesson the caffeine in Green tea–pour some water over the leaves before putting them in your cup. Strain the water off after 30 seconds. Caffeine is the first to flood any cup of water–the longer the tea soaks, though, the more tannins enter the cup.



For those who are trying to quit drinking coffee, green tea seems to help since it has a slight bitter taste.



HEALING EFFECTS OF BLACK AND GREEN TEA

ARTICLES, COLUMN: WOMEN, HEALING & LORE, HEALING & LORE

HEALING & LORE: THE WILD STRAWBERRY

JUNE 10, 2016 CASEY HARRIS LEAVE A COMMENT

https://thecrowinhen.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/e00c719e570f50bb1bb3a796fe370a8c.jpg?w=278&h=407The Wild Strawberry is apart of the “Rose” family. You should start seeing the berries around June. The seeds are actually the fruit. When you harvest the Wild Strawberry, you want to take the leaves, berries, and roots. When you dry these out, keep them out of humidity and dampness.



Leaves and Roots…



Tannins live in the leaves and roots. Tannins can be found in most vegetables and fruit. The leaves, when dried, are when Tannins pack a punch. By definition, Tannins are various complex phenolic substances of plant origin; used both in tanning and in medicine. The Tannin in leaves have astringent effects – as do most tannins elsewhere. It’s the astringent that aids in the antidiarrheal and anti-inflammatory super-powers of the leaves.







What’s in the Berries?



www.bluffviewnursery.orgThe berries have 60 milligrams of Vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit. Not to mention the Minerals, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, Calcium, Zinc and Fruit Acids. The leaves of Wild Strawberries also have:



Triterpene Alcohols (Anti-Inflammatory)

Flavonoids (Powerful Antioxidants)

Citral (Lemony Scent)

Essential Oils









What to do with it?



red-wonder-wild-strawberry-75-seeds-3.gifAmerican Indians used the root for jaundice, stomach ailments and and heavy bleeding during menstruation—again, much like Raspberry Leaves.

For sore throats, gargle 1/4 cup chopped leaves to 1/2 cup boiling water. Steep for 30 minutes.

For sunburn, apply crushed berries. Leave for 10-20 minutes.

For diarrhea, add 1 gram root to 1/2 cup cold water. Heat and steep for 30 minutes. Drink 2 cups daily, 1 before each meal.









Now, what sort of Mountain Lore or Folk Lore surrounds the strawberry?



It was known for two things: Love and Luck. Perhaps one of the reasons Strawberries are a must during a romantic interlude is because back in the day, if someone was in love with you or if you were in love with someone else, you would give or serve them strawberries.

If you wanted luck, stuff your pockets with the leaves.

And like Raspberry Leaves, pregnant women often carried a small packet of the Strawberry leaf to help ease pain.

GODDESSES OF PROSPERITY JUNE 15, 2010 BRANDI AUSET
14:00 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 470




Spring/Summer energies are a great time to bring prosperity into your life. Here are a few Goddesses who can help:







Abundantia – Roman Goddess of prosperity, luck, and abundance. She is the personification of wealth and riches, blessing all who ask to receive her gifts. She is usually depicted as a beautiful maiden carrying a cornucopia from which she distributes food and money. Her image was found on the coins of Roman emperors, and she is known to gamblers as ‘Lady Fortune’ or ‘Lady Luck.’







Anuket – Egyptian Goddess of the Overflow. The personification of the annual flooding of the Nile River, Anuket is worshipped as an agricultural Goddess. She nourishes the field and grains, bringing life, food, and prosperity to the land of Egypt. Her name means embracer, and Her symbols are the cowrie shell, water jugs, the yoni, coins, and fish. As Patroness of the poor, She supplies those in need with wealth and fertility. Anuket is generally depicted as a gazelle, or as a full breasted woman with a reed and ostrich feather headdress.









Habondia – Germanic Earth Goddess. Throughout Northern Europe, Habondia was worshipped as a harvest deity, granting abundance and prosperity to fields, crops and herds. Infinitely generous, She promotes growth in all areas of life.







Inari – Japanese Goddess of Nourishment. Inari is depicted in both male and female form. As a goddess, She is seen as a young woman with long flowing hair; as a god Inari is represented by an old man with a beard. She is the goddess of rice, and the patroness of farmers and merchants. She bestows prosperity and abundance on all who honor Her.







Lakshmi – Hindu Goddess of Prosperity. Lakshmi is the epitome of wealth and abundance in both the material and spiritual realms. She rules prosperity in all its forms, and widely bestows Her gifts to those who are open to receive. Celebrations of Lakshmi are held during the month of October. She is generally pictured wearing red and gold, standing on a blooming lotus with gold coins pouring from Her hands. Full moons are sacred to Her.



Text from The Goddess Guide

THE MINOAN SACRED YEAR JUNE 24, 2016 LAURA PERRY
13:59 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 471

Faience snake goddess figurine from Knossos

After people find out what modern Minoan Paganism is, their next question usually has something to do with the wheel of the year. The Minoan sacred year is a little different from the more well-known Wiccan-based eightfold calendar.



You may be familiar with the eight sabbats that many modern Pagan paths have as the basis for their calendar: Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltane, Summer Solstice, Lammas, Autumn Equinox, Samhain, and Winter Solstice. Under various names and guises, this set of festivals has become the standard for a wide variety of traditions. But it’s a modern calendar, constructed from several different sets of older European sacred days. The Minoan sacred year isn’t nearly this neat-and-tidy, but it still holds a range of interesting festivals that date back to the second millennium BCE or earlier. And they’re based on the seasonal cycle unique to the area where the Minoans lived.



