The Witches’ Compendium:

Samhain

By Tenae S.

The Witch of Howling Creek

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The Witches' Compendium: Samhain is licensed under a

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Disclaimer

The author of this e-book has used their best efforts in preparing this e-book. The

author makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy,

applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this e-book. The

information contained in this e-book is strictly for educational purposes.

Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this e-book, you are taking full

responsibility for your actions.

Tenae S. is a practicing kitchen witch from the West

Coast of the United States where she lives on a

small farm known as Howling Creek. She enjoys

emphasizing her Celtic heritage in her craft and

celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats throughout the

year. She writes “The Witch of Howling Creek”

blog and is the founder and editor of the free e-

magazine Pagan Living.

The Witch of Howling Creek Blog

Pagan Living Magazine

The Witch of Howling Creek on Twitter

The Witch of Howling Creek on Pinterest

Table of Contents

1 Foreword

Hearth & Home

4 Decorating with Natural Materials

6 Spooky Samhain Decorations

8 Sweet Samhain Decorations

10 Keeping House (and more) with a Besom

Magick & Witchcraft

13 Samhain Correspondences

14 Samhain Solitary Ritual

15 Blood Moon Ritual

16 Divination Techniques

18 Spell to Banish Negativity

Honor & Celebrate

20 Ways to Celebrate

21 Ways to Honor the Ancestors

22 Cookie Cutter Pumpkin Craft Project

Fete & Feast

24 Witches’ Tea Party

25 Ten Treats for Samhain

35 Samhain Menu & Recipes

1

Foreword Witchcraft means something different to every single witch but following the

seasons is an almost universal thread. October 31st presents us with Samhain, the

Witches’ New Year, a day for remembering the past and looking to the future.

Samhain is often considered the most sacred Sabbat of all, the one day a year

when witches can be witches without so much as a strange glance!

Decorating for, cooking for and celebrating Sabbats as well as engaging in other

related, if relatively mundane, daily tasks is essentially a matter of being in tune

with the seasons, an endeavor that is both rewarding and practical.

Decorations, for example, needn’t be extravagant in order to emphasize the

meanings, symbolism and ambiance of each season. Samhain décor needn’t be

bogged down with storebought plastic skeletons and “RIP” signs (although they

can be fun too!) Rather, think beyond the big box stores for your final harvest

celebrating. Rather, look to the great outdoors and your own well-stocked

cupboards and cabinets for a little inspiration in filling your home with the spirit

of Samhain.

Tenae S., The Witch of Howling Creek

2

Hearth & Home

3

Decorating with Natural Materials

Natural materials are abundant in every part of the year and late autumn puts all

the symbols of Samhain right at your fingertips: pumpkins, pomegranates,

apples, bare trees and fallen leaves. Each offers a unique opportunity for infusing

the home with this most sacred of seasons.

Pumpkins

The most easily recognizable symbol

of both Samhain and its secular

counterpart, Halloween, pumpkins

bring a wonderful joy to any home

and herald the witchiest holiday of

all. For simple, harvest decoration,

pile miniature pumpkins in tin

buckets, woven baskets or

wheelbarrows. Add interest by using

a variety of colors.

Of course, don’t forget to carve your

jack o’lanterns for the most classic of

Samhain décor!

Pomegranates

Pomegranates came to be associated

with Samhain through the Greek

myth of Persephone and Hades.

They symbolize the death and

rebirth of the world each year as well

as fertility and sensuality.

Wire pomegranates to grapevine

wreaths and surround with silk or

fresh fall blooms, acorn balls or other

autumn items and hang on the front

door for a warm welcome.

4

Apples

Although apples are also a symbol of

Mabon, they take on an even more

magickal quality as Samhain

approaches. Carve a few to hold

tealight candles and float in a large

bucket or basin for a fun, homey spin

on the classic Samhain game

“bobbing for apples.”

Bare Trees

The image of barren trees, perhaps

with a few stubborn leaves still

clinging to their branches, is a

chilling one, bringing to mind

suspenseful movies and late nights

around the fire. Bring that spooky

wonder inside with dried apple or

curly willow branches. Just place the

branches in tall glass cylinder vases

and frame doorways with them.

For a slightly more involved project,

wire the branches together in

opposite directions and create a fall

arrangement of flowers, apples,

pomegranates and leaves in the

center. Hang over a doorway or

window.

