Recipes for Lughnassadh -- Corn

Now I know that traditionally corn meant grain, in the Old World. And technically this should be called recipes about maize, but bear with me. These are great recipes and regardless of semantics I am sure that you will enjoy them.

Tamales - You can always leave out the chile pods if you don't want the extra spice

Ingredients

• Tamale Filling:
• 1 1/4 pounds pork loin
• 1 large onion, halved
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 dried California chile pods
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Tamale Dough:
• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup lard
• 1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
2. Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
3. Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
4. Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
5. Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

Corn Bread with Cream-Style Corn

Ingredients

• 2 cups cornmeal, yellow or white
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 can (approx. 15 ounces) cream-style corn
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

1. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Heat oven to 425°.
2. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs; stir in the cream-style corn and melted butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until blended. Spoon into the prepared baking pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the cornbread springs back when lightly touched with a finger.

Why Conservatism is really Pagan

Soon after I started this blog I talked about being a Pagan Conservative. But since it is something that I believe in strongly, I figured I would cover it again.
Conservatism is a political philosophy that stresses and embodies a few aspects:

• Self-reliance
• Self-responsibility
• Freedom to practice and believe as you wish
• Strict interpretation of the Constitution
• A government that doesn't interfere in the daily lives of the governed
  

Now I know that this is far from a complete list but they are the main aspects of Conservatism.
Yet the question that remains is whether these aspects are Pagan in nature. So let us take them one at a time.
Self-reliance. Most Pagans I have met are, almost to a fault, very independent. We do not like people to tell us how to live our lives or practice our religion. This ties into the aspect about freedom and into the aspect that speaks about limited government. A government that does not unduly interfere in the affairs of the governed.
Self-responsibility. I think that the common ethic we all hold is a good example of this. This is the Rede, 'An it harm none, do as ye will. Those eight words are an embodiment of self-responsibility. We don't need a list of what is harmful for us to know the difference between right and wrong.
All of these aspects you see are shared by Pagans of all types. I think that the biggest problem, in people's mind, is the hijacking of the Republican party by the evangelicals and the more "moderate" members that have strayed from the intent of the Constitution of the United States.
Now I'm not encouraging you to change your party affiliation but I do encourage you to look at the values you hold dear and see what values your candidates speak for.
Most of the liberals of this country do not value individual freedom. While this does not affect us directly or even at all. It sets a dangerous precedent. To illustrate this idea I quote in entirety a poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller.

First they came for the Socialists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left
to speak up for me.

Blessed Be!

Decorating the Wreath for Lughnassadh

I have talked in the past about decorating a grapevine wreath with flowers, either fake or real, to celebrate the Sabbats. So with Litha past and Lughnassadh coming I figured I would share a list of flowers and things to decorate your wreath.

• Corn - In the Old World corn was grain but you can use both corn and wheat
• Berries
• Apples
• Sunflowers
  

Lughnassadh is the funeral feast of Lugh, the Celtic Sun God. The Sun begins the journey to the Underworld on this day. Winter and the Holly King begins his rule. Even though we may not feel winter for months to come the days will be getting shorter and shorter. In a later post I will cover how to make a corn dolly they can be put on the wreath as well.
If you have any suggestions let me know.

Blessed Be!

Dichotomies of Being a Man

I have noticed in many of the men that I meet that they fall onto one side of a very puzzling dichotomy. On one side they shuck all responsibility and choose to float through life without a care. The other side, and I am guilty of this at times, holds themselves to the other extreme. They carry guilt if their family have to do without anything, whether it is needs or wants.
I am puzzled by this extreme dichotomy arising. I want to just address it to a lack of strong and well-adjusted male role models. But, is it really that simple? Is it a combination of factors; like the over-medication of our boys or the marginalization of men in our culture?
As I sit here, writing this, the idea that the second two have led to the first and therefore indirectly lead to the arising of this dichotomy.
So what are we to do, if we accept that this dichotomy exists? There are many things that men and women need to do. Men need to break the cycle and grow up. Women need to 1.) stop treating their men like children and 2.) stop allowing them to act like children. But you can't do that like a mother would do to her child. So none of the scorn that I so often see directed at men. Rather seek to aid, guide and lift up your men. Help them to realize the potential to be complete.
For men, their step seems a lot tougher. They may need counseling, or at the very least a group of like minded men heading on the same path to help them along. There are many religious groups that are there to help men.
I am interested in any of your experiences that you wish to share, either comment or email me. Also any ideas and comments on any of the things I have said here.

Blessed Be!

Paganism and Responsibility

Floods in the Midwest. Fires further West then that. Hurricane season upon us in the South. And other disasters and war in the world at large. To many Americans if these things aren't happening to us then they either don't exist or don't matter. Yet we as Pagans, should care and care deeply.
We have learned how to do magick and to change the world and make it a better place. Or at least many of us have. And if not, and even if so, we at least know how to pray.
So what do us as Pagans, do about it? I haven't seen any widespread call for us to work magick to help things come to an end that harm none.
But the question really is, do we as Pagans have a responsibility to work magick to help the world at large? Should we do anything or let nature run its course?
I personally have kept the victims of the flooding in the Midwest in my mind and sent whatever energy that I could spare. But that is my personal choice and may not be any one else's choice.
So what is the answer? To quote a to often spoken cliche; "With great power comes great responsibility." And they said that comic books would never teach me anything. So from this my answer is; We have the power to help and would be negligent if we did nothing. In other words, yes we must.
What are your thoughts? And are any of you, either affected directly, or are doing anything to help?
Blessed Be!