#I may add this ingredient to my soup

[camprell-art]

Waaaaaaahhh I want to continue my silly little comic waaaaah

But i have to be at my mom's house for the next two days *baby crying with auto tune*

At least it gives me time to plan the next pages I guess? It'll be the first time I do it so I think that's a progress ajfkauf

And I need to tell you all that the continuation might not be as light as this one, I'm working with two evil insane people, it's almost obrigatory for it to be at least a little deranged hehehe

And it's like, 6 am, I haven't slept yet, I'm literally so invested in this that I'm having trouble to let myself sleep, despite being in bed for the last 2 hours or so. X3

Anyways, I'm as excited for the next part as you may be, now I really have to sleep akfkaug

More comments on the tags uwu

[thatdeadaquarius]

Hello there, friend I'm here for fluff

OK, this has been on my mind for a while

But like

The reader is just becoming the biggest parent to the Benny's adventure team kids

And the wolfs

We are like a parent of like 27

Knitting and making food brushing razors hair(let's be for real, you would hear a crunch when you brush it)

I'm not gonna lie

Do these kids know what spices are?

Cuz when I think about it

Razor hasn't had shit so he's has the least tolerance for spice

He would probably cry if you feed him a pepper

Bennett has tried spicy food but does go well with it

And not completely sure if fischl has had a spicy food before

But what flavor does mondstadt add to their food??

These kids need the damn flavors

AHDHAKALL FERAL ANIMAL AQUARIUS- ANOTHER PLATONIC ASK AAHHHHGGGGDJJSFHSAK!!!!!

AND ITS YOU!! ITS- ITS- ONE OF THE WRITING RULERS OF SAGAU (FOR ME AT LEAST) <3 !!!!!!!!

You cooking in genshin all anime studio ghibli style looking like food from god (literally): ⬆️

Sun: Reader (you/they/them)

Orbit: Headcanons-ish

Stars: Benny’s Adventure Team! (Bennett, Fischl, Razor), Diluc, mentions of other Mond characters

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: mild cussing, & Trigger Warnings: none known.

Please comment if I missed any. /gen

☆

^^ The posts being referenced in ask, (OG Razor ask) (Benny + Razor) and a more direct sequel, a part 2? a part 4 atp?? of this post (Imposter/Not Dark AU + Razor + Diluc) ^^

OMFG

ALRIGHT LISTEN UP BITCHES

SINCE UR IN TEYVAT

YOU GONNA COOK LIKE TEYVAT

AS IN-

SHIT BE SUPER EASY TO COOK, AND MASS MAKE DEPENDING ON COMPLEXITY OF DISH

(So, like Zhongli's special Bamboo Shoot Soup is like getting made... once a year if you read the little desc. for that dish 💀)

AND THEYRE ALL LIKE-

ANIME GORGEOUS FOODS ✨️❤️‍🔥

OKAY SO

PROMO TIME-

U GUYS HAVE TO WATCH THE ANIME "CAMPFIRE COOKING IN ANOTHER WORLD"

Bc that's mostly where this inspo gonna come from to both be realistic cooking + best parts of video game cooking

A guy gets isekai’d and instead of hero powers he just gets the skill of "online grocery shopping" LMAO

and ofc he gets insta gifted whatever he orders and starts making dishes and adding spices and regular stuff you know. like soy sauce.

but the best part is the food in that world is like British medieval soup shit

like barely salted, no spices definitely, no sauces, its barren

so he ends up attracting all kinds of interest that want to eat his cooking ofc

And it gives buffs too!

dw i didnt spoil anything u don't learn in the first episode, but that's just to say that's exactly whats happening here

u DO have to manually collect more ingredients but its so worth it, also u can just buy in bulk or put a commission thru the adventurer guild

tbhhh now that i say that, that could be how u end up drawing in Benny’s Adventure Team even more, bc they just take all ur quests for collecting ingredients around Mond!!

(u have to actively sneak behind their back and whisper to Katheryne that you want to put in other food quests in other guilds tho, silly kids will absolutely go running around Liyue and crazy shit just to have an adventure and do smth for you + eat ur banger food lol)

omfg the first time u barbecue smth???

the wolves, Razor, and Andrius??? Go feral.

Fischl and Benny who were already on their way to u guys to hang out again start booking it thru the woods, dodging hilichurl camps (thatve since settled down and been v peaceful to the wolves + anyone in the woods of Wolvendom after u started living there)

they knowww ur cookin smth fucking amazing

(and u even have some hilichurls and mitachurl that wander close to Andrius’ edge of the woods to shyly beg for scraps,, u give them a portion)

Razor was actually lookin at u like u hung the stars just for him when u gave him a homemade barbecue sauce to put on his food

(u acc may have done that to Teyvatians according to Andrius + the stories u overheard from Springvale…)

ok but the amount of begging u get for desserts like-

No, Razor u cannot have chocolate cake/cupcakes after every meal, u need to take care of ur teeth

(u use ur collection of mora-monster-donations for comms for more ingredients and living supplies like fabric + furniture, u cant afford dental on top of that for ur boy)

Fischl dutifully declares you the “best chef in the kingdom” and writes down all ur recipes (u have them auto-stored in ur settings obv but it cant hurt to have a physical copy, and they look so happy doing it, u don't have the heart to tell them its not necessary-)

Benny insists on both giving u extra ingredients when he takes ur commissions, and giving u handmade trinkets or weapons for the meals!!

No!! He will not take “im good” for an answer!! ur sharing ur home-cave with him, taking care of his best friend Razor, and now feeding him food better than Liuli Pavilion!!! There’s no way he can just take all that and give nothing back!!!!

and theyre not the only ones getting some food tbh

when the knights begin patroling near Wolvendom and slowly all of Mondstadt to search for their “All God”, u break up the beginnings of a fight between 2 confused knights and the now peaceful hilichurl camp at the edge of Wolvendom

U offer some snacks u were going to give Benny’s Adventure Team when they got back (u made little triangle sandwiches, rice balls, etc. finger foods, and u made plenty extra bc u kno their teenage appetites lol)

the knights and hilichurls nearly cried with appreciation, which made for a hilarious sight when the teens actually showed up lmao

ur wearing ur cloak, bc u dont wanna take on that whole “creator of worlds” title just yet, and the kids helped verify u werent anyone suspicious (Benny + Fischl keep ur godly secret, theyre the best like that 🥰)

the knights just swing by for snacks occasionally (they also either pay u in trade or with mora, theyre not bullies)

another person who gets flavored food privileges is the lazy librarian witch herself

u also sometimes pick Razor up from Lisa’s tutoring and bring “the best tea and tea snacks in the world” along with to share with Lisa and him

(she is also fully aware after awhile of meeting u of what u are, and fully believes this is why the food must be enchanted to be so good, but u dont want to be treated super reverently she can tell, so she keeps ur secret too and is just extra flirty when u come by lol)

(Razor refuses to let his pare- Lupical move out of ur cozy cave to the library, so he sometimes hauls u away when Lisa flirts too much LMAO)

…and the moment you've been waiting for.

Yes, Diluc got to try ur food that night he was searching Wolvendom for signs of the god of Teyvat

tbh Diluc was half-convinced that shit was a fever dream.

a bunch of sleepy wolves, a coffee table in the stone colosseum, a giant spirit wolf licking a big plate clean, the wolf-kid glaring at him, and you.

you with gold eyes, staring right thru his soul, like you already know everything there is to know about him, (like the way Kaeya looked at him that night),

like he doesnt even have to introduce himself

and he doesnt, u just lightly smack Razor’s hands until he gets rid of his claymore w/a pout, since Diluc had long since dropped his,

and grab a plate, piling on what leftovers u could, and turn back around from the coffee table to smile at him, patting the cushion-seat beside u for him to join

The giant glowing wolf licks his lips and watches him, the wolf-kid’s creepily watches him, and you, with eyes gold in teh light of a simmering bonfire just past the table, watch him

he just sits down and begins to eat.

its the best food he’s ever had, its his dad’s favorite dish, but not realistically, but the way memory embellishes a dish so much it can never be tasted again, except its right here. in front of him. u pour some wolfhook juice for him, and offer him a napkin to wipe his mouth and eyes

Diluc visits often after that, obviously.

u give him snacks too, and when he lets the staff try some, Adeline will not stop harassing him abt gettin ur recipes/ingredeints so u get him to pay Fischl to get a copy of their recipe book :)

including blank pages for future entries, and Fischl is literally glowing with happiness, would not stop monologuing abt ur food for weeks (send help Oz wants some peace and quiet sometimes)

Oh Diluc absolutely told the Favonius knights he found you. But he’s not saying where LMAO

Jean is actually begging him, Diluc ik u hate the knights but this is an international investigation-

this is the closest Diluc has ever gotten to getting under Venti’s skin.

when he told him this at Angel’s while bartending, he just casually ofc said this, just his smug little smirk, and the anemo god cracked a glass and everything- esp when he said he tried ur cooking??

he's gotta start looking over his shoulder in the city bc not only is Venti stalking him, the entirety of Mondstadt’s citizens are glaring at him in envy everywhere he goes LMAOO

(Venti now has a bar glass or too on his tab to pay off as well)

mans is literally paying u in weapon/artifact materials/mora to make him lunch one day and Venti nearly lunges over the counter

(Diluc purposefully ate it in front of him 💀)

ur food is the ultimate, “u could make a religion out of this!” /ref

like Diluc fully gives u offerings of ingredients he can pay for shipping from other countries + along with regular materials after grinding in domains

does the rest of Mondstadt + the world find out where u are?

