Mystical Minis

When people think of magic, they often think a complex ritual of spells.  I am here to say that is not always true.   For example, these mystical minis are a simple dessert that can bring a touch of magic into your life.  With a little love, a dollop of creativity (or whipped cream), and a pinch of whimsy (or salt), you can have delightful delicious desserts that can do wondrous things for you and those around you.

MARVELOUS MYSTICAL MAGICAL MINIS

 Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 18 -20 minutes. Use mini tart pans lined with mini cuplets or 1-2” foil and paper cups (a good place to find them is Michaels). Makes about 60 -72 tiny bite sized desserts. I often divide the recipe in half but the mini cheesecakes do freeze very well.

·         1¼ cup graham wafer or Oreo  crumbs

·         ¼ cup melted butter

Mix together and press about 1 tsp. into each cuplet.

• 2- 8 oz. pkgs. of brick cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. of lemon juice

Beat well and fill each liner about ¾ full. Bake until tops look set and have a touch of golden color. Cool completely.

  Magical Touch

There are a variety of things you can do to add magic to these tasty treats.  It would take forever to list them all but here are four to get you started.
Apple Cinnamon Caramel - Attracts love and passion and calms anxiety. Apple
Cinnamon
White sugar

Caramel sauce (make your own, melt soft caramels, or use sundae topping)

1. Core and pare apple and cut into little tiny pieces.
2. Mix in cinnamon and sugar to taste.
3. Put in the microwave and cook for one minute.
4. Spoon your apple mixture into the center of the mini.
5. Pour the caramel sauce on top.

Sea Salt Chocolate - Cleanses the soul.  Milk Chocolate bar
Pinch of Sea Salt

1. Cut the chocolate into small pieces.
2. Add 2-3 drops of vegetable oil.
3. Put in the microwave for 20 second intervals. Stir after each interval until melted.
4. Spoon the melted chocolate into the center of the mini.
5. Take a pinch of sea salt and sprinkle on top.

Lemon with Berries - Gives a surge of joyous energy. Lemon Pie Filling
Raspberries and Blueberries

1. Spoon lemon pie filling into the center of the mini.
2. Place one blueberry and one raspberry in the center.

Mint and Basil:  - Protects against negativity. Mint Jelly
Pinch of dried Basil

1. Spoon mint jelly into the center of the mini.
2. Sprinkle the basil on top.

Simple right?  But what makes them so magical?  The beginning of all magic comes from intention.  Arrange the desserts on a pretty plate, and play a little music.  Concentrate, wave your hand over the minis, and put your energy into them.  When you put in love and joyous energy, they instantly become magical. 
I hosted a Boxing Day Party and served the desserts. They were big hit and everyone was happy and having a great time.  Of course, I also served wine and cocktails.

Monster Cookies

October is all about monster mayhem.  Monster movies, monster costumes and (as I have discovered) monster trucks.  Now that November is here and the festivies are done, we have to forget all of that until next year.  Luckily, I have a monsterously magnificient momento to remember the Halloween season.  A recipe for monster cookies.  Everyone is afraid of a monster but these monster's are friendly and yummy.  Don't worry they like to be eaten so its not animal/monster cruelty.   



You will need:

1 Angel Food Cake Mix Box (I prefer nice monsters)

2 Cups of M&Ms

½ cup of softened butter (take out first thing in the morning and let sit) 

½ tsp. vanilla

1 softened 8 oz. Cream Cheese Bar (take out first thing in the morning and let sit)

1 egg

Powdered Sugar

Food Coloring

Candy Eyeballs (I found these in Michaels but you can find them in any craft store)

Instructions

1. Beat butter, vanilla, egg and cream cheese together in a large bowl until fluffy.
2. Add the cake mix, then divide batter into bowls for the amount of colors you want.
3. Add food coloring for your desired color to each individual bowl and mix until all combined.
4. Divide M&Ms into different colors (This is optional) and add them into your cookie mix.  Stir
5. Put batter in refridgerator for 30 minutes to chill.
6. Take out of Refridgerater, roll into balls and dip in a bowl of powdered sugar.
7. Place the balls on greased cookie sheet and pat down slightly.
8. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes
9. Add candy eyeballs on while cookies are still warm.  
10. Eat, Exchange and Enjoy!

