Technically, the Autumn Equinox, is the exact twin of the Spring Equinox.  An equinox refers to the equality of the day in terms of dividing the day between darkness and light.  Exactly 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of moonlight or darkness are experienced during the Spring Equinox and during the Autumn Equinox.  No other time of the year can one observe such an equal occurrence.  One day each Spring and one day each Fall.

This is the season of celebrating the “Sun”  with all the bounty that its presence has presented during its season starting in the Spring and lasting throughout the Summer months.   It is a time to say farewell to the “setting sun” with the approach of the coming season of darkness, for after the Equinox of Autumn, the sun is seen less and less each day.   In mythology, it is taking its long earned rest.

From the moment of the Autumn Equinox, the Sun’s strength dwindles, until the Winter Solstice in December, when the Sun once more grows stronger and the days once again become longer than the nights.    There are myths and tales from all different cultures that emphasize in the significance of the sleeping or resting sun.  In some stories the Sun is actually imprisoned, in others it is a period of gestation, in which the sun ( and we human should begin to plan and think about the coming year – where will our profit and gains come from?).

The Autumn Equinox is the celebration of what is sometimes called the Second Harvest – or The Harvest Home.   In farming communities, it is a time when a “corn king”  or a “harvest king” is chosen in the community and raised up to a position of special importance.  Connected to this tradition is one of sacrifice to assure that the land  (or our business lives) will have great prosperity in coming year.   

Although Harvest Festivals have their roots in very ancient agrarian traditions and beliefs,  in these modern times, we still understand that it is the time to mark the calendar and make note that “growing and harvesting time” was at an end and soon winter will be upon us.  During the middle ages, under the name of “Michaelmas,” a feast in honor of the Archangel Michael took place on the day of the Equinox.   It is a time to say goodbye with heartfelt joy to the prosperous rays of the days of the long sun, as we send it on its long journey of rest.   Often the Equinox is the beginning of a period that ends with the Halloween, which is also known as “the new year” in many cultures and faiths around the world.

If you would like to celebrate the period of the Harvest Festival to bring extra good luck and prosperity to you and your home, you might consider decorating your home with a garlands of grapes and vines, gourds, pine cones, acorns, wheat, dried leaves, rattles, Indian corn, and horns of plenty.  All of these items mark the prosperity of the season.

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite Potpourris for the Autumn Equinox Season.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do.

Autumn Equinox Potpourri
Mix together the following  (the amounts are eyeballed and many of the ingredients can be found at your local health food and craft stores)
In a large glass mixing bowl put about a cup of Oak Moss mixed with 60 drops of Honeysuckle Oil  (Set aside)

Then add:
One dozen Acorns, two cups of dried and smashed Oak leaves, a cup of dried Pine Needles, a half a cup of crushed Sage (fresh is best), two cups of dried Rose Petals, one cup of dried Passionflower,  one cup of Honeysuckle. 

Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.   Lay it out in glass potpourri containers throughout the season to bring a delightful aroma to the air.

Want to see how the Autumn Equinox will play out for you? Call Sarah Rose today!

This is a tea recipe I use to help boost my connection with the people I am reading for.
Colleen’s Psychic Tea
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Ingredients
3 parts Rose Petals
2 parts Thyme
2 parts Yarrow
1 part Cinnamon
1 part Clove

Procedure

Brew in boiling water for about ten minutes. Strain and add honey for taste if needed, do not add cream or milk. Use before divination psychic work, and astral travel to enhance the awareness.

Chamomile Lemonade Iced Tea

This drink is a perfect way to cool down during the summer months. For a twist, add the Chamomile ice cubes listed below.
_______________________________

Ingredients

4 Chamomile tea bags
4 cups cold water
½ cup sugar
4 cups prepared lemonade
Ice

Procedure

Steep tea bags in cold water for 2-3 hours in refrigerator. Squeeze and remove tea bags. Add sugar, stir to dissolve. Add lemonade, stir and add ice.
Makes a ½ gallon of iced tea.
 Enjoy!

Pisces is a most creative, imaginative sign.  The twelfth house dwellers, they are very psychic and often wonderfully amusing guests.  Ruled by Neptune they are a water sign, so I am offering one of my all time favorite comfort soups this month.  This requires a little extra work, and the Hollandaise is important; and your Pisces will appreciate the extra effort! Serve the soup, a little wine and bread….then clear the table and let your Pisces read your Tarot cards.

“Billi bi” is a French soup made with mussels, onions, wine, cream and seasonings. The classic recipe strains the mussels to leave a smooth soup, but the mussels are often left in as an added bonus these days. (My personal preference).

Ingredients:
2 pounds mussels
2 shallots, coarsely-chopped
2 small onions, quartered
2 parsley sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 cups heavy cream
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons hollandaise sauce*

Preparation:
Clean the mussels to remove sand, dirt, and any beards. Place mussels in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Add shallots, onions, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, wine, butter, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until the mussels open, discarding any mussels that do not open.

Strain the contents through a double thickness of cheesecloth into a saucepan. Remove the meat from the mussel shells and set aside. Discard the mussel shells and vegetables remaining in the cheesecloth.