only if Diluc lets them tbh. LMFAO

☆

bk trashfire my beloved <3 love ur ideas and stuff, goes without even saying im so sorry i took actually forever to respond :’(

hope u have a great weekend and i did this little side story justice for you

Safe Travels BK Trashfire,

💀♒

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡my beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck / @questionotmystopit / @chinuneko / @silvers-tongue

@kiyomi-uchiha777

[never2tired4u]

Hey!! I hope you're doing well! I just read your post about the dateables reacting to MC back in human form, and I really loved it! Your writing was great and I loved how their personalities were on point!! I saw your asks were open and wanted to ask if you'd like to write a bit of a domestic fluff with the dateables reacting to MC cooking/teaching them how to cook human food! (especially Solomon bc he's the worst at it lol) Thank you and please write more in the future, you're amazing 💗

— 🦇

Note: Thank you so much 🦇 anon! Also I love this idea, unfortunately i actually didn't know what to do with it :( but tried my best and sorry for not replying soon. Been busy with life in general… Came back to NB yesterday only to get a message from Luke saying he was being chased by Devildom tomatoes lol

You are amazing too and I will try to write more in the future <3

OBEY ME! Dateables x Reader

Characters: 《°•[ Solomon , Simeon , Diavolo , Barbatos...]•°》

Summary: 《°•[ Cooking with them!]•°》

Warnings: 《°•[ Fluff, Solomon wanting to cook.]•°》

With Solomon, cooking isn’t easy. He is a free spirit, curious, and itching to try different combinations with a smile on his face, be it potions or spells, or cooking. Thankfully, he is powerful enough to fix those failed experiments and let it be a learning experience for him, except when he is tasked (himself) to cook. He tries, fails, and just accepts it as perfection, never learning his lesson, never improving. You don’t have the heart to tell him to not join you in the kitchen since he seems to genuinely love cooking for people, however, sometimes he really tests your patience.

Like right now, as he tries, once again, to add some sort of weird ingredient to the pot. Something that DEFINITELY doesn't belong in a human dish…Or any realm's dish for that matter.

“Oh, you caught me.”

“Put that down.” you warned him with a stern voice, Solomon just smiled while slowly lowering the thing, “Not in the pot!” you yelled, barely managing to stop him before he added his ‘touch’ to the meal, “Solomon, what did we talk about?”

Solomon frowned, “I know, it just…” sighing as he glanced at the book, reading the instructions again, “The recipe seems so boring.”

“It’s a soup recipe.”

He dramatically sighed again and stepped back, putting the “ingredient” he was going to add back into his pocket, making you wonder what it even was. Your thoughts were quickly interrupted by him wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and resting his cheek on your shoulder, “Sorry, I promise I won't try to add any DemonFlower Eyeball into it.”

“Just don't add anything!”

“Okay okay,” he laughs, “Only human stuff, got it.”

A smile formed on your lips after hearing his voice next to your ear, a gentle and calm tone. Ready to do anything you requested from him. For now.

After all, even though Solomon is a free spirit, his love for you makes him come back down to earth. If it is you who tells him to follow the recipe, then he will. And surprisingly enough, he isn’t a bad cook once he stops his ways of…adding things.

He fetches you some ingredients then stands next to you, waiting for your instructions (since you sadly don't trust him much to do anything on his own). You finished rather quickly and ready the bowls. Both of you sit on the table and Solomon takes his first sip, “And here I thought I was the teacher in our relationship. It seems I have a lot to learn from you too.” he says as a genuine smile graces his lips.

“Hm? Why do you say that?”

“This tastes delicious.”

“It's a simple dish.” you say, a little confused by his low tone, and the far away look in his eyes.

“It's been forever since I've eaten any human world food,” his smile never leaves his face, “It may be a simple dish but that is what makes it so special. Thank you for the food.”

Simeon is someone who enjoys cooking, not as much as Luke perhaps, but he is still okay at it. For him, trying new recipes every now and then, helping Luke around is something of a routine at this point. Cooking in general has always been a job he needed to do, until his view changed quickly when you decided to enter the kitchen with him. The angel then quickly realized that cooking can also be fun and engaging too.

If you are around that is.

Tonight, you had a craving for some human world food. Luke asked to try some too so you decided to get to work and Simeon offered to help.

“So, where do we start?-” he is suddenly stopped by your arms wrapping around him and completely stops moving for a moment, however he gently hugs you back.

“Simeon?” you ask in confusion, “What are you doing?”

Simeon slightly pulls back, only to realize you were just tying the apron around him, “Oh.” he smiles gently, while mentally hitting himself on the head and pulls back, “I thought you wanted a hug.”

“Maybe later, now let's get to work!”

Simeon is out of his usual attire and wearing something more comfortable instead, with an apron tied to his waist thanks to you.

He listens to what you want to make and what he can do. (Un)fortunately he usually finishes his work pretty fast and then tries to take over yours to help which you refuse. Giving him another, much more simple task and while he does that Simeon often starts to ramble.

“...Would it be rude of me to say that I like how human ingredients are so normal?”

“Compared to what?”

“Anything from Devildom really...” Simeon can't help but look guilty, it feels like he is insulting the whole Devildom himself, a place most of his friends consider a home, but he can't help it, “At least these don't try to attack us.”

“Oh, that's true,” you almost let out a chuckle at how nervous Simeon seems as he chops tomatoes, probably imagining them starting a fight, “What about Celestia?”

“Celestia? Well, hm…” his hands pause for a moment as he gets lost in thought, “They are…Okay? Though, some of them are…Too much.”

You aren't really sure what Simeon means by ‘Too much.’ but decide not to ask about it as he seems annoyed. A memory of an energetic cucumber crossed his mind, perhaps?

“I'm glad you like our normal and boring tomatoes then.”

Simeon laughs nervously, “Yeah, I like it, especially since they don't grow legs and run around.” he turns to you with a smile, “So, we can just focus on making the food and enjoy talking like this.”

Even after the food was finished and the three of you sat down to enjoy the food Simeon can't help but ask you to teach him more human world recipes, “Luke enjoyed it.” he says. Hoping you don't notice how he just wants to spend time with you.

“You want me to make a human world dish?”

“No.” you shake your head, “We are going to make it together, Barbatos.”

Barbatos smiles, when people come to him they always have requests. For example, Beelzebub. The young devil always says he wants to eat his cooking, or use the big kitchen at the palace for a new dish. No one ever came to him and asked to cook together since it was usually his job alone to do, he is a butler after all.

“Alright. However, I don't know the dish you want to make, so…” he can't help but chuckle a little as he bows his head, “Please treat me kindly.”

His words are a complete lie though, Barbatos may not know how the recipe goes but he can tell what needs to be added. He is a great cook, and so graceful while he does the work. He is pretty quick too so the food is almost done already.

“Hmm…” after taking a small sip from the pot you can't help but think that something is missing, it tastes good but it could be better you think, so you turn to your helper, as he likes to call himself, “Barbatos, what do you think of this?”

He casually takes the spoon you hold for him and hums, “It's great, but how about adding some bay leaf?”

“...Bay leaf? We have that?”

“I do, I sometimes use it.” he walks up to a random cabinet and pulls out a jar, “It goes well in foods that need to be cooked for a long period of time. You just need to take it out after it's done.”

“Huh. So, you use human world ingredients in your cooking?”

“Only when you are around,” you watch as Barbatos adds two leaves into the pot, “It's amusing to see your reaction when you eat what I cook for you.”

“That's why they taste so familiar!?”

Barbatos innocently smiles at you, “Don't forget to stir, dear. Or would you like me to take over?”

“Barbatos, don't tell me you actually have been making me human food that looks like Devildom food.”

“I thought the familiar taste would make you happy.”

“...That's kind. Thank you.” you smile, but then squint your eyes at him, “You sure there's nothing else…?”

Barbatos doesn't say anything as he starts cleaning around the kitchen, picking up the things you've used and no longer need.

Of course there's another reason why he secretly cooks human dishes for you. It's so you can visit him, compliment him and ask for him. It's a selfish reason. However, for someone like him it's not surprising. He is a demon, and when it comes to your time and attention, he selfishly wants it all.

You are asking the prince, the future ruler of Devildom to cook with you, a human dish? And he agrees with a laugh? If anyone heard this, they would be thinking the Devildom is coming to an end. His butler however, can't help but think Diavolo agreed without hesitation only because it's you and only because it's a way to escape from his duties. Considering the prince has never touched an utensil in his life, it is weird to see that he seems so confident.

His confidence, however, quickly shaders as he accidentally pushes on the tomato too much while trying to chop it and makes a mess. Covering your aprons and walls with tomato seeds and juices.

He turns to you and smiles, “Have I ever told you that you look good in red?”

You scoff but can't help as a smile grows on your face, “Yes, usually when I'm in a red outfit, not when in a red mess.”

“Small details.” he laughs, but a sigh leaves him as he looks down at the chopping board, “I didn't think they would be so soft and delicate.”

“Don't blame the tomatoes.” when he turns his sad eyes towards you, you wave your hands around quickly, a feeling of guilt settling in, “Don't blame yourself either, accidents happen in kitchens! We can still use it.”

“That's great! Then I'll continue with the cutting,” he says, smiling again, “I'll be more careful from now onl.”

