From Thy Bounty Fair, St. Nicholas

Several years ago I had a husband who was newly received into the Catholic Church when I felt called upon to make our Advent as holy as possible. I wanted to immerse my young family in our beautiful Catholic culture and at the same time not overwhelm myself. Toward that end I focused that first Advent on a few feast days that I felt I could easily handle and in doing so began a loving relationship with Saint Nicholas. I read about this Saint and fell in love with his protective charity and willingness to sacrifice all for his faith. 

The simple tradition of leaving out shoes and filling them with small gifts appealed to both my overworked mommy syndrome and underfunded bank account. I was also anxious to separate our Advent observance from the whole "Santa Claus" madness that can overwhelm small children so easily. In Saint Nicholas we have the example of a penitential Advent that truly prepares us for the arrival of our Redeemer. 

This year, in my home, we are experiencing sacrifice and penance daily. I am toward the end of a difficult pregnancy and we are living, quite literally, in a construction site. All of our possessions except those that are absolutely necessary for survival are packed up and in storage lockers all over town. This includes all of our Christmas decorations, Advent wreath and calendar. We won't be baking or crafting and even our Christmas books are, with few exceptions, stored somewhere. So I wanted to host this fair in order to live vicariously through those families who have more beauty and less austerity this Advent season. I want to see pictures and read of traditions that I can share with my children and ask them to remember for next year. Next year when we have a nicer home and new baby to share our joy. 

So lets get to the fun stuff. I encourage everyone to visit the O Night Divine Celebrate with Saints page to see all of the posts, mostly written by the lovely and talented Jennifer Miller, about Saint Nicholas. There you will find everything you need to know both about the Bishop of Myra and how to honor him on his big day. 

Then you must visit Elena and let her show you the cute way she begins the feast day for her children. I love breakfast celebrations! 

And while we are talking about food; lets go visit Eileen whose first attempt at some traditional St. Nicholas day baking looks delicious. There is a sweet little face in those pictures that is pretty delicious as well. 

How about a cookie recipe from cookbook author Amy Heyd? St. Nicholas purse cookies are a perfect accompaniment to the day. (link inactive/removed)

Jessica does the whole thing up right, books, food, drinks and fun. Also a crafty food giftie to bestow on friends. 

More deliciousness can be found at Erin's blog, Growing with my Girls, both the sweet little girls and the pretty cookies are worth the trip. 

Over at Island in the Grove, Donna's celebration focuses on the tradition of leaving out shoes for St. Nicholas to fill with treats. I love Donna's Advent garden and her handmade St. Nicholas and horse figures. It looks like she created a beautiful heirloom to make her family's celebration even more meaningful. 

Mary has a sweet candy cane craft that your children will love. Mary also made some shortbread cookies decorated with a stamp and petal dust. Petal dust? Have to get me some of that. 

Barbara's Speculatius Cookies took her children's German teacher back in time to her childhood. To my mind that's the ultimate food compliment. I kind of covet the tea towel in the picture as well! 

Marjorie shares a wonderful post filled with ideas and recipes focused on St. Nicholas' native Turkey.  (link inactive/removed) 

Any observance of St. Nicholas Day has to include a trip Jennifer Miller's blog. Jennifer has been writing about St. Nicholas for fifteen years and is widely considered the go-to resource for all things Nicholas. The post I highlighted lists some of her best articles and I want you to try to make time to peruse them. 

Now if all of that did not give you enough to think about or you are feeling it's too late to pull anything off go visit the amazing website Saint Nicholas Center. There you will find stories to read and coloring pages to print and simple crafts to create. You must, while there, visit the spoon saint page created by my dear friend Alice. 

I hope that everyone has enjoyed this fair as much as I have. I also hope that whatever you chose to do to honor Saint Nicholas that the day brings happiness wonderful memories to your family. 

Saint Nicholas, pray for us.

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Upcoming From thy Bounty Fair - St. Nicholas, Dec. 4

This is a reminder regarding the St. Nicholas themed From Thy Bounty Fair, which will be hosted here this week by Mary Ellen. The fair has been postponed until later in the week and is now scheduled for December 4.

Please share with us your culinary ideas for celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas in your home. Submissions are encouraged and welcome from bloggers and non-bloggers. Please submit links to posts (past years welcome), pictures or ideas to bonnybluehouse at gmail dot com by Wednesday evening, Dec. 3, so they can be included in this festive fair to celebrate St. Nicholas. All ideas, small or great are welcome!

