A Merry Valentines Day to all

Hearts sparkling pink and red,
Ribbons made from a silk worms bed. Fairy lace made with care,
Sending love throughout the air.
Fairy hearts are always true,
That’s why I will remember you...

Its Sparkling 2010

To everyone one both far, and near I wish you all a very "Happy New Year" !!!

Hugs

Bee

My Kayla turned 2 today

A Birthday party for our blue fairy was today, out on the fairy garden...

I cannot believe Kayla, and Sunny are two already!!! Kayla wanted her own fairy wings.. Ever since she saw mine!!! So thats what she got and wore them proudly.. A tiny bite of ice cream topped off her day..

My attempt at Valentine cards

Hi to all,

Well it's been a while since I have blogged... But everyone needs a break, and for some reason life always gets in the way as well??

This month was Valentines day so I made my version of Victorian style Valentine's for a few friends of mine... I had so much fun! I tried to make each one different and unique to the new owner.. I even scribed a original Valentine verse for the dear fairy girls and decorated the back.. Anyway I am glad to be back .. For now anyway??

I am trying to decide what my subject matter will be this 2009..

Enjoy the snap shots of the Valentines I made. Fronts & (some)backs :-) I even made the envelopes. You can kind of see the different colors & patterns of the paper as I laid the card ontop when I took the pictures..

Hugs

Bee

Happy New Year

Fairy places, fairy things

fairy woods where

the wild bee wings.

Tiny trees, for tiny dames.

These must all be fairy names.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Happy Christmas

From; The Buzzing Bee

Its Not Christmas for me without Dickens..

Merry Merry to all, As a child and as a adult it is just not the Christmas season without the works of Charles Dickens. I Love the novels, as they sweep me away to a world that is so colorful and descriptive. . It lets you enter their world and make you feel as if you are really there..

The movies of course. I love the old black, and whites the best!! The actors character explorations in those movies are superior to any of the present days redo's as far as I am concerned..

I have blogged some history, and biographic info here for you about Dickens that I thought was interesting.. Please enjoy..

Happy Christmas

Bee

Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English Victorian era author wrote numerous highly acclaimed novels including his most autobiographical David Copperfield (1848-1850);Charles Dickens has probably had more influence on the way that we celebrate Christmas today than any single individual in human history except one.

At the beginning of the Victorian period the celebration of Christmas was in decline. The medieval Christmas traditions, which combined the celebration of the birth of Christ with the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia (a pagan celebration for the Roman god of agriculture), and the Germanic winter festival of Yule, had come under intense scrutiny by the Puritans under Oliver Cromwell. The Industrial Revolution, in full swing in Dickens' time, allowed workers little time for the celebration of Christmas.
The romantic revival of Christmas traditions that occurred in Victorian times had other contributors: Prince Albert brought the German custom of decorating the Christmas tree to England, the singing of Christmas carols (which had all but disappeared at the turn of the century) began to thrive again, and the first Christmas card appeared in the 1840s. But it was the Christmas stories of Dickens, particularly his 1843 masterpiece "A Christmas Carol", that rekindled the joy of Christmas in Britain and America. Today, after more than 160 years," A Christmas Carol" continues to be relevant, sending a message that cuts through the materialistic trappings of the season, and gets to the heart and soul of the holidays.

Dickens' describes the holidays as "a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys".

This was what Dickens described for the rest of his life as the "Carol Philosophy. Dickens' name had become so synonymous with Christmas that on hearing of his death in 1870 a little costermonger's fruit and vegetable) ( girl in London asked, "Mr. Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?".

Some of Dickens Novels;

A Christmas Carol

The Pickwick Papers

Great Expectations

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished novel

Bah Humbug! The Importance of Christmas Stories?

How did A Christmas Carol evolve into a classic -- and why does it still emotionally touch thousands every year?
Of all the Christmas stories, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is undoubtedly second only to the Nativity story in terms of historical and literary significance. Ever since its publication, readers have returned to this story in droves, finding comfort and joy in the story of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his conversion to the fullness of Christmas joy through the Christmas spirits of the Past, Present, and Future.
Scrooge
A Christmas Carol is so famous that the word "scrooge" has come to define a miser or killjoy even in non-English speaking countries. Rarely do Christmas stories reach so far and have such a significant impact. An interesting note is that people seem more interested in the pre-conversion Scrooge. Most of the novel tells of his transformation, but the word is never used in that sense in popular language.
"Ebenezer" is actually a Hebrew name which literally translates to "stone of help." Many people have interpreted the name in different ways, and legends abound as to where Dickens gathered the surname Scrooge -- including the notion that he misread the word "meal" for "mean" on a tombstone and stole the man's name.
Themes
Like many Christmas stories, A Christmas Carol has themes far beyond that of Christmas. Dickens was extremely concerned with the social and economic status of the poor in his time. In fact, a famous legend tells of Dickens challenging a doctor to walk through the poorest district of London without becoming ill. The man laughingly took the dare and wound up making it ten feet.
When we think of Victorian times, we don't realize the incredible poverty hidden behind the upper and middle class veneer. Many Victorians also preferred to sweep those individuals under the carpet, and Dickens used Scrooge as an embodiment of that attitude.
It doesn't take much effort to see the importance of A Christmas Carol as a literary work -- after all, it has influenced countless spin-offs, parodies, and tributes -- but even a quick reading also reveals the social and historical significance of this most famous of Christmas stories.
Years to Come
It seems clear that Dickens' immortal tale won't be going anywhere fast. Already there have been dozens of film, television, and stage interpretations, and more are scheduled for the near future. So never fear. This most beloved of Christmas stories looks like it's here to stay!