Diavolo may not have a lot of experience in the kitchen, no matter which realm the food is from, but he still finds his own failures fun. Laughing when he accidentally drops the salt shaker in the pan or when he almost burns himself. As a prince he never had mishaps in the kitchen before.

It's new, it's entertaining.

“Thank you for helping me.” you can't help but look at the bandages around his fingers, “Even though it was kind of a disaster.”

Diavolo laughs as he searches for the plates,”No no, thank you! This was a lot of fun. And we get to taste the fruit of our labor too!” he finally finds the right cabinet, “And I'm always happy to learn about the things you enjoy, like this dish.”

He might still have a lot of papers to read and sign but every once in a while he goes into the kitchen to cook the recipe he learned from you. He is extra careful while making it if he is making it for you but is more care free if it's only for himself. He also eats it when he misses you when you are unable to visit him, the same human world dish brings comfort to him as he imagines it bringing comfort to you.

Ⓒ2024

[alterlest]

𓃶 Hearth Magic 101

⛤ Please note!!! this post will contain my personal gnosis at some points. Magic is intimately personal and everyone’s practice is different. You may agree or disagree with me at any point during this post. However, while I am sharing this to be educational, please keep in mind that this is my personal outlook on this subject ♡

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 What Is Hearth Magic?

Hearth Magic, at its core, is magic of the home. This kind of magic differs greatly between families, cultures and traditions. When starting Hearth Magic, you must take a moment to really think about what home is to you. Your hearth can be anywhere, but generally, the hearth is seen as a place of comfort, growth, and rest.

Taking care of your home has always been important and even sacred for many people. Taking care of it magically is just another way of respecting this place that takes care of you. Your home is somewhere that protects you and those you invite in. Personally, Hearth Magic is almost like showing your gratitude to this familiar place. I would suggest doing research into how the home is taken care of in your own cultures, or watch how others in your life take care of their home and take notes!

☾༺♰༻☽

𓃶 How can I Practice Hearth Magic?

Just like any kind of magic, Hearth Magic will be something you incorporate into your practice in your own ways. To get started, however, here are some things you can do to:

⛤ Get into the habit of cleansing your space. This can be your whole home, or just the one specific place you consider the hearth (a bedroom, living space, kitchen, fireplace etc). You can also cleanse while doing day to day chores! incorporate moon water or intention while washing dishes, or do an herb sweep when cleaning your floors. Brooms are also important magical tools!

⛤ Try a house or home blessing/spell. For me, I made a large spell jar and incorporated ingredients commonly used in my family’s cooking, our yard, and local herbs/herbs we use a lot. This can be used as an invitation for positive energy, or a ward against negativity. This will really help set the energy of the space.

⛤ Start incorporating magic into your cooking. Kitchen magic is an easy and convenient way to keep your life a little more magical. Try adding herbs to sauces with intention, or cook in honor of spirits or deities. Easy foods to incorporate kitchen magic into (at least personally!) include sauces, soups, baked goods, and pasta dishes.

⛤ Start to decorate your home in a way that makes you happy. This doesn’t have to be any specific aesthetic; just making your space somewhere you enjoy being through decor adds to the energy!

⛤ If you like spirit work, consider the possibility that, if you live in a house, there may be a house spirit attached to the space. This can give you an extra opportunity to connect to this space and the spirits within it by honoring this entity.

☾༺♰༻☽

⛤ In all, Hearth Magic can be a very grounding and important part of your magical path if you plan to practice it. It allows you to really grow in a familiar and comfortable space, as well as providing you with a comfortable place to come back to every day, even for mundane life. ♡

☾༺♰༻☽

[ms-demeanor]

Huh. Realized I made a soup from leftovers that would make a pretty decent beginner soup.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Soup

The goal of this soup is to be (relatively) quick and easy to prepare and to make use out of leftover poultry. It relies pretty heavily on pre-made ingredients (though you can make those ingredients yourself if you want to)

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked turkey or chicken (one large turkey breast, two medium chicken breasts). You can use leftovers, a grocery store rotisserie chicken, or, optionally, uncooked frozen chicken breasts or thighs. The poultry should not be breaded and the skin should be removed; if you are using uncooked frozen poultry you may want to taste more carefully and make sure to season sufficiently.

64oz poultry or vegetable stock (I used the stock I made out of turkey carcasses and my stock bags of kitchen trimmings from the freezer, but store bought is fine) (if you do not want to or cannot use stock, you can also just use water but you will likely have to add more spices and I would recommend adding one extra carrot and one extra onion)

3tbsp Cooking oil (can be olive oil or canola oil or butter - use what you've got handy and what tastes good to you, you don't have to buy something special for this)

1 cup of frozen peas

2 large carrots coarsely chopped

2 large onions coarsely chopped

3 tbsp cooking starch (most people use corn starch, I use potato starch because of food allergies. Any neutrally flavored starch is fine, but do not use flour).

1/2 cup milk/half and half/cream (you can use a combination or just one of these, it depends on what's in your kitchen and what taste you prefer)

Poultry seasoning (pre-made mix; alternately you can add sage, rosemary, and marjoram to taste. I added poultry seasoning then added extra sage and rosemary)

Salt

Black pepper

Paprika

Garlic powder

3 Bay Leaves

1tsp dried Parsley

Tools:

4-6 quart stock pot with a close-fitting lid

Chef's knife (for chopping vegetables and poultry)

Cutting board

Large cooking spoon

Small bowl

Fork or small whisk

Before you cook:

Read the entire recipe and check that you have all the tools and ingredients listed in your kitchen and ready for use.

Prep your kitchen - make sure there's room in the trash can, that the sink is clear of dishes, and that there is a burner on the stove clear for your pot. Designate a space close to the stove as your working area and set your cutting board there so you can easily transfer from your cutting board to the pot.

Gather your ingredients - make sure that you've got all the tools and ingredients listed. If you want to, you can take the time to measure out everything at this stage and have it ready to go in the pot.

Prep your ingredients - wash and chop your carrots, peel and chop your onions. Remove the skin from your poultry (if frozen, set the poultry aside, you will do something slightly different) and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Cooking Instructions:

Turn the heat on your stove to medium and warm the oil up in the bottom of the pan. Once it is shimmering and flowing easily, add the chopped carrots and onions to the pan.

Add a small amount of each of your seasonings to the pot - no more than half a teaspoon of each at this stage - and stir them in with the vegetables.

Stirring continuously, heat the vegetables and spices until the onions are softened and translucent.

If you are using pre-cooked poultry, add it to the pot and stir it in with the vegetables and spices (if you are using raw frozen poultry, don't add it to the pot yet). Add in the frozen peas at this point.

Add your broth or stock to the pot and stir, using your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Add the bay leaves to your pot. Increase the heat to high and watch the pot until it comes to a boil.

If you are using raw frozen poultry, NOW add the frozen meat (whole breasts or thighs still frozen) to the pot and bring to a boil. For raw frozen poultry ONLY keep the pot covered at a boil for thirty minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't boil over. Once the poultry has cooked for thirty minutes, use your spoon to remove the pieces from the pot and set them on your cutting board, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Instructions are the same regardless of what meat you're using after this step.

Once the previous steps are finished, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover the pot. Let simmer for half an hour.

Taste the soup and add spices and seasonings as needed. You will probably want to add more salt first, half a teaspoon at a time. Add in your salt then stir and simmer for five minutes before tasting again. Repeat as needed, adding spices in small amounts to adjust the flavor as you go.

Once the flavor is close to right, mix the milk and the starch in a small bowl, whisking thoroughly to ensure that there are no lumps. Gradually add the starch slurry to the soup a few tablespoons at a time. Stir between increments, checking for thickness. When the soup is at the desired thickness (should be quite thick, like what you would find inside of a pot pie) taste test the soup and adjust spices as needed.

Add parsley and do a final taste test, simmer for five minutes before serving.

If you want, you can let the soup cool and fill a pre-made pie crust with it (top and bottom crust, making sure to leave holes for venting) then bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

For the slurry, I like to use 2:1 liquid to starch when mixing an use half and half for the slurry but add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream after the soup has started to thicken; this is totally optional and if you just go based on what's in the recipe you should be fine.

How to make homemade stock, if you want to:

as you cook over the course of several weeks, gather things like onion tops, the ends of tomatoes, wilty celery, and whatever other safe-to-eat but unpleasant vegetable trimmings you've got and add them to a 1-gallon freezer bag.

Keep the bag in the freezer and add stuff until the bag is full. Once it's full, or if you happen to have a chicken or turkey carcass and a mostly-full bag, add the frozen trimmings and any meat trimmings or carcasses you have to a large stock pot (at least a two gallon pot).

Add in a few cloves of garlic and a few bay leaves

Add in water until the vegetables and trimmings are completely covered.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for a minimum of two hours.

Turn off the heat and let cool

Spoon or strain out the solids - one way to do this is to pour from the pot into a collander and into another large pot. You can also use a slotted spoon or a strainer or ladle out the liquid from the stock pot, but you want to discard the solids and keep the liquids.

Skim excess or undesired fat off of the stock and discard.

Ladle or pour the stock into containers for storage. I like to use cleaned salsa jars and leave about 20% of the space in the jar free, then freeze the stock in jars so I can use it whenever I want to.

If you aren't freezing the stock, use it within two weeks.

[kcrossvine-art]

Heya folks n friends! Today on our LotR cooking series, we're going to be making something inspired by Mrs. Maggot, wife of Farmer Maggot. Originally we were going to do a cream of mushroom soup, but the idea of adding meat as a cheeky lil joke on their last names was too good to pass up. In my mind meat goes better with thin soups than creamy ones.

