Collop Monday

With Lent starting next week, it is a good time to talk about those food related days preceding. The Monday before Ash Wednesday has a variety of names:  Rose Monday, Shrove Monday, Merry Monday or Hall Monday (short for "hallow" – holy).  Another name is Collop Monday.  It is rather overlooked these days while Shrove Tuesday gets all the focus.

The collops for which it is named, refer to slices of meat, often cured meats such as bacon.  Collop Monday was a last opportunity for eating meat as well as eggs and butter which weren't eaten during Lent. Any fresh meat still available would be sliced into steaks and salted to preserve it until the end of the period of fasting.  

A traditional meal would consist of thick slices of bacon along with eggs.  The remaining fat was often kept for making pancakes the next day, on Shrove Tuesday. 

Our family doesn’t need any excuse to eat bacon or ham, but if there is one, all the better.  Consider reviving this Collop Monday tradition this year in preparation for the start of Lent. 

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Irish Cheese Toasties - Egg & Cheese Breakfast for St. Brigid

St. Brigid - February 1

As indicated in the previous post, St. Brigid is patroness of those who raise chickens.  Here is another simple egg dish for a quick feast day breakfast. I love quick non-complicated ideas for feast days. This recipe, for open faces "toasties" is simple and uses items usually available - eggs and cheese.  It is my understanding that these would be a common everyday hearty-type of fare, traditional but not one you hear about for special occasions.  The kind of food an Irish grandma would make. 

Irish Cheese Toasties

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter
4 slices crusty bread
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 cups shredded Irish cheddar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter one side of each slice of bread and place the pieces buttered-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.

While that is toasting, whisk together the eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Stir in the cheese, evenly coating the shredded pieces with egg mixture.

Remove the toasted bread from the oven and divide the cheese mixture over the top of the four pieces of bread. Spread it to the edges of each slice.

Bake until puffed and golden brown, 12 - 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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Guinness Caramelized Onion & Irish Cheddar Quiche

We celebrate the feast of St. Brigid of Kildare, 5th century Irish saint, on February 1.  Our family has had chickens almost two years now and I really enjoy having the fresh eggs readily available in our kitchen. I recently learned that St. Brigid, in addition to being a patron of Ireland, is also the patron of poultry farmers. So as "poultry farmers" I thought it would be nice to find an egg dish to celebrate our patron's feast day and found this great recipe chock full of Irish ingredients - Guinness, potato, kale, Irish cheddar.  The Guinness caramelized onions add a tasty zing to this egg abundant dish.  Great for a breakfast or brunch on her feast day or that of other Irish saints. 

Guinness Caramelized Onion & Irish Cheddar Quiche

Ingredients:

1 cup Irish cheddar, grated
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Guinness beer
1 cup spinach, chopped  (or combo spinach and kale)
1 small potato, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray to coat pans

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Saute onions over medium heat in olive oil and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Pour Guinness into the pan, stir and cover.  Let cook for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Place diced potatoes in another greased pan, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. 

In bowl, beat eggs then add milk and mix.  Add cheese, onions, potatoes, spinach (& kale optional), salt and pepper.  Mix together and pour into greased round baking dish or quiche pan. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 

For past St. Brigid day recipes that recognize another of her patronages - dairy farmers - check out these bread recipes, with include buttermilk. Traditional Irish Soda Bread  and St. Brigid's Oaten Bread

St. Brigid, Pray for us!

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Shamrock Frittata

Shamrock Frittata

Adapted from Skinny Taste's Bell Pepper and Potato Frittata and our Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag of Trader Joe’s Roasted Potatoes with Roasted Peppers and Onions (or equivalent)
• Olive or Coconut Oil
• 12-18 Eggs (depending on the size - enough to cover the potatoes)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Green Bell Pepper (with three lobes for the shamrocks)
• Irish Style Breakfast Sausages (optional)

 

Directions:

Heat oil in a 12" Oven-safe Family Sized Skillet and cook potatoes, peppers and onions according to package directions.

While the vegetables cook, whisk the eggs in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the egg mixture to the cooking veggies.