The ancient Minoans lived on the island of Crete, which lies in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Greece. Like all the lands and islands in and around this body of water, Crete has a unique environment that’s called the Mediterranean climate. Those of us who live in the northern temperate zone (most of Europe and North America) are used to four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn, winter. But the Mediterranean really only has two seasons: rainy and dry. The dry season is their dead time, corresponding to winter in the temperate areas. But guess when the Mediterranean dry season happens? Summer.



So summer is the ‘dead time’ on Crete. The rain stops—really stops. All the creeks and all but the largest rivers dry up. Everything turns crispy-dry and brown and it’s HOT. Before the advent of air conditioning, people used to sleep through the hottest part of the day and stay up later at night, when it was cooler, to get things done. And they were very, very happy when the rains started again in the autumn. That’s when they celebrated the new year, because that’s when their agricultural cycle started again.



The rain softened the soil so the Minoans could plow their fields and plant their crops. The wheat, rye, barley, and other field crops grew happily throughout the mild winter and were harvested in the spring. So the Mediterranean growing cycle is pretty much the opposite of what I’m used to here in North America. In Crete, even today, the farmers plant their crops in the autumn and harvest them in the spring. So let’s have a look at what this special climate means for the Minoan sacred calendar.



The Minoan wheel of the year includes a series of holidays that come one right after another, lasting for several weeks and leading up to the New Year’s celebration at Autumn Equinox. This is similar to our modern winter holiday season, but it takes place in the autumn instead of the winter. It begins with the Feast of Grapes on August 31. This is the celebration of the grape harvest and the death of Dionysus, the god of the vine. This is very similar to the grain gods of northern Europe being sacrificed at harvest time. (Please note: In modern Minoan Paganism we have chosen calendar dates for many of these agricultural festivals, but in ancient times they would have been celebrated whenever the crops were actually ready to harvest, which may have varied by quite a few days.)



Following the Feast of Grapes, we have the Mysteries—the Minoan precursor to the Eleusinian Mysteries. The Minoans based these holy days on the rising dates of certain stars. For modern purposes, we set this ten-day-long festival from September 1 through 10. For some excellent reconstructions of the Minoan versions of the Demeter and Persephone myths that were central to the Mysteries, I recommend Charlene Spretnak’s book Lost Goddesses of Early Greece: A Collection of Pre-Hellenic Myths.



Then we come to the end of the Minoan ‘holiday season,’ the beginning of the rains. Obviously this would have happened on varying dates in ancient times, just like it still does, but in modern Minoan Paganism we celebrate the New Year at the Autumn Equinox. This is the time of fresh green growth, renewal, time to plant seeds and start new projects.



Next up is Winter Solstice, the time of the divine birth. The Great Mother Goddess Rhea gives birth to Dionysus in her sacred cave on Mt. Dikte. Or Mt. Ida. Or one of the other caves across Crete that vied for prominence throughout Minoan times. (I never said Minoan religion was apolitical.) The Minoan Midwinter birth story is the oldest version we have of the familiar tale: A sacred child born on the Winter Solstice to a holy mother but with no father, in a cave or grotto surrounded by friendly animals, then hidden away for safety. One of my favorite stories.



A few months later we come to the Spring Equinox, which is harvest time in the Mediterranean. The ancient Minoans celebrated with dancing, feasting, and offerings to the ancestors. That’s a fine way to do it in modern times, too.



Then we come to the Summer Solstice, which is paired with the Winter Solstice. The baby Dionysus was born at Midwinter and hidden away in his mother’s cave. Now he comes of age, emerging from the cave to take part in the Sacred Marriage with Ariadne. This was probably also a time for boys to have their coming-of-age ceremonies in ancient Crete.



Then we’re back to the Feast of Grapes and a new year starts again.



There were many other celebrations that we know about based on the archaeological discoveries from Crete, but they aren’t as easy to fit into a prefab modern calendar. For instance, several of the peak sanctuaries celebrated the major and minor lunar standstills, each of which happens once in a roughly 19-year cycle. The Minoans, who were obviously great astronomers, also celebrated certain times when the cycles of the Moon, the Sun, and Venus coincided over an eight-year cycle (that’s eight solar years, five Venus cycles, and 99 lunations). And they also revered the local nature spirits, some of which probably had their own festivals and sacred days.



Now, part of Paganism is about respecting the cycles of the seasons wherever you happen to live. And obviously, if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a Mediterranean climate, it would be kind of weird to celebrate planting in the autumn and harvesting in the spring. I’m pretty sure the gods understand that the environment varies from place to place, so I have no problem switching those two festivals to match the climate where I live in North America. It’s also good to remember that the Minoans sailed all over the place, even out into the Atlantic and probably up the western coast of India as well, so they had a clue that there are different seasons in different places.



So there you have it, the Minoan sacred year. How will you choose to celebrate?



If you’d like to join the conversation about modern Minoan Paganism, please feel free to check out Ariadne’s Tribe, our welcoming community on Facebook.



In the name of the bee,

And of the butterfly,

And of the breeze, amen.

ANCIENT CALENDAR & PAGAN HOLIDAYS: JUNE22 : GWL O BARDD ENDS AND A BIT ABOUT PAN JUNE 22, 2016 CASEY HARRIS
13:55 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 472

The Welsh festival of the Bards, Gwyl o Bardd, ends at Sundown.



