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Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 30, 2012 at 2:41pm

In order to protect themselves from mischievous spirits, the Celts dressed up in frightening disguises in the hopes that these ghosts would mistake them for one of their own and pass by without incident. It was also common for costumed Celts to parade about making loud noises in order to drive the unwelcomed spirits to the edge of town.

As the Wheel of the Year points to Samhain, the Goddess is now in her Crone aspect, while the God gives up his life to the land and passes into the Underworld. There he will stay until he is reborn once again at Yule. With him the God gathers up all who have died over the past year so they can accompany him on his journey into the Shadowlands. As with the Festival of Beltane, bonfires played a great part in the the Samhain celebrations. The Samhain bonfires were prepared during the day and lit high upon hilltops later in the evening. The huge fires were thought to consume all the miseries of the past year thus making it possible for the people to make a fresh start in the upcoming year.

The fires were also used to secure a promise from Sol not to disappear all together during the cold months ahead. The Celts hoped that the warm flames would rise tall and reach the tired sun, fully rejuvinating him. Apples and nuts were roasted in the sacred embers as part of the holiday activities.

The bonfires were very useful in the practice of divination. Marked stones were thrown into the flames, but if in the morning a particular stone could not be found, it was predicted that the owner would soon die. Horses were sacred to the sun god, and many of them were thrown into the great fires as sacrifices to Baal.

Druid priests predicted the future by reading the entrails and movements of the dying beasts. There have been stories told of criminals being placed inside of wicker cages shaped like animals and burnt alive in the fires. These tales are often said to be based on the misconceptions of Julius Caesar and have been disputed down through the years.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 30, 2012 at 2:40pm

The Festival of Pomona

Shortly before the birth of Christ, the Celtic lands were invaded and conquered by the Roman armies of Julius Caesar. This brought Roman traditions into the practice of Samhain, bringing us to the story of Pomona. The feast of the Roman goddess Pomona was celebrated on November 1st. She was the goddess of the orchards and the harvest, and her feasts consisted of apples, nuts, grapes and other concord fruits. To the Romans, the apple was the symbol of love and fertility. When this was combined with the aura of divination that surrounded the Celtic Samhain, the results were an enchanting mixture of magic and romance. One Samhain ritual is to take an apple before the Sabbat begins and cut it in half. Mentally fill the two sections all of your illnesses and bad habits, then put the fruit back together and bury it in the ground. As the apple rots so too will all your misgivings. Another practice is to bury apples in the earth to feed the souls of passed ancestors while they make their journey between the two worlds.

Below are a few more examples of Halloween traditions whose beginnings can be traced to this ancient apple lore.

One mystical aspect of the apple is that if you slice it in half transversely you will find the image of a five pointed star. A Halloween tradition known as "apple peeling" was a direct result of Roman apple lore. A woman would pare an apple, all the while being very careful to remove the casing in one long strip. She would then toss it over her left shoulder and the peel would land on the floor displaying the shape of the initial of the man she was destined to marry. It was said that to peel an apple at midnight on October 31st while gazing in a mirror would surely cause the face of your future husband to appear. Another way to see who would be the first to marry was to "bob for apples". Apples were floated in a basin filled with water. The first one to take a bite from the fruit using only their mouth would be the next to marry. It was also very popular to brew a strong concoction of apples, sugar and ale on October 31st, which was served as a traditional holiday drink.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 30, 2012 at 2:28pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 30, 2012 at 2:28pm

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:39pm

Orange Frosting

2 cups sifted powdered sugar 
3 tablespoons softened butter 
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel 
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice 
In a bowl stir together powdered sugar, butter, orange peel, and enough orange juice (2 to 3 tablespoons) to make an icing of spreading consistency. Makes about 2/3 cup (ten 1-tablespoon servings).

Creepy Witches Fingers 
 
* 1 cup Butter, softened 
* 1 cup Icing sugar 
* 1 Egg 
* 1 tsp Almond extract 
* 1 tsp Vanilla 
* 2 2/3 cups Flour 
* 1 tsp Baking powder 
* 1 tsp Salt 
* 3/4 cup Almonds, whole blanched 
* 1 Tube red decorator gel (optional) 
 
Gross everyone out with these creepy biscuits.

