St. Andrew the Apostle Cupcakes

The feast of St. Andrew the Apostle is celebrated on November 30th. The beginning of Advent is alway determined by St. Andrew’s Day. The Sunday nearest to his feast is always the First Sunday in Advent. If November 30th falls on a Monday through Wednesday, Advent begins the Sunday preceding; if it falls on Thursday through Saturday Advent begins the Sunday following.

The feast of St. Andrew is also a nameday day in our home so we usually celebrate with a special dessert. Last year (you can see all the pictures over at Shower of Roses) I made these simple cupcakes using chocolate cupcakes, a can fluffy marshmallow frosting, Trader Joe's Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks, and Fudge Brownie Goldfish Grahams.

Saint Andrew is said to have been put to death by the Roman authorities on an X-shaped cross. After frosting each cupcake, I simply stuck two pretzels into each cupcake at an angle to create an X shaped cross. I then added a few fish grahams to the base of each cross, symbolizing that St. Andrew was a fisherman, like his brother Peter.  I'm hoping to make them again this year!

St. Andrew the Apostle from Naturally Catholic

You can scroll through additional recipes and ideas for the feast of St. Andrew in the archives. 

Saint Andrew the Apostle, Ora Pro Nobis! 

Clementine Margaritas

Pope St. Clement, disciple of St. Peter and St. Paul, is mentioned in Philippians 4:3, "I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life."  He is also considered one of the first apostolic fathers. When I learned in my reading about his writings being referred to as Clementine literature, the tasty little citrus fruits immediately came to mind as a great connection to this papal saint.  So each year I try to find new clementine recipes that would be fitting for his feast. This year the feast day falls on Thanksgiving Day in the US and I thought a festive but different citrus margarita would be fun. 

Clementine Margaritas
(makes 2)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed clementine juice (5-6 clementines)

4 tablespoons lime juice

4 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons agave nectar 

5 ounces tequila 

course sea salt

clementine and lime slices (for garnish and juicing rim)

Directions:

• Rub a wedge of lime around glass rim and dip into coarse sea salt. 
• Dissolve agave nectar in water to make a simple syrup. 
• Combine all ingredients together and mix well. 
• Pour over ice in glass.

Celebrating Martinmas

"The most common, and universal, harvest and thanksgiving celebration in medieval times was held on the Feast of St. Martin of Tours (Martinmas) on November 11. It was a holiday in Germany, France, Holland, England, and in central Europe. People first went to Mass and observed the rest of the day with games, dances, parades, and a festive dinner, the main feature of the meal being the traditional roast goose (Martin's goose). . ." 

- The Holyday Book: The Celebration of Holydays, Feastdays & Festivals

Here are a couple suggestions for today's feast from the archives: 

St. Martin Cookies for Martinmas

St. Martin's Bags

(you can download printable tags over at Shower of Roses) 

Scroll through the archives for even more recipes: 

St. Martin of Tours

Additional ideas can be found over at Shower of Roses: 

Celebrating the Saints :: St. Martin of Tours

O God, Who seest that we exist by no power of our own, mercifully grant that, by the intercession of blessed Martin, Thy confessor and bishop, we be strengthened against all adversities. 

St. Martin of Tours, Pray for us!