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July 31 -- August Eve -- Lughnassad or Lammas

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Lughnasadh Recipes
  • Corn Bread
  • Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Noodles in Faiery Butter
  • Apricot Wine
  • Potato, Leek abd Artichoke Soup
  • Brodwn Rice with Pine Nuts
  • Corn Pudding
  • Real Irish Stew
  • Scottish Shortbread
  • Pitaithly & Buttermilk Bannocks
  • Blueberry Cobbler
  • Game Hens with Rosemary and Garlic (can you say yummmm)
  • Lughnasadh Crafts

  • Corn Doll
  • More Things to do for Lughnassa....

    • Bake Bread: This is always fun for children. Playing with the ingredients, getting messy, kneading the dough, punching the dough, measuring, all are great fun for young children.
    • Bake cookies: Sun shapes, man shapes. The fun is similar to baking bread, with the added attraction of nibbling on the yummy cookie dough.
    • Create some construction paper projects: draw and cut out things we harvest - wheat, vegetables, fruit. Collages with child-made or magazine pictures of these items.
    • Harvest some food If your garden is ready for the first harvest, go to it with your child. If you live on a farm, this is a pretty obvious thing to do.
    • Celebrate the completion of a project: Is there anything in your family's life that has come to fruition around now? Perhaps the spare room has just been re-done. Your child has finished reading her first book. Camp session is over. Find something to celebrate.

    Lughnasadh Recipes

    Perfect Corn Bread

    • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour                      
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder                          
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup yellow corn meal                              
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup milk                                          
    • 1/4 cup shortening

    Sift flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt; stir in cornmeal. Add eggs, milk, and shortening. Beat with rotary or electric beater till just smooth. (Do not overbeat.) Pour into greased 9x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

    Corn Sticks: Spoon batter into greased corn-stick pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake in hot oven (425) 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 18.

    Stuffed Mushrooms

    From Wisteria's Faery Recipes

    • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 tablespoons diced green pepper
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • 1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems
    • 2 tablespoons chopped onion
    • 1/2 lb. large mushrooms, stems removed
    • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
    • 2 tablespoons cooked, crumbled bacon
    • 12 small slices cheese (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat and saute' the mushroom stems, green pepper, and onions until tender. Mix in the bread crumbs, bacon, thyme, salt & pepper. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Place the caps on a cookie sheet. Melt one tablespoon of the butter & drizzle over the caps. Top each with a cheese slice. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

    Yield: About 1 dozen.

    Noodles in Faery Butter

    From Wisteria's Faery Recipes

    • 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
    • 2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional)
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
    • 1 lb. noodles (any kind), cooked
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
    • 1 orange, sliced (garnish)

    Beat the egg yolks, sugar, butter, thyme, basil, and orange water in a small bowl until smooth. Mix enough of the butter with the hot noodles to coat the noodles with a golden-yellow color. Garnish with orange slices.

    Yield: 8 Servings

    APRICOT WINE

    1 pound Dried Apricots
    4 quarts Warm Water
    6 1/2 cups Sugar
    2 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
    1 1/2 cups Raisins
    1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced
    2 each Lemons, thinly sliced
    2 each Oranges, thinly sliced
    1/2 cup Yeast

    Wash the apricots in several batches of water and then dry them and cut in halves. Place in a large crock and pour on the warm water, reserving 1/2 cup of it in which to dissolve the yeast cake. Stir in the sugars, fruit, raisins and ginger. Then add the dissolved yeast and mix well. Cover with top of the crock and let stand for thirty days, stirring the mixture every other day. After thirty days strain the mixture and bottle.



    IRISH BUTTERMILK BANNOCK

    4 cups All purpose/bread flour
    3 teaspoons Baking powder
    1 teaspoon Salt to taste
    3/4 teaspoon Baking soda
    1 cup Raisins
    2 Eggs
    1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

    Stir flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and raisins together. Separately, fork-blend eggs and buttermilk, then add to dry ingredients. Stir until sticky batter is formed. Scrape batter onto well floured surface and knead lightly. Shape batter into ball, then place in round non-stick casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Mark a cross in the center, using a sharp knife. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for about 1 1/4 hours.

    Wait 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove bread from casserole, then cool on wire rack. If desired, cut loaf into quarters and then slice thinly.


     


    BLACKBERRY COBBLER

    4 cups fresh Blackberries
    3/4 cups Sugar
    3 Tablespoons Flour
    1 1/2 cups Water
    1 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice

    2 Tablespoons melted Butter

    Pastry:
    1 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
    2 Tablespoons Sugar
    2 teaspoons Baking Powder
    1 teaspoon Salt
    1/4 cup Shortening
    6 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping cream
    6 Tablespoons Buttermilk

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    Place fresh berries in a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Combine sugar and flour; add water and lemon juice, mixing well. Pour this mixture over berries; bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes while preparing the pastry. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees

    Pastry: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in whipping cream and buttermilk. Knead dough 4 or 5 times; roll to about 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough to fit baking dish. Place the pastry over hot berries; then brush with melted butter. Cut a few vents in the top of pastry with knife. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Serve cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream Servings: 8



     


    CORN PUDDING

    2 cups young, fresh corn
    3 eggs
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 cup milk
    1/2 stick butter, melted
    1 teaspoon salt

    Melt butter into 12 X 12 glass baking dish. Beat eggs and other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and pour into dish. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour, or until firm. A small pan of water in the bottom of the oven prevent drying. Serves 4 - 6



     


    GAME HENS WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

    3 Cornish Game Hens, halved
    3/4 cup Olive oil
    4 Garlic cloves, crushed
    3 Tablespoons Dry sherry
    1 Tablespoon Fine chopped fresh rosemary
    juice of 1 lemon
    Salt to taste
    Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Split each bird in half. Set aside.
    Using a very large bowl mix the remaining ingredients together. Marinate the bird halves in this mixture for 1 hour, turning often. Broil in oven 7 or 8 minutes on a side, or on a charcoal barbecue. I prefer the charcoal, but be sure the coals are not too hot. Cook to your liking.