Looking for inspiration?

As always a good place to start is the Catholic Culture website with its extensive collection of recipes in the St. Nicholas section. There are a large variety of recipes from classic liturgical year cookbooks and resources.

Another excellent on-line resource for all things Saint Nicholas is the St. Nicholas Center. The recipe section of the website is a treasure trove of festive foods from around the world to celebrate St. Nicholas. Everything from beverages to sweets & treats, from breads to main dishes are included here.

Saint Nicholas Day is a highlight of the Advent of season and a traditional time of celebration. His feast is popular all over the world which provides many different cultural twists on foods and feasting. St. Nicholas Day gives us a perfect excuse to start baking Christmas cookies. Speculaas and Springerle are the most well-known of the traditional cookies, but, the variety of cookies made in different cultures is as varied as the cultures themselves. Whether the cookies are imprinted in traditional cookie molds, made in to the shape of the saint or his symbols, or simply round,they are a mainstay for celebrating the feast day.


Bisschopswijn, hot spiced wine, is a traditional beverage for many, consumed on the eve of the feast day. There are also several non-alchoholic punch variations or grape juice can be used. Helen McLoughlin, in Family Advent Customs, suggests as an activity toasting his memory with the Bishopwyn and telling the beautiful legends of the charity of St. Nicholas.

Candy is a standard treat associated with the feast day as well, from homemade Nikolausschnitten and Borstplaat to chocolate coins and candy canes which have become associate with the feast. There are many fun ways to incorporate those into the St. Nicholas feast day.

The symbols associated with St. Nicholas such as three golden balls, three bags of gold (coins), three golden apples, three loaves of bread, three children in a tub, Trinity symbol on a cope, anchor, ship, bishop's mitre, shepherd's crook could be used as well.

Looking forward to seeing all of your ideas in the Bounty of St. Nicholas fair! Pin It

From Thy Bounty Fair Reminder

Holiday Foods and Feasts (November 17): Thanksgiving and Christmas are days associated with feasting and celebration. As we get ever closer to those festive meals we'd love to hear how your family feasts. Each family has traditional foods and festivities. Please share your thoughts, suggestions, menus, and recipes for these big feasts so we’ll be well prepared to enjoy them. Amy will be your hostess. We welcome your ideas and submissions. Please send ideas or links to Amy, the Catholic Cuisine address, or leave in comment box by Sunday, Nov. 16. Thanks. Pin It

Hallowed Days: All Saints and All Souls Fair

"In the communion of saints, a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things (#1475)." Catechism of the Catholic Church

This coming week, on October 31st - November 2nd, the Church will be celebrating the Hallowed Days (also known as "Days of the Dead"). As we celebrate these feasts, we remember all those who have gone before us, whether they are recognized by the Church as saints or not.

First we have Halloween on October 31st. The name Halloween is shortened from All Hallows' Eve, since it is the eve of All Hallows' Day (also known as All Saints' Day). Next, on November 1st we celebrate the actual feast of All Saints -- this includes all the Saints that have not been canonized and are unknown to us. Then, on November 2nd, we celebrate the feast of All Souls. This day is officially set aside to remember and pray for the poor souls in Purgatory.

The following articles from Catholic Culture are excellent resources for learning more about the history and traditions of these feasts:

• Halloween, All Saints and All Souls Day by Florence Berger
• Halloween and All Saints Day by Father William Saunders
• Ideas for Sanctifying Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day by Jennifer Miller

I also found the following to be quite helpful:

How, or even whether, to celebrate Hallowe'en is a controversial topic in traditional circles. One hears too often that "Hallowe'en is a pagan holiday" -- an impossibility because "Hallowe'en," as said, means "All Hallows' Evening" which is as Catholic a holiday as one can get. Some say that the holiday actually stems from Samhain, a pagan Celtic celebration, or is Satanic, but this isn't true, either, any more than Christmas "stems from" the Druids' Yule, though popular customs that predated the Church may be involved in our celebrations (it is rather amusing that October 31 is also "Reformation Day" in Protestant circles -- the day to recall Luther's having nailed his 95 Theses to Wittenberg's cathedral door -- but Protestants who reject "Hallowe'en" because pagans used to do things on October 31 don't object to commemorating that event on this day).

Some traditional Catholics, objecting to the definite secularization of the holiday and to the myth that the entire thing is "pagan" to begin with, refuse to celebrate it in any way at all, etc. Other traditional Catholics celebrate it without qualm, though keeping it Catholic and staying far away from some of the ugliness that surrounds the day in the secular world. However one decides to spend the day, it is hoped that the facts are kept straight, and that Catholics refrain from judging other Catholics who decide to celebrate differently. Source: Fisheaters (use site with caution!)