Cook on low heat until just set, about 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the frittata to the oven and finish baking until golden under a heated broiler.

Serve with Irish style sausages.  This Shamrock Frittata served our family of nine. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

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Transportation Themed Snacks for the Feast of St. Christopher

July 25th is the Memorial of St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers. I'm planning on having a Transportation Themed Snack Time for my kids, in honor of this dear saint, which we will enjoy while reading The Legend of St. Christopher.  I just know my kids are going to love the snacks, and I love that they are all healthy, made with (mostly) real food, and yet are still fun and colorful!

Update: You can see additional pictures here. 

Banana Airplanes

I ran across an idea earlier today (via a google search for airplane snack ideas) and made a trial version this evening.  It was very easy to make and turned out so cute.  I know these are going to be a hit!

Ingredients Needed for Each Airplane:

• 1 Banana 
• 1 Strawberry
• 5 Brown Mini M&M's (3 reg. M&M's cut in half, or 5 raisins, would also work) 
• Whip Cream (I made my own, sweetened with stevia)

Directions:

Slice banana in half lengthwise.   Take one of the halves and slice it at a slight angle about 2/3 of the way through.   Arrange the banana pieces on a plate to look like a plane.   Add the Mini M&M's for the windows, a strawberry for the tail, and whipped cream for the jet stream and clouds.

 Graham Cracker Stop Lights

I made these little stop light snacks for my son's recent Cars themed birthday party.  The kids loved them so much that I think I am going to make them again in honor of St. Christopher.

Ingredients:

• Graham Crackers
• Peanut Butter
• Cocoa Powder
• Red, Yellow, and Green M&M's 

Directions:

Mix some cocoa powder into peanut butter.  (I just added a spoonful or so.) Break Graham Crackers into quarters and spread peanut butter mixture on the top of each cracker.   Add a Red, Yellow, and Green M&M to complete the stoplight.

*If you wanted to skip the M&M's, you could always make these with Strawberry, Apricot, and Kiwi Slices!  I also love the idea for making stoplights with celery sticks, cream cheese, and red, yellow and green bell peppers, cut into circles!  

Apple Slice Cars

I first saw this idea on Pinterest, originally from BentOnBetterLunches, and finally had a chance to try them!  This is yet another super cute snack that the kids will love and is still completely nutricious!  

Ingredients:

• Apples
• Firm Grapes
• Food Picks (I used toothpicks broken in half) 

Directions:

Slice an apple into wedges and trim the core. (I used my Pampered Chef Apple Wedger, which cuts the apple into 10 wedges.) 

For each apple wedge, slice 2 grapes in half, widthwise. Push the pick through one end of the apple and add one grape to each end of the pick, sliced side out.  Repeat with the other end of the apple wedge, adding 2 more grape slices.

Deviled Egg Boats 

We made these Deviled Egg Boats last year for one of our Good Shepherd Garden Parties. They would be a perfect snack for the feast of St. Christopher! 

Ingredients:

• 12 hard-boiled eggs 
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
• 2 teaspoons vinegar (white or cider) 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 red, orange, yellow, or green bell peppers 
• Paprika 

Directions:

Peel the eggs, then slice each one in half to make boats. Place the yolks in a medium-sized bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the mustard and the vinegar, then add the mayonnaise, stirring until the consistency is smooth but not soupy.

Next, make the sails. To do this, cut each pepper into 1-inch-wide strips, then cut the strips into 1-inch squares and slice each square in half diagonally.

Fill the egg-white halves with the yolk mixture. Stick the sail upright into the filling and sprinkle with paprika. Makes two dozen.

St. Christopher, Patron of Travelers,

Ora Pro Nobis! 

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Italian Easter Bread

I have been wanting to try and make Easter Bread Nests ever since seeing the yummy recipe Charlotte shared a couple years ago. Once again I wasn't able to find the time to make them for Easter morning, but since one of the symbols for the second week of Easter using The Garden of the Good Shepherd : A Sticker Calendar to Count the 50 days of Easter is "bread" I figured this week's Good Shepherd's Garden Party would be the perfect opportunity!