1. In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. 
2. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. 
3. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. 
4. Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape. 
5. Using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle. 
6. Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325F (160C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. 
7. Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with "blood." 
8. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough. Yield: 5 dozen  From Wandas Halloween Cookbook

http://www.ravenandcrone.com/catalog/a65/Samhain-Halloween-Cookie-r...

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:39pm

Cauldron Cookies
Recipe by Gerina Dunwich

3/4 cup softened butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream the butter in a large cast-iron cauldron (or mixing bowl). Gradually add the brown sugar, beating well. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and rind, and then beat by hand or with an electric mixer until the mixture is well blended. The next step is to stir in the flour and pecans. Cover the cauldron with a lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.When ready, shape the dough into one-inch balls and place them about three inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375-degree preheated oven for approximately eight minutes. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks until completely cool. This recipe yields about 36 cookies which can be served at any of the eight Sabbats, as well as at Esbats and all other Witchy get-togethers. (The above "Cauldron Cookies" recipe is from "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes" by Gerina Dunwich, page 167, Citadel Press, Carol Publishing Group Edition, 1995.)

Samhain Cakes

1/2 c veg. oil
4 sq unsweetened chocolate (4 oz) melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups pastry flour (not hard, sifted or cake flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours to overnight. Heat oven to 350 deg F [175 deg C]. Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball (yes, it's messy). Drop balls into confectioner's sugar & roll around until coated. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 min. They will be a little soft but should not be mushy. Edges should be firm. Don't overbake---these burn easily. Makes about 3 dozen

The Purr-fect Cookie Treat

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup shortening
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup sugar 
1-1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 egg 
2 tablespoons milk 
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel 
2 teaspoons orange juice 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 recipe Orange Icing 
 
In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds or until softened. Add half of the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, egg, milk, orange peel, and juice, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat or stir in remaining flour. Divide in half. Cover; chill for 1 to 2 hours or till easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion to a 1/8-inch thickness. With a cat-shaped cutter, cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Remove cookies; cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Decorate cats with Orange Icing. Makes about sixty 2- to 3-inch cookies.
 

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:38pm

Hallowmass Cakes

1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill for several hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll about a Tbsp. of dough into a ball. Drop balls into confectioner's sugar, and roll until coated. Place balls about 2" apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cakes should be soft and the edges firm. Do not over bake; they burn easily. Makes about 3 doz.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (grind rolled oats in a blender, but not into a flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream together butter and sugar (or honey). Beat in eggs. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, soda, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 12 minutes.

Triple Moon Cookies
This recipe is a rich, dark cookie in honour of the Triple goddess herself.
You will need:
1/4 cup flour 
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
6 tablespoons butter (room tempertaure) 
7 tablespoons sugar 
2 large eggs 
8 ounces semisweet (dark) baking chocolate (melted and cooled) 
1 cup milk chocolate chips 
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside: with a mixer beat together butter, sugar, and eggs at MEDIUM speed until smooth. Add melted chocolate and continue mixing on MEDIUM speed until blended. Reduce speed to LOW and add dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts mix well. Drop by tablespoonsfuls onto cookie sheet 1-inch apart. Bake cookies til they look dry and cracked but feel soft when lightly pressed. Bake about 11 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheet in 5 minutes transfer to racks and cool completely. Makes 24

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:38pm

Cobweb Cookies
 
It's frightening how simple it is to create these creepy Halloween cookies right on your stove top!
 
3/4 cup Gold Medal® All-Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 Eggs 
Powdered sugar
 
1. Beat all ingredients except powdered sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour batter into plastic squeeze bottle with narrow opening. Heat 8-inch skillet over medium heat until hot; grease lightly. 
2. Working quickly, squeeze batter to form 4 straight, thin lines that intersect at a common center point to form a star shape. To form cobweb, squeeze thin streams of batter to connect lines. 
3. Cook 30 to 60 seconds or until bottom is golden brown; carefully turn. Cook until golden brown; remove from skillet. Cool on wire rack.
4. Heat oven to 325ºF. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 5 to 7 minutes or until almost crisp (cookies will become crisp as they cool). Remove from cookie sheet; cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store cookies in container with loose-fitting cover. 

