Dairy products are good for Imbolc, celebrating the new milk coming to animals now. Sprouts and fruitcakes are nicely symbolic of spring. Anything round, or involving honey, is appropriate to symbolize the sun and warmer weather. Pancakes and waffles with thick cream are still a Swedish Imbolc tradition.
Traditional Foods
Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Poppyseed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, all dairy products, pork, poultry, or lamb, Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Cabbage, Raisins, Spiced Wines and Herbal Teas
Fairy Nectar
1 1/3 cups milk per serving
(if using North American Milk 2 cups is about right)
1 tsp. honey (All natural honey is best)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
cinnamon
Warm milk, be careful not to boil it.
In each mug add your honey and vanilla.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
By Nyx Wolfwalker
Cream Puffs
puffs
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups flour
5 eggs
Bring water and butter to a boil in a saucepan.
Lower heat and add flour
Stir on low heat until batter forms a ball shape (This doesn't always happen, but when the batter becomes solid its the same thing).
Remove from the heat, onto ungreased cooking sheet.
Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown at 300 F.
Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
2 tbs. butter or margarine
2 tsp. vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar
In a saucepan, gradually bring sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a boil, stirring continually until thick.
Add milk and egg yolks and boil for 60 seconds.
Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
Let cool.
Fill puffs with cream filling and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
This is one of my favourites, I use it even when its not for Imbolg, in fact it was one of the first deserts I actually learned to make when I was a child.
� 1980-1990 Nyx Wolfwalker
Brides Cake
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
2 cups oat flour or wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup buttermilk
Cream butter and honey together.
Mix dry ingredients together and add the currants, stirring to coat them with flour.
Stir dry ingredients into butter-honey mixture and add butter milk to make a dough.
Roll into balls and flatten on greased cookie sheet.
With a knife mark each with a Bride's Cross.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
from sue aka red
Soft Mead
1 quart water, preferably spring water
1 cup honey
1 sliced lemon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Boil together all ingredients in a non-metallic pot.
While boiling, scrape off the rising "scum" with a wooden spoon.
When no more rises add the following:
pinch salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
Strain and cool.
Drink in place of alcoholic mead or wine during the Simple Feast.
Sue aka Red
Super Easy Toffee
Tinfoil a cookie sheet.
Spread a layer of saltines on foiled cookie sheet.
Melt 2 sticks butter.
Add 1 cup of lite brown sugar to melted butter, stirring constantly.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Pour mixture evenly over saltines.
Bake at 400* for 7 minutes.
Immediately pour 1 bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips over warm saltines.
Spread while melting.
Refrigerate 1 hour, then crack it up.
by carolyn foster
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
Prep Time: 30 minutes Chill Time: 30 minutes
2 bars (3 ounces each) good quality chocolate
66 salted mini pretzels (about 3 ounces)
For decoration: mulitcolored nonpareils.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
Break chocolate into small pieces into a small narrow saucepan and stir constantly over VERY low heat until melted.
Or melt in a microwave by breaking chocolate into a 2 cup microwave safe bowl on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, Stirring every 30 seconds.
Chocolate will not look melted until stirred.
Holding pretzels with tweezers, a fork, or small tongs, dip into melted chocolate.
Tap gently on side of bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Place pretzel on lined cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with nonpareils before chocolate starts to set.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until completely set.
Store tightly covered in a cool place with wax paper between layers.
TIP: White chocolate scorches much
faster than dark chocolate!
carolyn foster
Cheesecake Brownies
Prep Time: 20 minutes Baking Time: 40 minutes
1 pkg. (19.8 oz) Fudge Brownie Mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 Tsp. vanilla
1 egg
Prepare brownie mix as directed on package.
Pour into greased 13 X 9 inch baking pan.
Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Add sugar, mixing until blended.
Add egg and vanilla, mix just until blended.
Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie mix.
Cut thru the batter with a knife several times for the marbled effect.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned.
Cool. Cut into squares.
Makes 24.
� 1997-1998-1999 Nyx Wolfwalker
Maiden Wakes Muffins
2 cups flour
2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup raisins
1 green apple, peeled, cored, grated
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds, sliced
2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp.vanilla
Soak raisins in hot water, in a covered bowl, for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl, mix flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots, raisins, apple, and almonds. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Stir egg mixture in to the flour mixture until just wet. Grease muffin pan with a little butter or use cupcake/muffin cups. Divide the batter into the cups and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Makes 8 servings.
Lamb Stew
2- 1/2 lb. lamb neck chops
1 tbs. lamb fat
4 medium onions
1 tbs. butter/margarine
4 medium carrots
2 1/2 cups water
4 medium potatoes
1 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 tbs. chives, chopped
Don't let the butcher trim the fat off of the lamb chops. Shred some of the excess fat and cook it down in a large pot or Dutch-oven. Peel the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Cut the onions and carrots into quarters, and put all the vegetables aside. Cut the meat into 8 pieces, and trim away the rest of the excess fat. The bones need not be removed. Place the meat in the hot fat and brown. Repeat with the onions and carrots. Add water, salt, and pepper carefully. Put whole potatoes on top. Cover pot and simmer gently until meat is cooked, approx. 2 hours. Remove from heat. Pour off the cooking liquid into a separate sauce pan, allow to cool for a few minutes, skim off grease, and reheat. Add butter, chives, and parsley to the reheated liquid in the sauce pan. Pour heated liquid back over the stew. Serve hot.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Imbolg Ritual Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs. poppyseeds
1 tbs. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
powdered sugar
This is all done in one pan, so clean up is a breeze! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, poppyseeds, baking soda, and salt with a fork in an ungreased 9"x9"x2" baking pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the powdered sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings.
updated January 27, 2000
Net Sisters� �
1998, 1999, 2000 - by Diamonds Sisters
No unauthorized duplication of our graphics Images are digitally watermarked
Net Sisters� has been optimized for 800 x 600 monitor resolution and for 16 bit or better
color.