a wee feast

This is a rather tardy post about a feast that I created for my Ancestors, in response to Ms Dirty's Holy Supper Challenge, which I also participated last year. 

While during Christmas dinner food and drink were set aside for our Ancestors, I decided to set aside some more time and make something nice just for them. To make a rather simple feast complicated, my camera has decided to "eat" many of the photos taken. I took some pictures of everything that was made, but have somehow disappeared from my camera {along with photos of some pretties I took for the Etsy shop :*(}. Anyhow, the photos in this post are the best of the slim pickings. 

Over the last month or so I have been going rather ape shit in the candle-making department, so it was only proper that I made some more Ancestor candles in time for their feast. These ones aren't for spellwork or anything fancy, just to be lit while I am giving offerings and the like. 

I have become quite fond of doing hand-dipped beeswax candles, although as I am sure you can see, it is not a skill that I have quite mastered yet. Hehe. 

A few days before preparing everything, I found this awesome shortbread dish in a local thrift store. It is handmade by someone named Mabel and it cost me a whole 75 cents. 

This little treasure put shortbread on the menu list. I used a recipe for coconut and almond shortbread, which turned out quite nice, although it was bitchy to get out of the dish. The designs held up pretty good once I got the pieces out. 

Also on the menu was mincemeat tarts, barmbrack, honey barley biscuits, red wine and vegetable shepherd's pie. 

Below is a recipe by my dear friend Rebecca Mullins, who published it in the Winter 2012/2013 issue of Alive+Fit. She has given me permission to share it here, and you can see previous articles of hers that I have shared on this blog {Teas for Hay Fever and Immune System Boosters}. Becca is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist here in North Bay and can be reached at rebeccamullinsrhn(at)live(dot)ca. 

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

{Serves four}

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup butter or Earth Balance
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 parsnips, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into flowerettes
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place sweet potatoes and salt in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over low-medium heat, melt half of the butter. Add the onion and saute for 10 minutes. Add the parsnips, celery, fennel, broccoli, parsley, and pepper and toss. Add the broth, increase heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the spinach last and stir until wilted. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a large casserole dish.

Drain the potatoes and return to pot. Add the remaining butter and mash until smooth. Spread the mashed potatoes over the vegetables.

Set broiler on high. Broil until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

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Sláinte!

Laurel