A Greek’s life was fairly simple or at least the things that made life worth living were. Good food, great company, conversations and, well, sex. Lots of it. They loved it so much, they revolved every God or Goddess that they could around it.



Pan might be one of the perfect examples of that. He was basically a Greek rockstar. All he did was party from meadow to forest and he defintly didn’t do it alone. Like any rockstar, Pan has his own legend of groupies, called the Nymphs. That meant, any party Pan was at, so were his sex-crazed Nymphs. And that meant a party with Pan was the best of all orgies.



Pan was half man and half goat completely driven by lust. In fact, his image aided the stereotypical image of the Devil etch it’s ways into the minds of many during the Dark Ages to come. And although Pan was beloved of all Greeks, there were a good many superstitions and safeguards surrounding him, which makes sense, since he was one of their oldest Gods.



The word “Panic” actually came from “Pan’s” name. It was a cry he made, creating “Panic” that his enemies felt, a spell, if you will, that drained them of all their power and strength. Some sources claim “Panic” was what women felt if they were walking in the woods alone being stalked by Pan.



8105219985_349da2547f_ojj.jpg



Also, even though Pan was a God of the Shepherds, they were weary too and made sure to respect him. Because Pan partied all night, that meant he slept all day. Every Greek Herdsman knew to be quiet when wandering about the woods during daylight. No one wanted to wake Pan before he was ready to wake on his own.



Sometimes Pan was compared to Dionysus, claiming they were one in the same. Their Legends were certainly simuliar and Pan did take credit to sleeping with every one of Dionysus’s Maenads.



And since today, the Greeks would have been honoring Pan, let me also point out that even the Ancient Egyptians showed favor in him having a place called, The City of Pan.

SHADOW PEOPLE, ASTRAL SPIDERS, & HYPNAGOGIA DECEMBER 10, 2009 CASEY HARRIS
13:51 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 474

So what are Shadow People, Spiders and Beings?



We all know what spirits or ghosts are, so I suppose we can place them in that category except, there is no proof that these beings are dead, are repetitive echoes, a haunting or formless.



They appear void at times if not strangely solid. By solid, they are still dark as Shadow but an even blacker color outlines their features.



One of the most common sightings has been the figure of a man or someone in a cloak. Sometimes they are seen wearing a hat or hooded sweat shirt. Whatever they are wearing, they lack color.



Imagine– you are staring into an actual person who is nothing more than solid smoke or even slightly transparent at times. The strange thing is, you can catch detailed outlines concerning their face or clothes.



It’s hard to think that anything which appears to be solid or merely bleak can have any sort of outline about it. But people have reported that at times they can make out their features clearly as well as the smaller details of their clothes. Some reports claim they have glowing eyes, mostly red. Some reports claim that they act unaware (as if you are not there)– as if passing from one room, while others claim these beings have had their attention directly on them.



Many reports claim that the energy or feeling in the room changed to something fearsome. Other reports claim that the person witnessing this act was attacked, unable to scream, or paralyzed.



Now before we fix our minds on a notion of fear—let’s reserve that until later because I have some theories of my own.



When do these sightings happen?



I call it the Twilight (No, Stephanie Meyers has nothing to do with this) but a more technical word is Hypnagogia. Basically, it is known as a sleep paralysis which has the attention of many doctors and scientists who are studying it. The easiest way to describe it is–



You go to bed, close your eyes, go to sleep. Only you do not sleep deeply nor are you fully awake. You are stuck somewhere in between.



Now do not confuse this with sleep walking. That is NOT what it is. People who experience this are completely aware of everything that is going on around them. They can sit up in bed, walk through their house, pet a dog or see their wife or husband sleeping beside them. They can talk and interact even though their minds are not fully awake.



So what is so different during this time that they seem to think they’re partly asleep? Good question.



Even though they can interact with their normal environments, not everything is the same. It is as though they are lingering between two worlds. Their subconscious mind is in equal balance with their conscious mind.



Meaning, they are open to whatever may come, eyes open beyond the veil but their conscious minds do not have the draw backs–jerking them out of this moment or to prevent them from seeing, experiencing, and interacting with whatever may be.



This is when some people experience the Shadow Beings, Spiders, or other types of Other Worldly phenomena. It is NOT the only time, but this is a common one, as well as wide spreading.



Now it should be known that Science and Doctors have their own explanations of this but NOTHING is for certain simply because they’re pretty much clueless as to what Hypnagogia is and what these people are really discovering during this phase. The experts are blaming it on sleeping positions, among other things, saying that if someone sleeps on their back– that this is what causes it.



Now it should be noted that I did say above that this phenomena is becoming widely spread. That doesn’t mean it did not exist before. I think because of the internet and the loss of fear in speaking about these things has made it possible for others to realize that they are not alone. It should also be mentioned that Shadow beings have been reported since Ancient times but we will get more into that later.



A direct quote from Wikipedia concerning Hypnagogia:



Early references to hypnagogia are to be found in the writings of Aristotle, Iamblichus, Cardano, Simon Forman and Swedenborg.[11] Romanticism brought a renewed interest in the subjective experience of the edges of sleep.[12] In more recent centuries, many authors have referred to the state; Edgar Allan Poe, for example, wrote of the ‘fancies’ he experienced “only when I am on the brink of sleep, with the consciousness that I am so.



So you see it is not new by any means, only our awareness of it since we still seem to be in the Dark Ages concerning anything other than what is socially accepted. Being taught not to believe in such things or that it is against some sort of religion– has really blind sided us I think.