Christmas Traditions: The Advent Calendar

The Advent calendar is one of our most beloved Christmas traditions, right up there with trimming the tree and laying out milk and cookies for Santa Claus. But where does it come from -- and in our busy 21st century world, where is it going?

In the Beginning

The term "Advent" is actually a religious term referring to the four weeks leading up to Christmas (or the "advent" of Christ). That means Advent usually doesn't begin on December 1st but at the end of November. In practical terms, though, people have used December 1st as the beginning of their countdown for over three hundred years.
People have always enjoyed having something to look forward to, and even before the frenzied commercialism of gift giving, Christmas was a season to remember, and Christmas traditions helped people count down the days. As early as the 17th century, families would mark chalk lines on the walls to give themselves a visual reference as to how many days remained until the holiday.

Oh, Those Victorians....

We often associate Christmas traditions with Victoriana with good reason. Christmas really enjoyed itself in the 19th century! Long before Queen Victoria's husband brought the German tradition of the Christmas tree to England, German families had marked the days to Christmas with wreaths, pictures, and various other physical actions.
In fact, it was shortly after the turn of the century, in the early 1900s, when the first Advent calendar was actually printed commercially.

Now and Beyond

Of course, most people nowadays associate Christmas traditions with getting something, and that's why so many Advent calendars have chocolate treats hidden behind their doors. There have been many criticisms of these modern Advent calendars, which some believe buy too strongly into commercial Christmas and move away from what is essentially Advent.
Other countries have opened their own Christmas traditions to countdown. In Scandinavia, for example, there is actually a television show that begins on December 1st and ends on the 24th. These shows give the entire country a method of counting down to Christmas together.
But for the true Advent calendar, the place to be remains Germany. Many communities transform buildings in their towns (or in one memorable case, a town hall with twenty four windows) into living Advent calendars, with beautiful Christmas scenes illuminated one by one as the days to Christmas pass by. Most believe that the Advent calendar originated in Germany, but like so many Christmas traditions, it has spread to the entire world.

Sweet Treats Can Bring Some Good Christmas Luck.

Ever wondered if you should pay attention to those Christmas food superstitions? Is there a simple yet traditional dish you can whip up and throw a little luck into the mix?

Let's not Mince Words

Do you like mince pie? (NO) Never had it? Mince pies were once known as mincemeat pies. The actual meat is left out of the now completely sweet British Christmas pastry filled with dried fruit. You should give it a try if you want to encourage luck in the New Year.
There's more than mince in mince pie. Eat as much mince pie as you can from the start of Christmas Eve until the end of the Twelfth night to bring heaping amounts of good luck into the New Year!
Put away that knife! An important note to make regarding Christmas food superstitions and mince pie is that cutting it will slice through your luck in the upcoming year. Better to just pick up and bite right into these delectable sweets.
Prefer using a utensil while gaining good luck? Here's another Christmas food superstition that requires a wooden spoon to mix the good luck into your treat.

The Proof is in the Pudding

Traditionally, all people in the household must stir the pudding with a wooden spoon and view the bottom of the bowl three times. Make a wish with each swirl. Even the youngest baby partakes to help to ensure the entire household prosperity in the coming year. Much like wishing on a star, however, you cannot reveal the content of your wish until it comes true.
Finally, a silver coin, a thimble and a ring are dropped into the pudding before serving. Christmas food superstitions dictate that the recipient of the coin on his Christmas dinner plate receives luck, whoever gets the thimble gains in prosperity, and finally the ring represents a wedding in the future.
For Christmas dinner here are a couple of lucky notes to make for your luck's sake. Make sure you set the table for an even number of people even if you have an odd number of guests (just make sure to round up, not down). Stay at the table until everyone's finished, because leaving early brings bad luck (doesn't that one sound like something your mom made up?).
.

The Nutcracker

How did The Nutcracker come to be one of our most beloved Christmas traditions?


It's one of the newer Christmas traditions, but it's still had time to become near and dear to our hearts. Every year, usually at the beginning of December, many families attend the only piece of ballet or live theatre they'll see all year: The Nutcracker.




But how did The Nutcracker become such a popular tradition? What sets it apart from other Christmas stories and makes it special? And where, exactly, did it come from?




The story itself is quite old, and the one we see onstage isn't even the original, but a popular adaptation by the French author Alexandre Dumas, best known for writing The Three Musketeers. Once the story made the leap (no pun intended) from page to stage, though, history was in the making.




From the Ashes of Disappointment...




Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the famous Russian composer also known for the 1812 overture, composed The Nutcracker as his final and least satisfying ballet, taking on the project with a marked lack of enthusiasm.
How ironic that it should become one of the most beloved Christmas traditions of the twentieth century while many of the composer's other works fell by the wayside!
The ballet premiered in Russia in 1892. The famous "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," now well known for its lilting, somewhat exotic melody, made Tchaikovsky the first composer in history to use the celesta, an instrument similar to a group of tuning forks. Most people thought the instrument too subtle for symphonic use.



First Russia, Then the World!