Fallen Leaves

Colored leaves still attached to

branches are fabulous additions to

fall flower arrangements but even

the fallen leaves can have a

decorative purpose. Carefully string

dried leaves onto monofilament line

or thin ribbon and suspend from a

wooden dowel to create an autumn

mobile. Or, press fall leaves beneath

a layer of glass for a colorful, harvest

coffee table.

5

Spooky Samhain Decorations

Samhain is a time of unmitigated witchiness, when all sorts of chill-inducing,

spooktastic decorations get to come out and play! Here are a few of the very best:

Two-Faced Pumpkins: One decoration that has been increasing in

popularity in recent years is the ‘two-faced’ pumpkin, where you simply

carve two faces off-set from one another in the same pumpkin. It’s really

fun if you can set up the back side so it projects onto a wall or shows up in

a mirror!

Paper-Cut Spiderwebs: Using the same technique as you would to make

paper snowflakes, cut black construction paper into squares, then fold

diagonally as many times as you wish. Cut into intricate patterns, then

hang in windows, clustered from a chandelier or taped onto a white wall

or mirror.

Twinkle Lights: Hang up your Yule lights early but wrap them in black

tulle, readily available at most fabric stores, for a super easy, super spooky

look.

Black and White Door Wreath: Heavily spray paint a grapevine wreath

bright, glossy white then decorate with black and silver items such as

ornaments, sprigs of faux flowers and feathers. You could also hang a

black sign or silhouette from the top such as ‘Happy Halloween’, ‘Boo!’,

‘Blessed Be’, a cat or a pentacle.

Cheesecloth: Hang torn black or off-white cheesecloth as a backdrop for a

buffet, from windows and doors or from chandeliers for an eerie effect.

6

Witch Balls: Once considered protection from witches, many modern day

pagans hang these pretty glass ornaments from their windows as

protection for hearth and home. Making your own is easy with clear glass

craft ornaments, acrylic paints in colors like black, red, purple and orange,

and lots of ribbon. This is a fun project for kids!

Other-than-Orange Pumpkins: Orange pumpkins may be familiar and a

lot of fun but the white variety brings an elegant, refined touch to even the

spookiest of celebrations. Also try spray-painting them black and rolling

them in glitter (or foam ‘funkins’ for a cheaper version.)

On-Display Altar: Simply bring out your witchiest ritual items for a

suitably Samhain vignette on a shelf, desk or table.

Victorian Prints: Replace photographs in your home with printed copies

of Victorian anatomy and botany sketches for a cool, creepy look.

Etsy, Antique Stores & Gift Shops: Although you can decorate your house

entirely top to bottom with adorably handmade items, don’t forget to

check out these great resources near you. Even if you think that swanky

gift shop downtown is too expensive, take a walk through it around

Halloween and it is almost guarantee you’ll find something you have to

have that just so happens to be in your price range!

7

Sweet Samhain Decorations

Of course, Samhain is about the saccharine as much as it is about the scheming so

if you have young children around or just prefer a more homey, harvest

environment, try out some of these decoration ideas instead:

Pumpkin Pile: Instead of carving your pumpkins into scary faces, just pile

them wherever possible. Mounds of pumpkins is both heavy on spirit and

incredibly easy to pull off!

Candy Bowls: Candy bowls aren’t just for Grandma’s end table – fill

vases, jars and bowls throughout the house with your favorite seasonal

treats for simple decoration inspired by trick-or-treating.

Sweet Treat Garland: Hang up a paper garland of alternating orange and

black candy pieces. These are great on mantels, windows, doorways,

chandeliers, even chair backs.

Harvesttime: Go for a more seasonal than spooky approach and decorate

with maize, pumpkins, gourds, wheat and colored leaves.

Luminaries: Create simple luminaries by punching or cutting out cute

Halloween shapes such as cats or jack-o-lanterns in brown paper lunch

bags, filling them with a few inches of sand and setting a battery-operated

or votive candle inside. These are perfect for lining walkways and

staircases.

Off-Kilter Colors: Instead of the traditional dark colors of Halloween and

Samhain, embrace a lighter side with orange, purple and lime.

Decorations can be as simple as swapping out curtains with a festive new

color and a daring contrast for the swag.

8

Witchy Vignettes: Create cute scenes with conical hats, brooms, pentacles

and other images associated with witches to show off a little more subtly

than displaying your entire altar.