Let it be also known that during Hypnagogia or what I call ‘Twilight’, Shadow people or beings are not the only thing experienced.



Many people claim that they have got up from their beds, walked out the door to new or past worlds. Some have experienced or revisited past lives or countries.



One woman I read about, reported standing by her bedroom window, waving to people who were passing by outside her home. They stood there waving at her while she waved back at them. At some point she snapped out of it, finding herself standing there waving– only the people she remembered in every detail were no longer present.



Other people report having long conversations with deceased relatives who are possibly standing by their bed or sitting in the same room with them. Some people claim that they are visited by those who are not dead. They have absolutely no idea what they are, but they do know death did not bring them to their bedrooms.



Now even though Twilight is not the only time this happens, this is one of the biggest reports of the Shadow Beings that people claim to experience. Possibly because our minds are so open during this stage and we can see beyond the Veil—my theory.



Now the down side–some people say that they are attacked. That this black mass or presence paralyzes them so that they can not move or even scream.



Others claim that they are not attacked but wake up finding these beings standing over them, simply watching which may be how they came to be called, ‘The Watchers’.



One woman I know claims to have woken up, been fully awake, while a young man in a hooded sweat shirt swept through her room and went out the window. Now she did not think that he jumped, but simply leaped through his doorway, to where ever he came from. This woman has had this happen quite a few times, same boy, same details (except the exit)– only she was not experiencing Twilight during any of those times. In fact, she told me she had never experienced Twilight. She sees them wide eyed and awake.



So you see Twilight is not the only time you can experience this.



Many reports say that they were standing in their kitchen (or somewhere), felt the energy or the room temperatures change, caught something in the corner of their eye, turned around quickly and the Shadow Being was standing there, watching them.



Shadow or Astral Spiders





People claim to be sleeping or rather Twilight, while watching these HUGE spiders of abnormal size crawl around their beds, glide down over their heads from webs and so on. By big—sizes ranging from fat puppy size to smaller.



At times they see smaller ones but it is usually the bigger ones that cause them the greatest shock and fright. It is usually scary enough to snap them out of the Twilight completely, where the spiders are then gone.



There hasn’t been to many people offering them any enlightenment concerning this. In fact, I was shocked that on these forums that I researched, to find that quite a few people who rattled away concerning their belief in the Shadow People in other threads, literally make fun of the people who were seeking answers concerning the spiders.



Unfortunately I can not give anyone any hard crusted evidence here but I can explain some common points about them.



One, you do not have to be in twilight to see them. Some people will see them there, wake up completely to find them still in their reality—fading away.



Two, no reports of anyone being bitten.



Three, no reports of anyone being attacked.



Four, some believe they are other dimensional.



Five, others don’t have a clue as to what the hell they are, although freaky, they don’t seem to be harming anyone or anything.

ANCIENT CALENDAR & PAGAN HOLIDAYS: JUNE23 : CÚ CHULAINN AND LORD AND LADY OF THE SIDHE JUNE 23, 2016 CASEY HARRIS
13:48 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 477




Present Day Pagan Holiday: Day of the Lord and the Lady of the Sidhe — Otherworldly aspects of the Divine.



FROM the earliest ages the world has believed in the existence of a race midway between the angel and man, gifted with power to exercise a strange mysterious influence over human destiny. The Persians called this mystic race Peris; the Egyptians and the Greeks named them demons, not as evil, but as mysterious allies of man, invisible though ever present; capable of kind acts but implacable if offended.



The Irish called them the Sidhe, or spirit-race, or the Feadh-Ree, a modification of the word Peri. Their country is the Tir-na-oge, the land of perpetual youth, where they live a life of joy and beauty, never knowing disease or death, which is not to come on them till the judgment day, when they are fated to pass into annihilation, to perish utterly and be seen no more. They can assume any form and they make horses out of bits of straw, on which they ride over the country, and to Scotland and back. They have no religion, but a great dread of the Scapular (Latin words from the Gospels written by a priest and hung round the neck). Their power is great over unbaptized children, and such generally grow up evil and have the evil eye, and bring ill luck, unless the name of God is instantly invoked when they look at any one fixedly and in silence. Link (Source)



End of Quoted Text



Ancient Calendar shows an observance to Cú Chulainn, today, who happened to be an Irish born Hero.



Ireland, land of the forty shades of green, offers us a wealth of unforgettable Legends and Lore. If you have never looked into it’s past, maybe today’s calendar will inspire you to do so.



Cú Chulainn was born of a God and mortal woman. His father was Lugh, who many said Cú Chulainn was the reincarnation of. His mother was, Deichtine. She was the sister of King Conchorbar Mac Nessa.



It is said that a Druid prophesied that Cú Chulainn would be a great warrior (beginning at seven) and would be famous until the ends of time even though his time to walk in this earth would be short.



Battle after battle, the Druid did not lie, until Cú Chulainn met his end only after a Queen conspired with all of his enemies in order to bring him down.

ANCIENT CALENDAR & PAGAN HOLIDAYS: JUNE25: IRELAND’S BELOVED AINE JUNE 25, 2016 CASEY HARRIS
13:46 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 478

Let’s step back in time and take a peak into Ancient Ireland where the shades of green were as vast as the sloping hills and endless sheets of sky.



On this day, the Irish would celebrate the Goddess Aine, who happened to be the lady of love and fertility. Maybe it is true that love is the most powerful thing of all because Aine was also the restorer of life – eternal life.