The Nutcracker didn't exactly make an instantaneous leap from Russia to the archive of American Christmas traditions. In fact, not until 1944 did an American ballet company decide to perform the entire ballet. But that year the San Francisco Ballet took on the task, performing the ballet as an annual tradition.
But it was George Balanchine who really started The Nutcracker on the road to Christmas traditions. In 1954 he choreographed the ballet for a New York company, and not a year has passed since when the ballet wasn't performed in New York City.
Balanchine was the first to have the roll of Clara danced by a child, necessitating a much simpler choreography. By the late 1960s, other ballet companies across North America had jumped on the bandwagon, enthusiastically performing The Nutcracker to a receptive annual audience.
One wonders whether the ballet's great posthumous success would have changed Tchaikovsky's opinion of his final ballet, but unfortunately he died in 1894, long before The Nutcracker became one of the nation's most beloved Christmas traditions.

Historical Christmas Stories: Yes, Virginia!

If you love historical Christmas stories -- or even if you don't -- you can probably finish this sentence: Yes, Virginia, there is a....

The most famous of all historical Christmas stories has to be ;

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus. -->>And better still, the story is true.

In spite of the fact that almost everyone has heard of such historical Christmas stories, surprisingly few people know the full tale behind them. It's kind of like going Christmas caroling and discovering you don't actually know more than the first verse of your favorite songs. Most people don't know more than the most basic of Virginia's story.But that basis is incredibly famous.
An eight-year-old girl, doubting the existence of Santa Claus, wrote a letter to the New York Sun in 1897 and received a public answer in the form of a now-famous editorial entitled ;

"Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus."

Virginia
Virginia (actually Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas) wrote to the New York Sun after her "little friends" told her there was no such person as Santa Claus. Interestingly, that phrase -- "little friends" -- has caused many to question the authenticity of the story, as some argue that no eight year old child would ever use that phrase.
In 1998, though, the original copy of the letter appeared on The Antiques Roadshow and received professional authentication (receiving a value, incidentally, of about $50,000).
Virginia went on to become a school teacher and died in 1971.

The Author
Like most historical Christmas stories, this one has an author -- or in this case, an editor. Francis Pharcellus Church was a war correspondent during the American Civil War, an assignment which took a serious toll on his stores of hope, joy, and faith in humanity.
No one expected much from Church's editorial -- in fact, they placed it seventh on the editorial page beneath an article about chain less articles. The editorial, however, became a symbol of belief for a generation and who would have known all generations thereafter.
In the years since, Church's article has become the most reprinted editorial ever, and has found a permanent home in the heart of many Americans.

Like so many historical Christmas stories, this editorial touches on meaningful philosophical issues like the Christmas ideals of belief, faith, and hope.

First Christmas without Harry

Christmas without Harry ?

Wow, this is the first Christmas when I was not enjoying a new book, or movie from our dear J.K. Rowling story "Harry Potter".. It will not be the same. Although I am reading "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" (I just got my copy yesterday.) But I really wish I had a movie.. Funny how one gets use to something, and all of the sudden there is a hole in the festivities because it is missing..

I am really enjoying the new edition to the Harry Potter collection.

But I miss Harry very much !!

Sparkling Christmas lights.

Bee :^)

The first Christmas Card

The first known Christmas card is printed on the front cover with a date of 1843. The original was in muted colours, hand painted, printed and sold for 1cent each (5p) - a lot of money in those days. Despite the date on this card, encyclopedia's say that Christmas cards were first sold in 1846!By the 1860s the idea of sending cards had caught on as they were able to be produced much more cheaply with the invention of less expensive colour printing. The first Christmas cards had lace and flowery borders, but then they changed to more familiar designs. The robin became very popular as were Victorian snow scenes, religious pictures, holly, Christmas trees etc. Many similar scenes are reproduced in our cards today.

Thought this was interesting..

Hugs a lots of sparkling Christmas cards to all

Bee

26 days??

26 days till Christmas? Black Friday, The 30th anniversary of the movie the "Christmas Story?" Wow times does fly...

I have barely got my mind set to get my windows washed. I was hoping I could just wish my decorations up in one swift movement! I must admit I did do a tiny bit of online shopping yesterday but nothing major. I have given up present purchases for my family as it seemed unreal to buy gifts for people you never see, or who are ever home when you call. One never knows if they liked the gift, or if they even received it--> unless I put delivery confirmation on the packages, or UPS tracking! So it is just Christmas cards now, and a unanswered phone calls.. Oh do not get me wrong !! I love Christmas !! Always have.. I have just been unfortunate to have a family that do not at least when it means to include me.. I decorate, and make Merry every year. I create my own Fairyland filled with mystery, and magic. I never believed that Christmas was every about the gifts anyway I believed it was always about the mystic.. I must say it is my number 2 holiday in the year.. I begin the decorating this weekend.. Starting with the white fairy lights.. As my Fae await their twinkle!! And so do I!!

Eat well today my friends, and make merry!!! The magic is just beginning..

"God Bless us all, everyone"

Sparkling Bee


>

The Pie's the Limit!!

Fast approaching IS the day some wait all year for.. The smell of roast turkey the sweet delights that mom, and grandma have prepared for decades.. Well with that said there are always new things to try, and maybe for me as I grow older a little healthier look, for the traditional turkey dinner..