Friendly Ghosts: Ghosts can certainly be spooky but take a bit more of a

Caspar approach with friendly black and white faces painted on windows

or fluttering friends made by tying white fabric around balls of paper and

hanging them from the porch.

Victorian Inspiration: Set the scene with ivory lace tablecloths, hurricane

lamps, dripping candles and polished silver tea service sets. Add finishing

details like old books, magnifying glasses and binoculars for a tasteful

Halloween display focused on elegance and refinement.

Signage: Vintage metal Halloween signs are easy to come by in antique

stores and online or you can make your own with phrases like ‘Boo!’,

‘Happy Halloween’ and ‘Trick or Treat’ printed on cardstock and

decorated with glitter.

9

Keeping House (and more) with a Besom

Witches have been shown with brooms for hundreds of years and though most

don’t fly through the night sky on them, brooms (also known by the term

“besom”) do have certain magickal properties.

Any broom can be used as a magickal besom but whether you choose a large

push broom for the garage, a storebought broom with molded bristles or a

handmade broom of natural materials, it should be cleansed before use in magick

or rituals.

To Bless a Besom

Lay the broom on a flat outdoor surface such as a porch rail or deck where it will

be protected from the elements but exposed to natural light. Sprinkle sea salt

over the length of the broom (if you prefer to speak a blessing out loud, this

would be the time to do that.) Leave the besom outside beneath a full moon to

infuse it with power.

10

Of the besom’s many properties, protection and purification are the most potent.

To use your besom for protection, try these handy tips:

Hang a wall-mounted curtain rod above the front door on the inside wall.

Using heavy gauge wire, wire a broom you do not intend to use on a

regular basis but that has been blessed as a besom lengthwise to the

curtain rod so it hangs over the doorway.

Use twine to bind traditional bristle materials like birch twigs with lengths

of dried protection herbs such as angelica, thyme and rosemary to a thin

ash branch cut to the desired length. Bless as a besom.

Tie two long strands of black ribbon to the top of a besom handle and

crisscross them down to the base of the handle. Tie in a bow or knot to

secure in place and use the beribboned besom as a broom or as decoration.

To use your besom for purification, try these tips as well:

Open a door at the front of the house and a door at the back of the house.

Use a blessed besom to sweep dirt and dust from the front door, through

the house and out the back door to encourage bad luck and other nasties

to continue on their way without stopping in your home.

Clean by sweeping the broom from east to west (the path of the sun) to

sweep away negativity.

11

Magick & Witchcraft

12

Samhain Correspondences

Every Sabbat has colors, spices and other items associated with it, most of which

are based on the natural world and the current season. These items are

particularly magickal around the time of the Sabbat and are a great place to start

when designing rituals and spells.

Colors: Black

Orange

Red

Brown

Yellow

Stones: Obsidian

Bloodstone

Onyx

Jet

Herbs, Plants & Spices: Bay

Cinnamon

Ginger

Cloves

Pumpkin

Rosemary

Mugwort

Myrrh

Sage

13

Samhain Solitary Ritual

Sit skyclad or loosely clothed. Light a white, brown, black or orange candle and

place so the reflection appears in a mirror or bowl of water.

Meditate on the image, reflecting on and connecting with those who have passed

on, including family members, friends, pets and ancestors.

Now is your opportunity to perform one of the spells presented on the following

pages or a spell of your own creation. Samhain is particularly well-suited to

spells involving past lives, banishment and divination.

Take a bite of bread and a sip of wine or cider, alternating until gone.

Blow out the candle.

Blessed Be.

14

Blood Moon Ritual

The October full moon is most accurately referred to as the “Blood Moon,” a

reference to the final harvest: not in fact an agricultural harvest, but that of the

last meat of the year before winter returns.

The Blood Moon can be celebrated in any number of ways with a wide variety of

interpretations, based on the evocative name. You might take it literally and

spend the day mixing your own sausage (run inexpensive roasts through a meat

grinder with your own preparation of herbs and spices or simply mix the

additions into ground meat) or preparing items for simple winter meals such as

stew, chili or tomato meat sauce.

It could also be interpreted as familial blood, prompting an ancestor-related

ritual, a protection rite for your home and family or simply sharing a meal

together. As the mother aspect of the moon’s cycle, the full phase is always a

great time for family-centered rituals to begin with.