Bring the seafood stock in the saucepan to a boil. Stir in the heavy cream and remove the pan from the heat as soon as it begins to boil again. Whisk in the egg yolk and return the pot to the heat, stirring, only until the soup thickens slightly. Do not boil.

Stir in hollandaise sauce and mussel meat just before serving.
This seafood soup may be served hot or at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings

Hollandaise sauce
Ingredients
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Melt the butter and keep it warm.   Heat the lemon juice until just warmed.  Have small saucepan with boiling water and a measuring tablespoon ready.  Place the top of a double boiler over (not in) hot water.  Place the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler and whisk until they begin to thicken.   Now add 1 tablespoon of the boiling water.  Continue to beat the sauce until it begins to thicken. Repeat with the remaining water.

Now add the warmed lemon juice. Remove the double boiler from the heat.   Beat the sauce briskly with a wire whisk. Continue to beat the mixture as you slowly pour in the melted butter.  Add the salt and cayenne and beat the sauce until it is thick. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Toss the washed, peeled shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbls of oil at medium temp. Add the shrimp and sauté for one minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove shrimp to a serving plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano.

Gently simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Return the shrimp and juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for another minute; just until the flavors marry.
Stir in the parsley and basil. Serve with Vermicelli and enjoy!

In honor of all my wonderful Capricorn friends I am sharing the recipe for my favorite soup! I’ve been serving up bowls of this wonderful, hearty delight for over a decade.  The recipe is from an old copy of Bon Appétit.  It’s so wonderfully Capricorn like: hearty, healthy, practical and yet elegant…that little dab of sour cream blended with apple cider reduction; simply amazing.

Make the soup ahead, or better yet double the recipe and freeze some for the middle of January when Cap’s ruler Saturn will go retrograde and 5 heavenly bodies (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, & Pluto) are lined up in Capricorn. Soups on!

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock or low-salt chicken broth – For Vegetarians:  substitute 5 cups Vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream                                                                                                                                                                             1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives

Method:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.

Happy Birthday Capricorns!

My mother and grandmother used to make these wonderful treats every year. Rugelach, which mean “little twists” in Yiddish, are cookies originally created by Jewish people from Poland. My updated version uses ricotta cheese and currents.

Enjoy and Happy Hanukkah!

The dough:
8 ounces ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
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The filling:
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup currents (optional)
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
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The dough:

Place the ricotta cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Filling and baking the rugelach:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment.

Mix the ingredients for the filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8 inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Brush the melted butter on first, and then sprinkle the combined walnut, cinnamon and sugar and the optional 1/2 cup of currents.

Using a dull knife, cut each circle of dough into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Sagittarius natives love social gatherings; plan a fun gathering and they will be the life and light of your next dinner party. The natural world traveler of the Zodiac, archers love adventure and they enjoy a wide variety of cuisines.  A little tour of Italy is fun and you can double or even triple these easy recipes to entertain a large party.  Think expansive, like the planet Jupiter – which is the Sag ruler. The more the merrier! Happy Birthday Sag!

Easy Time Chicken Florentine

Ingredients
-6 chicken breasts
-6 slices prosciutto
-1 large bunch spinach, steamed
-1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
-2/3 cup ricotta cheese
-1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Few grates nutmeg
-4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Drain spinach and squeeze out all water.

3. Toast nuts and combine with spinach in a bowl, mix in cheeses, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. 

4. Cut into and across but not all the way through the chicken breasts, opening them up like a book with a sharp knife.

5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill each with a small mound of spinach-cheese mixture.

6. Fold chicken breasts back over stuffing and wrap each breast with prosciutto to seal them, carefully covering the whole breast.

7. Place in baking dish and brush chicken with olive oil and roast 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
Serve the Chicken dish with this equally the easy pasta dish and a simple Salad of  Arugula, Pomegranate Seeds, and Toasted Pecans tossed with a vinaigrette of olive oil and lime juice.

Whole Wheat Penne with Gorgonzola Sauce
-2 (12-ounce) packages whole wheat penne pasta
-2 tablespoons butter
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
-1 cup cream
-8 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into small pieces
-2 ounces Parmesan Cheese grated
-A few leaves fresh sage, finely chopped
-Freshly ground black pepper
-2 handfuls baby fresh Basil leaves

Directions
1. Heat water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

2. Heat butter in a large sauce pot, add garlic, cook 1 minute then whisk in flour, cook 1 minute.

3. Whisk in stock, then cream, bring to a bubble and stir in Gorgonzola and Parmesan cheeses, until melted.

4. Stir in sage and a little pepper and cook 2 -3 minutes more. 

5. Drain cooked pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Toss hot pasta with sauce and fresh Basil. 

Serve immediately.

Scorpios have very discerning palates and they are often fantastic chefs. The natural born food detectives of the Zodiac, they can taste the mystery spices in any dish. If you are invited to their kitchen (a delightful honor) your Scorpio will charm you with rich delights and sweet treats that are often long kept secret recipes!

