Words are Energy

We Love Rosemary

Rosemary is one of our favorite herbs to flavor almost everything.

Every chicken dish we prepare usually has rosemary in there somewhere.

Did you know that this wonderful herb has long had a reputation for being helpful with memory?

In ancient Greece, scholars wore sprigs of rosemary when taking tests to give their memory a boost.

Shakespeare also credited the herb with memory - enhancing powers, writing the line 'Rosemary, that's for remembrance' in Hamlet.

Now researchers at Northumbria University agree that rosemary essential oil is helpful recollection, following on from previous research that it boosts memory.

Easy to grow and harvest, rosemary really needs to be in your garden and pantry.

We want to share a recipe for delicious Rosemary Cornbread that we will be making.

3 ounces fresh or frozen corn
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves (no stems)
1 cup heavy cream
1 package corn muffin mix
1/4 cup finely diced red pepper
2 eggs
1 tablespoon minced shallot or green onions

METHOD

Spray a 13 x 9-inch or 11 x 9-inch cake pan with non-stick oil and coat with granulated sugar.
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into cake pan and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees F.
Raise temperature to 325 degrees F and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Serve with melted butter and your Lammas is off to a great start.

Lughnasadh/Lammas The First Harvest Next

Lughnasadh also known as: Lammas, August Eve, The Festival of Bread, Elembiuos, Lunasa, Cornucopia (Strega), Thingtide (Teutonic) is celebrated at the beginning of August.

Lughnasadh (loo-NOSS-ah) is named for the Irish sun God, Lugh, and is regarded as the first of the three Pagan harvest festivals.

Lughnasadh is a grain harvest event, so you'll see corn, wheat, barley and grain and bread all over the place.

Ripened fruits and vegetables are also a part of the traditional celebration.

The threshing of grain was considered a sacred act, in fact, many threshing houses had wooden covers under the door so that no grain would be lost or wasted.

The early harvest and the threshing of grain has been celebrated for thousands of years.

By the way, that's the real meaning of word "threshold."

At Lammas or Lughnasadh, it's time to celebrate the first harvest of the year, and recognize that a change is coming, the summer days will soon come to an end.   

The plants of spring drop their seeds to guarantee future crops, grains are prepared to be harvested and the fruits are ready to be collected.

Lughnasadh is a time to be grateful for the food we have and to remember that It is a time to celebrate and prepare ourselves to the changing seasons and the ever turning Wheel of the Year.

At our gathering we are having fried chicken and corn on the cob.

We will have big garden salad, most of it out of our garden.

Lots of fruit and Fresh loaves of bread & butter.

We are making corn bread as well, chicken gravy and homemade mashed potatoes.

For dessert were making a blackberry pie and homemade ice cream.

Happy Summer Solstice

Here's a great recipe for Shrimp & Crab Ceviche, perfect for a Midsummer treat.

Here’s what you need…

Cooking oil (peanut oil is good but use whatever you have on hand)

18 corn tortillas, or as many as you want.

1 1⁄2 lbs medium cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

3⁄4 lb lump crabmeat

1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 -2 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

Add salt to taste

2 avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into slices

2 limes, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS

Pour oil into a heavy medium pot to a depth of 1” and heat over medium-high heat until temperature is hot enough.

Working in batches, fry tortillas until light golden brown, turning once, about 30 seconds.

Transfer the tostadas to a paper towel-lined plate to let drain and cool.

Put shrimp, crab, lemon juice, cilantro, cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, and salt to taste into a large bowl and stir to combine.

Spoon Ceviche evenly onto tostadas, garnish each with a slice of avocado and serve with lime wedges on the side.

You could even fry up tortilla chips and make appetizers.

Even it's just a small group or even by yourself, you can celebrate the Midsummer with a few fun things to do and eat. 

Taking a hike, tending the garden, reading a good book, watch movies, do something for someone else, cooking, or spend some time on personal spiritual growth. 

Research Pagan history and beliefs, do a Tarot card reading for yourself.

Whatever you decide, be good to yourself and enjoy the Midsummer energy and make the Shrimp & Crab Ceviche.