Or, you could simply choose to do a simple Blood Moon ritual:

Sit skyclad or loosely clothed in view of the full moon if possible. Light a red

candle and focus on the moon, absorbing its energy in meditation. Take a bite of

a gingersnap and a sip of apple cider, alternating until both are gone.

Blow out the candle.

Blessed Be.

15

Divination Techniques

Samhain is one of the best times of the year for divination as the thin veil

between worlds (whether considered literal, spiritual or metaphorical) allows

easier access to the beyond. There are numerous common methods of divination

such as tarot and crystal gazing but many witches feel ill-equipped to practice

such methods as they tend to require a good deal of knowledge and study.

Luckily, there are also some lovely methods of divination that are far simpler to

pick up such as chartomancy and lycnomancy.

Chartomancy

Chartomancy is divination by books. It is incredibly simple and, in fact, many

people perform it without even realizing it, making it the very best form of

magick – that which is instinctive! Simply think of a problem or question you

need help with, choose a random book (preferably a novel or dictionary as other

non-fiction can be too technical or specific), open to a random page, and run your

finger over the page without looking until you feel you are in the right place.

Then read the line or paragraph you have chosen and consider what it could

mean in terms of your situation or question. You may want to do this three times

in one book in order to get a couple of angles.

For example, in the book The Coral Thief one might open to the words “I had

forgotten”, a photograph of two pirate ships (photos are also excellent divining

tools) and a paragraph about a woman respected and known by those around

16

her, from the well-to-do to the prostitutes. From this one might gather that they

will experience adventure and travel, that they will be respected but that it may

take hardship to get there and that there may either be things they will wish to

forget or that they have already forgotten something they need to remember. As

you can see, this is a very personal way to divine the future that is entirely open

to interpretation and can be done whenever you feel the need.

Lychnomancy

Another easy, interesting form of divination is lychnomancy, divination by

candles. Light a plain white candle in a darkened room, away from any sources

of air or wind, such as a window or fan. Study the flame while thinking about

your problem or question. The following (among other signs) will lead the way:

If the end of the wick displays a brightly shining point it is a lucky omen.

If the flame moves from side to side it indicates that you will soon travel.

If there are sparks rising from the candle you will need to be cautious.

If the flame seems to twist and spiral it means that your enemies are

plotting against you.

If a flames rises and falls it suggests there is approaching danger.

If the candle is extinguished suddenly and without good reason it is a

prediction of disaster.

Perform these wonderful methods at your Halloween party or for serious

divination of the future!

17

Spell to Banish Negativity

Compile a list of bad habits and negative situations in your life and write them

all down on a sheet of paper. Stir a teaspoon each of cayenne, coffee grounds and

ground cloves into 1 ½ cups of hot water.

Wad up a paper towel, dip it into the hot water and drag over the paper to dye it

brown. Hang the sheet up to dry (or use a blow dryer.)

Once the paper has dried, burn it in the fireplace or Samhain bonfire to banish

the negativity and bad habits.

18

Honor & Celebrate

19

Ways to Celebrate

Honor the many aspects of Samhain, including family, a new year and the death

of summer, with these simple, easy activities.

Carve pumpkins to protect your home and family.

Make a besom.

Make door wreaths and other decorations.

Toast pumpkin seeds.

Hold a bonfire.

Set up an ancestor altar.

Visit a cemetery and leave flowers for passed loved ones or strangers.

Play Samhain divination games like discovering your true love’s first

initial with an apple peel.

Have a costume contest! Offer candy or trinket prizes for Best in Show,

Best Couple, Most Creative, Sexiest, etc.

Play classic games like bobbing for apples and eating hanging doughnuts.

Invite pagan friends over for a small ritual, bonfire or meal, even if you

are not members of a formal coven. Pray for protection together and

family safety and read about the ancient traditions of Samhain.

Start a ‘Good Things’ calendar. Purchase a student calendar which begins

in July of the current year. Starting October 31, write one good thing that

happened to you every day. At the end of the coming pagan year you will

be able to look back on all the good things (big and small.)

Honor Samhain as the pagan New Year: countdown to midnight (or

sunset, the beginning of the day in ancient times), offer champagne or

another celebratory drink and share a kiss with someone!

20

Ways to Honor the Ancestors

Ancestors and passed family members are an integral part of the Samhain

celebration but coming up with fresh, interesting ways to honor them can be

tricky. Try out a few of these ideas to mix it up this year.