There are so many wonderful ways to celebrate these feasts with our families:

Eileen shares her families traditions and celebration from last year. I just love the All Saints Tea Party she had for her children, and the Flaming Cupcakes look like so much fun!!


Lori , who recently started blogging over at Busy With Blessings, shares two recipes that her family enjoys making for their All Saints Day festivities, Holy Ghost Cookies and Heavenly Haystacks:

Holy Ghost Cookies

• Nutter Butter Cookies
• Almond Bark
• Mini-Chocolate Chips

Take the Nutter Butter cookies and dip them in melted almond bark. Use mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Let set on waxed paper.

Heavenly Haystacks

• 1 large can of Chow Mein Noodles
• 1 package Butterscotch Morsels -- melted
• 1/2 cup Peanuts

Combine the can of chow mein noodles with the package of melted butterscotch morsels and peanuts. Drop into small haystacks on wax paper and let set. We look forward to these each year! Enjoy :)


Sarah shares a wonderful post filled with suggestions and links for these upcoming feasts. Although it isn't a recipe, I was very impressed with her link to the All Saints and All Souls Day Tree. I think we might just have to make one this week! I plan to head back to her blog since she was also shared ideas for some other upcoming feasts later this month!


I am always inspired by Mary over at Our Domestic Church (and a contributor here at Catholic Cuisine as well!). She is very creative, and I just love the recipes that she posted for celebrating All Souls Day. The Sugar Skulls look like so much fun to make, the recipe for Pan de Muerto (a Mexican sweet bread frequently flavored with orange and/or anise) sounds delicious, and her Calacas Cupcakes have got be the cutest skeletons I have ever seen!


Lisa from Creekside Wonder shares a number of their traditions with us including: a recipe for Albondigas (a traditional Mexican Meatball Soup), making Calacas (Sugar Skull Cookies--you can see their finished cookies here), and a beautiful picture of their completed home altar in honor of their departed loved ones.

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace. Amen.

The tradition of carving Jack-o-Lanterns came from the Irish, and they were originally carved turnips. Here is the legend that surrounds the Jack-o-Lantern is as follows:

There once was an old drunken trickster named Jack, a man known so much for his miserly ways that he was known as "Stingy Jack," He loved making mischief on everyone -- even his own family, even the Devil himself! One day, he tricked Satan into climbing up an apple tree -- but then carved Crosses on the trunk so the Devil couldn't get back down. He bargained with the Evil One, saying he would remove the Crosses only if the Devil would promise not to take his soul to Hell; to this, the Devil agreed.

After Jack died, after many years filled with vice, he went up to the Pearly Gates -- but was told by St. Peter that he was too miserable a creature to see the Face of Almighty God. But when he went to the Gates of Hell, he was reminded that he couldn't enter there, either! So, he was doomed to spend his eternity roaming the earth. The only good thing that happened to him was that the Devil threw him an ember from the burning pits to light his way, an ember he carried inside a hollowed-out, carved turnip.

Be sure to save the seeds from your pumpkin carvings to be roasted!! Here is the recipe we use:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• 2 cups pumpkin seeds (approx.)
• 2 TSP melted butter or oil (approx.)
• Salt to taste
• Optional: garlic powder; cayenne pepper; seasoned salt; Worcestershire Sauce; Cajun seasoning; or Hot Spice Mix (1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. chili powder)

Preheat oven to 300° F. Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the melted butter or oil and any optional ingredients of your choice. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Store airtight.
Option: If you roast them without any of the above optional flavorings, you can now flavor them Spicy-Sweet by doing this: Heat a TBSP of peanut oil in a skillet, add 2 TBSP sugar, and the seeds. Cook the pumpkin seeds over medium high heat for about 1 minute or until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize. Place pumpkin seeds in a large bowl and sprinkle with this mixture: 3 TBSP sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, and a pinch of ground cayenne pepper.

One of our favorite traditions is actually carving Saint-O-Lanterns rather than Jack-O-Lanterns. In fact my children are always discussing what they hope to carve months in advance. This year my boys are planning on trying to carve the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Ascension!


