Day 18-31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking-Hazelnut Crusted Pork Loin Stuffed with Apples

This is the Happy Birthday Pixie Jane!!!!  edition of 31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking.  My beloved cancer-surviving daughter is 12 years old today!  So in her honor I prepared the meal of her choice, the main course being the following.


Hazelnut Crusted Pork Loin Stuffed with Apples

1 5lb boneless pork roast

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup hazelnuts, fine chop
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 TB fresh rosemary
olive oil

1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, fine chop
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 TB olive oil
1 TB fresh thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350*.  Slice roast on side lengthwise until about 3/4in from opposite end and open (like a book).  cover in plastic wrap and pound the pork roast until about 3/4in thick. remove plastic and place roast in roasting pan.

Over medium-high heat, saute onion and apple in olive oil until soft.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup bread crumbs, thyme, coriander, ginger, salt and pepper. Let cool.

In a food processor, chop up hazelnuts, rosemary and garlic cloves to a fine meal. Add breadcrumbs and blend with enough olive oil to bind the mixture.

Spoon apple/onion mixture to one half of the pork, wrap up and tie off with kitchen string (or take skewers to hold closed). Cover all sides in hazelnut paste.

Cook according to roast size, about 20 min per pound.

31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking!

Day 22-31 Days of Witchery-Current moon phase.

Waning Gibbous Moon,  21 Days !




This post if part of the 44 Days of Witchery

Day 17-31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking-Nut-crusted Chicken Stuffed with Apple and Brie

I found something like these in the freezer section and loved the idea of them.  Not one for prepackaged foods and their high sodium content I decided to give my own recipe a go.  I love the pure taste of apple and brie and hate the thought of muddying it up with other flavors, however I thought the thyme would go in nicely so I added a small amount.  The egg bath can be mixed with a bit of milk or water but i love the added apple flavor which mixes so nicely with the nutty crust.  


Nut-crusted Chicken Stuffed with Apple and Brie

4 chicken breast halves
4oz brie, room temperature
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves


1 egg
2 TB apple cider

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped fine
salt and pepper, to taste

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400*F
Pound out each breast half until 1/4in thick. 
In a bowl add brie, apple and thyme and mix well. divide into 4 equal parts and spoon onto one end of the chicken breast and roll up, tucking in sides.

beat one egg and thin with apple cider.  In a separate dish blend breadcrumbs, nuts and salt and pepper.
Carefully roll stuffed breast into egg mixture and then in breadcrumb mixture and secure with a toothpick before placing on greased baking sheet.

Drizzle breasts lightly with some olive oil and bake for 25-30 min or until done.

Serves 4

31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking!

Day 21-44 Days of Witchery-A favourite scent

I don't have one favorite scent I can list, so I'll share the three that first come to mind....

#1 Cardamom

When I was in the 8th grade I did a report on Sweden.  For my project I baked a few Swedish yummies and this was when I was introduced to the glorious smell of fresh ground cardamom.  I made lussekatter, which is served on St Lucia. We have since made lussekatter for St. Lucia just about every year since then and the delight in grinding the cardamom seeds is my favorite part of the ritual.

#2  Fresh Cut Grass

This is a scent that sends me into rapturous bliss.  I love the smell of fresh cut grass or mown timothy.  I recall reading once that it's considered an aphrodisiac, I would not doubt it!

#3 Patchouli

I love this scent, but only when applied correctly.  Those dousing themselves leaves me nauseous.  I use a patchouli oil, one dot on my finger and applied wherever.  I usually mix patchouli with ylang-ylang to balance the scent out. yum.

This post is part of the 44 Days of Witchery

Day 16-31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking-Spiced Apple Cider Waffles

We celebrated this month of Samhuinn with a day out in the glorious Autumn air.  We were treated to autumn zephyrs through the cemetery and blasts of falling leave-scented air through the apple orchard.  This morning I was inspired to break out my new to me waffle maker and try something with our harvest from yesterday's outing.  The stevia was surprisingly good with the finished product, I had no hint of aftertaste and Pixie is currently devouring her second full sized waffle with hums and sighs of delight.  So all in all a good day for kitchen alchemy!

Spiced Apple Cider Waffles

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup stevia
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups apple cider (fresh is even better)
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil (or melted butter)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
pinch of salt (or low/no salt)


Mix flour, baking powder, stevia, spices and stir until combined. 
Add eggs, oil and apple cider and stir until well blended. 
Add in chopped apples and stir until just combined.
Pour into a hot and greased waffle maker and cook until the steam stops pouring out. 
Amount is dependent on griddle size.  I coat the bottom with batter until it just hits the edges and then close and allow to cook.

serve with butter, maple syrup or warm cider syrup.  Ours never made it that far, we ate them as soon as they cooled enough to eat!

makes 4-5 belgian waffles

~Stephanie Lowell-Libby

31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking!

Day 15-31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking-Sautéed Red Cabbage

When sautéing cabbage, cook until your preference.  I prefer mine al dente. just softened but with a bite and freshness still to it.

Mama Moon's Samhuinn Sautéed Red Cabbage

1 head of red cabbage, shredded (I use organic so its a small/med sized head)
1-2 TB olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup of finely sliced leeks
2 TB apple cider vinegar
2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute cabbage in hot oil.  Stirring frequently.
Add leeks and garlic and continue to saute until cabbage is softened.
Add cider vinegar and stir and allow to cook off about 1 min.
Add herbs and spices, stir to combine. Reduce heat and let simmer 5 min.  Serve.

~Stephanie Lowell-Libby

31 Days of Samhuinn Cooking!

Day 20-44 Days of Witchery-A picture of a tarot or oracle card, and its meaning.

The Lovers

I do tarot pulls for my year ahead in a couple of different ways.  At my birthday I do one for the year ahead, as a theme or focus for my growth/development throughout the year.  This is something I have not done in several years however this year I was inspired to give it another go.

The meaning is also an affirmation of constant messages I've had throughout this year.  'Love yourself and the rest will all fall into place'  This sounds like an easier task than it is, for me anyway, the concept seems simple enough but I have an angry inner voice in there that loves to undermine all my attempts.  I believe she is the rage child, who remembers all of the hurts, pains, abandonments, losses, fears that I experienced.  SO!  Healing Rage, the book I've written about before, is back on the forefront of my reading/working list as is Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life.  I have the intention every day but somehow the entire day gets away from me.

So with the affirmation that my focus has been pulled in the correct direction, I'm off to love myself with a little chai... ;0)

This post is part of the 44 Days of Witchery