I AM POSTING HERE SOME GREAT VEGAN RECIPES THAT YOU CAN ADD TO YOUR FEAST OR REPLACE THE OLE TRADITIONAL WITH A NEW TASTE~~





This recipe may seem to have a lot of ingredients, but don't let that fool you. The variety of ingredients only makes this dish complex, not complicated. It's actually fairly quick and easy to prepare while creating a LOT of food

AS A MAIN DISH ;


Seitan Stuffed Squash

3 acorn or delicata squash
6 - 8 oz. seitan, minced
1 green apple, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
5 or so slices stale bread
1/2 cup tvp
1 small carrot, diced
3 - 5 mushrooms (opt.)
1/4 cup raw cashew pieces
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
Sage, thyme, oregano to taste
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. garlic powder


Roast cashews in oven for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees (no preheating necessary). Cut squash in half, clean, and remove seeds. Cut bread into small chunks. Roast in oven until brown and crisp. Set aside. Soak tvp in 1/2 cup hot water to rehydrate. In a skillet, melt margarine. Add onion, mushrooms (if using), seitan, celery, carrot and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add bread, tvp, apple juice, spices, cashews, sweetener, and 1/2 cup water. Keep stirring and adding more water as it gets absorbed. When the stuffing is fairly moist without being soggy, add the apples. Cook for 3-5 more minutes, then remove from heat. Pack squash with stuffing. Cook in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the skin and flesh, with only a slight resistance (watch out for overcooking - delicata cooks very very quickly).



Twice baked squash

1 butternut squash
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 tbsp vegan sour cream
½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp dill
½ onion
1 tsp bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (You can actually bake this at any temperature, such as if you are baking any other foods - it will just take longer for the squash to cook.)
Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers. If you have a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the squash, place them face up along with 1/4 inch water in the bottom. Cover and bake until squash is tender (pierce with fork to test). If you do not have a roasting pan, placing them face down on a cookie sheets will also work. Note: Make sure the pan has sides, even if they are low, as the squash will release liquid as it cooks. Remove squash from oven and let cool.
If using onion, saute in water (or margarine) until translucent. Let cool and add to other ingredients when mixing.
Scoop out flesh from skins, using a spoon. Leave a 1/4 inch border around one of the halves, so that it will hold its shape. In a bowl mix all ingredients (except for the breadcrumbs) thoroughly, until well incorporated. Transfer back to the squash half and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Depending on the squash you bought, you may find it difficult to fit all the squash into the skin (I usually end up eating any "leftovers" at this point) - good luck! Alternately, you can bake the blended squash in a casserole pan and discard the skins completely.
Return squash to oven and bake until warmed - about 20-30 minutes.



Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing


1/2 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup wild rice2 large onions, chopped
1 cup long-grain brown1 cup celery, chopped rice
2 cups stock or water
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each: sage, marjoram, savory, white pepper
2 tsp. celery seed
3/4 stick margarine

In a large heavy skillet or stock pot, melt half the margarine over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 min set aside
Melt the remaining margarine over medium heat. Add rices, onions, and celery. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 minutes or till the stock is completely absorbed and the rice is tender.


Southern Baked Tofu


Stir in the pecans and seasonings, and mix thoroughly. Bake about 45 minutes covered at 350 in a casserole dish.
A bit rich, but oh, so tasty! I apologize for the lack of quantities. Generally, start with a bowl of 1 - 1 1/2 cup corn meal with some kind of flour mixed in a smaller amount, 2:1 ratio. Seasonings should be added so that there are enough in the coating to suit your tastes. Try 1 tablespoon of each to start, and add more if you'd like. If I make this in the future, I'll try and be more specific with amounts but remember, there is no "wrong" way of doing it. It's a very forgiving recipe.

1 lb. extra-firm tofu
1 cup cornmeal
1 stick margarine
Nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt
Sage
Celery salt
Corn flakes
Brown rice flour or garbanzo flour

Cut tofu into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. In a small skillet, heat up 1/2 - 1 stick margarine. When completely melted, dip tofu in margarine; make sure you coat all surfaces. Dredge tofu to dry breading, and cover both sides. Transfer breaded tofu to a lightly greased tray or cookie sheet. Bake until crunchy, about 8-10 minutes.





Pumpkin pie


1 unbaked 9" pie shell
3/4 lb. firm tofu
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin puree or2 cups fresh-cooked pumpkin
1 cup Sucanat or brown sugar
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. molasses
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt3/4 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until very well mixed. Pour into the pie shell and bake for 1 hour in a preheated, 350-degree oven for 1 hour, or until cracks start to appear in the filling. Chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Serve with Whipped Tofu Topping for a decadent finish.

For best results, use fresh pumpkin - it will vastly improve the flavor and make the texture more interesting

Special Celebration Treats

Dracula Dip

2 cups sour cream

1 packet of dry tomato-vegetable soup mix
1. Put dry soup mix and sour cream into a bowl. Stir until soup mix is moist. Put mixture into refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve with chips or vegetables.

Halloween Cheeseballs

2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Solid pack pumpkin

1/4 cup Pineapple preserves

1/4 teaspoon Ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 large Pretzel rod -- broken in half

1/2 pkg cream cheese

Dark rye bread

Red pepper

Black olive slices

Parsley sprigs

1. Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in a medium bowl until smooth.
2. Cover refrigerate 2-3 hours until cheese is firm enough to shape.
3. Shape mixture into round pumpkin, place on serving plate.
4. Using a knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top for stem.
5. Cut bread into triangles for eyes, cut red pepper into triangle for nose, and cut olives in half to make the mouth.
6. Surround with parsley.