And thus Mrs. Maggots Meat 'N Mush Stew was born.

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to Mrs. Maggots Meat 'N Mush Stew?” YOU MIGHT ASKFor the stew portion itself we're going to be using a hearty base, aiming for a layering of flavors. If you feel comfortable making a roux, feel free to do so, but I did not due to energy levels and thus the flour in this recipe is only used for searing the meat before its added to the pot.

Cubed beef

Flour

Peanut oil

Beef stock

Dried porcini mushrooms

Carrots, chopped

Onion, diced

Garlic, crushed

Scallion, chopped

Bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Ground red pepper

Cumin

Zatarins gumbo file

For the other mushrooms, were going to cook them separate and throw them in at the end (but they'll have friends to keep them company!!).

Cremini mushrooms, sliced

Half an onion

Carrots

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Thyme

Olive oil

This took about 4 hours in total. If you have a slow cooker itd probably be easier to use that, but as is isn't too bad either. I mostly worked on commission stuff in the kitchen in-between stirring. "The best food is the one you don't have to make, the second best food is the one you don't have to think while making."

AND, “what does Mrs. Maggots Meat 'N Mush Stew taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASK

HOT HOT HOT

Tastes like walking from the cold into the cramped but cozy bar your friend works at

Meat was so tender and juicy, melts in your mouth. Makes you cry

It wanst actually carmelization but the onions had a hint of tasting caramelized

Mushrooms- a strong umami flavor with a bit of smokeyness

Once you get that Perfect level of gumbo file, it just makes every other element stick out more

Like an energy booster for the ingredients

A spotlight on the bay leaf, and oils, and spices

. If you don't want to use beef, feel free to use vegetable stock instead and replace the cubes with strips of king oyster mushrooms. Exclude the flour but still cook them in the pan. . this isnt officially part of the recipe since im not sure itd be 'on theme', but feel free to start your rice cooker around the 3 hour mark so you can have some hot rice ready for serving as filler.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I was looking through food and food mentions in LotR, Mrs.Maggot just stook out to me. 'Queen amongst farmers wives' is both really sweet and a fuckin killer description. What a legend. I wanted to do something based on her and our two options were either beer, bacon or raw mushrooms. Beer while very appealing is also not something you can whip up in a day, while raw mushrooms have a chance of killing my beloved readers. I don't want to talk about me and bacons sordid past.

And so as praise to this funky farmer women, may you add this stew to your collection of potpie, lasagna, and roast recipes.

Did i mention i started my first grease fire when making this? Yeah. Don't cover any empty greased pan even if your intent is to keep water from splashing into it.

Anyway, this recipe is a solid 10/10 (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) The partner has already made me pledge to cook it again hehehe

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

2 lbs cubed beef

A little bit of flour to 'tumble' the meat in, in a bowl

Peanut oil to sear the beef, as needed

3 kilograms beef stock

28g dried porcini mushrooms

4 carrots, chopped

1 white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 scallion branch, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Ground red pepper to taste

Cumin to taste

3 bay leafs

A pinch of Zatarins gumbo file

Ingredients… . . TWO:

1 lb cremini mushrooms

Half of a white onion, diced

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt, pepper, and thyme to taste

Olive oil as needed to pan-fry

Method:

Put the porcini mushrooms into a bowl, add enough warm water to cover. Give them roughly 20 minutes, or until softened and the waters turned color.

Cut the carrots, onion, and garlic.

Get a large pot with a lid, pour in your stock (or water and bouillon cubes). Pour in the porcinis and the mushroom water. Turn the burner to medium-high.

Add your bay leaves, carrots, onion, and garlic to the pot. Add extra salt if you'd like.

Tenderize and cut your beef into roughly 1 inch cubes.

In a small bowl, pour a handful of flour along with pepper, cumin, and ground red pepper. Mix until combined.

Lightly toss each cube of beef in the mixture, get a little coverage on each side.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add peanut oil. If using an electric stovetop it will take time to heat up.

Add some of your beef cubes to the pan, don't overcrowd it. Flip to check sides are a light brown with dark brown edges, its good for some pink/red to poke through.

Add beef cubes to the pot when done, careful of splashing.

Keep doing this in batches until all beef cubes are added. 

 Once the pot has reached a simmer, turn the heat down a few notches and cover.

Set a timer for 4 hours. Taste test every so often. Aim to stir the pot every 10-15 minutes.

(You can do steps 14-21 immediately or optionally wait a bit)

 Rinse and dry your cremini mushrooms.

Slice them vertically. Cut the carrots, onion, and garlic.

In a frying pan on medium-low heat, add olive oil, carrots, and onion. Keep the vegetables moving! When they start to change texture, add your cremini mushrooms.

Bring the pan up to medium heat. 

Once your mushrooms have cooked off the liquid inside, theyll start turning a deeper brown. Add the garlic. Keep! the! vegetables! Moving!

If the pan gets overcrowded, take some out and set it aside in a bowl. Smaller batches.

This process took roughly 15 minutes, but youll know its done once everything has a nice sear on it and the garlic is brown but not burnt. Add salt, pepper, and thyme to taste.

Set everything aside in a bowl.

Once the 4 hours are up the meat should be cooked all the way through and tender enough to pull apart. Strain the bay leaves out. Cut and add scallions. Add the bowl with cremini mushrooms.

Add a pinch of gumbo file to start, stir and taste test.

[elminx]

Elminx's Long-Form Lemonade for Sweet Cleansing

If you've been hanging out for more than a hot minute, you have probably caught on to a secret about my kitchen witching: it's not the NUMBER of ingredients you enchant; it's how you enchant them. For the purposes of witching, I prefer simple recipes (ingredient-wise) that have a bit of oomph to them. Do you need to stir a pot for 45 minutes straight? (see also my french onion soup recipe) What about starting a vinegar infusion that needs to be shaken every day?

This, as the saying goes, is where the magic is made. At least, for me.

So, imagine my surprise when my friends introduced me to a long-form way of making lemonade. Rather than simply juicing the lemons and adding some sugar and water - you combine the sugar and lemon peels and let them sit for some time to release the lemon's essential oils.

Not only does it make a superior lemonade (can confirm!), but it immediately had my magic wheels turning.

The goal is to make lemonade that will sweetly cleanse you of what ails you. This spell can easily be adapted to add specifiers—see the end of this post for more details.

As always, I will not tell you how to do YOUR magic. This is a technique, not a magic tutorial.

The Basics: When Life Gives You Lemons

Lemons have a long history of use as a cleansing agent. Cunningham's infamous green book lists them as a feminine plant, under the purview of water and the moon and used for the powers of "longevity, purification, love, friendship." (for what that's worth) From an herbal energetic perspective - lemons are considered to be cooling - they are used in the summer to cool hot termperatures and applied to the sick to help bring down fevers. Citric acid is also a bladder stimulant, which we will be making use of for the purposes of our potion-making.

What we associate with lemon as the "cleaning agent" is believed to come from limonene, a terpene found in the peels of most citrus fruits that is both antiviral and antibacterial. Lemonene is used in many cleaners that you can buy on the market but can also be extracted directly from the fruit, as we will do in this recipe.

The Technique

This standard high-end bartender technique makes wonderful, complex sour mixes that can absolutely make the perfect cocktail. Rather than extracting the limonene from the citrus using alcohol or vinegar, we use sugar.

This technique is called oleo-saccharum, which means "oil-sugar" - you are using sugar to draw the essential oils out of the lemon peels, making a natural (no heat) syrup. Note here: this syrup can be used on its own for all sorts of syrupy needs - you could stop the preparation here if you don't love lemonade.

This can be done on the fly (an hour or so), but I highly suggest letting this sit for 12-24 hours for the full effect.

The Recipe

You will need:

5-6 lemons, the best-looking ones you can find

1 1/4 cups sugar

Filter Water (to taste)

Peeler, citrus juicer, optional

Additional magical flavoring, optional

Become better acquainted with your lemons. For the purposes of this recipe, I do this by holding them, talking to them about what I want from them (general or specific cleansing), and rolling them across a hard surface. This last part helps to separate the peel from the pith, which will help you cut away the peel in the next step. Because we intentionally try to release the limonene compounds in this recipe, you may wish to begin by carving your lemon at this step (BEFORE you peel). You could carve your intentions, your name, the names of the people you are looking to cleanse, or any cleansing runes or sigils that you use in your craft.

Carefully peel your lemon. You want to get as little pith (white parts) as possible, as they don't taste good. Take your time here. Really breathe in the scents of the lemon during this. This is the first part of the cleansing process - you are incidentally cleaning yourself and your kitchen as you do this part of the spell. Lean into this. It smells amazing. Revel in it. Think about how it reminds you of everything being shiny and clean as a child. Lemons ARE cleansing - really feel into this here. We won't use the rest of the lemon until tomorrow; you can juice it here or store it overnight in an air-tight container)

Add your lemon peels and the sugar to a mixing bowl and thoroughly massage the sugar into the lemon peels. This should take some time - think fives of minutes at least. You want to do this until you can feel the change in consistency in the sugar - try to incorporate all of the sugar with all of the lemons. Remember, sugar is inherently sweetening, and lemons are inherently cleansing - you combine these two elements here to make a sweet, cleansing spell. Let the smell of it clean out your nose and your sinuses. This is the meat of your spellcasting - you are working your spell into your ingredients. Talk to it. Use your energy. Pray over it. You will know when this step is complete.