There was a Well, named Tobar-Na-Aine. Lore swears that the waters from this Well can bless the unhealthy with good health and give back the youth lost by those who are imprisoned by Age.



Aine takes the form of the leannan sidhe, when she appears to men. When not the Fairy Lover, she shape-shifts into the red mare.

ANCIENTS LORE CONCERNING SHADOW PEOPLE DECEMBER 10, 2009 CASEY HARRIS
13:40 Jun 26 2016
Times Read: 480

Egyptians called the shadow khaibut. The Egyptians believed that the khaibut was one of seven souls that each person had.



The Roman word for shadow was umbra, also meaning ‘the shade’ or the ghost of an individual who went to a place called the Land of Shades. The land of Shades was believed to be underground or part of an Underworld and after the person died, their shadow went there. In Greece, people were known to dedicate their shadows or give them over to a God such as Zeus. This was considered to be a marvelous sacrifice but at the same time or later on, fearsome. For instance, it was believed that if a person went to the temple or sanctuary of Zeus Lycaeus, they would lose their shadows. For those who do not know, Lycaeus was believed to be the origin of Werewolves and from this particular story, maybe some of the lore concerning werewolves became born. In medieval times, werewolves and vampires were a phenomena that said that anyone cursed this way, lacked a shadow or reflection. They lacked soul.



Also in medieval times, cornering a witch and proving her to be one, the shadow played a big part. If someone sold their soul to the devil then they had no shadow—hence shadow being linked with the soul again. In Europe, people believed that the shadow beings desired blood and without it, couldn’t be reborn. Superstitions and fear spread like the black plague concerning a person’s shadow. People refused to let their shadows fall on graves, a rumbling river or near a cliff.



In biblical times, curses were spoken on a person’s shadow. For example in Numbers 14:9 –“Their shadow is departed from them.” Saying something like that meant undeniable doom and was the lowest of low. I gather that in today’s times, it would be worse than throwing shoes.



Now kicking aside the superstitious fear concerning the shadow, according to Pagans and those before them, in ancient times…a person who did not have a shadow was NOT a demon, a vampire, a werewolf or someone who had given their soul over to any devil.



They were believed to have went into some sort of eternal bliss.



Plutarch said, “At the end of the world, the blessed ones would be happy forever. In a state neither needing food nor casting a shadow.”



So if we take into consideration what the Ancients believed concerning ‘Shadows, Shadow sightings and people’, is it safe to say that the Shadow experience you have had, is indeed a spirit or ghost or someone who has passed on to the other side? Maybe, but then again I have to personally wonder…why are so many sightings the same? Why is the image that we see of the Shadow person always a common one? Is it that all dead people wear hats, or cloaks or are seen staring at the floor? Why are the shadows able to take full form or any form—animal, creature, man, while other dead people can only become orbs or when they take actual form, look like an actual person?



Where are the Shadow women? Not one person I have interviewed, have I heard or read any reports concerning a Shadow person looking like a woman. I have read and heard of small shadow figures being no bigger than a child but people do not connect them with actual children. it is only the size that they are compared to verses the others who can be up to seven feet or more in height. No women…unless you listen to the incredible but draining stories of sex that some seem to link with the succubus and incubus theories. With respect, those aren’t enough to me. There aren’t enough of them being told on or off the internet. So there doesn’t seem to be any pattern there for me except maybe someone is having some awesome dreams and the rest of us should be simply jealous lol.



If the Shadow beings are ‘Watchers’ then does this make them some sort of guardian? And why do some attack or is it like Carry said, it was her own fear doing this to her. If they are Watchers, then what are they watching? Surely they know more than we do. Is there a reason some see them and others do not? The ones who see them, do they have a link or connection to these beings while others may have a connection to some other paranormal type thing? I know it has nothing to do with open mindedness. I have interviewed to many people that had no knowledge and or belief in them. It just started to happen and that’s when they started looking for answers. Some incidents start happening when people are children while others happened as adults.

How to Start Over When Your Life Feels Shattered HAYLEY HOBSON
18:12 Jun 16 2016
Times Read: 504

Several years ago, I was asked to help with the grand opening of a major health club in Boulder, CO. I was hired as the Mind & Body Coordinator. It was a beautiful 40,000 square-foot facility. I was honored to be a candidate for the position.



I had dreams for the club. I had visions for where I wanted to take yoga and Pilates on and off the mat in the city of Boulder. And so, after only a few short months, I had over seventy classes on my schedule and over thirty employees.



The programs ROCKED, if I do say so myself. :-)



We were on the map. Every teacher wanted a class there. Every student wanted to practice there.



I had to give myself a pat on the back. I had done well. Life was good. I was happy.



But after a few years, my vision of how the program was going to develop began to differ from corporate. I did not want to settle for anything less than the best.



Always the entrepreneur, I had my designs in action. I saw teacher trainings in our future. I saw products aligned with our simple, green holistic lifestyle on our shelves. I saw workshops by celebrity teachers near or far in our studio every month.



But I felt stuck. I was being fought every step of the way.



I knew it was time to move on, but I was scared to make a change.



My position had become my identity. The club had become my life.



I was paralyzed by fear. How would I reinvent myself as myself rather than as the position I had been holding? How could I make my dreams a reality?



One evening, after teaching one of my classes, my boss called me into her office and asked me to step down as manager. Just like that. I couldn’t believe it.



Apparently my visions were too big. They needed to keep it simple. Perhaps they, too, were scared of what I could become.



