St. Agnes Little Lamb Popcorn Snacks

I have seen this idea for sheep-themed birthday parties and thought it would make a nice and simple (and healthy) feast day snack idea of those saints associated with sheep or who have a sheep/lamb as a symbol. This week is the feast of St. Agnes (January 21), who is usually depicted holding a lamb to represent her virginity.

Fill small baggies with popcorn (not ziploc), tie the baggie closed, and tape on paper lamb head using this template or have your children draw their own.  I taped the corners to the back to make sure it retained the rounded shape. Could also just wrap in plastic wrap to make a round shape.

Other saints with lambs/sheep symbol including those who were shepherds:
St. Genevieve (January 3)
Sts. Jacinta and Francisco (February 20)
St. Bernadette (April 16)
St. Drogo (April 16)
Good Shepherd Sunday (4th Sunday Easter Season)
St. Germaine (June 15)
St. John the Baptist (June 24)
St. Joan of Arc (October 21)

*Looks like April 16 is a great day for sheep themed ideas with two different saints associated with sheep. 

St. Agnes, Pray for Us!

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Campanelle "Little Bells" or Gigli "Lily" Pasta Ideas

Campanelle is a pasta shaped like a cone with a ruffled edge. It is Italian for "bellflowers” or "little bells" due to its shape like a bell or bell-shaped flower. This pasta shape is also referred to as gigli which means lily. Campanelle is intended to be served with heavier sauces or in a casserole.

It is part of tradition in Christian art to use lilies as a symbol of purity when portraying Our Lady or the Saints and even Angels.  The lily is an emblem of purity and chastity. It is the flower the medievals found to best symbolize the purity of Mary, and was admired as a flower of purity since the time of the Ancients. By the 14th century, it became common to find the lily in Annunciation paintings and illuminations, with either St. Gabriel holding it on in a vase between them.

There are numerous saints depicted with a lily or a bell which would be fitting for a campanelle pasta meal idea on feast days.  This week we happen to have a prominent lily associated saint - St. Kateri, the Lily of the Mohawks. But it is a good year round option due to the many saints associated and depicted with lilies or bells, as well as all the Marian feasts.  

St. Anthony the Hermit - January 17
St. Agnes - January 21
St. Agatha - February 5
St. Casimir - March 4
St. Joseph - March 19
Feast of the Annunciation - March 25
St. Agnes of Montepulciano - April 20
St. Catherine of Siena - April 29
St. Anthony of Padua - June 13
St. Aloysius Gonzaga - June 21
St. Maria Goretti - July 6
St. Kateri Tekakwitha - July 14
St. Dominic - August 8
St. Philomena - August 11
St. Gabriel the Archangel - September 29

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Lamb Ragout over Potatoes for St. Agnes

Ragout is a thick, rich stew. Serving this lamb ragout over mashed potatoes creates a hearty meal for a cold January day, such as the feast of St. Agnes, January 21.  I was particularly attracted to this version of a ragout recipe, as it is served over the mashed potatoes and the fluffy mashed potatoes remind me of lamb's wool - a fitting St. Agnes association to go along with the actual lamb roast.  St. Agnes is typically pictured holding a lamb, and her name means lamb. 

Lamb Ragout

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut in cubes

1 cup chopped onion

2 medium carrots, sliced 

2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

2 cans (14 ounces each) beef broth

3/4 cup dry red wine

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

Mashed potatoes

Directions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add stew meat and onion. Cook and stir occasionally until meat is browned. Add remaining ingredients (except mashed potatoes). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Continue cooking about 2 hours until meat and vegetables are tender.

Serve ragout over mashed potatoes in bowls.

St. Agnes, Pray for us. 

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Mini Ground Lamb Pot Pie Cupcakes for St. Agnes Day

I was looking for a lamb dish to make on the feast of St. Agnes and came across this cute idea for mini pot pies. Combining tender lamb with sun-dried tomatoes in a mini pastry crust and topping with mashed potato icing makes pretty “cupcake” looking pot pies.  

