{"id":2295,"date":"2013-03-20T18:00:47","date_gmt":"2013-03-20T23:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/?p=2295"},"modified":"2013-03-20T17:58:14","modified_gmt":"2013-03-20T22:58:14","slug":"11-of-52-weeks-happy-ostara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/?p=2295","title":{"rendered":"11 of 52 Weeks – Happy Ostara!"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s Ostara round these parts! Also known as the Vernal or Spring Equinox, it is celebrated on or about March 20-23 – depending on the lunar cycle.
\n
\n\"\"<\/a>The Vernal Equinox is the official first day of spring, exactly six weeks since Imbolc, so really it doesn\u2019t matter whether or not the Groundhog saw his shadow, spring officially begins now. The light and dark, feminine and masculine are equal; the energies of earth, sky, water and air are balanced perfectly.<\/p>\n

Although we’re having a simplified version of the meal below as it’s just the girls and I tonight, I thought I would share the recipes from the Ostara title of our Creating New Pagan Family Traditions<\/a><\/em> series.<\/p>\n

Tossed Green Salad w\/Honey Mustard Dressing<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n1 head iceberg lettuce
\n1 small tomato, sliced
\n1\/2 c quartered\/thinly sliced red onion
\n1 c shredded carrot
\n3 tbsp honey
\n1 tbsp mustard
\n1\/2 c mayonnaise<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nPrepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, honey and mustard. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.<\/p>\n

In a large bowl, tear up washed iceberg lettuce, and add sliced tomato, onions and shredded carrots. Serve separately, so dressing can be added to taste.<\/p>\n

Ostara Eggs<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n1 dozen hard boiled eggs, carefully shelled, sliced in half length-wise
\n3 tbsp salad dressing
\nsprinkle paprika
\nsprinkle dill weed<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nHard boil a dozen eggs, then carefully shell and slice length-wise in half. Gently remove yolks, and set whites in fridge to keep cool. <\/p>\n

Mash the yolks together with the dressing (add more if necessary, the yolks should be a smooth texture). Scoop a small amount of yolk mixture into each white half, arrange on a plate and sprinkle with paprika and dill weed.<\/p>\n

Leftovers can be turned into egg salad for sandwiches.<\/p>\n

Clove & Honey Pork Roast<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n2 pound loin roast or tenderloin of pork
\n2 tsp ground cloves
\n3 tbsp liquid honey
\n1 tbsp oil
\nsalt & pepper to taste
\n1 c unsweetened cranberry juice<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nPlace the roast, uncovered, in a 400\u00b0F oven for ten minutes, just long enough to sear the outer edges. Remove roast from oven, turn down to 300\u00b0F.<\/p>\n

Whisk honey, cloves and oil together, and brush on the roast. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour the cranberry juice over all, and return to oven, covered, for at least two hours.<\/p>\n

Let it stand for ten minutes before slicing. Use cornstarch to thicken the gravy juice to serve over the potatoes.<\/p>\n

Butter Braised Potatoes<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n1\/2 pound baby red potatoes per person
\n2 tbsp melted butter per person
\nMontreal Steak Spice<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nWash and slice the baby potatoes and place in a small, non-stick roasting pan.<\/p>\n

Pour melted butter over all, and toss. Sprinkle on Montreal Steak Spice to taste, and bake in 300\u00b0F until golden brown, about forty minutes.<\/p>\n

Green Peas & Onions<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n1 c fresh or frozen green peas per person
\n1\/4 c pearl onions per person
\nbutter, salt & pepper to taste<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nCut the tips off the pearl onions, and peel the outer layer of skin. Add to a large pot of water, bring to a boil, and add peas. They are cooked if the peas wrinkle when out of the water. Drain, stir in butter and salt & pepper.<\/p>\n

Vegetarian Option:<\/strong>
\nVegetable Layer Casserole<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients for First Layer:<\/strong>
\n2 eggs, beaten
\n1 cup chopped cooked broccoli
\n1\/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
\n1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
\n1\/4 teaspoon onion salt<\/p>\n

Ingredients for Second Layer:<\/strong>
\n2 eggs, beaten
\n1 cup cooked rice
\n1\/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
\n1\/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
\n1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
\n1\/4 teaspoon onion salt<\/p>\n

Ingredients for Third Layer:<\/strong>
\n2 eggs, beaten
\n1 cup mashed cooked carrots
\n1\/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
\n1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
\n1\/4 teaspoon onion salt<\/p>\n

Ingredients for Sauce:<\/strong>
\n2 tablespoons butter or margarine
\n2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
\n1 cup milk
\n1\/4 teaspoon onion salt
\n1\/8 teaspoon pepper<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nCombine first layer ingredients and pour into a greased 8\u201dx4\u201dx2\u201d loaf pan. <\/p>\n

Combine second layer ingredients and spread over first layer. <\/p>\n

Combine third layer ingredients and spread over second layer. <\/p>\n

Bake at 300\u00b0F for one to one and a half hours, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Run the knife around edges to loosen, and cool to room temperature. <\/p>\n

For the sauce, melt the butter in a small pan, blend in flour until smooth, then gradually add milk, onion salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring, for 2 minutes or until thickened. Flip the loaf-pan onto a serving platter, and slide the loaf out. <\/p>\n

Serve with sauce.<\/p>\n

Honey Cake w\/ Strawberries<\/em><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong>
\n3 1\/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
\n1\/4 teaspoon salt
\n1 1\/2 teaspoons baking powder
\n1 teaspoon baking soda
\n2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
\n1 1\/2 teaspoons ground allspice
\n4 eggs
\n3\/4 cup white sugar
\n4 tablespoons vegetable oil
\n2 cups honey
\n1\/2 cup strong brewed coffee<\/p>\n

Glaze:<\/strong>
\n1 1\/2 cups honey
\n2 tablespoons lemon juice
\n1\/2 cup water
\n1\/2 teaspoon lemon zest<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong>
\nPreheat oven to 325\u00b0F.<\/p>\n

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in the oil, honey and coffee. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.<\/p>\n

Oil the two pans and line the bottom with waxed paper. Oil again. Fill each pan with batter to within 1 – 1 1\/4 inches from the top. <\/p>\n

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes until cake tests done. Do not overbake. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.<\/p>\n

To make the glaze, boil together 1 1\/2 cups honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and water. When glaze reaches a thick consistency, remove from heat and drizzle over cake. <\/p>\n

Serve with sliced strawberries.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"Check out the rest of Ostara in our Creating New Pagan Family Traditions series, only .99 through Kindle<\/a>, Smashwords<\/a>, Diesel eBook Store<\/a>, B&N<\/a>, Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Have a warm spring week, folks!
\n<3\nJL\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s Ostara round these parts! Also known as the Vernal or Spring Equinox, it is celebrated on or about March 20-23 – depending on the lunar cycle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1084,871,1,870,799,73,4],"tags":[1085,334,1129,1285,1145,2592,1172,1286],"class_list":["post-2295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-52weeks","category-featured","category-general-pondering-on-writing","category-headline","category-miscellania","category-recipes","category-titles","tag-52-weeks","tag-cooking","tag-creating-new-pagan-family-traditions","tag-equinox","tag-ostara","tag-recipes","tag-spring","tag-vernal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2295"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2303,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2295\/revisions\/2303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodilee.sacredtriskele.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}