I felt like my life had just toppled out from underneath me. I didn’t know what to say. I was paralyzed. Devastated. Surely my life was spinning out of control. How would I ever move forward?



It took a few moments, but I finally took a breath. And suddenly, I realized what I needed to say: Thank you.



Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime.



Thank you for the gift of freedom.



Thank you for letting me go so I can reach out of my comfort zone and fly.



Life is fraught with unpredictability. At the drop of a hat, disaster can strike. Everyone encounters death, heartbreak, devastating illnesses, job instability, and financial crisis. Perhaps it’s a personal situation that arises and then knocks you down. Maybe it’s the stress of your job that keeps you up too late at night.



Whatever it may be, we all experience the whirlwind of unpredictability at times. And when it happens, you may feel:



Consumed



Shattered



Lost



A Total Mess



Devastated



Like a Failure



And when our lives feel like they are spinning out of control, it’s not always easy to look at what may be secretly appearing on the brighter side. It’s difficult to feel hope or see the bigger picture.



And no matter how tough you are, it is very easy to feel vulnerable, confused, or lost.



When things go amiss, it is challenging to feel anything but the mass of heaviness on your shoulders with no peephole to help you see the light of day.



But when you’re down and life seems like it’s giving you a kick in the gut, please remember these four things:



Everything happens for a reason. Nothing has meaning besides the meaning you choose to give it. It’s up to you to make each incident empowering or disempowering. And it’s up to you to find the lesson in everything. For instance, if I didn’t step down from my management position at the club, I would not be where I am with my business today. Living my dream.

Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. You don’t have to suffer. It’s definitely a choice. Nothing lasts forever, including the pain you are in. So, experience it. Live in that moment. But then get out of the story you’re starting to create. There does not need to be any mental drama around it (i.e. “I will never find a job again.”)

As one of my mentors, Marie Forleo, says, “Make ISness your business.” Live in the current moment and know that’s the only moment you need to handle. Give it your full attention. It’s your reality. And when that moment is over, move to the next moment. Are you still breathing? Of course you are. Then, fabulous, you’ve just handled that moment. Are you ready for the next one that will bring you one step closer to engaging in your life again?

Take one day at a time. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it’s TRUE! Eat nourishing food. Exercise. Spend time with your friends. Do what has to be done TODAY—not tomorrow, not next week. I promise you that if you live one day at a time, you will secretly find yourself moving on!

8 Steps to Help You Rebuild Your Life and Be Successful Written by Sicorra in Inspirational .
18:11 Jun 16 2016
Times Read: 505

Rebuild your life and be successful



Do you feel like your life is one struggle after another and no matter what you do you can’t seem to get ahead? Unfortunately many of us feel that way at some point in our lives, whether we admit it or not.



When you are struggling you basically have two choices. You can either sit and cry about it, or you can do something about it. Here are concrete steps that you can take to overcome the challenges, and rebuild your life, so that you can become as successful as you were always meant to be.



8 Steps to Help You Rebuild Your Life and Be Successful

Evaluate Your Life



What do you feel is lacking in your life? What do you have that fulfills you? Make a list, and consider options that will help you create what you feel you are missing. Feel gratitude and appreciation for the good things you have that fulfill you.



Write Down Your Goals



Write out your most important short and long-term goals and dreams, along with a plan to achieve them. Divide your plan into small steps that you know you can accomplish. For example, if you always wanted to open a bakery, start taking classes on business and baking at the local college.



Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff



Decide which of your stressors are small issues and which ones are large. Is the fact that your mother-in-law drops by unannounced a real concern or can you let that one go?



By letting the small stressors go, you can free up your mind to strategize ways to reduce, eliminate, or cope with what stresses you the most.



Analyze Your Time



Which activities take up most of your time? Do you wish you had more time for other, more enjoyable activities? If so, then develop a plan to restructure the time allotted for each activity.



Create a schedule that identifies your priorities and stick to it.



Consider Your Fears



What is stopping you right now from taking steps towards what you want in life? Is it a fear that you won’t succeed or that others will think less of you? Do you fear how things might change if you are successful? Make a strong effort to accomplish your goals regardless of your fears.



Facing your fears will make you feel empowered and more capable.



Create a Daily Success Plan



Think of small changes you can implement each day to improve your life. Each day’s accomplishments will show you that you are, indeed, moving toward fulfilling your life’s passion!



Leave Regret Behind



Once things start changing and you start feeling happy and successful, you may wish you had started earlier in your life. Push these thoughts of regret out of your mind and simply focus on the exciting new things that are happening in your life right now.



Look for Positive Advice



Surround yourself with positive people. Talk to anyone and everyone you can think of to gather positive tips, advice, and experiences. Speak to people that you feel have it all – everything you may be looking for in life. Find out their secrets, their perspectives, and the thoughts that motivate them.

12 Powerful Ways to Claim Your Identity Back When You Are Lost in Your Relationship by Chantalle Blikman
18:09 Jun 16 2016
Times Read: 510




Sometimes you can loose yourself in a relationship. You should claim your identity backDo you feel like you have lost your individuality since being in a relationship?

Do you miss feeling independent and confident in yourself as a person?

Are you in an unhealthy relationship?

Being independent and keeping your unique identity is SO important in a healthy relationship.

But for most couples, it is much too easy to ‘lose yourself’ and become almost ‘one’ with your partner. The relationship becomes unhealthy.

Maybe you feel like you don’t have your own friends anymore and that you only ever socialize as a couple.

