Ostara Foods

1. Make traditional Hot Cross Buns that honor the union of the Earth and  the  Sun in Spring.
2. Serve boiled and deviled eggs. (Shell for Earth, membrane for Air, yolk  for  Fire, whites  for water.)
3. Eat a green man salad with green man dressing.
4. Leafy greens, seeds, cream and milk all fit the season.
5. Try some Posset
6. Olive canape’(from A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook)
7. Fellowship Fruit Cup
8. Ricotta Broccoli Pizza
9. Egg Foo Yung
10. Asparagus salad
11. Sweet Mint Black-Eyed Peas
12. Any egg dishes.

This recipe will make 2 1/2 dozen buns.

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup dried currents
1/2 cup raisins

----------

2 Tablespoons water
1 egg yolk

----------

1 recipe Icing (below)

Have the water and milk at 110-115 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
Add the warm milk sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add the eggs,
one at a time, beating the mixture well after each addition. Stir in the dried fruit and enough flour to make a soft
dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased
bowl and turn over to grease the top. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until
doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Punch the dough down and shape into 30 balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a
cross (or X) on the top of each roll.

Cover again and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Beat the water and egg yolk together and brush over
the rolls. Bake at 375-degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle icing over the top of each roll
following the lines of the cut cross.

ICING: Combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 4 teaspoons milk or cream, a dash of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
extract. Stir until smooth. Adjust sugar and milk to make a mixture which flows easily.

Deviled Eggs (Meridian)

Boil 6-12 eggs in well-salted water. (Depends how many you want to make.) Add eggs  after water has reached a full boil and cook 12-15 minutes after water  has returned to a  full boil.  Cool at least 1 hour.  Slice in half lengthwise and remove  eggs  yolks, preserving the egg white intact.  Mix egg yolks with 1/4 - 1/2 cup drained and  minced green olives with pimentos, and start with 1/4 cup mayonaise, adding a little at a  time  until you get it  the consistency you want.  Stuff the egg whites with the mixture.  Keep  refrigerated.
(use the same basic receipe for egg salad sandwichs, except mince the  egg whites also, so  it is all mixed together.  Good for Ostara picnics if kept in a cooler.)

From CELEBRATE THE EARTH by Laurie Cabot

1 quart whole milk
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup brandy
5-6 ground almonds

In sauce pan warm milk, lemon rind, and sugar.  Just before mixture begins  to boil, add almonds and remove from burner.  Beat well, then gently blend in egg whites. Add rum and brandy and stir until frothy.

Slice or dice:  Zucchini, cucumbers, watercress, with salad greens and sprouts and toss  together in a bowl.

Green Dressing: 1 cup mayonaise, 1/4 cup pesto, a pinch of watercress, poppy seeds, and a dash of vinegar.  Stir all ingredients together and chill.  Keep refridgerated.

Hot Cross Buns

3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg 1oz  dry yeast
1 large well beaten egg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp milk
2 cups orange juice

Combine all ingredients except yeast and eggs, and mix well.  Dissolve  the yeast in 1/4 cup hot water.  Add yeast and eggs to the rest and mix well.  Cover with a cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot until it has nearly doubled.  This will take about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 F. degrees.  Shape the dough into round balls about 3 inches across and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.  After 5 minutes, remove buns and cut into the dough about 3/4 of an inch down, slicing equilateral crosses into the tops.  Return to oven.  Allow to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the buns  from the overn and drizzle Honey Cake frosting.

Honey Cake Frosting:
2 cup confectioner’s sugar,  1 tbsp milk, 1 1/4 cup orange juice.  Mix all ingredients together well.

2 1/2 pounds small curd cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans
3/4 cup chopped peaches
1/2 cup maraschino cherries or dried cherries
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 sticks butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups evaporated milk or cream
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients except the cottage cheese in a large pan over low
heat until it thickens to the consistency of pudding.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  Mix in  the cottage cheese and beat well for about 3 minutes.  Place in a cake pan and chill over night.  Decorate the cake with candied eggs, flowers, chocolates, or other spring delicacies.  Keep refridgerated.

From A KITCHEN WITCH’S COOKBOOK by Patricia Telesco

Note: She gives a lot of information with the recipes that I have left out here.  You may want to find her book to read the reasoning behind these ingredients for this holiday, magical associations, etc.

Olive Canape

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 TBSP heavy cream
1 tsp minced onion
1 8oz jar green olives, drained and minced
dash of pepper
toast pieces or crackers

 In a small bowl, using a fork, blend the cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth.  Mix in the onion, olives, and pepper.  Spread on toast pieces or crackers.  Decorate with sliced  olives in a triangular overlay.
(Can use black olives to banish negativity. Get the extra large and stuff them until they burst open, symbolically breaking the negative energy, then spread them on crackers to “thin it out” even more.)

May add or delete fruit according to personal preferences
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 8oz can pineapple chunks
2 kiwi fruit peeled and sliced
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 ripe pears, peeled and sliced
2 naval oranges, peeled and sectioned
3 cups melon balls, any kind
1 8oz can mandarin oranges
2 apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup blueberries
2 cups grapes
1/4 cup shredded coconut
16 oz vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp dark honey

Place the fruits together in a large bowl, blending in the yogurt and honey as you go. Allow to sit overnight in the fridge for fullest flavor.
(Fruits like  apples can be carved in  to shapes to represent magical goals. )

1 pkg pizza dough
1 8oz container ricotta cheese, room temp
8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cooked, diced broccoli
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Optional toppings: tomatoes, olives, onions, peppers

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare pizza dough according to package.  Spread on  well-greased pizza pan or cookie sheet.  Mix the cheeses and the  broccoli in a medium  sized bowl.  Saute’ the garlic, basil, and oregano in the olive oil and butter until the garlic  is lightly browned.  Spread the garlic mixture directly on the dough. Spread on the cheese mixture.  Top with any additional items you desire.  Bake 15 minutes.  Turn  up the heat to 400F, bake until the cheese and crust have small patches of golden brown, 7-10 minutes.

1 cup diced pork  (May use shrimp or chicken instead)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/4 cup black mushrooms
1 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp soy sauce
6 eggs
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup bamboo shoots

Heat the peanut oil in a wok over a medium flame.  Add the pork, cook until lightly browned.  Add the mushrooms, scallions, carrot, celery, garlic, salt and  pepper, and 1 tbsp of the soy sauce.  Stir frequently until the vegetables are tender.   Reduce heat to low. Beat the eggs, broth, and remaining soy sauce.  Pour over the vegetables, cover.  When the eggs begin to set, arrange the bamboo shoots to form the rune of protection or a simple circle, which is also indicative of surety.  When the bottom is brown, flip, and brown the other side to “cook in” the magic of the symbol.

1 1//2 lb fresh asparagus tips
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup wine vinegar
2 tbsp salad oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup chopped hazelnuts (or almonds)
salt and pepper
Optional: 1 16oz can black beans

Bring the asparagus to a simmer in a saucepan.  cook until tender.  Drain. Combine the  soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sugar, nuts, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.  Stir in the asparagus.  Serve warm or chilled.

10 oz black-eyed peas
1 tsp crushed, dried mint
1 tsp sugar
butter
salt and pepper
 

Cover peas with water and soak overnight Drain.  Combine the beans, sugar, mint and 2 1/2 cupps water in a sauce pan. Cover, simmer until tender.  Serve with butter, salt, pepper.  Garnish with a  fresh mint leaf.