Cover your bowl and let it sit at room temperature overnight or for up to 24 hours. The longer this extracts, the more intense the flavor in the finished product. In a pinch, give it an hour, but I suggest waiting at least 8-10 for the best effect.

The next morning, add 2 cups boiling water to your lemon paste and stir until it has thoroughly combined - this is a great place to reinforce your magic from the day beforehand. (This version had the addition of some freshly picked sour cherries which gives its red color)

6. When this has cooled, add the lemon juice and additional water to taste. I personally put this in a half-gallon ball jar and filled it with water, and then my partner and I further diluted it from there.

7. Drink and enjoy. For an extra cleansing effect, consider that part of the act of citrus is that of a urinary stimulant - it will make you pee. Think about how peeing removes things from your life. Remove what needs cleansing. Your spell is complete.

This spell is as simple as that but it can be dressed up in some many different outfits with very little effort. Do you know a flavor (remember, all edibles here) with the right magic associations to add to this spell?

Add some blackberries at the infusion stage for good old-fashioned hedge witch protection. If you really need something out, you could experiment with infusing some jalapeno after you've made the lemonade (tread with a lot of care here...). I've worked with lavender and hibiscus here for calming, cool energies. I recently added a cup of sour cherries to Step 3 for a love-cleansing effect.

There are two ways you can add flavors to this spell: you can mix your flavor in during the sugaring phase, or you can do a secondary infusion after your lemonade has been made. Use your best judgment here - fruits can go in with the citrus peels for sure, but herbs and other more "tea like" ingredients might be better steeped afterward.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm eager to use some of my savory kitchen herbs the next time I near to clear out my money flows.

Or alternatively, use it as the first step in a witchy cocktail (my go-to, as you know). This lemonade makes an exquisite base for a margarita—for a bougie twist, use white Patron and some Chambord; you will not be disappointed.

This is almost a blank slate - sweet cleansing could be used for anything you put your mind to.

Do you like my work? You can support me over on Kofi by tipping me, ordering an astrology commission, buying some art, or signing up to be a monthly supporter of my work.

[milliesfishes]

If I may add to the kidnapping ideas… Billy’s anxiety when your sick is already so high and he goes out to get food for you only to come back to you gone and he knows that the guys who took you won’t take care of you being sick just to keep whatever leverage they want over him so he knows he has to be quick in finding you so you don’t get worse

𝜗𝜚𐙚𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓭𝓷𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓼𝓲𝓬𝓴𝜗𝜚𐙚 𝓯𝓮𝓶 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝔁 𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓭

Thrashing in the throes of a fever, you had been the heart of Billy's worries all night.

He'd done every possible thing from cold compresses to medicine, but nothing had eased you from your chill. It didn't matter how tightly he held you, how many blankets he draped over you. Your body still trembled, and your voice crackled with soreness. Sickness was Billy's greatest fear when it came to you, no doubt a remnant from his family's tragic history.

The instant his eyes opened he was looking down at you, checking your breathing. It was soft, but still steady. Billy sighed in relief, shifting you to a more comfortable position in his arms. He rested a hand to your forehead, disheartened when he felt the heat beneath his fingers. Last night he had held to hope that with sleep your fever would break.

Your eyes fluttered open, and Billy managed a slight smile, thumb roving over your cheek. "Hi sweetheart."

"Mm," you stretched slightly in his arms, leaning your cheek against his chest like an injured fawn. "I'm so cold."

"You're burnin' up, sweet girl," he muttered, pulling the blanket up to your shoulders. "Feelin' any better?"

"A little bit," you said raspily, peering up at him with sleepy eyes. "My throat still hurts."

"D'ya think you could eat somethin'?" Billy questioned, rubbing your arm carefully. "Soup, maybe?" He was well aware that he was babying you, but it hardly mattered. His girl was sick, and that was the end-all be-all of everything.

Nodding slightly, you shifted, kissing his chest over his heart. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah?" Billy moved, sitting up slightly and rubbing your back. "I'll have to go into town for a minute and get a few things for it. 'S that alright?"

"Mhm." You gave him a tiny smile, and there was a modicum of relief in his eyes at the sight. You were getting better. It was like seeing the sun break through a myriad of grey clouds.

Turning to the side, Billy sat at the edge of the bed, reaching for his boots and tugging them on. He hadn't taken his pants off last night, opting to sleep shirtless. You loved the feeling of his skin against yours, he knew, and he wanted to give you every comfort while you weren't feeling well.

He tucked his shirt in, pulling his suspenders up over his shoulders. Turning back to where you had sleepily been watching him dress, cheek smushed against the pillow, Billy smoothed a hand over your temple and brushed a strand of hair away.

"I'll be back within the hour, my love," he murmured, pressing his lips to your forehead. "Rest while I'm out. You'll be okay?"

"Mhm," you hummed, pulling the blanket snugly around you. "Don't worry about me, Billy."

"You know I will, pretty." He smiled slightly, caressing your cheek before standing. "Alright. I'll be back soon."

"Bye." Your little smile brightened him, and he rejoiced at you returning to yourself.

"G'bye." He leaned against the doorway, hat in hand.

You blew a kiss at him. "Bye."

He caught it and held it to his heart, shouldering the doorway as he left. "I'll be back, sweetheart." With that, he went on his way, mounting his horse quickly and spurring the creature into action.

The time in town was brief, thankfully. Billy loaded his bag with vegetables and other ingredients, eager to make the best soup possible for you. Surely this would bring the color back into your cheeks. As he paid, out of the corner of his eye he noticed a shady looking group of men whispering amongst themselves.

Recognizing them as members of a group that often rivaled the Regulators, Billy was tempted to approach them. But, thinking of you, he stuck to his task, skirting where they stood to fill his horse's saddlebags. But still he watched them, wary of anything they may try to do.

Another of the group ran up to them, conveying something in hurried tones. The group dispersed nearly immediately, which Billy found sorely suspicious. Still, he remained by his horse, carefully packing his purchases so the vegetables would not become bruised on the ride back home.

He was interrupted by Charlie's quickened footsteps toward him, his name called in a frenzied way. Billly looked up, deeply confused. "What's-"

When he said your name, every one of his senses kicked into alert. "They've got her."

"What d'ya mean they've got her?" Billy grabbed Charlie by the shoulders, searching his eyes. "Who's got her?"

"I overheard it, somethin' about takin' your girl," Charlie confirmed, nearly panting as he got the words out. "It was the men standin' over there..."

Billy's heart jolted, and his head whipped around for the rival gang who'd been conversing just now. Surely they hadn't gotten away so quickly.

Charlie gripped his arm, trying to get him to focus. "Maybe they were bluffing. I'll ride with ya back home."

Nodding, half-dazed and stricken with fear, Billy hoisted his foot to the stirrup, swinging the other leg over. The only thing truly on his mind was you, still recovering from your violent illness and now potentially in the hands of his enemies. His body moved automatically, gripping the reins of the horse. Charlie was galloping a few paces back, hot on his tracks.

Before his horse had even fully stopped, Billy was jumping off, scampering up the steps to the door and flinging it open. He nearly tripped over his feet getting to the bedroom, body freezing when he saw the sight before him.

The sheets were rumpled, your blanket tossed to the floor. Staining the crisp white coverings was a patch of crimson that made Billy's heart stop. Suddenly everything was blurry, and he felt his senses overwhelming. Knees weakening, his breaths quickened, and the worry that had gripped him when you had been feverish last night hit him like a wild horse tenfold.

Charlie appeared behind him, taking in the sight and grabbing Billy's elbow. "C'mon. Their hiding spot ain't that far off."

It was nothing short of a miracle that Billy had been able to make it back on his horse and follow Charlie. He was hardly able to realize how foolish the mission was- storming a rival's base with only two men.

Though you had been feeling a little better this morning, you were still sick. And with the conditions they were likely keeping you in, there was hardly a prayer of your illness improving. In his mind's eye Billy imagined you shivering, skin akin to the surface of the sun, ropes marking your wrists as they held you in place. Paired with the blood on the sheets, it wasn't an optimistic vision.

Billy was angry at himself for how casually he'd left you. If he hadn't dallied at the market, maybe he'd have been able to cross paths with your kidnappers sooner and put a stop to their ambitions. His worry for you was a breathing thing, inhabiting the space in his heart where love dwelt. It crowned his affection, triumphed over it now, even. What kind of man was he if he couldn't even keep his girl safe?

The hideout was crude, a sorry sight on the eyes. Knowing you were being held there only spurred his rage at your captors. Charlie whispered that he'd storm the front, where two men stood guard. "I'll take 'em out. This lot's all awful shots. You go in while I keep 'em busy."

Unable to form a coherent thought amidst his anxieties over you, Billy nodded, eyes glued to the shack. The men wouldn't be standing guard if you weren't inside.

Charlie crept up, unsheathing his gun and taking one of the men in a chokehold, pointing the weapon at the other. There was a slight struggle, but a warning shot had them standing back. Billy knew from experience that it was always the simplest men chosen to keep watch. They were hardly trusted to do much else.

Drawing his gun, Billy kicked the door open, shouting a warning in case there was anything inside. But as he surveyed the miniscule space, he only saw you, bound to a chair, head bowed.

He almost dropped his gun in relief but managed to control himself. Rushing forward, Billy knelt before you, grasping your arms and squeezing lightly. "Sweetheart...oh my baby, 'm so sorry. 'M so sorry..."