Instead of using the recipe in the archives (which we do love and bake each year on Santa Lucia Day), my oldest daughter and I ended up making the Italian Easter Bread from The Italian Dish.  The bread ended up being much easier to make than I expected and turned out beautifully!  It bakes up incredibly soft and sweet, and reminded my children of the Portuguese sweet rolls they enjoy at our local St. Anthony's Festa each year.  We will be making these again, for sure!

Italian Easter Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 1/4 ) teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups flour (I actually ended up using 5 cups)
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
• 6 dyed, uncooked, Easter eggs (will cook in the oven)
• sprinkles

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the yeast, milk, salt, butter, eggs and sugar. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. With the mixer set to a low speed and switching to the dough hook attachment (or by hand), continue adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1-inch by 14-inch rope.

Taking two pieces, twist to form a "braid," then join the ends to loop into a circle, pinching the tips together.

Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a clean towel and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 1 more hour.  (We accidentally skipped this second rise, but they still turned out okay... The eggs just didn't stick out as well.) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush each dough "nest" with the beaten egg wash.

Decorate with the sprinkles.

In the middle of each bread ring, gently place an Easter egg, making an indentation with the egg. Place one egg in the center of each nest, pressing down lightly to secure.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: Be sure to either refrigerate or discard the eggs, if not eaten within a couple hours.

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St. Patrick's Shamrock Eggs and Fruit Rainbows

This past October, when studying colors and guardian angels with my pre-schooler, we made some fun and colorful flower eggs for breakfast.   Looking back at the pictures I realized that by using just three-lobed peppers, like we've used in the past for our Shamrock Toasties and Mini Pizzas, we could make Shamrock Eggs by just adding a stem!  I gave it a try yesterday morning with the Green Pepper I  happened to have in the fridge.  It would have worked much better if I had used a larger pepper, but at least you can still get the general idea.  Our four oldest children aren't very picky, and they love these.   Our extra picky pre-schooler, on the other hand, won't even touch them!  :)

I'm thinking that these will make a great addition to the Cinnamon Shamrocks for our St. Patrick's Day brunch!  I just need to get back to the store for a few more green peppers.  

St. Patrick's Shamrock Eggs

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray or Coconut Oil for Pan
Three Lobed Green Bell Peppers
Eggs
Salt and Pepper (optional)
Fresh Fruit

Directions:

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium low heat. Lightly spray skillet with cooking oil spray.

Cut bell pepper into 1/2 inch thick slices. (You should be able to get four slices from a larger pepper.)  Slice some "stems" from the remaining pepper.  Place pepper rings and stems in the skillet.

Crack one egg into each pepper ring. Cover and cook for a few minutes, until egg yolks are to desired firmness. If you like your yolks firm, it helps to break the yolk right after cracking into pepper rings.

Place one stem on each ring, completing your "shamrock." Season to taste. 

Serve with fresh fruit rainbows! (In the past we have made rainbow fruit skewers, a rainbow fruit platter, and mini rainbow fruit plates.)  Enjoy!

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Meatless Meals :: Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata

I hope you are all having a blessed and fruitful Lent! I wanted to take a second to share one of our new favorite meatless meals this year: Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata.  With a newborn in our home I've had to find meals that are not only healthy, but quick and easy to make as well.   For those with allergies, this recipe is also free of dairy and grains. I've made it a few times now and it is definitely a keeper!

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata

adapted from Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil (or butter)
• 8 eggs
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in slices
• 2 sliced zucchinis
• 1 sliced red bell pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Salsa, optional

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a pan over a medium-low heat.  Add the sweet potato slices and cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the red bell pepper and zucchini slices and cook for another 4 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, whisk the eggs in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Add the egg mixture to the cooking veggies.

Cook on low heat until just set, about 10 minutes.  Finish the frittata until golden under a heated broiler.

Cut the finished frittata into wedges and serve salsa, if desired.

You can find additional Meatless Meals for Lent in the archives!

