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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Angel Food Blackberry Trifle for Michaelmas

As Abigail mentioned in the post below, blackberries are traditional for celebrating the feast of St. Michael. In A Book of Feasts & Seasons, Joanna Bogle, says that "It is a tradition that blackberries are no good to eat after September 29th because 'the Devil spat on them when he was cast out of Heaven into Hell on Michaelmas'!" But what do you do if your family doesn't like blackberries? Here is a trifle recipe that my family enjoys that is great with or without real blackberries. Blackberry jam substitutes for the real berries and is a lovely compliment to the sweet lemon cream and light angel food cake which reminds of the other archangels we celebrate today.

Angel Food Trifle
1 angel food cake (store bought or homemade), chopped up into bite sized pieces
2 (8 oz.) tubs Cool Whip or equivalent whipped cream
2 lemons
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
fresh/frozen blackberries or blackberry jam or preserves


First, zest lemons to measure 1 tablespoon of zest. Next, juice lemons to measure 1/4 cup. In a bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, & juice. Fold in 1 1/2 C. of Cool Whip. Set lemon cream aside.


To assemble the trifle:
Put 1/3 of the cake bits in the bottom of a tall glass container. Spoon 1/3 of the lemon cream on top along with scoops of plain cream. Add blackberries, sprinkling a few here and there or enough to make a solid layer depending on your family's fondness of blackberries. If you are using the jam instead, drop spoonfuls of it on top of the cake before the cream layer. Repeat twice to make 3 layers finishing with a layer of Cool Whip. Top with more blackberries. (If you are making this ahead, you might want to wait and add the blackberries on top just before serving so they don't weep all over your whipped cream.)
In the event your family doesn't like blackberries, I thought I'd let you know we decided to use some Haribo Gummi Raspberries to decorate the top. Symbolic and tasty!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Poor Man's Caviar

Photo: Michael Piazza
To celebrate today's Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, patron saint of the poor (novus ordo calendar) I am going to make this delicious Poor Man's Caviar.

Poor Man's Caviar

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
  • 1 bunch chopped, fresh cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together onion, green bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, black beans, black-eyed peas and salt and pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours. Toss with desired amount of fresh cilantro to serve.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Apple Cake for Michaelmas

The following recipe was submitted by Abigail Burke, from Elk Grove, CA, for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Abigail!


Michaelmas (September 29th, now known as the Feast of the Archangels) is often associated with the end of the harvest, so you can make a lot of wonderful autumnal dishes for this feast. Although apple and blackberry pie is the traditional dessert for Michaelmas (see Joanna Bogle's Feasts and Seasons), here is another option using harvest apples:

Apple Cake with Carmel Glaze

For Cake:
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
3-5 cups peeled and chopped fresh apples

Combine the oil and sugar. Add well beaten eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda, then add dry ingredients to sugar mixture. Stir in chopped walnuts and apples. Pour into bunt pan and bake at 325 until done, about 65 minutes.

For Glaze:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cream

Place butter and sugar in a double boiler and allow to melt, blending well. Add cream and bring to a boil. Cool, then add vanilla. Pour over cooled cake.

Hope you enjoy!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Seven Sorrows Of Mary Cookies

Remembering the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
throughout the month of September...

I thought I'd share this idea since I found these tasty heart-shaped treats at our local Trader Joe's market.
I know that I appreciate a "quick tip" for the days that we fall short with our time to bake or cook something for a liturgical celebration.
Being heart-shaped, I can think of a few occasions to use these!
I also found these to be a bit lighter on the calorie and sugar content!
I like the idea of using cocktail swords for the seven sorrows but I didn't have those on hand.  Toothpicks served as a nice alternate visual learning tool.

In honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, let us offer an extra Hail Mary for those who need the intercession of Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Happy Birthday, Dear Blessed Mother!


Happy Birthday to Our Lady!
Here are some fun ways to use cupcakes to celebrate Marian Feast Days....
The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary is coming up!
~I just used white frosting, blue sparkle gel, and blue sprinkles~
O Queen of heaven and earth, Most Holy Virgin, we venerate thee.
Thou art the beloved Daughter of the Most High God,
the chosen Mother of the Incarnate Word, 
the Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
the Sacred Vessel of the Most Holy Trinity.
~Please Pray For Us~

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Mary's Birthday Party Mix

The following recipe was submitted by Nicole, from Saints in Progress, for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Nicole!


I put together this snack mix a few months ago and it was totally addicting. I just bought the stuff to make more, and it occurred to me that this could be a good little addition to a Marian feast: the berries symbolize her fruitfulness, the white chips her sinlessness, the honey roasted peanuts--well, honey has many connotations for the Christian faith, including the virginity of Mary, virtue and the sweetness of God's love. So now I call it Mary's Birthday Mix.

I have never actually quantified the ingredients; I just mixed it up in a little canister by eyeing the layers and shaking it up. Here's an estimate: you might want to play with it a little.

5 oz (about 1 c) dried mixed berries
3 oz (about 1/2 c) dried blueberries
1 1/2 c honey roasted peanuts
1 c white chocolate chips

Mix and enjoy!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Recipes for September ~ Month Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows

Note: This post has been updated here.



Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members." ~ Catholic Culture


September 3, Feast of St. Gregory the Great (New.):



September 4, Feast of St. Rosalia and St. Rose of Viterbo (Trad.):
(The following posts would work nicely!)


September 5, Feast of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta :


September 8, Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (New, Trad.):





September 12, Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary (New, Trad.):




September 13, Feast of St. John Chrysostom (New):


September 14, Feast of the Triumph of the Cross (New, Trad.):



Autumnal Ember Days ~ Wednesday, Friday and Saturday following the 3rd Sunday of September (after the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) :


September 15, Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (New) or The 7 Sorrows of Our Lady (Trad.):



September 19, Feast of St. Januarius (Gennaro) (New, Trad.):


September 20, Feast of Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Pr., Paul Chong Hasang, Catechist & Companions (New):


September 23, Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) (New):



September 28, Feast of St. Wenceslaus (New, Trad.):


September 29, Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels (New) Michaelmas Day (Trad.):


September 30, Feast of St. Jerome (New, Trad.):

O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen.
~ Saint Bonaventure