Your head lifted just a little, and once he saw your eyes his heart broke in half. They were glassy, old tear tracks streaking your cheeks. with new droplets pooling and threatening to spill over as well. "Billy...I feel awful."

"I know baby, I know," Billy muttered, trying to comfort you as his fingers pried the ropes from your wrists. "Shh, I'm takin' you home. And then I ain't ever leavin' ya no matter how good you say you feel."

Tossing your binds aside, he lifted a hand to your forehead, frowning when the burning fever was still present. Billy slid a firm arm under your legs, instructing you to wrap both of yours around his neck. He scooped you up, holding you tight to his chest. "Alright...c'mon, sweet girl. We're goin' home."

Billy's greatest fear from the moment he had realized his true feelings was you slipping through his fingers, lost like a mirage he'd been able to hold for a brief pocket of time. He protected you fiercely because of the fact, and from now on your safety would rest in the top spot on his priorities. Now that he knew someone would dare try and take you from him, nothing was off the table.

The veins of his love ran hot with devotion as he cradled you in his arms, your breathing the very reason his heart beat. If love was the substance of the fountain of youth, Billy would live forever, drunk on the mere memory of you. As he swaddled you in his arms that night, belly full of soup, your fever newly broken, he thanked every higher power for your life.

He would hardly be able to let you out of his sight ever again.

[petermorwood]

Sausage Goulash...

...as mentioned in passing here, and requested by @aqueerpolysocialist.

This was a recipe seen and transcribed nearly 30 years ago, back when dinosaurs walked the earth and German TV channels (here ZDF) were available on Irish / UK satellite.

I have a feeling it was originally a Very Economical Dish, mostly potatoes and onions with a lot less (but more strongly flavoured / smoked) sausage and lots of pepper or the hottest paprika available.

It also makes a very good soup by dicing the potatoes / slicing the sausages smaller and more suitable for a spoon, and increasing the amount of liquid to at least 500ml / 1 pint.

I haven’t tried making either goulash or soup with a dark beer like Guinness or Köstritzer, but my Mind Palate suggests it would be rather good.

Ingredients:

3 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 oz / 30g butter

1 lb / 500g smoked sausage (any type) sliced

2¼ lb / 1kg potatoes, cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm cubes

2-3 Tbsp hot paprika (or regular paprika + cayenne to taste) *

2 tsp dried marjoram

2 tsp crushed caraway seed

12 f1.oz / 350 ml water, stock or beer

Salt & freshly ground pepper

* ETA - depending on what paprika is used, this dish can be very (or too) hot; check the heat of your paprika before using this much of it!

Method:

Melt the butter in a heavy casserole, add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened and just beginning to colour, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Put the sliced sausage into the casserole and sauté until brown, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Put the cubed potatoes into the casserole and sauté until the edges begin to brown.

Return the onions and sausage to the casserole, add the paprika, marjoram, caraway and liquid and stir well. Cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, or until potatoes are done. Uncover for the last 10 minutes so the sauce thickens.

Taste, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Depending on the type of sausage and heat of paprika, little or none may be required.

Serve garnished with sour cream and snipped chives, either alone or over buttered noodles. Dust with extra paprika if desired. Depending on the thickness of the sauce, a spoon as well as a fork may be needed

Variations (besides using different types of sausage):

Fry chopped smoked bacon in the butter before adding the onions at step 1.

Add a seeded, chopped green pepper (or, as in the photo, some chopped pickled red pepper) with the other ingredients at step 4.

Stir the sour cream into the goulash at step 5 and garnish instead with croutons or fried onions.

[the-paganwitch]

Tips for beginner witches who are in the broom closet.

I have been seeing an increase in posts of beginner witches looking for ways to discreetly practice witchcraft. I have been very active with my witchcraft online, but I have more of a secret, hidden practice in real life. This is primarily due to living in a Christian household. I am here to give some tips for those who want to practice, but may not live in a supportive household.

First off, it is completely valid if your practice doesn't look like those you see online. Especially if you have to practice in private, just take it slow and easy, and you'll be okay. You've got this.

Second, I am a female. Because of this, many of my discreet twitchy tips are a bit more catered to women and female presenting people. Nothing against men and male practitioners, I have been able to adapt my practice in this way because of being a woman. There will be tips that will suit everyone, but some are more geared towards women and female presenting.

The first tip I can offer is to utilize nail polish! Nail polish is a perfect way to use colour magic discreetly. You can even make designs that match your intentions. For example, if you want to bring change, pick a colour that corresponds with that and add a butterfly nail sticker to it. It's beautiful and has a magical intention behind it.

If you are wanting to veil to help protect your energy, use a scrunchie that has been given that intention. Veils don't always have to cover your entire head. Be creative.

If you like to paint, incorporate hidden sigils into your art. If you're drawing a character and you want them to have a tattoo, make it a sigil. If you're painting trees, make it look like it's a carving in the tree.

Look into kitchen witchcraft. Kitchen witchcraft can be done very discreetly, as even the most simple ingredients can be used for spells. For example, tomato soup with cloves, basil, oregano, paprika, and black pepper makes a wonderful protection spell which you can eat (this is one of my personal favourite protection spells). You can add in veggies that also match your intentions to make it even better! Make a lemonade to help bring joy and to cleanse your energy. Add a bit of orange to it and you've not only got a joy bringing spell, but a creativity spell as well.

Use walking as a form of meditation. Nothing beats getting out and breathing in the fresh air to help ground yourself. It's even better when music is involved, so don't forget to bring your headphones! You can even listen to audiobooks or podcasts during this time as well. If you are someone that can't always go on walks, just being outside and getting fresh air is more than enough to help meditate or ground yourself.

Enchant your jewelry. This is huge for hidden and discreet witchery! You don't need a fancy ritual or any fancy jewelry to do this. It can be whatever you have that you want to enchant. Hold that piece of jewelry in your hands and envision a bright, white engulfing that item. While feeling this energy, set your intentions into the jewelry. It can be anything you wish! Once you feel your intention is in the jewelry, envision the white light fading and the energy calming. Once this happens, gently blow on the jewelry to remove any excess energy that may be lingering. Now you have enchanted your jewelry without needing any other spell ingredients or rituals!

These are the best tips I can think of at the moment. If anyone else has other tips, feel free to add onto this post! I hope this helps!

[inksandpensblog]

-- Found the fiddlestickbug in the nether fortress. It was stuck in the soul sand and had been struck by a wither blade. I've brought it home. Red helped me drip-feed it enough milk to purge the wither effect. It's curled up on the table now.  It's elytra is cracked and its wing is torn. Red thinks we can still save it, now that the wither effect is cured. I didn't need to use health potion. It's so small. It still hasn't eaten the sweetberry I left for it. I don't know how I'm gonna get it to ingest a regen potion if it doesn't eat. For now I've splashed it with a drop of regen. Also slowfall because it's probably used to flying. And turtle-master so it's less likely to put stress on its injuries.

I just had an idea.  Stewing flowers with suspicions effects boosts their properties.  If it won't drink potion, maybe I can get it to drink stew. "It" being the fiddlestickbug. It should all be ingredients it likes anyway, right? Fairies like mushrooms and plants and stuff, don't they? At least bugs do.  Oxeye daisy for regen. Maybe dandelion for saturation too, since the effects still won't be as potent as with a drinkable potion. I'm gonna feed it sus-stew with oxeye and dandelion until it's back to what Red thinks is its normal energy level.

It finally ate the berry. I'll have to offer it another one to see if it'll actually eat them regularly or if it only ate because it was starving.  The fiddlestickbug, I mean.  We need a better name for him.

--  Red says Purple (that's what we're calling fiddlestickbug now) has perked up. He responds when we try to interact with him now. I don't think it likes me very much. It seems to like Red the most.  It won't drink potion. I tried just holding a bottle of splash open near it, but he doesn't seem to like the fumes either.  Guess it's just sus-stew and splash-droplets, then. He'll have to deal with the fumes. Regen isn't best as a contact-potion. Still. If he won't let potion into his gut at least some will get in his lungs.  Or. You know what I mean. Whatever sticks have for lungs.  And whatever mobs have too I guess. At least we know it does actually like the sweetberries. Red wants to try beetroot next, since he first saw it hiding among the beets. I'm gonna try beet soup first. 

--  The stews and potions are working! It's really slow but the tear in the wing and the cracks in the elytra are smaller now. Green keeps trying to play with it. Red's told him to stop picking it up so much. 

--  It's started making little quiet humming noises to itself with He's started humming to himself with his wings under his elytra. Red says it's probably safe to try solid foods now, so I'm giving it Purple the flowers and the mushrooms whole. And the beets.  It's started climbing more stuff. I may have to splash it him with slowfall again.

--  Dammit Orange if you set it back at all  He tried to give it a bath Red said it screamed so frantically it sounded like it was being tortured Poor thing must've thought it was drowning he was being drowned. I know Orange just wanted to clean the mud from outside off of it but good grief.

Doesn't look like his injuries have gotten any worse from the bathing attempt. I know we can't just let it be dirty all the time but that was too much. And I don't think Yellow's idea of automating a bath is the solution. Solution. Maybe a different soap would make it easier. Something with a comforting scent. Or something that feels different. I'll have to experiment. I haven't tried my hand at soaps again in a while. It's just potions but with slimeballs as the first ingredient in the water bottle instead of netherwart. Then sunflower, then either honeycomb or cocoa beans but not both. After that I can add whatever. I hope Purple can bear with me through enough baths. Or bear with us I guess. I guess he doesn't need to know I'm making the soap. Anyway, Orange promised not to do the bowl of water again. Just pouring from now on. He'd used my basic soap. Just sunflower and honeycomb. Or did he use the sunflower and cocoa one? I'll have to check. 