     


    PITCAITHLY BANNOCK (Scottish)

    8 ounces Flour
    4 ounces Butter
    2 ounces Caster Sugar
    1 ounce Chopped Almonds
    1 ounce Mixed Candied Peel

    Set Oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and butter and rub in to form a dough. Add the almonds and mix in the peel, making sure they are evenly distributed.
    Form into a thick round on a lightly floured surface and prick all over with a fork. Place on the sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool and serve sliced thinly and buttered

    From the booklet Scottish Teatime Recipes


     


    POTATO, ARTICHOKE & LEEK SOUP

    2 Tablespoons Butter Or Margarine
    1/2 cup Chopped Onion
    1 1/2 cups whole leeks, chopped (whites only)
    1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
    1 quart Chicken Broth
    13 3/4 ounces Can Artichoke Hearts, rinsed & drained, cut into quarters
    2 1/2 cups Peeled And Cubed Baking Potatoes
    2 small Sprigs Thyme
    1 1/2 cups Milk
    3/4 teaspoon Tabasco Pepper Sauce
    Salt To Taste
    Fresh Ground Black Pepper
    Chopped Fresh Parsley

    In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Uncover and cook until the leeks are very soft, about 5 minutes, adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the broth, artichokes, potatoes and thyme; simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the milk and Tabasco sauce; simmer for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and discard the thyme. In a food processor or blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold, garnished with parsley.


     


    BROWN RICE WITH PINE NUTS

    1 1/2 cups Long-Grain Brown Rice
    3 cups Water
    1 medium Onion, chopped
    2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
    1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
    Black Pepper, to taste
    1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley, minced
    1/4 cup Pine Nuts

    Soak brown rice in water at least 2 hours, or overnight. Heat oil in a heavy skillet with tight-fitting lid. Add chopped onion and sauté until golden brown and limp. Add rice and soaking water along with cumin and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook at a simmer for about 20 minutes. Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. When rice is done, add chopped parsley and pine nuts.



     


    SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

    3/4 cup butter, softened
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    2 cups white flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt

    Mix butter and sugar until well blended. Work in the flour and salt. If the dough is too dry, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons (30 ml). more butter. Roll 1/2 inch thick on a slightly floured board. Cut into rectangles approx. 3/4 inch by 2 inch. Prick each rectangle twice with the tines of a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Makes 30 cookies.


     


    REAL IRISH STEW

    1 1/2 pounds Mutton, cut into pieces
    Parsley sprigs
    6 Carrots, sliced
    2 pounds Potatoes
    Salt and pepper
    1 pound Onions

    Place meat and vegetables in saucepan and cover with cold water. Add salt and pepper as required and flavor with a few parsley sprigs and add carrot slices. Slowly bring to a boil and skim off the top. Simmer over a very low heat for approximately 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Note: You can probably substitute lamb for the mutton and not need to cook as long.

     

    Crafts
     
    Corn Dolls/Straw Dolls Working with plant fibers
     
    This project uses leaves and more from corn stalks, straw, reeds or other members of the grass family. There are some things you need to know before trying to work with this material:
    • Green: If the leaves are still green, they are supple, bendable and don't neet too much preparation before working with them. However, they will get smelly as they age, so you should think about the ultimate disposition of this project (are you burning it in a ritual? are you keeping it for a year? are you buyring it? will it be a family heirloom for the next 3 generations?)

    • Dried: If you are using dried plant material, you will have to soak it in water before you work with it. Soaking in water restores pliability to the plant fibers and they won't break when you bend them. Soak times can be short for corn leaves, or long for reeds and vines (those with a hollow core).

    • Preparing a corn cob: Cut away the corn from a cooked corn cob. If the corn cob has been eaten rather than cut, you may want to cut away the chewed bits to make the surface uniform and smooth. Let the corn cob dry out in the sun or in a low temperature oven. With the weather the way it's been here, leaving it out in the sun for the afternoon should do the trick. Once it is dry and hard, it is ready to be worked.

    Make a Corn Doll

    corn doll

    Materials Used for this project

    • Prepared corn cob
    • Leaves from a corn plant, or the husk of the corn
    • Ribbon or string (optional), or you can prepare ribbon or string from leaves
    • Twigs, sticks or reeds. These do not have to bend, so do not soak them.
    • Paint, or markers
    • Straight pins or glue (optional)

    Procedure

    1. Fashion the body and head out of the corn cob. You can carve a human shape or not, as you prefer.
    2. Cut or fold the husk or broad leaves into a skirt. You will need 4 or so.
    3. Using 2 sticks or reeds of the same length, stick them into the corn cob where the arms should go.
    4. Measure 2 more leaves to go over each stick. This is the blouse, shirt or top of the dress.
    5. Place the skirt around the waist of the doll.
    6. Tie it all together at the waist. Fasten with any of the following:
      • Ribbon or string tied around the skirt.
      • Glue
      • Straigt pins
    7. Paint or draw a face on the doll.
    8. Use Corn silk or thin leaves for hair.
    9. Tie the hair on with string, or make a hat out of another husk leaf.

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