We are going to miss Regina and her family at our All Saints' Party this year, since they recently moved. It has always been fun competing against them in our local Saint-O-Lantern carving contest. (Though the new coordinators decided to not have the competition this year.) You have to go and check out their pumpkins from last year: A Girl Receiving her First Communion and the Nativity. Also, while you are there, don't miss the one her husband carved a few years back of Pope John Paul II. The picture really doesn't do it justice. It was amazing!


Totus Tuus Family recently posted a picture of their beautiful Pumpkin Monstrance. Be sure to click her link to see the yummy looking Pumpkin Pancakes and Hot Apple Cider Sauce that they enjoy during this season. Yummm!


Island in the Grove also shares an excellent idea for converting any of your All Hallows' Eve Jack-O-Lanterns for the feast of All Saints'.


In Catholic Traditions in Cooking, author Ann Ball says that "chestnut dishes are the traditional food in Italy. These dishes are of many sorts, from stuffing's for roasts to cakes and candies." I was excited to see that Jennifer Miller also shares some Italian recipes for these Hallowed Days over at her food blog Family Food for Feast and Feria. The "Chestnut Fritters" sounds absolutely divine, and the "Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Shell with Potato-Pumpkin Puree" sounds delicious as well. I am very intrigued and just might have to order that cookbook she recommends! While your there, don't miss clicking on the links to her past articles. They are very inspiring!


To finish up, I myself have been pouring through some of my favorite Catholic cookbooks these past few weeks, searching for ideas and recipes to incorporate into our own celebration. I compiled a post with ideas for Fasting and Feasting for All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' and All Souls Day over at my blog, Shower of Roses.


We hope you have enjoyed the fair. Thank you to everyone who participated!! If you have contributions to add, I'll continue to take submissions and insert them into the fair. God Bless!

"The glorious company of the apostles praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise Thee.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
All Thy saints and elect with one voice do acknowledge Thee,
O Blessed Trinity, one God!"

-- Feast of All Saints (November 1), Antiphon at Lauds. from the Te Deum

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Hallowed Days: All Saints and All Souls Fair Reminder

I just wanted to post a quick reminder for the upcoming From Thy Bounty Fair that will be posted this coming Monday, October 27th, here at Catholic Cuisine.

The theme is as follows:

Hallowed Days: All Saints and All Souls:
Florence Berger writes in Cooking for Christ: “The doctrine of the mystical body unites all Christians to their Master, and one with the other in God's kingdom here on earth. As the branches have their source in the vine, so with Christ we have been bound together for growth and fruition.” The Feasts of All Saints Day (preceded by All Hallows Eve) and All Souls tie together and help us remember the Church Militant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Triumphant. These days offer many unique traditions and celebrations. Share how you feast any of these days? What do you do to fill your tables with the traditions of these hallowed days?

Submissions are encouraged and welcome from everyone, both bloggers and non-bloggers. Please submit your blog links, pictures, recipes or ideas to me by Sunday night. Past posts are welcome as well. I'd love to hear all your ideas, so don't be shy!!!

You can email me at catholiccuisine[at]gmail[dot]com or leave your link in the comments below. Thank you and God Bless! Pin It

Fruits of the Harvest Fair

You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.
~Isaiah 9:3

Today at Catholic Cuisine we rejoice in the Lord, as we enjoy and share glimpses into the harvest happenings in our homes. Fall, because of it's focus on harvest and preparation for the winter, has traditionally been a time for giving thanks for the bounty of gifts we have received. Whether that bounty is grown in the field or orchard or hunted on the land we rejoice in God's goodness and generosity. Enjoy the fruits of this fair. We hope it holds ideas for you to use with your bounty.

Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.~ Mark 4: 28-29

Ana Braga-Henebry's Journal deliciously chronicles the entire harvest of the bounties of their splendid garden over the last several months. From this week's yummy pesto back through their season of fruitful harvesting, you can see the joy this abundance has brought them.

Jessica’s gang had an opportunity to share in the harvest of plums at the home of their priest earlier in the season. There is so much joy in the faces of these little harvesters - truly a reminder to enjoy these gifts with the heart of a little child. And here is the recipe for plum cobbler that they made with them. Looks delish!
Fruits of the vine, a product that is very much a part of our faith. Michaela shares the abundance of the fruits of her grape vine. A harvest being enjoyed by many.

When talking about the fruits of the harvest here in North America, no discussion it seems would be complete with mention of apples and pumpkins. They seem almost synonymous with autumn bounty.