--  Okay so turns out Purple doesn't like mushrooms. Like, at all. Sorry for feeding you so much suspicious stew buddy. Maybe that's why he doesn't like me. No, he didn't like me before that. At least he seems fine with the dandelions and oxeye daisies. That's good. The effects won't be as potent with the raw flowers but he'll still get something from eating them. And he does like the beets. Maybe I'll try carrots next.

--  We're gonna start Purple on whatever you'd call physical therapy for limbs when those limbs are also a vocal organ. Red caught it Purple singing the other day, wings-out shell-up, so we've got to make sure he isn't straining himself too much and also that he's healing right. The plan is to have Green do singing exercises with him every day and monitor how he does. After each session we'll give him milk and then see what the potions and flowers might've hidden, and then do treatment. Once he's a little further along we'll switch to milk before the sessions. Green is really excited to play with his muse it Purple again. He can't fly away now. At least Purple likes him.

Carrots worked. Red suggests apples next.  I left a bunch of different flowers out for Purple, and everyone says he seemed to like the peonies and lilacs the most. Wait Orange found him in a peony back then, I remember his sketch. That makes sense. He can hide in it pretty well. I guess the lilac also makes sense. It's not exactly close to his color but it's closer than other flowers. Except maybe alliums. But I'm not putting those in a soap. Actually maybe I should add cornflower to his diet. It has jump-boost properties, maybe it would encourage him to start trying to fly again. Red says he should be trying to use his wings for flight too by now.

--  Purple likes apples. Purple doesn't like the peony-lilac soap Purple didn't seem too enthused about the peony-lilac soap, according to Orange.  Maybe I'll try again with cocoa bean instead of honeycomb. Same flowers. I've been trying to extend the duration of Purple's potion effects so he won't have to see me as often but I've run out of redstone dust. I'll have to ask Yellow for some. At least he ate the cornflower too. He probably wouldn't appreciate a potion of leaping but I may have to do one. 

--  Purple's started getting an attitude. He's avoiding me when I go to get him for potions. He climbed up high (or flew maybe) and then didn't come down when I tried to lure him out with a cookie (he got into a batch of cookies Orange and I made the other day). And then he bit Green. That was fun. Red had to calm get him down after that.

We're switching to milk before the musical exercises now.  I'm short on redstone dust again.  Orange says that Purple liked the cocoa soap even less than the honeycomb soap. What else can I try. Is it still a texture thing? 

--  Red is a lot more hands-off with Purple now. I think he's really getting worried that Purple hasn't been flying.  Or he still thinks that Green is a little too hands-on. At least he's letting me splash him without Red hanging over my shoulder now.

Purple is really taking advantage of the slowfall and leaping combined. But now Red is wondering if giving him too much protection is actually stunting his recovery. He flutters his wings and stuff when he's climbing to give himself a boost up but that's it. According to Green he doesn't show any discomfort with his wings when singing. I guess I can try weaning him off of slowfall. I feel like I shouldn't take away his flowers though. So he'll still have a bit of leaping. Just less.  Good news is, Orange said that Purple seemed okay with poppyseeds in the soap. I'm gonna try sand next.

--  Purple just jumped into the sand! He saw it and then just. Dove into it immediately.  Actually I think that's the closest he's gotten to flying. But then he started rubbing the grains all over his arms and legs, like actually scrubbing himself with them. Now he's shimmying and twisting around, probably trying to get it up into his back-fluff. Whatever Red called it. Setae, I think. He also called it a setal pile but I think that means a pile is just a type of setae. I dunno. It's all fuzz to me. Or maybe he's trying to rub his elytra against it. Anyway! I think I was right about the soap texture. Purple likes grit. Think I'm gonna try sand and poppyseeds both in the next one. Maybe charcoal too, for maximum exfoliation. Not that he'd care about that probably. He'd just appreciate the grittiness.

Ah. I will not be trying anymore soaps. Red learned that bug setae have this waxy coating, and it looks like Purple's does too. And it turns out that soap destroys that coating. So. No more soap. Geez no wonder he thought we were drowning him. I already made the new soap just for him too.

Honestly I'm not really that upset about it though, now that I think about it. I mean yeah it's a little disappointing but if it was gonna hurt him more then of course I'm gonna stop. Now I'm kinda glad he didn't know I was making the soaps. Orange doesn't wanna let him just roll around in sand though. Apparently sand-baths aren't clean enough for his standards. Green suggested an archeology brush. That actually sounds not too bad. As long as Purple knows to keep his shell closed, I'd hate to know what that might do to his wings. And I guess I did learn that I can make bar soap by adding a ball of clay at the end. 

--  Good news is, the archeology brush worked.  Meh news is, I'm not splashing Purple with potions anymore. Red said he's still not flying enough. But at least Purple seems less wary of me now that  Bad news is, I'm out of redstone dust again and at this rate I'm starting to think that Yellow is pilfering my stash.

I'll confront him about it tomorrow. Purple actually let me approach him without getting anxious today. I'm still not sure he'll let me pick him up, but I don't want to pressure him and I'm pretty sure Red doesn't want us picking him up anymore anyway. Maybe I'll try skritching his back, see if he'll let me. He seems to like it when the others do it. 

--

[buffetlicious]

For the Braised Fried Fish Maw Seafood Treasure Soup, the staff portioned it into ten smaller bowls before serving it to us. Not sure if it is because I am holding a camera, but my bowl came with more chunks of crab meat and fish maw. Basically, a seafood soup thickened with starch so the ingredients seem to be suspended/frozen in the soup. Black vinegar and white pepper accompanied this soup so feel free to add some to it.

Well, the Roasted Crispy Chicken with Prawn Crackers was warm and tender to eat, it however wasn’t crispy at it. And just like everywhere else in Singapore, they referred to this deep-fried chicken as a roasted chicken. Sprinkle a bit of the salt & pepper before putting it into the mouth. A lacklustre dish but thank goodness, the prawn crackers were crispy though.

This Steamed Hybrid Garoupa in Hong Kong Style was cut into sections just before they served it to us. This hybrid grouper is probably a cross between the giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) and brown-marbled grouper or tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and given the Dragon Tiger Grouper (龙虎斑) name. The fish got to be very fresh to be steamed and cooked with just a simple condiment of soya sauce, julienned spring onions and cilantro leaves for garnish. The end result, sweet springy flesh with collagen like skin that is so good to eat.

The Braised Whole 10-Head Abalone with Sea Cucumber and Spinach was up next but the process of waiting for the next dish to be served was a long one as in-between the hosts are showing us video stories of the newly married couple and plus the live singing by the friends and band. Ten pieces each of the abalone and sea cucumber sitting atop a bed of blanched Popeye’s favourite green vegetable. Why 10 you may ask? Because a table usually seat ten people so the food portions are divided equally so each get a piece of everything (for the expensive ingredients that is). The only complaint for this dish is that the spinach is on the bitter side.

Like an overturned basket or nest, spilling out Deep-Fried Prawns with Black Truffle Mayonnaise Sauce. If there is anything to change for the presentation, I would move the red and green coral lettuces from under the eatable nest and placed it in the nest for a more dramatic effect. Anyway, these truffle gratings lend an aromatic and earthy fragrances to the classic mayo prawns topped with orange flying fish roe. My colleague and I detected a mild spicy hint of wasabi in it but another colleague said it is from the truffle and mayo combo. Differences aside, this is one dish I won’t mind having again.

I always love this noodle served at the end of the dinner courses just before dessert. The Braised Ee-Fu Noodles with Yellow Chives and Straw Mushrooms is a usual staple at wedding due to the fact it is also known as longevity noodles (寿面). Normally, I would consume more than a bowl of the yi mein (伊面) but that night I was already quite stuffed from the dishes served and I was leaving room for dessert. :D

By the time the last dish was up and the clock was ticking closer to 11pm. The warm Teochew Yam Paste with Gingko Nut and Coconut Milk with its gooey and smooth yam (taro) paste and whole gingko nuts smothered in thickened coconut milk is bursting with sweetness and a great comfort to many of us Singaporeans. I liked the fact that the chef tuned the sugar level to just sweet enough as I preferred mine not too saccharine. Anyway, I just had to ask for another bowl as it was just too good to pass up.

Dinner is now over and after shaking hands with the groom, bride and their respective parents, it is time to head to the train station to catch the train home.

[creepyscritches]

What creamy garlic soup recipe do you use? :o

I use my own :)

Full recipe under cut.

Cream of Roasted Garlic Soup

Ingredients

4 - 6 heads garlic (6 only needed if heads are under 2" diameter)

1 sweet onion, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/4 cups finely grated parmesan (shredded will not blend into a smooth soup, grated is a must!)

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoon oregano

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Cooking steps

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut tops of garlic off to expose cloves. Place cut-side up in small square of aluminum foil and wrap loosely, leaving the tops of the garlic visible. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the exposed cloves and drizzle olive oil over entire head, making sure to get a little on every clove (wiggle that olive oil around and it does the trick. Olive oil AFTER salt and pepper helps the seasoning to seep to the bottom of the cloves = yummy and easy). Tightly wrap the foil around the heads to completely cover the garlic. Keeping cut-side up, place in baking pan and bake for 45 minutes.