Halloween Cup Cakes

1 pk Yellow cake mix1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin pie spice1 cup Buttermilk1 cup Pumpkin2 Eggs
Frosting3 tablespoons Margarine or butter softened3 tablespoons Pumpkin2 cups sugar1/2 teaspoon Milk1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Black licorice twists Small green gumdrops
1. Using 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients at until moistened
3. Beat 2 minutes scraping down sides of bowl.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted is removed clean.
6. Cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, beat margarine or butter and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin until well blended. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar, beat until smooth.
8. Add milk and vanilla. Gradually add remaining cup of sugar, beat for another 2 minutes.
9. Spread on tops of cupcakes.
10. Cut down 1 side to open licorice twist into triangular pieces for eyes and noses. Cut jagged curved pieces for mouths.
11. Arrange on top of cupcakes for faces. Slice gumdrops in half attach to head for stems.

Witches Brew Cider

4 Cups Apple Cider

2 Cans Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, Thawed

2 Cups Water

8 Cinnamon Sticks

Lemon Slices

1. Into a large saucepan, pour cider, lemonade concentrate, and water; stir.
2. Over medium heat, bring cider to a simmer.
3. Pour into cups.
4. Place a cinnamon stick and a lemon slice in each cup.

Halloween Cake - Barmbrack, Bairin breac
from Ireland

Traditionally baked with a gold ring inside; whoever gets the ring will be married within the year. The cake is made in two stages.

First stage

Mix together:1 cup of sultanas ( dried seedless white grapes)1 cup of raisins3/4 cup brown sugar1 cup cold tea
Cover these ingredients and leave to soak overnight.

Stage Two

Prepare these ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 level teaspoon of baking powder

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1. Add the four, baking powder and spice to soaked fruit mixture.
2. Mix in the beaten egg.
3. Spoon into a well greased loaf tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. When cool brush the top with warmed honey for a glazed surface.

MOST HAUNTED

1. "Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois", Over one hundred documented reports of ghost sightings make Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery one of the most haunted cemeteries in the country. The forested area near the suburb of Midlothian, outside of Chicago, contains a small cemetery where many people witness glowing balls of light hovering over the area.





2. "Mount Misery Road, West Hills, New York Bucolic", well-heeled Long Island seems distant from the paranormal world, but for over a century, the area known as West Hills has boasted amazing paranormal activity. Mount Misery Road, so-named by settlers cursing its difficult passage, and the area near Sweet Hollow Road have a rich history of paranormal activity. Ghostly faces seen in the trunks of trees, strange lights playing over the woods and misty apparitions appear to drivers near the Northern State Parkway.





3. "Saint Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida", The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum provides a great tourist destination and a haunted place to visit all in one package! For decades, ghost stories about the lighthouse intrigued visitors. Three little girls died on site during construction. Legend says they were playing with a rail car used to bring supplies up the hillside when the car spun out of control, drowning the three children in the water below. Visitors report hearing a female crying, “Help me!” inside the tower, as well as mysterious lights and footsteps. View a virtual tour on the website, and read the truths and myths about this amazing lighthouse.





4. "Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", Volumes could be written about Eastern State Penitentiary. Investigated by many paranormal groups and included in numerous television documentaries, Eastern State is often called the “haunted house within a prison.” An online, virtual reality tour is available for those who can’t get there in person.





5. "Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, Kentucky", Prepare for shadow people, ghostly nurses and disembodied voices singing in the attic at this former tuberculosis hospital in Kentucky. Be sure to bring your camera, since most visitors catch orb photos when touring the Waverly Hills Sanatorium.





6. "The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado", Stephen King wrote The Shining while staying at the Stanley, The Atlantic Paranormal Society caught amazing evidence during two episodes of Ghost Hunters, and dozens of staff and guests report everything from apparitions of children to objects moving by themselves. The Stanley Hotel belongs at the top of every ghost hunter’s list of places to visit





7. "The Bell Witch Cave, Adams, Tennessee", The historical Bell Witch Cave and former Bell Farm offers tours for those interested in researching the amazing story of the Bell Witch.





8. Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Over ten thousand men died in the battle of Gettysburg. Located in Pennsylvania, the battlefield is now a national historical site. Tourists report astonishing ghostly encounters. Many believe they meet Civil War re-enactors, only to find out later that no such groups are at the park. For more visitor information, the Gettysburg website includes general park information. The West Virgini Ghost Hunters snapped several pictures of an apparent apparition at the park during an investigation





9. "The Campground Haunted Massacre Attraction, Fort Mill, South Carolina",
   There's no obscene history to the campground attraction, but the owners have done everything they can think of -- and that includes witchcraft and the occult -- just to scare the hell out of you. Proud members of The International Association Of Haunted Attractions and devoted attendees of the Annual National Halloween, Costume & Party Show in Chicago know a thing or two about the joy of fear.
   Besides the fact that camping in the woods is a naturally ghoulish pastime, when you're told about werewolf sightings and, in all seriousness, about the mental hospital just down the road, things can become a little spine tingling.