Jenn first reflects with gratitude on the bounties of her own garden (tomatoes) and of the nearby community farms (apples & pumpkins). It has given her a time to remember in prayer a friend as well as a time to plan for making some favorite recipes. She shares a great outing the family took this weekend where they revelled in the apple and pumpkin harvest.

Mary of St. Athanasius Academy is also enjoying the bounty of that region. They recently relocated to an area rich in apple orchards, something quite lacking in the state they left behind. So they are enjoying the harvest of this basic and delicious fruit and tell all about the fun family trip to the orchard.

With the bounty of these particular fruits of the harvest and sometimes an overabundance, it is always helpful to have some recipes to enjoy.

Dawn's Apple Crisp sounds like the perfect fall treat.

JoAnne has a helpful and easy to follow Apple Pie tutorial.

Amazing and scrumptious come to mind with Donna's Apple Dumplings.

Michele was surprised by how simple yet delicious this pumpkin bread was to bake.

Pumpkins being a particular favorite at our house, I have included some of the favorite pumpkin recipes of our family.


The fruits of the harvest often come in great abundance. With that abundance comes a need to preserve and save much of the fruit for the future days when the earth is barren of the fresh fruits.

Jodie is new to the blogging world, her blog created especially to be able to participate in the fairs. Welcome, Jodie. She will be well prepared for the months to come considering this very complete post on food prep, preserving, and storing . She also shares a touching tribute to her grandmother, at whose side she learned the skills that serve her well in preserving and putting up the bounty of the harvest. And personally, I love the geographic reflections on living in the high desert. This is the area where I grew up and I was feeling a bit nostalgic reading it.
Marci is quite a pro when it comes to putting up fresh foods. Here she shares the basics and helpful tips for a variety of food preservation methods. It's listed by specific foods. What a fun and busy place her kitchen is in the fall.

Angi shares her gratitude for the generous friends and family who shared the abundance of bounty with them. This enabled Angi to can and freeze quite a bit of the frutis for future use.
This site was suggested by a reader as a helpful resource for canning.

We also have several contributed posts on the bounty we receive from the animals.

The Bee is small among flying creatures but her produce is the best of sweet things. ~Sirach 11:3

Another fun fruit of the harvest we don't always think of is honey, which does come from a very small animal. Septmeber is the traditional honey harvest and Donna shares a great outing to an aviary watching a beekeeper in action. Just look at all that beautiful golden goodness.

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. ~Genesis 10:9
Trina tells us of the bounty of a successful hunt in the way only a proud mama can do. She also shares a couple recipes for enjoying this bounty.

One is from a friend:
Put venison or elk roast in the crock pot with onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon & water/ or beef broth, and Seasoning salt. Cook all day, then shred and use as taco meat,Enchilada meat, put in Mexican soup, or even stew.

And this one from allrecipes.com:
Again put roast in the crock pot and add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix, and 1 1/2 c. water. Serve over noodles.

Theresa is experiencing her first autumn in Alaska and was the recipient of a generous gift from a friend's hunting bounty. Here she shares that she is grateful for the bounty and now is looking for ideas and recipes for using it. Check the comments for some readers’ recipes.

And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, nor shall you gather the gleaning after your harvest; you shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God. ~Leviticus 23:22

And on a final note, I wanted to share an experience that my children and I had last week when we helped to glean a farmer's field. It really brought home the idea of being thankful for our bounty and the call we have as Christians to share of that bounty.

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We hope you have enjoyed the fair. If you have contributions to add, I'll continue to take submissions and insert them into the fair.

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Fruits of the Harvest Fair Reminder

Just reminder about the upcoming From Thy Bounty Fair which will be published here on Monday.

The Fruits of Our Harvest (October 13): How do you give thanks? What do you do with the bounties of your harvest? Whether you grow your own, shop at the farmer’s market, visit an orchard, or hunt off the land you are benefiting from the bounties of God’s creation. Let's share our recipes, ideas, and thoughts on the bounties that God provides. I will be hosting the fair here on Monday. Submit your blog links, ideas, or pictures to me at Trail_trekkers at comcast dot net or leave them here in the comments section.

Looking forward to the wonderful array of fall bounty you will share, whether it be fall menus, putting up preserves, baking, freezing, drying, or simply enjoying the bounty in its natural fresh picked state in the moment. And it doesn't have to be a post you did this year. Past posts are welcome.

You adorn the year with your bounty; your paths drip with fruitful rain.

The untilled meadows also drip; the hills are robed with joy.

The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys blanketed with grain; they cheer and sing for joy.