While garlic is roasting, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large soup pot on medium high heat. Add chopped onion and stir to fully coat in oil. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions just begin to caramelize (10-12 minutes). Remove from heat and set to side.

Once garlic is finished roasting and cooled enough to handle, press the roasted cloves out of skins directly into a food processor. Add cooked onions and 4 1/2 cups of chicken stock to processor. Purée until smooth.

Pour soup back into pot used to cook the onions and bring to medium low heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream (add more cream for a milder flavor, the soup will turn out the same consistency!)

In a small bowl, create a slurry by gradually whisking 4 tablespoons of cornstarch into 4 tablespoons of chilled chicken stock. Once whisked completely smooth, slowly combine with soup while stirring continuously. (This step can be skipped if you don't want a thick soup consistency. It makes no change to the flavor.)

Gradually mix in the 1 1/4 cups of grated parmesan cheese. Add oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Add any type of pasta if desired (cheese tortellini pairs very well) and serve with fresh sprinkle of parmesan. May also be topped with crumbled fried pancetta or bacon.

If soup is too strong, heavy cream and chicken broth can be added at the end to adjust garlic's flavor dominance.

It can be frozen and saved, but when reheating be sure to gradually warm it so as to not separate the heavy cream. :3

[tardis-stowaway]

It's cold AF right now, so here is a soup recipe I love.

Pros of this recipe: -Delicious!!!! -Uses ingredients with a long shelf life that you may already have in your pantry (no special trip to the store) -Only one thing to chop (the 1/2 onion)

Pumpkin soup topped with curried pecans

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil (vegetable or canola work well) 1/4 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 an onion) 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree 2 cups vegetable broth 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup salt and ground black pepper 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (either regular or light will work, but I think the texture is a little nicer with the full-fat) 1/4 cup pecan pieces

Directions

Getting started:

-Preheat oven to 375˚F -Chop onion

Soup part: -Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. -Add the onions. cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. -Stir in 1 tablespoon of the curry powder and the pumpkin puree, then whisk in the broth until smooth.  -Add 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup and season to taste with salt and pepper. -Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop -If you're feeling fancy, you can puree the soup at this point.  I rarely bother and it's still yummy, but some folks might care more about the texture of the onion pieces. -Turn the heat to low. -Whisk in coconut milk, making sure you shake up the can first. -Taste and adjust seasonings -Heat until hot, do not boil

Curried pecans (while soup is simmering): -Reminder that your oven should be preheating to 375˚F -In a small bowl, combine pecan pieces with remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and toss to coat -Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, tossing to coat -Place the pecans in a small baking dish and bake until toasted, about 10 min.  (You might want to line it with parchment paper or foil, or at least use an old baking dish, because I've had this leave discolorations on my dish that wouldn't come off.) -Set aside to cool

-Serve soup sprinkled with pecans.

You probably want to serve something else alongside this, like a side salad, sandwich, or a piece of nice bread. If you are like me lazy and under-prepared, some crackers will do. If you are saving leftovers, keep the pecans separate from the soup and add them when it's time to reheat. I think this makes about four servings.

I got this recipe from my friend Nicole, who lists the original credit as "Quick-fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson (2007).

[thebigcomed0wn]

sorry to bother random question ; any chance u have a good recipe for kulajda ? my bf traveled around europe with his grandpa in his teens and talks about how amazing this soup was, and now that his grandpa has passed hes been sentimental about their adventures so i want to try and make it for him. sorry again if this is annoying !

omg not annoying at all! funny you ask since this is one of my least favorite childhood soups (dill…) but we do indeed have a recipe :) im charmed you asked ^_^ (my family is from the moravia region& not bohemia so this may be different than your bf remembers but it should be very similar)

number one thing: czech people are huge about mushrooms. i love dried porcini mushrooms and they pair well with this soup since they're savoury (also easy to find in the US), but ask your bf if he has a preference, i know some people dont like mushrooms like i do...

no. 2: some people use vegetable broth, we use bone broth, but i understand not everyone has a bunch of bones they can just boil soup out of on hand, so this is your choice what you use

here's our recipe under the cut, translated from my dad's terrible engineer handwriting. sorry some ingredients dont have "amounts" we kind of eyeball stuff (you should see the gulaš recipe)

ingredients: potatoes (as many as you'll eat), 1/3rd stick unsalted butter, 4 TBSP flour, sugar, dried mushrooms, 3/4th cup heavy cream, vinegar to taste, fresh dill, seasonings to taste, and 3 cups vegetable broth

PREP: get your mushrooms and potatoes ready. you need to boil your dried mushrooms in a cup or two of water until theyre soft, and then let them simmer- SAVE the water they're boiling in, you will add it to the soup later. peel your potatoes and cut them into cubes.

PART 1: create roux by melting butter in your soup pot and adding flour.

PART 2: gradually add in vegetable broth (we use bone broth sometimes too). you should have 3 cups of broth slowly added into the mixture and combined with the roux. do a little pour at a time and stir. if you add it all in at once, itll get lumpy with the flour and taste weird.

PART 3: remove the mushrooms from the mushroom water and add that in. salt it until it tastes like a good soup. keep your soup at a boil for about 10-15 minutes

PART 4: remove your soup from the heat. pour in the cream till its incorporated. add in your vinegar and dill. add in salt, pepper, or sugar until it tastes right.

this is usually served with boiled eggs, if your bf doesn't like them i assume you know lol. but it is super yummy with a jammy soft-boiled egg :-)

[figuring-out-witchiness]

Recipe- High Protein Strength and Protection Soup

Recently in Hong Kong we had a level Typhoon 8 (really bad storm) come our way. Since I moved into the new apartment and I was by myself I wanted to add a little protection to myself and my place. Ultimately the typhoon ended up not hitting so bad and my area was fine other than some heavy rain and wind. This is the recipe I used as the first storm warnings were put in place.

PLEASE NOTE: Do not only use a spell to protect your house. I also taped my windows and was prepared with resources in case I would be stuck or needed to leave the apartment. Listen to your weather authorities for the proper info. This spell is only to give a little boost to your existing precautions.

This recipe is intended to give you an added boost of protein to help strengthen your body while using the herbal power to infuse your home with peace, strength, and safety.

Ingredients

Bay leaf

Rosemary

Thyme

Salt

Black pepper

Cumin

Basil

Onion

Garlic

Pepper

Potatoes

Beans (any kind) I used white kidney from a can

Vegetable (preferably local and in season) I used Chinese cabbage

Chicken (meat is completely optional)

Cooking instructions

Heat your pot. Then add some oil.

While waiting for your pot to heat, chop up all your sauteeables (garlic, onion, pepper)

When the oil is hot add the chopped garlic, onion, and pepper to the pot and turn heat on low. Stir occasionally until softened and onions are translucent.

Also add in your seasonings. Cooking your aromatics in the oil first will ensure the flavor can bloom. The smell and taste will be more intense.

Chop up the chicken into the desired size pieces.

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. The. Add the pieces to the pot.

Wipe down your surface and sanitize immediately after handling the chicken to avoid salmonella risk.

Chop your remaining veggies. ( Potatoes and cabbage in this case)

Since in my case I used cabbage, when the chicken was about 50% cooked I added it in to give it a little extra cook. If you're using something less hearty like spinach you can wait to add in later.

When the chicken is about 70% cooked through, add water (or stock if you have that on hand)

Add in the chopped potatoes (and veggies if you didn't add with the chicken)

Simmer on low heat and continually stir to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Make sure you taste along the way. Let the seasonings guide your instincts and add whatever you feel is lacking.

When the potatoes are cooked through (can easily poke them through with a fork) then the soup is ready!

Casting Cooking Intensions

I laid all my ingredients out and focused on what I wanted to receive from each of these ingredients. I also acknowledged how they got to my kitchen or the life that went into providing me my meal (chicken in this case since I am flexitarian)

Acknowledged the storm starting outside. I opened a window and listened to the sounds of the nature and city around me. Focusing on the strength and power that comes from the thunder storm.

I organized all of my cooking utensils, pots, and bowls to be used. I sanitized them with boiling water while saying a positive words about the utensils ability to help me cook my meal.

Used my favorite cooking utensil. Many witches lean towards a wooden spoon that they are drawn to, or perhaps add their sigils on. But for me I use my favorite pair of wooden chopsticks! Same intent but different cultural variation based on what I'm drawn to use.

When stirring I stir in a clockwise position to draw in my intentions and counterclockwise to banish negativity or worry thoughts.

It may sound crazy but I speak to my soup. I think about being strong and visualize my house having beefy gym arms to push against the storm. I acknowledge the actual protection my home gives me daily and thank it. I ask my house to use the smells and energy from the soup to give it a little extra strength. I also visualize myself in the gym hitting my prs. And visualize eating my soup and it giving me strength. I also say things like "this soup is going to be so tasty and make me feel so comforted safe and warm while giving me all the protein and vitamins I need to be super strong and healthy" I kinda just say and think these positive things doing what feels right.

When I finally eat the soup I think of it powering me up and I focus on the flavors and all the energy that went into the ingredients that are now being passed on to me!

I save my scraps. The food worked hard to make it to my table and I believe every part should be utalized as much as possible. To reduce waste and show a little love to the earth I collect all the scraps for my freezer and make it into a veggies stock when it's full.