You Might Practice a Traditional Strain of Witchcraft If...

You Might Practice a Traditional Strain of Witchcraft If...
Found this on Facebook and just had to share it here with y'all! I can definitely state that 9 out of the 13 apply to me (those excluded are 6, 7, 10, & 11). How about y'all? ;)

Thanksgiving~Autumn Recipes

Thanksgiving~Autumn Recipes
Samhain is our anniversary and the Witch's New Year, so are very special to me. But my favorite holiday of all is Thanksgiving! I LOVE Autumn, my favorite season, all the incredible colors, the cooler temperatures, watching the leaves fall from the trees and they become incredibly beautiful dark skeletons against gray & white skies. Awesome!

But like I said, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When my boys were growing up we always had Thanksgiving at our home, and we rarely had less than 10 people. The most was 22 four days after my youngest son was born! LOL I loved the challenge!

Over the years there have been some recipes added and others altered or deleted altogether, but each has memories attached. Food and memories, scientifically proven to go hand-in-hand, so no wonder they are always so strong in our minds!

So here are some of our recipes that I've gathered, altered, invented, and used over the last 30+ years. I've placed them in order of when to make them, some of which are made a few days in advance.

Enjoy!

Stuffing
1 Loaf each - Rye, Pumpernickel & White bread - cubed & dried in the oven
1 pkg Mushrooms
1/2 pkg fresh Cranberries
3 lg Celery Stalks
1 pkg Hot Jimmie Dean Sausage
1 pkg Walnuts
1/2 cup Sugar

Three days before Thanksgiving (Monday) you will put all of these ingredients together:
Cube & dry the breads in the oven.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.
The sausage will need to be broken up into small pieces as it is added to the mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator.
Each day stir the mixture completely.
This setting in the refrigerator allows the sugar to combine all the ingredients' flavors, and mellow the hot sausage.
There will be enough to stuff both ends of the turkey as well as have more to heat on the stove.

Cranberry Sauce
1 12 oz pkg Fresh Cranberries
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Orange juice
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Two days before Thanksgiving (Tuesday) you will make this:
Combine sugar &  water, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add lemon & orange juices & cornstarch.
Add cranberries.
Cook cranberries & sauce until the cranberries burst, then mash.
Cook 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate.
This time will allow the flavors to blend and make a perfectly flavored cranberry sauce.

Ambrosia
1 20 oz can Chunk Pineapple - drained
1 16 oz can Mandarin Orange segments - drained
1 1/2 cups Seedless Grapes
1 cup Mini Marshmallows
1 cup flaked Coconut
1/2 cup broken Walnuts
3/4 cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Sugar

One day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday) you will make this:
Combine all ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until serving.

Turkey
This one everyone knows, but I'll just give a few hints regarding how I season ours and keep it super moist.

Melted Butter (1 stick)
Salt
Pepper
Morton's Seasoned Salt
Garlic Salt

Combine all of the seasonings into the melted butter and spread over the entire turkey. I do this before it goes into the oven, wait 30 minutes and then every 15 minutes until I take it out of the oven. The final time, I syringe just the drippings from the turkey over it.

The giblets are cooked separately and with the drippings are kept and used to make the gravy - yes, lumps and all! ;)

Spicy Mustard Deviled Eggs
6 (or more) hard-boiled Eggs
2 Tablespoons Butter - softened
2 Tablespoons Mayonaisse
1 teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Curry Powder
Chopped Chives
Paprika

Boil & prepare the eggs, slicing in half lengthwise.
Remove the yolks into a bowl.
Place the sliced eggs on a platter.
Mash & cream the yolks with the butter & mayonaisse.
Add the mustard, white pepper & curry powder and mix well.
Garnish with the chives & paprika.
Refrigerate until serving.

Smashed Potatoes
2 potatoes per person
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Ranch dressing

Boil the potatoes, do not peel the skins.
Drain and place in a large bowl.
Add salt, pepper, butter and begin mixing until smooth but still a bit "dry".
Add Ranch dressing a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth, creamy & fluffy.

Turkey Giblet & Drippings Gravy
Giblets - cooked on stove top in seasoned water
Drippings - from bottom of turkey pan
2+ cups Milk
2+ Tablespoons Flour

Chop the giblets and place in saucepan on medium-high heat.
Add the turkey drippings.
Add 1 cup milk to saucepan.
Add flour to the remaining milk, and combine completely until smooth and creamy.
Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the saucepan, stirring constantly.