~Psalms 65:12-14

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From Thy Bounty Fairs - Autumn Edition

We are pleased to announce a series of From Thy Bounty Fairs highlighting the fall feasts and fruits of the harvest hosted here at Catholic Cuisine. Please join us – we look forward to your participation and sharing.

The months of August, September, October and November are part of the harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere, and as Christians we recall God's constant protection over his people and give thanksgiving for the year's harvest. So in a special way that theme of harvest and thanksgiving encompasses the goal of the From Thy Bounty Fairs. We thank the Lord for the blessings He provides for our families and the opportunities those give us to celebrate and feast "from thy bounty" in our domestic churches. These fairs will be an opportunity to share with one another the joys, beauty, and abundance of our hearth and home, kitchen and table. You can highlight any aspect of bounty and feasting that you would like – whether it be meals, desserts, homemaking/decorating tips, or prayers.

The fall fairs will focus on some of the major feasts and fruits of the coming months which lead us into Advent.

Upcoming From Thy Bounty Fair Schedule:

Triumph of the Cross (September 15): The cross is a very basic shape and one easily incorporated into cooking and table decorating. This fair will be held right after the feast day. Share what you did to celebrate the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. How did you make the feast and symbol come alive in your Catholic kitchen? Michele will be the hostess. Please submit your link or pictures by the evening of 9/14.

Angels: Our Guardians and Defenders (September 29): Angels are honored in two big feasts within a few days of each other – the Feast of the Archangels (9/29) and Memorial of the Guardian Angels (10/2). Share how you are celebrating either or both of these feast days. What are you doing to make this memorable and visible for your family? Do you have special symbolic foods or meals for these days? Jenn will be your hostess.

The Fruits of Our Harvest (October 13): How do you give thanks? What do you do with the bounties of your harvest? Whether you grow your own, shop at the farmer’s market, visit an orchard, or hunt off the land you are benefiting from the bounties of God’s creation. Let's share our recipes, ideas, and thoughts on the bounties that God provides. Mary will be your hostess.

Hallowed Days: All Saints and All Souls (October 27): Florence Berger writes in Cooking for Christ: “The doctrine of the mystical body unites all Christians to their Master, and one with the other in God's kingdom here on earth. As the branches have their source in the vine, so with Christ we have been bound together for growth and fruition.” The Feasts of All Saints Day (preceded by All Hallows Eve) and All Souls tie together and help us remember the Church Militant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Triumphant. These days offer many unique traditions and celebrations. Share how you feast any of these days? What do you do to fill your tables with the traditions of these hallowed days? Jessica will be your hostess.

Holiday Foods and Feasts (November 17): Thanksgiving and Christmas are days associated with feasting and celebration. Each family has traditional foods and festivities. Please share your thoughts, suggestions, menus, and recipes for these big feasts so we’ll be well prepared to enjoy them. Amy will be your hostess.

The Bounty of St. Nicholas (December 1): St. Nicholas Day provides a bit of special festivity early in the waiting weeks of Advent. There are so many wonderful culinary traditions from around the world honoring this saint. How is St. Nicholas honored and remembered in your hearth and home? Do you have special treats or food ideas for celebrating this feast day?

To participate in the fairs please send a link to your post by the deadline date to the hostess indicated or leave a message in the comments section. You don’t need to have a blog – you can participate by sending pictures or ideas to the hostess for inclusion.

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We're having a Fair! - From Thy Bounty

Thank you for the enthusiasm you have shown for Catholic Cuisine. We will be hosting our first fair next week and your participation would be very welcome and much appreciated!

We thank the Lord for the blessings He has provided to our families and the opportunities those give us to celebrate and feast "from thy bounty" in our domestic churches through the year with all the feast days and celebrations. The From Thy Bounty Fairs will be a place for all of us to share our bounty of celebrations and feasts with each other in the format of a blog fair.

Since Spring (April/May) is a common time for First Holy Communions we are focusing this first fair on the festivities and foods of this sacrament's celebration. There will be various First Communion related posts at Catholic Cuisine over the next week. Then the Fair will be May 15. If you would like to participate please send me - mary_machado at comcast dot net - your submissions of First Communion Foods/Feast/Celebrations by the end of day May 14th or leave the link in the comments section. Even if you don't have a blog we would love your ideas and/or pictures to add to the fair. How does your family celebrate at home? Do you have a party? What foods are served? Does the first communicant pick the menu? Do you go out to eat to celebrate? Are there cultural traditions in your family?

Thanks!! Pin It