10. "Hacker House, Winston-Salem, North Carolina",
    The legend of the Hacker House goes back centuries, and it is continually evolving, as terrible events continue to plague this ill-omened house. It rests upon a Native American mass grave, where several dozen bodies lay, aged 20-25 and deposed execution-style, but in such a way that has baffled archaeologists because there was no evidence of weapons or struggle. And indeed Cherokee lore says that the place is cursed, a place, "where the brave may not walk, as his prayers would not be answered."
    Further evidence of evil play came in 1821, from signed affidavits given by Continental Army soldiers claiming to have had a gun battle with dozens of undead. A century later, the Hacker House was a hospital and laboratory. Though reports are unclear, several bodies were excavated after a great fire in 1930, and they were found to be curiously hollow.
    Experimental documentation by a Dr. Johnas Hacker seemed to indicate that the hollowing was a result of the experimental medicines ingested by his patients. Rebuilt, the house was turned into a funeral parlor where things went predictably unwell. Now people seem to have smartened up. It is possible to take tours of Hacker House, but don't nobody live there.






11. "The Fox Sisters Cabin",
    Though less well-known than the other haunted places, the Fox Sisters cottage is perhaps the most important haunted house of all, since the phenomena here in many ways set the standard for later hauntings and even launched a religion. In 1848 Hydesville, western New York, two young sisters named Maggie and Katie Fox began supposedly communicating with the ghost of a murdered peddler. The sisters, in a sort of crude seance, would ask questions of the spirit, who would answer back with mysterious knocks or raps. Many people, including their mother, were amazed at what seemed to be genuine contact with the dead. Both sisters eventually admitted that they had actually faked the sounds--there had been no murdered peddler, it had all been a prank. The women even demonstrated how they had done it. But by then the belief had taken on a life of its own as a religion called Spiritualism, which is still practiced today.





12. "Pollepel Island, Hudson River, New York",
    The island has a morbid history, having been strategically important during the American War of Independence. Later, in the early 1900s, the island was bought by a Scotsman, Francis Bannerman, who decided to turn it into an homage to Scotland. A firearms maker, he built a warehouse in the style of a Scottish castle, complete with crenellated towers.
    But after his death in 1918, the smooth-running Scottish enclave experienced a series of disasters. Two hundred pounds of powder and shells exploded, blowing half a building onto New York City. Lightning bolts seemed to torment the flagpoles to the point of disintegration. And in a coup de grâce, a massive storm on the Hudson caused a freighter and passenger barge, the Pollepel, to explode and crash into the island. Now all that's left are the remains, and what the Dutch refer to as the Heer of Dunderberg, a fiend (and his goblins) who inhabits the Highlands and doesn't like visitors.
    

Lovely Samhain spreads

Trefoil, Johnswort, vervain, dill

Hinders witches of their will.

William Shakespeare

Happy Samhain, and Halloween everyone! I have some great fall recipes to share with you. I’ve also included a list below of the magickal and healing properties of some of the seasoning that are called for in these recipes!

Magical sparkling moon beams

Bee

Savory Samhaim Butters

Autumn Butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup whipping cream

1cup 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 butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 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.

Raspberry Butter

1 cup raspberries

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon blackberry liqueur

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Boil raspberries, water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until syrupy, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Strain through sieve to remove seeds. Cool. Process with remaining ingredients until smooth and well mixed. Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.

Vegan Samhain Recipes

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.

PUMPKIN-CIDER BREAD

Ingredients:
2 cups of canned pumpkin
2 cups of flour, and then enough to keep the consistency just right
2 tblspns dry yeast in 1/2 cup of 110 degree water
1 tblspn salt
2 tblspns vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup molasses
2 cups of fresh cider
Directions:
Start with two cups of flour, then slowly sift in more after wet ingredients are added. After the flour and salt are combined, mix in the rest of the ingredients from wettest to most solid (cider, then yeast mix, and so on). Once mixed, pour the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it in rise until it’s doubled in size in a warm place. (Generally, this takes from half an hour to an hour). Punch down the doubled dough. Roll the dough out into a long, thin, relatively narrow strip and roll from one end. Place in a greased pan (probably circular in this case), and let rise until doubled again. Baking bread is not for the impatient! Finally, put it in a preheated oven at about 400 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes. If it looks like it’s browning too quickly turn the temp down a notch or two. You’ll know it’s done when tyou can poke it with a fork and then fork comes out clean. If the fork has some dough on it, let it bake a little longer.

VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients:Filling –
1 1/2 packages silken tofu
1 15 oz. canned pumpkin
2/3 cup barley malt syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spicePie Crust –
1 1/2 cups sifted unbleached flour
about 6-7 tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine
about 2 tbsp. cold water
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour into a 9" unbaked deep dish pie shell. Bake for about one hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as it chills. Chill overnight and serve.

PUMPKIN TREATS

Ingredients:Filling –
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup. flaked coconut, lightly packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
Directions:
Mix the first five ingredients well in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high, stirring constantly for 15-20 minutes. It is done when it is very thick and leaves side of pan, forming a ball in the center as you stir. Turn onto a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap. Let cool completely. Lightly grease your hands and shape candy into balls. Roll the balls in nuts. Cover, store in refrigerator.
This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Vary by stirring 1 cup crushed granola into cooked candy before cooling and shaping.