******
Of course, there is always the awesome desserts! Usually if I make the dinner, the guests bring the desserts. So I'll leave those recipes up to you. ;)

While making each of these recipes I always bless the foods to bring happiness, joy, health & well-being to all who eat them. I make sure to have a thankful frame of mind, so that each dish is infused with love and the joy of making them for those who will be coming into my home to consume them.

So go shopping, get your ingredients, and begin planning your Thanksgiving dinner!

Winter Cold & Flu Potions

Winter Cold & Flu Potions
I've been lucky. I rarely have any cold or flu-like symptoms, but when I get the proverbial sore throat or feel like I'm getting one, I really hate taking OTC meds. And prescriptions - forget it. I refuse to go to the doctor unless I am truly "dying". ;)

I prefer to take herbs when I begin feeling "off". Dandelion tea made from the entire plant is always a good one, as well as Echinacea, Yarrow & Goldenrod. Among others, depending on what I need and what my taste buds are in the mood for. (Let's face it sometimes those teas' flavors really do suck, regardless of how much honey you "add to taste"!)

Recently, I found some remedies that are OMG! good! In fact, I could eat them all day...and what's so cool is that, it would be OK to do so because it's all healthy and delicious too!

Lemon~Ginger, Orange~Cinnamon~Clove, Lemon

The pretty little goodies in these nice little canning jars are easy to make, taste awesome, and are very healthy for you! And the perfect remedy for when you feel that "something" coming on.

(OK, to do the CYA thing - this may not cure you of what ever you may have coming on, but it will help to some degree and it certainly won't hurt (unless you're allergic to some of the ingredients - which is on you to alter the recipe, if that's the case). IF you're truly ill and can't shake it, then DUH! go see your physician to get the appropriate care you need.)

Now for the recipes!

Lemon
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Lemons (2-4 depending on canning jar size)

Lemon ~ Ginger
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Lemons (2 - 4 depending on canning jar size)
Ginger (1/2 - 1 teaspoon depending on how spicy you want it & canning jar size)

Orange ~ Cinnamon ~ Clove
1/2 pint (or larger) canning jar
Honey (enough to cover the lemon slices)
Oranges (1/2 - 1 depending on canning jar size)
Cloves (12 - 16 depending on how much you like cloves & canning jar size)
Cinnamon (2 2" sticks or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground, depending on how spicy you want it & canning jar size)

Slice the lemons or oranges cross-ways, and then each slice in half if it's too large for the jar.
Place the fruit slices loosely in the jar.
Cover with the honey.
Stir to distribute the honey over the fruit.
Place the sealed jar in the refrigerator.
The honey draws the juice from the fruits so you will need to stir the fruit & honey mixture several times a day over the next few days to mix the liquids together.
Over the next few weeks the honey will break down the fruit slices, and as you keep stirring them each day the fruits will break up and the honey-fruit syrup will form.
You can take bites of the liquid or wait until the fruits break down more before starting to take any.
As the liquid is depleted you can add more honey and/or fruit slices as necessary.
Without use or refilling, this will store for 2-3 months.

So simple to make, and soooo good to eat! Now, before you get to feeling yucky, go make some of this to have on hand. Take a bite every day for prevention, or once you begin to feel something coming on, at the latest. Either way, you're going to love this stuff! :)

Are You Crossed? How to Help Yourself

Are You Crossed? How to Help Yourself

I firmly believe in "do it yourself". I also firmly believe in not taking money from people just because I "can". Because I have an ability to do something they're convinced they don't. Well, I'm here to tell you that EVERYBODY has the ability, and the obligation, to protect themselves, their family, and their immediate environment (home, work space, car). It does not take a Witch, a Hoodoo, a rootworker, or any other person of any other "name" to do this for you. YOU are the one responsible for YOUR own self. Not us. We are here for the larger picture. The truly "out of your league" things. But simple day-to-day protection is YOUR responsibility. And I'm here to help you learn how. 

So. Are You Really Crossed??

It is entirely possible, although most likely not. However, why not protect yourself in the off-chance that it is going on or could happen in the future?

