Samhain

Everyone knows about Halloween.  Trick or treating, costumes, parties and scary movies.  But the sabbat of Samhain is a little more than the revelries of Halloween.

Samhain is the third and final harvest festival, and any food left in the fields after sundown on this day are considered unfit for human consumption – they are left for the Fae, and any other spirits that might happen by.  Samhain is an intensely personal time, a time to honor the ancestors and those that have passed before us.  For some of us, it marks the time of going within – the beginning of a journey though our own inner spaces to take stock of the past season and integrate the lessons we have learned.

Samhain is another cross-quarter day, falling between the autumnal equinox (Mabon) and the winter solstice (Yule).  In my personal practice, I celebrate the Sabbat on its true day, saving October 31 for the Halloween festivities.

Colors

orange, black, purple, blood red, burgundy - colors of root vegetables: eggplant, pumpkins, gourds, etc..

Symbols & Themes

 Spirits and Ancestors; Divination and Mysteries; jack o’lantern; black cats; apples, pomegranates, nuts, pumpkins, and gourds; crystal balls and tarot cards, runes; scarecrows

Deities & Archetypes

Cerridwen, Arawn, Hecate, Hel, Meng Po, Morrighan, Grim Reaper, Crone

Activities for Samhain

Recipes for Samhain

Pot Roast with Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast
  • 1/2 c vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 c onion diced
  • 1 c pomegranate juice
  • 1 1/2 c dried cranberries divided
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions
 

  • oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, bouillon powder and black pepper in a shallow pie pan or bowl. Pat roast dry using paper towels. Dredge the roast in the flour mixture, coating thoroughly.
  • the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep sided roasting pan over medium-high heat. Brown meat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until well browned. Remove roast to a plate. Add onions to pan juices and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in pomegranate juice and half of the cranberries; bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
  • roast to pan, turning to coat with sauce. Cover pan and place in oven. Roast for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Stir well and add remaining cranberries. Cover and continue cooking 15 to 45 minutes until roast is tender. Remove from oven and allow roast to rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, slice roast and top with sauce.
Keyword Samhain

Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Apples and Potatoes

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion large, sliced
  • 4 tsp sugar
  • 5 medium apples peeled, cored, cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into 4 inch slices
  • 2 tpsp olive oil
  • 6 bone-in, shin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • salt to taste
  • cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • oven to 400 degrees. Spray the top and bottom parts of a broiler pan with cooking spray.
  • butter in a skillet over medium heat and add onion slices. Sprinkle onions with 1 teaspoon salt and saute for 2 minutes. Add sugar and continue cooking until onions are translucent but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • apples, potatoes, and sauteed onion slices in the bottom part of the broiler pan. Cover with the part top of the broiler pan.
  • olive oil over chicken thighs. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub olive oil and spices thoroughly all over each thigh and place on the top part of the broiler pan.
  • in the preheated oven until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour. Serve apples, potatoes, and onion alongside chicken thighs.
Keyword Samhain

Pomegranate Dip

Print Recipe
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pomegranate peeled and seeds seperated
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened

Instructions
 

  • Gently stir pomegranate seeds into the softened cream cheese so as to keep the seeds from bursting; shape into a ball.
  • Serve with your favorite crackers!  Enjoy!
Keyword Samhain