Cinnamon : Attracts Prosperity, Love, Lust and Protection. It also helps to reduce stomach acid and relieve menstrual cramps, and helps heal from colds and flu.
Nutmeg : Attracts Prosperity, Luck and Psychic Awareness.
Ginger : Attracts Prosperity, Love, Lust & Heightens Magickal Powers. Also relieved Headaches and is an anti-inflammatory.
Vanilla : Invokes Memory, Heightens Magickal Powers, and Attracts Love & Lust.

All Hallows Eve's pudding

Ingredients

1.4kg / 3 pounds cooking apples, peeled and de-seeded

120g/ 3/4cup soft brown sugar

3 Eggs, fresh

200g/1 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

200g /1 cup salted Butter, softened

220g/ 1 ¼ cups ground almonds
To decorate
2 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

3 fresh rosemary sprigs

Method
1. Put the apple and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until soft.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the caster sugar and rosemary. Mix in the softened butter and ground almonds until you create a smooth paste.

3. Set the oven to 160C/gas 5/( 375 degrees.) Fill six ramekins (small oval 7 oz ceramic bowls) half way up with the softened apple and then spread the rosemary mixture over the top of each one. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
Check regularly so it will not burn.. Oven temps vary!!

4. Once ready, dust with the icing sugar and decorate with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Traditional Halloween Foods

It’s no surprise that the foods served in the harvest season should draw wealth into your life. You may wish to empower the food with your intent to draw prosperity in the coming months while you are preparing any of these recipes.

Enjoy Bee


Colcannon used to be --and still is-- eaten in Ireland on Halloween night, and is one of the most traditional Halloween recipes there is. Colcannon is wonderfully flavorful, incredibly filling, and oh-so warming on a cool Autumn night. To make it even more traditional, make a well in the center and fill it with real butter. Dip each bite of colcannon in the butter before eating. As far as traditional Halloween recipes go, this one isn't great for your heart, perhaps, but it's to tasty to resist.
If you want to really have a traditional Samhain party, put a plate of buttered colcannon out on the stoop for the fairies and ghosts that hang around on All Hallows Eve. Recipe serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of cabbage or kale, cooked

1 lb. potatoes, cubed and boiled until tender

2 leeks, cleaned well and chopped, or green onions

1 C. whole milk or light cream

1/2 C. butter, melted

salt and pepper, to taste

pinch of ground mace (optional)

Instructions:

1. Boil kale or cabbage in lightly salted water until tender. Chop.
2. Bring milk or cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add leeks and cook until soft.
3. Drain potatoes, add salt and pepper to taste (and optional mace). Beat until fluffy.
4. Return potatoes to pot over a low flame.
5. Add milk with leeks.
6. Beat in cooked kale or cabbage until green and fluffy.
7. Remove from heat and serve. Make a well in the middle of each portion and divide butter evenly among servings, filling each well.
8. Dip each bite of colcannon in butter before eating.

The word "Boxty" makes me think of some magical creature you might come across in the Harry Potter books-- which, of course, makes them a perfect addition to any Halloween menu! And though they eat these today in Ireland all the time, boxty potato pancakes have been one of the most traditional Halloween recipes made during centuries.
These pancakes are creamy, rich, and just wonderful. I think they're best when cooked with onion and served savory, but you can also serve them plain with sugar or powdered sugar. Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Ingredients:

1 C. raw, grated potato

1 C. cooked mashed potato's (leftover is fine)

1 onion, minced fine (optional -- for savory boxty pancakes)

1 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1 C. buttermilk

2 tbsp. butter

Instructions:

1. In a med. mixing bowl, combine the grated potato, onion (if using), and buttermilk (this keeps the potato from discoloring).
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add grated potato mixture, egg, and mashed potato.
4. Mix well. Batter should be about the texture of thick pancake batter. Add additional flour or buttermilk if necessary.
5. Melt butter in a heavy skillet or on a griddle.
6. Over medium heat, drop large spoonfuls of boxty batter into skillet, making approximately 6" pancakes.
7. Brown well on both sides.

Mulled Wine might not be one of the most traditional Halloween recipes you'll ever come across, but it's one of the most fun to make and drink. It's autumn-y, it's warming, it's spicy, and it's, well, intoxicating. A great addition to your Halloween potato feast.
Want to get your traditional Halloween menu prepared ahead of time? Make your mulled wine in a crock pot and keep it on low until the guests arrive. Serves 4.

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 crock pot) 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.

Barmbrack is one of those traditional Halloween recipes that's both a dessert and a Halloween game. Traditionally, a ring is baked into the cake, and the person who finds the ring in their slice of barmbrack is guaranteed to be married before the year is out. A pretty funny concept if some of the people eating it are, say, five years old. To make a more modern, kid-friendly version of the barmbrack Halloween game, bake several food friendly (and difficult-to-choke-on) items into your barmbrack. Those who find the items in the barmbrack get a prize. Be sure to warn your guest to eat with care to avoid a Halloween trip to the hospital!
This fluffy fruit bread is generally baked in a round cake pan. An 8 or 9 inch pan works well, but you can also use a loaf pan for a bread-shaped barmbrack.
This turns out best if you leave time to soak the fruit overnight, but don't worry if you can't-- a few hours is fine.

Ingredients:

2 C. strong, hot black tea

3 1/2 C. mixed dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, dry dates, candied orange peel, etc.)