Brain Cookies 
 
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 
1 cup sugar 
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 large eggs 
1/2 cup very finely chopped walnuts, or pecans 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
About 5 drops red food coloring 
About 9 drops blue food coloring 
Blood Glaze: 
2 cups confectioners' sugar 
35 to 40 drops red food coloring 
2 to 4 tablespoons milk, as needed for thinning glaze 
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Into a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternating with the eggs, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating well after the addition of each. Fold in the nuts, vanilla, and red and blue food coloring, being careful not to overmix the dough. (The food coloring will make the dough a grayish color, resembling the color of brains.) 
 
Place the dough in batches in a potato ricer and push the dough out onto the prepared baking sheets in long tubes of dough. With your fingers, loosely pat and arrange the dough strands into clumps resembling brains, pushing to form 2 hemispheres and shaping into a walnut-like shape. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 
 
To make the "blood glaze," in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar with the food coloring to make a thick glaze, whisking together. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is a good consistency for drizzling. Drizzle the "blood" onto the cookies and serve either warm or at room temperature.

Cat Poop Cookies
 
1/2 cup honey 
2 cups all-purpose flour 
2/3 cup butter 
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 egg 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup wheat and barley nugget cereal(eg. Grapenuts TM

Microwave honey on high until bubbly (about 1 minute). Stir in the margarine. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the flour, cocoa and vanilla. Mix well and chill dough for several hours in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll chunks of the chilled dough into cylindrical shapes in order to resemble cat poop. Roll cookies in cereal and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve cookies in a new litter box on a bed of malted barley cereal. Use a new litter scoop to remove cookies

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:37pm

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 ritul, 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. From Wandas Halloween Cookbook

Cranberry-Pumpkin Cookies
 
Makes soft, cakelike cookies. 
 
Ingredients:  
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 
1 cup white sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 egg 
1 cup pureed cooked pumpkin 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup cranberries 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 tablespoon grated orange peel 
1/2 cup chopped nuts
 
Directions:  
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg and pumpkin. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and add to mixture. Mix until until well blended. Cut the cranberries in half and stir into mixture. Add orange peel and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies. From Wandas Halloween Cookbook

Gingerbread Corpses 
 
INGREDIENTS 
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup white sugar 
1/2 cup shortening 
1 egg 
1 cup molasses 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 1/2 teaspoons warm water 
1/4 cup raisins for decorating 
 
DIRECTIONS  
1. In large bowl, cream shortening, sugar, egg and warmed molasses. Dissolve baking soda in warm water and add to egg mixture. Beat until smooth. 
2. Slowly add flour, spices and salt. Mix until well blended. 
3. Cover and chill for 24 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. 
5. Roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface. Cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. 
6. Use raisins to make eyes, noses and buttons. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. 
 
FINISHING TOUCHES: Use icing to make "X"s for eyes, bloody gashes and decorate accordingly.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on October 29, 2012 at 2:36pm

Witches Brew Punch
 
Two jugs of apple cider
1 can of concentrate grape juice
a pint of orange sherbet
a bottle of ginger ale.  
 
Mix cider and grape juice in large punch bowl. Put in scoops of sherbet and add the ginger ale! Stir until foamy!  (from http://clik.to/mysticfire)

Samhain Cider

2 quarts apple cider
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup apricot brandy

In a large pot, combine the apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar. Simmer slowly on low heat for about 15 minutes - do not boil. Add the apricot brandy and serve warm.

Black Halloween Punch

1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
2 cups white sugar
3 quarts cold water
1 liter ginger ale

To make a frozen hand for floating in the punch bowl, wash a disposable glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard. Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving. Dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. Float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly effect.

http://www.ravenandcrone.com/catalog/a68/Samhain-Halloween-Drinks-a...

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