Or perhaps you feel like you have lost your individual and unique personality that you once had and that you have lost confidence in your own abilities.

Either way, maintaining your independence to a certain extent is very important to feel confident as a person and is a essential part of having a healthy relationship.

Remember, it was your personality and individuality that your partner fell in love with in the first place! So why lose it in your relationship?

If you feel like you lost yourself in your relationship then here are 12 great ways to claim your identity back.



1. Have your own friends

The way that you interact with your friends is often different to how you interact with your partner.

When you are with your friends, you will often feel a greater sense of independence. You no longer have your partner there to hold your hand and comfort you. You are your own person now and you are completely responsible for yourself.

Having your own friends will also give you a sense of personal confidence too. If you only have shared friends, then it is no wonder why you feel so reliant on your partner.

Also, when you keep in touch with friends that you have known from before you began your relationship, you will be reminded of who you are as an individual. This is a great way to maintain a sense of self.



2. Make new friends

Making new friends will show you that you are still capable of being ‘the person you used to be’. It will give you confidence as an individual and will also challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone and be more independent.



3. Identify your hobbies and interests and then do them!

Have you neglected your hobbies and interests as soon as you entered your relationship? These things are cornerstones to who you are as a person.

Your interests, hobbies and passions are what motivates you and drives you as a person. They create a big part of your personality too. For example, you might be a very artistic person and love expressing yourself creatively but when you neglect this part , you lose a part of yourself.

Get stuck into your hobbies and the things you are passionate about again!



4. Join a team or group where you can do the things you enjoy

Sometimes we have every intention of getting back involved with the things we enjoy such as our hobbies and passions. However it doesn’t last because of our busy lives!

Joining a team or group such as an art class, a sports group or band is the perfect way to stay accountable to the things you love. This will help you to make sure that you make time for your hobbies and interests.



5. Have time alone

Sometimes you might be so used to being around your partner that as soon as he or she isn’t around, you immediately call or go see a friend.

Spending time with friends is important but it should not be a way to avoid time alone.

Spending time alone is a must if you want to regain your sense of self. Sometimes all you need is a small break from everyone to find peace with yourself again.

When you are alone, you can reflect and be completely honest with yourself. It also encourages you do the things you enjoy.



6. Arrange specific times in the week where you and your partner will have quality time

You are probably thinking, “that’s a bit contradictory. How can arranging to spend time with my partner help me to regain my independence and a sense of self?”.

Well, it is important because many couples will neglect their social life in hope that it will give them more time for their relationship. This is often the case when a couple does not feel that they have enough quality time together. Remember quality time is very different from simply living together or being around each other a lot. It involves having each other’s undivided attention.

Arranging specific times in the week to have quality time with your partner will help you to feel more comfortable making plans with friends or getting involved with your hobbies. This way, you are confident that you will have enough time with your partner and are therefore less reluctant to make other commitments during the week.



7. Don’t lose sight of your dreams

It is our dreams and passions that give us a sense of purpose in our lives. If you lose sight of them, you will not only lose that sense of personal purpose and motivation in life but you will also lose a big part of yourself.

So keep chasing your dreams when you are in a relationship. If your partner loves he or she will fully support you in this.



8. Don’t be too dependent

It’s easy to become overly dependent on your partner especially if they are your best friend. He or she is the person you feel most comfortable with and who’s company you enjoy the most.

Being around other people may be a big effort, as you have to make a bigger effort to socialize – whereas being with your partner may be relaxing and easy.

This shouldn’t mean that you only ever spend time with your partner and no body else. If you do this, you will lose your independence and you will become heavily dependent on your partners company. This is a sign of an unhealthy relationship and can be burdening on your partner….and worse – you will lose your sense of self!



9. Be open to take on new things

When we try new things and get out of our comfort zone, we prove to ourselves that we can still take on a challenge by ourselves. It will help boost your confidence and give you a feeling of independence.



10. Don’t revolve your life around your partner

Make plans with your friend’s and get involved with a sports group or hobby. Often we are worried that if we become too busy, our relationship will suffer.

This can be true to a certain extent, however maintaining your personal interests and having time with your friends is the healthiest thing you can do for your relationship! When you become too dependent on you partner, it can make them feel trapped, as they are not able to do the things they enjoy either.

So don’t revolve your life around your partner. Rather maintain a healthy balance in your life.



11. Don’t tell your partner every little detail of your everyday

Perhaps you feel the need to tell your partner everything you did in the day, or everything you are going to do. This may seem harmless, but when you really analyze it, you might realize that you tell him or her everything because you feel as though you secretly need their approval.

What you might really be trying to say to them is “see, I am trustworthy. Everything I did today was completely innocent. There is nothing you should be worried about”.

This is often the case with couples where one is quite insecure and mistrusting. If this sounds like your relationship, then avoid the urge to tell your partner everything. Challenge yourself to be confident in yourself and the decisions you make.



12. Don’t ask for your partners permission

When it comes to making decisions in your life, allow yourself to make the decision yourself. You are an adult and are capable of making your own choices in your life.

For example, you don’t need your partner’s permission if you want to start a cooking class or join a sports team. These are your own personal rights and if you are in a loving relationship, you partner will be happy for you.

Obviously, there are times where it is important to consult your partner. But when you depend on your partner’s approval for every simple thing in life, you end up losing your independence, self confidence and sense of self.



Don’t Settle For a Relationship That Won’t Let You Be Yourself!