Gather family photos from your own albums and collect them from your

parents, grandparents and other relatives. Frame the photographs and fill

a shelf or cabinet with them.

Designate a shelf or cabinet in your house for family heirlooms. Whether

they be your mother’s antique perfume bottles, your grandfather’s toolbox

or your great-aunt’s recipe book, design a vignette of pieces that have

meaning to you and display them prominently.

Do some research on your ancestral heritage and decorate a certain space

(or a whole room) with tartans, family crests, family trees and traditional

artwork related to your family history.

Set an extra place at your Samhain dinner to represent passed loved ones

and ancestors come to visit on such a magickal night.

Begin compiling a family album with more than just photographs: include

stories, kid’s artwork, family history and anything that might tell future

generations who their ancestors were.

21

Cookie Cutter Pumpkins Craft Project

Carving pumpkins is a requisite part of the Samhain celebration. The original

jack o’lanterns were meant to protect the home and, although their modern

counterparts tend towards fun decoration, they can still take on the noble

purpose with this equally festive and magickal cookie cutter pumpkins craft

project:

Materials

Pumpkins

Cookie cutters, protective shapes

Sharp knives

Mallets

Instructions

1. Cut off the top of your pumpkin and set aside. Clean out the pumpkin

until it is relatively clean and smooth inside.

2. Place cookie cutters in simple, protective shapes such as stars (the outline

of the pentacle) on the surface of the pumpkin.

3. Hammer the cookie cutters into the pumpkin with a mallet. If the cookie

cutter does not go all the way through, carefully remove it without

damaging the indentation and use a paring knife to cut out the shape.

22

Fete & Feast

23

Witches’ Tea Party

A tea party is a great way to bring the girls together for a little catching up and

perhaps even a bit of magick! The center of every tea party is the food and the

conversation so be sure to serve a menu with a lot of variety and options, from

miniature pumpkin pies to a hearty hot artichoke dip to warm popover rolls!

Offer a wide selection of teas so your guests have lots to choose from. If you like

to blend your own teas (or would like to try it out), consider offering a few

ingredients so guests can make up their own blends to take home with them.

Some ingredients you might want to include could be dried organic rose petals,

dried organic chamomile heads, and dried organic lavender florets.

Finish off the afternoon with a good old-fashioned tea leaf reading:

1. Make a cup of tea by sprinkling about a tablespoon of loose leaf into a

lightly colored cup of hot water.

2. Allow the tea to steep 3-5 minutes while you quiet your mind. When the

tea is ready, slowly sip it while you consider the problem you wish your

reading to focus on (be careful to avoid as much of the floating leaves as

possible.) When there is only a few sips left, swirl the cup three times to

disperse the leaves and dump out the remaining liquid.

3. Identify any symbols you see in the remaining leaves and jot them down

for contemplation.

24

Ten Treats for Samhain

Entrees

Duck Breast with Pears and Balsamic Vinaigrette: Duck is a deliciously

underappreciated fall meal. This recipe in particular is especially juicy and

tender and the sweetness of the pears is the perfect touch.

Pork Apricot Stew: This recipe simmers in the crockpot all day, making for a

delectable dish that is full of flavor and just about falls off the bone.

Sides

Cheddar Apple Bundles: These are great for make-ahead breakfasts. Make them

up to the point of sealing the dough, then wrap them in plastic wrap and pop

them in the freezer. You’d be surprised how long they’ll keep!

Roasted Deviled Potatoes: A favorite recipe year-round, this one is especially

great in autumn. It is easily adapted for many tastes too; for example, swap out

some of the potatoes with butternut squash for a fall twist.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese: The original comfort food and a family favorite

for the chilly evenings of fall. It’s easy, delicious and tummy-warming.

Spicy Yam Soup: Exactly what it says on the tin. A very spicy yam soup that

makes even the most dedicated yam-hater change their colors.

25

Desserts

Ginger Pumpkin Meringue Pie: If you aren’t a big pumpkin pie fan, this recipe is

for you. There are so many flavors and textures going on here, you may not even

be able to call it pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake: Another family classic, this recipe has been long-

preserved in a 1994 magazine and every year my dad digs it out and sets about

making a giant mess in the kitchen. And we’re always happy to be dusting flour

off the chandelier the next day because it is that good.