First think of people who may have a reason (and for some people it could be any reason) to cause you irritations and/or harm. Also consider if there is anyone you may have slighted in any way. And again, for some people they just may only think they were slighted. Write down all the names you can think of in order of possibility from most likely to least likely. Burn this piece of paper and flush it down the toilet. They no longer "exist" for you and thus are no longer a worry.

 

Then you'll need to cleanse your environment. If may even just be the place you're living in, and not you in particular. But cleansing your environment and then yourself will repel it from you & your surroundings. To do this take an onion for each room of your house and place it there (as close to the middle of the room as possible, if you can, but so you won't step on it or it won't be in the way, otherwise on a table or counter or dresser is fine). Leave it for 3 days. It will gather the negative energy. Each day recite Psalm 52.

Psalm 52:
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. ² The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
³ Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
⁴ Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
⁵ God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
⁶ The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
⁷ Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
⁸ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
⁹ I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. 

After the 3 days, then collect them - DO NOT TOUCH them - use gloves or something so your hands don't touch the onions. Place them in a bag and remove from your property completely. If possible bury them some place so Mother Earth can cleanse the negative energy into positive. Dig the hole (at least 12" deep) and dump the onions out of the bag and into the hole, then place the bag in the hole as well, covering the onions. Then cover all of it with the dirt that was dug out of the hole. Stomp the dirt down tight so it is not likely to wash away or anyone (or any animals) to step in it and hurt themselves (if it's in a place that this could be possible).

Next, place a lemon in each room - same as with the onion. Leave for 3 days and then remove as well. The onion removes negative energy and the lemon will cleanse and purify the now "empty" space. Do not bury the lemons anywhere near the onions. These can be buried on your property.

Each day of these 6 days take a cleansing shower/bath to remove the negative energy from yourself. SEE it washing down the drain.

FEEL yourself removed of all negativity while the onion is working, and then SEE yourself cleansed & purified while the lemon is working.
Recite these verses the entire time you're washing during the 3 days of the onion:

Psalm 52: 2-5 "² The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. ³ Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
⁴ Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

⁵ God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living."

Recite these verses the entire time you're washing during the 3 days of the lemon:

Psalm 26:6 "I wash my hands, Lord, to show my innocence, and to worship at your altar"

Psalm 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me and I shall be whiter than snow".

To protect you & your environment after the negativity removing & the cleansing & purifying place a SATOR Square on each sill surrounding your windows & exterior-access doors (front door, back door, garage door - any door that opens to the outside) and on each mirror in the home. This is the SATOR Square:

S  A  T  O  R

A  R  E  P  O

T  E  N  E  T

O  P  E  R  A

R  O  T  A  S

If possible, place red brick dust and/or salt across each threshold into the house. Salt is probably easier to come by, but if you can get - or have - red bricks, pound some of them into dust to place across your doorways. And recite Psalm 23 (see below) as you do so. If you can remember to recite this Psalm each day, that would be great, but if not, at least when you think about it (life tends to get in the way, I know).

To protect yourself when you're outside your home, keep a piece of paper with the SATOR Square written on it in your wallet. IF you want, you can also make a Mojo bag to keep protective items in and with you at all times. Keep it in your pocket.

Take a small piece of cloth and place in it a pebble you find that draws you to pick it up, place salt, pepper, and basil in the cloth, along with the SATOR Square. Use string to tie the cloth around the pebble and the herbs. This is a simple Mojo bag that will help keep you protected. As you're making it recite: 

Psalm 23

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever

 You can also add the Seals of Solomon to your Mojo bag or place them around your home. Look through the Seals here, clicking the links to read each lesson to find the ones that you feel would be the most beneficial to you. Be sure to read the "Introduction" lesson so you know how to activate the Seal(s) you've chosen.

These are all simple things you can do to keep yourself safe and protected inside and away from your home. I could tell you that you have to have someone else do all of this for you, but I'd be lying. YOU know best about your situation, no one else does. And it is YOU who can do the most to help yourself. Not someone else. The Lord helps those who help themselves. And I like helping those who don't know how, to teach them what to do so they do know how.

If you begin doing these things as part of your daily routine, then it becomes a part of your life, which in turn keeps you protected at all times. Yes, there are times when you may need something more, but for the average person this is more than enough.

I hope I haven't scared y'all off, and you'll see that you are more than capable of doing so much for yourself. Information is free, so learn all you can before jumping to spend money. It isn't always better to depend on someone else to that which you should be doing for yourself.