MHR Ep 22.. And we are back!!!

After a nice and well needed break we are back..
Happy Imbolc Everyone.

We had great show. It was chuck full of information. So if you didn't catch it when it aired. By all means listen. Just click the little widget for Blog talk and enjoy.

Can you believe that we are now in February? We neither can we. we are just happy to be back! With Spring right around the corner. There is must to be done in the garden.


Now is the time to...cut back brambles, plan and build your hard structures such as greenhouse and raised beds. Also time to plan your watering systems



Plants to sow indoors:  Cabbage,  Celery,  Endive, Kale, Leeks,  Lettuce, Mache, Onions, bulb
Radicchio Scallion (green onion)  and Spinach
Herbs: Chives, Fennel, Leaf  Marjoram,  Parsley,  Rosemary, Sage Savory, Summer  Thyme
Transplants: Asparagus and  Rhubarb

(Of course this will very depending on where you are on this planet)

Today’s Magickal Imbolc menu:

• Colcannon
• Soda Bread with Caraway Seeds
• Home made butter
• Jen's Green Soup

Homemade Butter: This so EASY!!!!!

1. Take a quart size mason jar. 
2. Fill 1/2 to 5/8 full of cream. 
• Here you can add some salt or herbs to taste.
3. Place lid.
4. Shake
• This was a great activity to get the kids help with. Pass it around.
  (We did this during our Imbolc Ritual, it is full of blessings and magick)
5. After about 15 min a shaking, There should be a clump of butter in liquid, If so, drain the the liquid, we added this to our offerings. Place the butter on a plate and enjoy!

Green Soup: 

With spring so close we coming to a period of the season where we want warm comfort food that is on the lighter side. This green soup base is a go to food  for me (Jen). What I love best about this soup is that  other than it being full of greens, is that it is a kitchen sink soup, anything goes. There are no exact measurements. This will make a nice size pot of soup. to adjust your ingredients based on your pot. 

1.  Caramelize 2-3 large Onions. 
• Thinly slice onions
• In skillet over medium low heat: drizzle Olive Oil or a pat of UNSALTED Butter (There is a reason for the unsalted butter... Adding salt during the caramelizing process,will prevent the very thing you are trying to accomplish) 
• Place onions in pan and cover. Stir occasionally 
• Cook till caramelized. (when you think it is ready cook a little longer)
2. Add to Stock pot:
• Caramelized Onions. 
• Stock ( I make a Big pot so i use about 93 oz of stock. This could be chicken or veggie stock.)
• Toss in 2-3 cloves of peeled garlic
• 1 Bay Leaf (if you don't have that is OK, I like how it helps meld all the flavors)
• Add herbs of choice at this point
• 3 Tbsp of white rice (This will give you our creamy texture with out adding dairy.
• Cook for about 15 min at a good soft simmer.
3. Add Greens
• Spinach, Kale, Mustard or Turnip Greens or what ever combination of greens that your heart desires. (Just remove the thick stems... save those for your next batch of stock)  
4. Simmer for about another 15 minutes.
5. Remove Bay leaf ,Salt and Pepper to taste.
6. Then blend with a immersion blender. (not everyone has one of these. I did not think i really would use this. but I end up using this 2-4 times a week. it was work the $20 I paid for it.) 
7. Garnish : Anything goes here... I like hot sauce, lemon and a drizzle of sour cream topped with croutons.  You can diced ham and cheese. Or like my girlfriends do. Put it in a bowl and leave it alone.