The summer has matured, and we move into the season when we acknowledge the harvest of grains such as wheat, corn, or barley. As these grains are harvested, we also notice the days shorten a bit; even as we still enjoy warm summer days, the spirit of the Sun King wanes. This festival is sometimes called Lughnassadh, in honor of the Celtic god Lugh. Games are traditional, as are bread, beer, mead, and honey, along with the harvest of summer vegetables that are still in abundance. This feast of the first harvest is sure to fill your heart with the spirit of the season and summon up blessings of joy and happiness.
Easy Beer Bread
We enjoy beer in our house, so I like cooking with it sometimes too. When I saw a beer bread mix, I had to try it. It was so easy to make and everyone loved the flavor. Then the store I got it from stopped carrying it; I hate when that happens! I went on the search for recipes and found that it’s really easy to make from scratch. Self-rising flour makes it even easier. If you want to go dairy free, substitute coconut oil for the butter. I’ll never buy a mix again.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour
Servings: 6–8
3 tablespoons honey
3 cups self-rising flour (or all-purpose or gluten-free flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt mixed in)
1 12-ounce can or bottle of beer (you can substitute NA beer or club soda if you prefer)
Half stick of butter, plus a bit to grease the pan
Optional: diced, sautéed onions and/or shredded cheddar cheese to mix into the batter before baking.
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C). Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it with butter. Warm the honey a bit in the microwave; this helps it to mix in more easily. Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the beer and honey and mix with a wooden spoon until well blended. Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Melt the half stick of butter and pour it over the top of the loaf. Bake for 40–50 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. You can slice and serve it warm.
Zucchini Pizza Boats
My mom has made stuffed zucchini with the oversized zucchini from our garden since I was a kid. If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know that one day they look almost ready to harvest and then two days later they’re so big that they might take over the yard. The seeds get pretty tough at this point, so many people just scrape out the seeds and make zucchini bread. I have another recipe, though, that turns that monster zucchini into a wonderful meal. This is a slightly different version than my old family recipe; we made this version recently and it was so good I just had to share it. Yeah, I’m in Missouri and we’re weird and love the St. Louis classic, melty, sweet, processed Provel cheese on our pizza around here, but mild, stretchy mozzarella is also delicious. No judgment; use the pizza cheese of your choice.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4–6
2 ridiculously large zucchinis or 4 average-sized ones
1 pound Italian sausage or vegan sausage
1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup Provel, mozzarella, or provelone cheese
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C). Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem of each zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Using a large metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and the soft middle of the zucchini. If the seeds aren’t large and tough, you can put the seeds and other parts you scooped out into the freezer to use in zucchini bread at a later date. Place the zucchini on a rimmed baking sheet. Brown the sausage in a skillet, chopping it up into small pieces. Fill the cavity in each zucchini with sausage, then spoon the marinara sauce over the top of the sausage. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and then cook 10 more minutes.
Sandy’s Spinach Salad
This great summer salad is the specialty of my old roommate, artist and photographer Sandy Wright. If you’ve ever had croutons tear up the roof of your mouth, you’ll love her innovation to add a bit of crunch without the pain in the form of crispy chow mein noodles. Spinach is a food associated with prosperity magic. I suggest using locally sourced tomatoes if you can; it’s a great way to connect with the spirits of the land.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
8 ounces fresh spinach
Half a red onion
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup chow mein noodles (they do make gluten-free ones if you prefer)
½ cup provelone cheese, mozzarella, or feta (shredded or chopped into desired size)
Tear spinach into bite-size pieces. Slice the red onion into desired size. Chop tomatoes into bite-size chunks. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss with dressing.
Creamy Italian Dressing
This is not the healthiest salad dressing ever, but it is very delicious and decadent.
1 cup mayonnaise
½ small onion, minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sweeter of your choice—sugar, agave, stevia
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until it reaches desired creamy consistency. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Stir it all up well before serving.
Sparkling Floral Honey Nectar
This is a nice way to enjoy a mead-like flavor in either a non-alcoholic beverage or in some spirits if you wish. Honey is a powerful magical ingredient that brings sweetness to any situation and is also a wonderful offering to the gods. Honey is appropriate for magic involving love, healing, and prosperity.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dry or fresh lavender flowers, rose petals, or elderflowers
1/2 cup honey
1 liter sparkling water
Bring water to boil, then reduce to a simmer and add flowers. Simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then strain. Return to the pan and heat on low. Add the honey and stir until dissolved. Cool and bottle. Store the honey syrup for up to a week. To make the Sparkling Floral Honey Nectar, add ½ cup of the honey syrup to one liter of sparkling water and serve over ice. You can also add the syrup to white wine or bourbon if you want a delicious summer cocktail.