1 C. milk

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. granulated sugar

3 C. bread flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 C. brown sugar, packed

1/3 C. butter

1 lg. egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

Instructions:

1. Soak dried fruits in tea overnight, or a few hours.
2. Heat milk until warm. Sprinkle yeast and teaspoon granulated sugar over top and stir. Let sit in a warm place about 15 minutes, until foamy.
3. Stir together the flour, salt, spices, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add egg, yeast mixture, and butter. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
5. Drain fruit well, then add to dough. This should produce a smooth dough. If it's too gooey, add more flour.
6. Knead dough on a floured board about 5-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth, but just a little sticky.
7. Place dough in your greased cake or loaf pan, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until doubled.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake barmbrack 30 minutes.
8. Remove bread from the pan, flip it upside down, return it to the pan, and bake 20 minutes more.
9. Bread is done cooking it sounds hollow when tapped on the sides.
10. Cool on a rack before serving.
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with butter and jam.
12. Enjoy once of the tastiest and most traditional Halloween recipes around!

STUFFED CABBAGE

1 Large head of cabbage

1 Tablespoon Margarine

2 Medium onions, sliced

1 Pound Lean ground beef

4 Tablespoons Grated onions

3 Tablespoons Uncooked rice

1 teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Pepper

8 Ounces Can tomato sauce

1 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Seedless raisins

3 Tablespoons Honey (or brown sugar)

1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
( you can take the beef out if you are vegan)

Trim off thick parts of 18 cabbage leaves. Blanch in boiling Water. Melt margarine in deep heavy saucepan, Add onions and lightly brown, mix together beef, grated onions, uncooked rice, 3 Tablespoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Place some meat on each cabbage leaf, tuck in sides and roll cabbage. Add tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to sliced onions. Place cabbage rolls in saucepan, cover and cook slowly for 1 1/2 hours. Add raisins, honey or brown sugar and lemon juice. Cook uncovered 30 minutes. Serve in soup bowl.

Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

Servings: 10

1 1/2 c Gingersnap Crumbs

1/2 c Finely Chopped Pecans

1/3 c Margarine, Melted

16 oz Cream Cheese, Softened

3/4 c Sugar

1 t Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 c Canned Pumpkin

3/4 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Ground Nutmeg

Combine crumbs, pecans and margarine; press onto bottom and 1 1/2-inches up sides of 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees F., 10 minutes. Combine cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reserve 1 c batter, chill. Add remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices to remaining batter; mix well. Alternately layer pumpkin and cream cheese batters over crust. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect. Bake at 350 degrees F., 55 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Remembrance Cookies

These cookies can be made on Hallows 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.

Legendary Oven Hash

1 cup coarsely ground beef

1 cup coarsely ground potatoes

1/4 cup coarsely ground onion

1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1- 6oz can evaporated milk

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 tbs. butter/margarine melted

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

Spirited Cheese Stuffed Apples

1- 3oz package softened cream cheese

4 medium apples

1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese

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.

Bewitching Apple Pancakes
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tbs. sugar4 tsp. baking powder

1tsp. salt

2 well beaten egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 tbs. butter/margarine, melted

1 cup finely chopped apple, peeled and cored

2 stiffly beaten egg whites.

In a large non-metal bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk and egg yolks. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well. Stir in the butter/margarine and apple. Fold in the egg whites. Let the batter set up for a few minutes. Cook on a hot griddle or in a large frying pan, using 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. Use a spatula or spoon to spread batter evenly. Remove from heat, dot with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and roll up into log. Top with slightly heated applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Makes 12 pancakes.

Apple Spread

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

1/4 c. mayonnaise

dash of sugar

1 c. chopped apple with peel

1/2 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables

Golden Herb Rolls

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 package quick-rising yeast

2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed

1 cup canned pumpkin

4 eggs, divided

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups. Combine milk, butter and water in small saucepan; heat until butter is melted. If necessary, cool to 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.

Morning Glory Muffins

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup raisins

4 large grated carrots (2 cups)

1 apple, shredded

8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together the sugars, flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the fruit, carrots, nuts, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to blend well. Spoon mixture into cupcake tins lined with muffin papers. Fill to brim of each cup. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Toothpick inserted into the middle of muffin will come out clean when muffins are done. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes then turn out on rack to cool. Yield is 16 muffins. Muffins improve even more after 24 hours. Freezes well.

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.

Ultimate Caramel Apples

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

10-inch square piece of Styrofoam

6 Popsicle sticks or small wooden dowels

6 Red Delicious or Golden Delicious apples

3 ounces white chocolate

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate,

1/4 cup finely chopped chopped nuts

In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water and sugar. Over low heat, stir mixture gently until sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium low and cook, without stirring, until mixture is a dark amber color. Remove from heat and carefully stir in heavy cream (mixture will bubble up and spatter a bit, then subside.) Set aside to cool and thicken. Cover Styrofoam with waxed paper to catch caramel drippings (this will be a stand for caramel apples). Insert Popsicle sticks into bottom center of apples. Dip top half of each apple into thickened caramel. Insert bottom of Popsicle sticks into Styrofoam, allowing apples to stand upright so caramel runs down sides of each apple. Refrigerate to harden. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in top of double boiler above gently simmering water; stir until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate to pastry bag fitted with small writing tip. Drizzle thin, random strips of white chocolate over each caramel apple. Repeat melting and drizzling with semi-sweet chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.