 

As you can see that these cookies are easy to make and are ready in a flash.  Kids love them (Don't worry.  They won't be scared), and they are very popular at bake sales.  You make one batch of these beauties and BAM!  Watch them disappear as fast as the last month does.  My mother always says to keep the monsters outside but these cookies are too good to pass up.  They are a friendly reminder of my favorite holiday.  How do you remember your Halloween?

 

 

Magical Herb Garden

You thought they didn't exist in this world did you?  Well good news my fantastical darlings, They do!  It takes some work but you can get a lush and lovely little garden to nourish your mystical bodies. The herbs here work a little differently.  We have the same ones humans do back home but the ones that are native to our world will not grow in this realm.  On top of that, the herbs here require a lot more care and harvesting.

I know what you're thinking.  Isn't it enough just to have them?  The answer is no.  In the earth realm we can't just summon an individual rain cloud that fits in your garden or bring plants to life with your touch.  You have to take water from the hose, well, sink, whatever and water them.  Also you have to take a small knife or a pair of scissors and cut the herbs where it's safe to cut them. Oh!  And don't forget to fertilize these herbs because they need that here.

Now what are good magical herbs to have here?  Here is a list and what they're for.  The red is for the name of the herb, green is for the uses in our world, and blue is for its uses in the earth realm.

Basil:   In our world, basil is used for clarity especially with important things.  So if you lose something, one bite from these leaves and you will remember where it is.  For magical uses in this realm, basil is used for love, exorcism, wealth, flying, protection and courage.  Pretty cool yes?  Practically speaking it helps prevents cancer, heal cuts and aids digestion.  Best to cook in sauces, salads and teas.
Chamomile: What is this little herb good for?  In our world we use it to keep us from getting lost in dreams and to keep nasty demons out of the house.  In the Earth Realm however, it is used for meditation, centering, peace, protection, healing and money.  For practical uses, it is good as a sleep aid, relieves fevers and stomach aches, and is a good strengthener for blond hair.  Best as a tea.
Chives:  In our world we use this as a "gauge" in how undead a person is.  Mostly in the Earth Realm, this is to keep diseases and evil spirits away.  For practical uses they are mildly anti-septic.  This is best in any kind of cooking from pastas, soups and salads.
Jasmine:  We mystics love to use this as a way to lure the object of our affection.  Humans however use this for love, sensuality, money, meditation and prophetic dreams.  Practically speaking it's good for headaches, lifting your mood and calms anxiety.  The best way to ingest it is through teas. 
Lavender:  The magical uses of lavender is many and varied.  In our realm, we mostly plant this in our gardens for luck but in the earth realm it has more powers.  This includes love, chastity (when used with rosemary), sleep, protection, purification, peace, longevity and happiness.  This is a herb that can be cooked or steeped in tea but I'll be frank.  It tastes like soap.  Better to just use it as a scent only. 

Lemon Balm: Lemon balm makes a very nice healing slave in our world.  In this world it is used for love, success, and healing.  It's not that different since both mystics and humans use it because it's good for the skin, kills viruses and calms your nerves.  Another plus is they attract bees and butterflies.  Best to drink like a tea.
Oregano:  Like lavender, oregano has many magical uses.  We use it for medicines, anxiety relief and (for shape shifters) the ease to deal with transforming.   Humans use it for happiness, tranquility, health, protection and letting things go that piss them off.  Unlike lavender, oregano is delicious and is good in just about everything.  You can make it up in sauces, soups and yes salads too. 
Parsley:  This lovely, bushy herb is used to keep zombies from decaying and going all crazy.  Magically speaking (for the earthlings), parsley is good for travelling and gaining wisdom.  For practical uses, parsley is good for your skin, blood and hair.  Once again, this is good for almost any dish you wish to have. 
Peppermint: This is like catnip for fairies.  We love the smell.  So if you are looking to attract a fairy, this is how to do it.  In this realm, it's used for healing, psychic abilities, meditation, and purification.  That is what peppermint does best.  For practical uses it helps you sleep, digest food and headaches.  If you are looking to make something with it, I recommend using it as a tea or dessert. 
Thyme: Like it's name, we in the Nether Realm use this for controlling time (freezing or speeding it up) and for alchemical purposes.  Thyme’s associations in the Earth Realm include: healing, love, psychic knowledge and purification.  All of which are needed.  Now the best way to cook with thyme is usually with potatoes, soups and a cheesy casserole. 

Those are just some starters.  If you would like others, I would also recommend rosemary, sage, catnip, rose hips and coriander.  Everything you need is here in these plants.  Does anyone have any other herbs to add?