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Imbolg Recipes

FAERY WINE

1-1/2 cups milk per serving
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp.vanilla extract
cinnamon

Warm milk, being careful not to boil. In each glass or mug, add honey and vanilla.
Sprinkle tops with cinnamon.

WISE AND CREAMY SALMON SOUP

The salmon is the wisest and most ancient of living creatures. Brid is guardian of all knowledge and keeper of all memory, so this soup seems appropriate.

1 pkg. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 cup milk
2 tsp. dijon mustard (to bring wealth)
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp. dried dill (for protection of home and job)
2 green onions with tops sliced (for purity)
1 can chicken broth
12 oz. smoked salmon, flaked, or 1 can, drained and flaked

Heat cream cheese, milk, mustard, dill, onions, and chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in salmon and heat until hot and ready to serve.

ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH HERB WHITE SAUCE

Asparagus spears are for grounding; ruled by Earth and Venus. Snap ends and steam asparagus for 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender in a vegetable steamer.

Sauce:

2 Tbl. margarine or butter
2 Tbl. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/6 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dill
dash sage
dash nutmeg
1 cup milk

Heat margarine over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, dill, sage, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat when mixture is smooth. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Pour sauce over spears when ready to serve.

MAGICKAL CREAM PUFFS

For the puffs:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1-1/4 cups flour

4 eggs

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower heat and add flour. Stir on low heat until batter forms a ball shape. Remove from heat. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Drop, using a tablespoon, onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown at 375 degrees.

For the filling:

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbl. cornstarch (ruled by the Sun, brings health and wealth)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

2 egg yolks

2 Tbl. butter or margarine

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, slowly bring sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a boil, stirring constantly until thick. Add milk, egg yolks, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Let cool. Fill puffs with cream and sprinkle with Confectioner's sugar.

Candlemas Crescent Cakes

by Gerina Dunwich
1 1/4 cups Flour
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Finely Ground Almonds
3 drops Almond Extract
1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
1 tablespoon Honey
1 Egg Yolk
In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add the butter, honey and egg yolk and mix together well. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and then chill for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
When ready, pinch off pieces of the dough (about the size of plums) and shape them into crescents.
Place the crescents on a well-greased cookie sheet and bake in a 325-degree preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. (This recipe yields about one dozen Candlemas Crescent Cakes.)

The most common colors associated with Imbolc are white, yellow, and pink. However, light blue, light green, red and brown are also appropriate colors for this Sabbat. Altar candles should be white, red, pink and/or brown. Stones to use during the Imbolc celebration are turquoise, amethyst, garnet and onyx. Animals associated with Imbolc include robins, sheep, lambs, deer, and burrowing animals like badgers and groundhogs. Mythical beasts associated with Imbolc are the phoenix, dragons and other types of firebirds. Plants and herbs associated with Imbolc are evergreens and willow trees, rosemary, angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, heather, myrrh, clover, dill, and all yellow flowers. For Imbolc incense, you could make a blend from any of the following scents or simply choose one: basil, myrrh, frankincense, wisteria, jasmine, camphor, cinnamon, and lotus.
Foods appropriate to eat on this day include those that represent growth, such as seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) as well as poppy seed breads, muffins, and cakes. Also quite befitting are foods from the dairy, since Imbolc marks the festival of calving. Sour cream dishes are fine. Appropriate meat dishes should contain poultry, pork, or lamb. Spicy and full-bodied foods in honor of the Sun are equally attuned. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic or chives are appropriate. Spiced wines, herbal teas, honey, and dishes containing raisins --- all foods symbolic of the Sun --- are also traditional.

Here are some Imbolg recipes