Here is one of my personal favorites: Happy Birthday Scorpios - We must have desert!

Yummy yellow Cupcakes dipped in Scorpio-Luscious Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is actually very easy to make, and even easier to love.  When this wonderful concoction is still warm it can be poured over a cake or torte for a smooth and shiny glaze. Let it cool to room temperature and it’s becomes a spreadable frosting or filling.  Chilled Ganache can be formed into truffles and rolled in cocoa and coffee!  In the words of my kids: “OMG. This stuff is amazing, why is it not a food group?”

Chocolate Ganache

-1 pound fine quality dark chocolate
-1 ½ cups heavy cream
-2 Tbls. Butter
2 Tbls. raw sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla or brandy

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the cream and sugar in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil.

3. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate, stir in butter until melted.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

4. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla or liqueur. Whisk until glossy!

When cupcakes have cooled, dunk them in the Ganache. One at a time, of course. Place cupcake upside down in Ganache. Give it a hearty dunk, up until the lip of the cupcake. Swirl the cupcake in Ganache, and pull up while twisting, to keep chocolate from dripping off. Now watch your cupcakes disappear; it’s magic!

Yummy Yellow Cupcakes

Our family likes the chocolate Ganache paired with these simple, yellow vanilla cupcakes. They are so light and yummy, and perfect with a thick chocolate top.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon fine salt
-1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

Directions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

2. Line the muffin pan with paper cupcake liners. (one dozen)

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.)

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla, and also set aside.

5. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next.

6. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Alternately, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next (scrape the bowl down occasionally). Raise the speed to medium and mix briefly until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.

7. Thoroughly clean the bowl of the mixer and put the egg whites inside. Whip the egg whites on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks are formed.

8. Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter, until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the muffin pan. Bake, rotating the pan once, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

9. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool completely.  Dip cupcakes in Chocolate Ganache (recipe above)

Enjoy!

Kale with Pinto beans and Roasted Red peppers

- Two bunches of Tuscan Kale (or curly kale)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can pinto beans, drained
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (or whole depending on your taste)
- 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cumin, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red pepper, roasted, peeled and finely diced
- The juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Chop roughly and set aside.
2. Pour the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, cover and cook until translucent but not browned, stirring frequently.
3. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper, cumin, paprika and herbs and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped kale, cover and cook until wilted and the leaves turn bright green.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the beans, drained, and the roasted red pepper.
6. Stir, cover and let cook for another 10 minutes for the flavors to marry.

Serve on a plate drizzled with some good olive oil, the lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped coriander and green onion. Yummy!

Sweet Potatoes Tagine

- 2lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ cinnamon stick
- A pinch of saffron
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1tsp orange blossom water
- 1tbsp honey
- 1 cup water
- A pinch of salt
- 1tbsp sweet butter
- A handful of raisins to serve (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, put all the ingredients and bring to a boil over a medium heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered with a lid, until the potatoes are just tender, but not too mushy, and the sauce reduces to a thick syrup, about 20 minutes.
3. Serve immediately sprinkled with raisins or roasted, flaked almonds.

Are you a Libra? Maybe you know (or have a crush!) somone with a Libra birthday. Check out their astrology horoscope.

Virgos are an earth sign, ruled by Mercury they are organized, creative and ready to take on the task at hand. When I think of the Sun entering Virgo, I think of the first day of school and new beginnings. Virgo cooks like to be prepared! My Mother in Law is a Virgo. She and I have shared many happy hours in the kitchen and she has helped me to become more organized, encouraging me to make notes and write my recipes in a folder rather than keeping them in my head.

One of my favorite recipes from her kitchen is this wonderful German Farmer’s Breakfast, also known as Bauernfruhstuck.  It’s a hearty meal and great served with fresh fruit and coffee. I love to serve this to my family and guests; once your guests enjoy this dish, they will feel like family too!

Recipes for Bauernfruhstuck vary, but each version uses eggs, breakfast meat or cheese, onions and greens. As with all Bauernfruhstuck the measurements of ingredients can vary with your tastes. Enjoy!

Bauernfruhstuck (German Farmer’s Breakfast)

Ingredients

2 large red potatoes, washed and quartered lengthwise

2 Tbsp Ghee or cooking oil

1 small sweet onion chopped

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup cooked ham, 1 inch cubed

1 bunch chopped Spinach

1 bunch chopped Arugula

4 eggs, whisked

1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese

Directions

1. Boil the red potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water for 10-15 minutes until partially cooked. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool. (These can be cooked the night before.) Cut into 1-inch squares. Set aside.

2. Heat the Ghee (or oil) in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions . Increase the heat to medium-high and gently brown the onion , stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan; add the potatoes and additional ghee (or olive oil) to the pan. Brown the potatoes for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the ham to the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently until the ham is heated through, 1-2 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to Medium. Mix all of the onion, potato and ham together and mix in the spinach and arugula. Add the eggs, stirring to distribute the eggs among the vegetables and ham. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

As soon as eggs begin to firm up, remove from heat.

Serve immediately!