Hare Moon Sage Newsletter - Autumn Equinox
Autumn Equinox
The Second Harvest of the Year. I love this time of year, its exhilarating for me, the air starts to feel chilly, you enjoy the beautiful colors of the changing leaves, and you cannot wait to make that hot cider and get cozy under a blanket. I like to prepare my home for the upcoming season by going through my Altar and giving it a good cleansing and changing my altar cloth for something that is more Autumnal, adding sunflowers and Fall color flowers in a vase, adding my Seasons of the Witch Mabon Oracle Cards to my altar; then go through the rest of my house and change everything out. I am hoping for this year to get some leaf garland in the Fall colors to wrap around my stair banisters. I make a centerpiece of gourds small pumpkins and dried ears of corn for my dining room table and outside put out my scarecrows, haystack, and pumpkins. I am hoping to buy some leaf garlands to use on my porch this year.
The most fun I have is attending the local Harvest Festivals, visiting the local wineries, and going apple picking and creating delicious food with those apples. Check your local chamber of commerce for a list of events in your area.
I track down my crock pot to make hearty soups and stews. See Recipes below.
If you are into Tarot, there are many Tarot Spreads you can use. I, myself still cannot get the hang of tarot cards so I use my Seasons of the Witch Oracle Cards, and they are amazing and easy to use. I have separate sets that correspond with each season.
RECIPES
A quick note about my recipes. The seasoning depends on your taste so please be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings.
BEAN CHILI
3 - cans dark red kidney beans – rinsed
1 - 16oz bag frozen corn kernels
2 – teaspoons olive oil
2 – Garlic cloves chopped
1 – medium white onion chopped
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
Chili powder
Salt
Black Pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese
Corn chips
Sour cream
In a large dutch oven, sauté the chopped onion in the 2 teaspoons of olive oil, cook until onion is soft, add chopped garlic and cook until garlic is golden. Add both cans of tomatoes and let simmer for a few minutes under medium heat. Add the dark red kidney beans. Add chili powder, salt & pepper to taste and cook for at least 1 hour under low heat. Add frozen corn kernels to pot and cook until corn is soft. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve in a bowl and top with corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
Enjoy
EMPANADA DOUGH
Use this dough to make apple stuffed hand pies, or whatever you want to use as a filling. These are fried but you can also bake them, just brush with butter so the dough gets golden.
One large mixing bowl
Flour
2 – egg yolks ONLY
2 – butter quarters melted & cooled
1 - 12-ounce glass whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
One large platter
One or two dish towels
Take the large mixing bowl and fill halfway with flour.
Add one teaspoon of salt to milk and stir.
Add butter and egg yolks to flour in bowl
Start to slowly add salted milk to flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon.
Continue to add salted milk to flour mixture until dough begins to form. Use your hands to knead all flour and salted milk together. If more milk is needed add more milk, if more flour is needed add more flour.
Dough should come together easily and not be too wet or too dry.
Pull off a hand full of dough and roll smooth into a ball. Dough balls should be about 3 inches by 3 inches. Do this for all the dough and place on lightly floured platter. Cover with dish towel/s. Let sit for an hour.
When ready to use stretch dough into a large thin circle shape, about 6 inches in diameter and add desired stuffing onto one side of stretched dough. Fold over other half of dough and use a fork to press edges together.
If desired fry in olive oil until golden brown or bake in 325 F oven after brushing with butter.
Suggested Fillings
American cheese
Mozzarella cheese and sauce
Jam
Jelly
Seasoned ground beef
Apple Sauce
Pie fillings
Get Creative & Enjoy
CIDER CAKE
3 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs beaten
½ cup apple cider
Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift together the first four ingredients and set aside. Beat together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and mix. Alternately, add the flour mixture and cider. Begin and end with flour mixture. Place the batter into a well buttered loaf pan. Bake at 350 F for one hour. To check to see if its done, insert a toothpick in the middle of loaf and if it comes out clean it is done. Cool for 5 minutes in loaf pan, then invert onto wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Let me know how these recipes worked for you and feel free to add pictures of your delicious creations
BLESSED BE