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St. Valentine’s Healthy Heart Breakfast

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” –1Jn 4:16

SAINT VALENTINE

Priest and Martyr

February 14 -  feast of St. Valentine in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

SIMPLE / RED

During the persecution under Emperor Claudius II, Valentine, a zealous priest in Rome, ministered boldly to the martyr. He was arrested and taken before the prefect, who made tempting offers to induce him to apostatize. Finding that he was wasting his breath, the prefect condemned Valentine to death. The beheading took place on February 14, about the year 270. The true follower of Christ ignores worldly caution when he is called upon to bear witness to Jesus. "The inclination of the flesh is death, but the inclination of the spirit, life and peace" (Rom. 8:6)

~~~

St. Valentine is my family’s patron saint for 2012.  We are trying to find simple ways to celebrate.  This is the first, complete year for my family’s radical diet change.  That mean’s no more traditional sweet treats for us.  (Don’t worry, we are not deprived and we do eat!)

We start the day with a healthy serving of protein, usually eggs and bacon.  Here is our take for St. Valentine’s Breakfast – Egg cupcake, heart bacon, and love berries.

I’ve listed more St. Valentine’s resources here.

St. Valentine ~ ora pro nobis

~~~

Recipe: St. Valentine’s Health Heart Breakfast

Egg Cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 min. | Cook Time: 18 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 18-20 Egg Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

• 10-12 eggs 
• cooked meat (optional)
• 1 green onion
• 1-2 zucchini
• 2-3 cups spinach
• red & yellow bell peppers
• olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Grease muffin pan with olive oil
• Scramble eggs in bowl
• Use the food processor to finely chop spinach, zucchini, bell peppers and green onion. (Do not purify mixture.)
• Add the mixture to the scrambled eggs.   Mix well and season to taste.
• Fill the muffin pan with 1/4 cup of the egg mixture. 
• Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle. – DO NOT OVERCOOK.

NOTES:

The kids love this version of eggs.  It’s perfect for breakfast on-the-go.  We use it for our Sunday breakfast since we have an hour drive to Mass.  You could also make these the night before and re-heat.

Dad likes to garnish his egg cupcakes with salsa.  I prefer guacamole.

I pictured another version of eggs - soft boiled egg and plain egg cupcakes.  Soft boiled egg – break the egg into a greased cupcake pan, season, and bake for 8-10 min. Plain Egg Cupcake – follow the directions above sans veggies.

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Heart Bacon

INGREDIENTS

• bacon

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• fold two pieces of bacon into a heart shape
• cook in a George Forman Grill or oven.

NOTES:

This shaped bacon works better in a George Forman Grill.

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Love Berries

INGREDIENTS

• strawberries

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• remove the stem by cutting a small triangle into the top of the strawberry
• slice strawberry in half – horizontally

NOTES:

I often use frozen berries.  Defrost the berries. 

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Bird's-Nest Cookies for Easter

This morning we started making the treats for tomorrow!   We started with a batch of Chocolate Nests followed by a Chocolate Crown of Thorns.   Then we decided to try make a few more nests slightly modifying a recipe from the Fairies Cookbook, Fairy-Tale Bird's Nest Cookies!   They turned out so cute and I thought I would share the recipe with you all real quick.

Bird's Nest Cookies

adapted from Fairies Cookbook

Ingredients:

8 ounces light blue candy melts 

(The cookbook suggests 1/2 pound vanilla candy coating, mixed paste blue food coloring)

2 cups chow mein noodles

2 cups cornflakes

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded coconut, tinted green with liquid food coloring 

(I used paste)

1/2 cup pastel candy-coated chocolate candies

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine chow mein noodles, cornflakes, and salt.   

Pour melted candy over the mixture, stirring until completely coated. 

Form nests by mounding heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a sheet pan lined with foil.  

To tint coconut, place it in a small ziplock bag.  Add a few drops of food coloring, seal and shake!  

Sprinkle the coconut on top and then, with your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each nest. 

Place several candies into each nest.  

All done!

It's "A treat to make the birds sing!" 

...or at least my children!  :-) 

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