26

Duck Breast with Pears and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of BHG.com

2 pears, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 boneless duck breast halves

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

4 cups fresh baby spinach

¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts

In a large ovenproof skillet cook pears

in hot butter over medium heat for 8-

10 minutes or until golden brown and

tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle

with 1/8 teaspoon pepper; remove

from skillet and set aside.

Trim excess fat from duck (do not

remove skin). Score the skin in a

diamond pattern. Season duck breasts

with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

In the same skillet cook duck breasts,

skin side down, over medium heat for

5 minutes. Turn and cook about 5

minutes more or until browned. Drain,

reserving 2 tablespoons fat. Place pan

in a 350 degree F oven; roast,

uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or

until an instant-read thermometer

inserted into the breast registers 155

degrees F. Remove duck from pan;

cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

For vinaigrette, in a screw-top jar

combine reserved duck fat, the

vinegar, mustard, and thyme. Cover

and shake well to combine. Slice duck

breasts. To serve, arrange spinach on

individual serving plates. Top with

pears, duck breast slices, and toasted

walnuts. Drizzle vinaigrette over top.

27

Pork Apricot Stew

4 pound ham, smoked

2 large onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 14 ½ ounce can chicken broth

1 ½ cups apple cider or juice

1 cup dark beer

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped dried apricots

¾ cup chopped pitted prunes

Place ham in a large crockpot. Add onions, garlic and flour. Mix in broth, cider,

beer, mustard, coriander, cinnamon and salt. Stir in aprictos and prunes. Cover

and allow to cook for 6-8 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

28

Cheddar Apple Bundles

Recipe courtesy of BHG.com j ½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

2 cups all-purpose flour

8 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ cup butter, cut up

6 - 8 tablespoons cold water

2 medium Granny Smith or Jonathan apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about

2 cups)

3 tablespoons fig jam or apricot preserves

Combine brown sugar and pecans; set aside. In food processor combine flour, 1/2

cup of the cheese, granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and process

with one on/off turn. Add butter. Cover; process with several on/off turns until

size of small peas. With processor running, slowly add water to make dough

come together in a ball. Gently knead until smooth.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Divide dough in 8 pieces. For each bundle, on

floured surface roll dough in 8-inch circle. Place 3 tablespoons cheese and 1/4 cup

apple in center. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon nut mixture. Brush dough edges with

water. Bring up dough edges and press together to seal. Sealed sides up, place on

parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Spoon preserves on each bundle.

29

Roasted Deviled Potatoes

3 Russet or 4 Yukon gold potatoes

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 475°F. Put

2 large shallow baking pans (1 inch deep) in oven and preheat 10 minutes.

Quarter potatoes, then toss with oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large

bowl. Spread potatoes, cut sides down, in hot pans, then roast until undersides

are golden, about 12 minutes. Turn potatoes so other cut sides are down, then

switch position of pans and roast until potatoes are tender and undersides are

golden, 12 to 15 minutes more.

While potatoes roast, melt butter in a small saucepan and whisk in vinegar,

mustard, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Toss hot potatoes with butter mixture in cleaned large bowl until coated.

30

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

12 ounces uncooked macaroni

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

3-4 cups soymilk

½ cup butter

¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs, Italian style

1 teaspoon paprika

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the macaroni according to the package

directions and drain.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and slowly add the soymilk to it. Slowly add

the cheese by handfuls, stirring until smooth and melted.

Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish and pour in the macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce

over and stir to mix. Sprinkle breadcrumbs, paprika and remaining mozzarella

on top.

Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot.

31

Spicy Yam Soup

2 tbsp butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 small jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 qt chicken broth

1 ½ lb yams, peeled and diced

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup cream

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt or to taste

Healthy pinch cayenne pepper

Heat the butter in a soup pot until bubbly. Add onion and sauté until

caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add jalapenos and thyme; sauté 1 minute.

Stir in the carrots, yams and chicken broth. Simmer 30-40 minutes or until

vegetables are tender.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the veggies to a food processor. Puree the

mixture, adding a bit of the liquid to help the process.

Pour back into the pot. Add milk, cream, brown sugar, salt and cayenne.

Heat soup very gently for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

32

Ginger Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Recipe courtesy of BHG.com

1 premade pastry shell

15 ounce can pumpkin

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2/3 cup milk

½ cup maple syrup

3 egg whites

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare

Gingersnap-Graham Crust; bake 4

minutes. Cool on wire rack.

