Samhain Treats

Well here is somethingto put in your cauldron's to cook up for the festivities on Samhain..

Although there's no eye of nute, werewolf hair, or vampire teeth, needless to say these are a couple of my favorites for the special night.. I may have posted one or two of these before, but I really like these recipes--> they were easy and good ....

Please enjoy

BEE- Witchen Bee

Spirited Cheese Stuffed Apples

1- 3oz package softened cream cheese

4 medium apples

1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese( finely shredded)

1 tablespoon dry white wine

Beat together both cheeses and the wine, with an electric or rotary mixer, until smooth. Core the apples and hollow out, leaving apple shells about 1/2 inch thick. Fill the apples with the cheese mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut apples into 8 wedges.


Jack-o-Lantern Cheese Ball

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. solid pack pumpkin

1/2 c. pineapple preserves

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 pretzel rod, broken in half

Decorations: Dark rye bread, red pepper, black olive slices, parsley sprigs
Assorted crackers
Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until cheese is firm enough to shape. Shape mixture into a round pumpkin; place on serving plate. Using knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top for stem. Cut 2 small triangles for the eyes. Small triangle of red pepper for nose. Slice olives slices in half for the mouth. Cover loosely; refrigerate until serving time. Serve with crackers.


Mulled wine

(Want to make this a kid's Halloween recipe for the kiddos at your party? Skip the sugar and replace the wine with the same amount of apple cider. )

Ingredients:

1/2 C. water

1/2 C. granulated sugar

2 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, peel and juice

1 bottle (750 mL) dry red wine

Instructions:

1. in a pot (or crockpot) combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and orange juice.
2. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the orange peel and wine.
4. Let sit warming over low heat at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Don't allow it to boil or you'll cook the alcohol away.
6. Serve in warm mugs, garnished with a cinnamon stick and orange slice, if desired.

Remembrance Cookies

These cookies can be made on Hallow's Eve. They can be shaped like people and the herb rosemary is added to the dough as a symbol of remembrance. Some of the cookies are eaten while telling stories or attributes of special ancestors, reminding us that we still have access to their strengths--or perhaps a predisposition to their weaknesses. The rest of the cookies are left outside by a bonfire as an offering. This can be a solemn ritual, but it need not be.

Ingredients for the cookies:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine (softened)

1 egg

2 t. vanilla

1 t. almond extract

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cream of tartar

1 1/2 T. chopped rosemary

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


PUMPKIN GINGER SOUP

Ingredients:

1 small cooking pumpkin
1/2 cup cashews
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Directions:
Soak cashews in water to cover for several hours. This step is optional, but helps them blend better. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds, and bake cut side down at 350 degrees F until very tender (45 minutes to one hour). Scrape pumpkin from the peel and puree in a blender, with any juices, in batches. Put pureed pumpkin into your soup pot. Blend cashews in blender until smooth and add to the pumpkin puree. Rinse the blender with a little water and add to the pot. Add a little more water if it’s too thick. Add ginger and salt to taste and heat gently for a few minutes to blend the flavors.


Savory Samhain Butters

Autumn Butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup whipping cream1 cup butter, softened

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Spread onto your favorite muffins, quick bread, sweet crackers, or drop a dollop onto morning pancakes.

Cinnamon Butter

2 sticks butter1/2 cup brown sugar1 tsp cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve over sweet bread, muffins, or morning waffles. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Butter

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

4 tbsp canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp freshly grated or dried nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator up to three weeks.
* 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for cloves, ginger and nutmeg.


Creativity bread..

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup applesauce
3 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup raisins
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in a 350° oven
for forty five to fifty minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in the middle of the loaf comes clean.


Golden Herb Rolls

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 package quick-rising yeast

2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed

1 cup canned pumpkin4

eggs, divided

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups.

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