It’s up to you now to make the necessary changes in your life and your relationship. Just remember that it’s never to late to claim your identity back. You have the power to choose how you feel in a relationship. You can create your own outcome.

If you’re really serious about making positive changes in your relationship then we advice you to have a look at our book “Reclaim Yourself”. This guide will help you to feel confident, independent and free again when you feel lost in your relationship or marriage. It’s available on Amazon for $2.99.

After Emotional Abuse: Do the Side-Effects Ever Disappear? Posted on September 14, 2012 by Kellie Jo Holly
18:08 Jun 16 2016
Times Read: 513

After emotional abuse, or rather, after I left my abusive husband, I hoped the effects of abuse would disappear. Magically. Without any work from me.



Those hopeful feelings minimized the difficulty of coping with life and relationships after emotional abuse. The intelligent part of me knew that after emotional abuse it would take time to recover from the emotional trauma and regain my mental health.



Alas, the intelligent part of me was correct.





Mental Changes After Emotional Abuse

During domestic violence and abuse, victims, by and large, become people they no longer like. When someone you think you love spews hatred like buckshot, it is natural to retaliate against the abuse. Unfortunately, self-defense can get nasty.



Defending yourself in unhealthy ways can become habit. Not only can that habit spill over to innocent people (like your children), but those unhealthy habitual thoughts integrate themselves into your brain – they become your new thoughts. In that way, you become someone you do not like.



At one point during my emotionally abusive marriage I wrote:



The abuse is bad, but the things I’ve allowed to change in my mind and heart are horrid.

That thought started my recovery from domestic violence. I had not left the marriage yet, but with that statement, I took one giant, healthy mental step forward. The understanding I gained was that I, not my abuser, have the power to change and create how I think, feel and act. I’d given my power to change to him. I needed to take it back.



I allowed my abuser’s negative thoughts to infiltrate my brain during the emotional abuse. Now it was up to me to deny their ability to dominate me. I had to change my thoughts so I could be who I wanted to be.



My Recovery at 2 Years, 8 Months After Emotional Abuse

After emotional abuse is out of your life, rapid healing begins. Then it slows down a bit and you wonder if this is as good as it gets. It isn't. Read this.



Patricia Evans, author of several books about verbal abuse, offers a *list of symptoms abuse victims may suffer. Here’s a look at that list along with my experience in recovering from them.



A verbal abuse victim often . . .



distrusts their spontaneity and suffers a loss of enthusiasm

My enthusiasm for my future returned around three months after emotional abuse was in the rear-view mirror. My spontaneity took a little longer because I believed he had spies watching me. I kept it low-key so the spies would have nothing to tell him.



lives in a perpetually in a ready, on-guard state

If you suffer PTSD, this symptom will take time to conquer. For me, eventually, after realizing the spies were phantoms implanted in my head, I learned how to relax. I began to trust the peace I created in my home after leaving emotional abuse.



wonders about how they are coming across

Soon after emotional abuse ended, I discovered that he was the only person who misunderstood what I said or misinterpreted my behaviors. Every new person I met understood me perfectly. Now I’m writing a blog that hopefully you understand, too.



thinks and feels that something is wrong with her

Within the first year, I realized that I am not as damaged as I thought. Yes, I have issues to work through, but everyone does (except for my ex who still loves himself just as he is). I am at peace with myself and my point in recovery from emotional abuse.



soul-searches and reviews incidents in hope of determining “what went wrong”

I don’t do this anymore. I am able to go through entire days without thinking about my ex or how things could have been. I could go longer without thinking of him, but we have children together and there is contact.



hears only her internalized critical voice

The hardest after emotional abuse, for me, is separating my internal nag from his criticisms of me. I sometimes ask myself, “Kellie, is this what he told you?” If it is, I banish the thought without question. Hell, sometimes I banish my internal nag too. Feels good!



suffers from anxiety or fear of being crazy

I am sane. I do not doubt my sanity any longer – not for one second. The anxiety associated with the fear that I might be crazy is gone. After emotional abuse ends, meaning I have a home that doesn’t include him, the distance lets me see very clearly who is crazy. Not me.



wishes she was not the way she is – “too sensitive”, etc.

I am perfectly me. Sometimes a person’s statement or word choice will sting because they are similar to my abuser’s words. Sometimes I overreact. But the people I choose to have in my life are safe; I can tell them exactly what I’m feeling and they respond to me with love. The more I let myself trust them, the less often I feel those stings.



is hesitant to accept her perceptions

Now my perceptions are the most important ones to me. I realize that the way I perceive things may not be complete, so I ask people what they meant when they said or did something. I do not try to read their minds. I listen to their explanations. I can tell whether they’re lying or not in time by watching what they do.



tends to live in the future – “everything will be great when/after”, etc.

I do look forward to future events (like graduation and moving to Austin), but I do my best to make now great, too. Life flows, and it feels good to be in the flow instead of predicting what will happen when or after emotional abuse occurs.



has a distrust of future relationships

I once thought I was unlovable and couldn’t be a great friend because he didn’t love me and he didn’t want my friendship. After all of that emotional abuse, it is taking some time to trust my perceptions of other people. I’m relearning how to listen to my gut feeling about someone; not perfect yet, but looking forward to testing it.



Is Complete Recovery Possible After Emotional Abuse?

I believe we can conquer all of these horrible side-effects after emotional abuse is out of our lives. Some effects will take more time than others. Trusting myself seems to be at the core of it all.



I’m not done healing, but I will completely heal. I will completely trust myself. It will be sooner rather than later. It can happen for you, too.