For filling, in bowl combine pumpkin,

sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add

eggs.; lightly beat with fork to

combine. Gradually stir in milk and

maple syrup.

Pour filling into pastry shell. To

prevent overbrowning, cover edge of

pie with foil. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or

until knife inserted near center comes

out clean. Uncover edges. Reduce

oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl let egg whites stand at

room temperature for 30 minutes. Add

vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat

with an electric mixer on medium

speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).

Gradually add brown sugar, 1

tablespoon at a time, beating on high

speed until mixture forms stiff peaks

(tips stand straight).

Carefully spread Brown Sugar

Meringue over hot filling; seal to edge.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden

brown. Cool on wire rack. Loosely

cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

33

Pumpkin Rum Cheesecake

1 cup crushed gingersnaps

¼ cup ground pecans

¼ cup butter, melted

3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 cups canned pumpkin

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp rum flavoring

¾ tsp ground allspice

¾ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

For crust, combine gingersnaps,

ground pecans and melted butter.

Press onto bottom of a 9-inch

springform pan.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in

a large mixing bowl. Beat with an

electric mixer until combined. Add

eggs, pumpkin, the 1 ½ tsp rum

flavoring, and spices; beat until just

smooth. Pour into crust lined pan.

Sprinkle with additional nutmeg if

desired.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 70

minutes or until center appears

nearly set when shaken. Cool 10

minutes. Loosen crust from pan

sides. Cool 30 minutes more; remove

sides of pan. Cool completely. Chill

at least 4 hours.

34

Samhain Menu & Recipes

Serve this unique and delicious menu filled with the hearty flavors of autumn at

a Samhain feast with friends and family.

Sweet & Spicy Chili Con Carne

Pumpkin Gnocchi with

Brown Butter & Rosemary

Broiled Apples & Pears with Rosemary

S’mores Station

35

Sweet & Spicy Chili Con Carne

Recipe courtesy of MyGloriousFood.com

2 tablespoons oil

3 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 – 2 peppers, chopped into chunks

18 ounces ground beef

3 cans chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

1 can kidney beans

1 tablespoon paprika

1 – 2 tbsp chili powder

Salt and pepper

1 stick of cinnamon

1 ounce dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the chopped onion for a couple of minutes.

Add the garlic and peppers and fry for another few minutes before adding the

beef. Brown well and add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Let the dish

simmer for at least 30 minutes (longer if possible), taste and add extra chili, salt

and pepper if necessary. Serve with rice, bread or nachos.

36

Pumpkin Gnocchi in Brown Butter & Rosemary

Recipe courtesy of

ClosetCooking.com

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 - 2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 pinch nutmeg

½ cup butter

3 tablespoons dried rosemary

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix the egg yolk into the pumpkin

puree. Mix the salt and nutmeg into

the flour. Mix enough of the flour

into the pumpkin puree to form a

soft dough that is not too sticky to

work with.

Knead the dough for a minute and

then roll it out into 4 long thin rolls

about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the rolls

into 1/2 inch pieces and then roll the

pieces in flour lightly shaking off any

excess. Roll the pieces over a gnocchi

board or a fork to give them the

ridges.

Cook the gnocchi in boiling water in

small batches until it floats to the

surface, about 2-3 minutes, remove

and set aside to drain.

Melt the butter in a pan and cook it

until it just starts to brown. Add the

rosemary and fry until crispy, about

1 minute. Add the gnocchi and toss

to coat. Remove from heat and mix

in the lemon juice.

37

Broiled Apples & Pears with Rosemary

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com

4 Golden Delicious apples, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise

4 Bosc pears, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Preheat broiler. Brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil. Gently toss apples,

pears, 1/4 cup oil, and minced rosemary in large bowl. Arrange fruit in single

layer on sheets. Broil until fruit is tender and edges begin to brown, watching

closely to avoid burning and turning sheets for even browning, about 5 minutes.

Transfer fruit to platter. Sprinkle with pepper. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if

desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

38

S’mores Station

1 package plain graham crackers

1 package chocolate graham crackers

1 large milk chocolate Hershey’s bar

1 large dark chocolate Hershey’s bar

1 bag Reese’s peanut butter cups

1 bag York peppermint patties

1 bag marshmallows

Arrange the options on a table near a bonfire along with sticks or roasting tines

for guests to pick and choose their s’mores toppings.