Lamb Pot Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. ground lamb
• 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup onions, chopped
• 1 T. Olive oil 
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Mashed potato – for 'Icing' topping
• Mini crusts, pre-made

Directions:

In skillet, saute onions in olive oil until tender. Add ground lamb and cook until browned.  Add sun dried tomatoes, cook for about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Fill 12 mini pastry crusts with the ground lamb mixture.  Fill a piping bag with mashed potatoes. Pipe a swirl on top of the meat mixture to cover.  Place under a hot preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the mashed potatoes. Serve hot or cold. Good for a buffet, snack, lunch or dinner.   Makes: 12 mini pies

St. Agnes, Pray for us!

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St. Agnes Lamb's Wool Drinks

On January 21 we celebrate the feast of St. Agnes, 4th century martyr, known for her consecrated virginity. She is often depicted holding a lamb as her name, Agnes, means lamb or victim in Latin, and pure in Greek. In Rome on this feast day, two lambs are placed on the altar of the Basilica where her relics lie and are then blessed. The wool from these lambs is used in making the pallium, the symbols archbishops wear as sign of their authority. These are given to the new archbishops on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29.

There are so many beautiful details associated with this tradition, as specified in this article from the Vatican News Network:

The small lambs, traditionally less than a year old, are carried to the Pope in baskets, as per tradition, by the Canons Regular of the Cathedral of St John Lateran. To symbolize St. Agnes’ purity, one of the lambs wears a crown of white flowers, while the other wears a red floral wreath to recall her faithful witness even unto death.

Reared by religious sisters in the Saint Lawrence convent in Panisperna, Rome, come Summer these same lambs will be brought to the Saint Cecilia convent in Trastevere.  There, in a custom that has remained in tact down through the centuries, they will be shorn to supply the wool from which the religious sisters will weave the Pallium.

The Pallium are white woolen stoles, decorated with six black crosses worn by metropolitan archbishops around their necks as a symbol of their authority and unity with the Pope. Once woven they are custodied in an urn at the tomb of St Peter until the Holy Father presents them to newly-appointed metropolitan archbishops on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

St. Agnes Lamb's Wool Drink Ideas

With the connection of lamb's wool, St. Agnes feast day lends itself to anything fluffy and white. Whipped cream seemed a fun way to try to replicate the look of wool and with this mid-winter feast, a perfect topping for a warm drink.  It's easy too!  Whether it be hot chocolate, chia latte, or a cappuccino, make it St. Agnes festive with a "woolly" topping. 

And if you are looking for some specific drink recipes with woolly names here are a few that would be fitting as well. 

Lamb's Wool - a type of Wassail ale dating from medieval times, traditionally served on Twelfth Night celebrating the end of the Christmas season. It is so named as the frothy apple mixture resembles wool. It would make a fun drink for St. Agnes feast celebrating as well. Florence Berger has a recipe for Lamb's Wool in her Cooking for Christ cookbook.  There are other versions of this wool-named ale including this one from Miss Foodwise blog.  Can be made as either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.

Warm Wooly Sheep - a sweet, creamy, warm drink for the grown ups. It is made from Scotch, Drambuie, and warm milk. Recipes abound on various mixed drink websites.

St. Agnes, Pray for us!

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Marshmallow Lamb Cookies

The lamb, as a symbol of purity, is one of the symbols of St. Agnes. Every year on January 21st, the memorial of St. Agnes, the pope blesses two lambs that have been raised by Trappists of the Tre Fontane Monastery outside of Rome. After the lambs have been blessed they are taken to Benedictine nuns at the Monastery of St. Cecilia in Rome. Here the nuns care for them and use their wool to weave the palliums worn by the Pope and his Archbishops. The palliums are conferred on new archbishops (those appointed as archbishops during the preceding year) on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29th.

"The palliums are about 3 inches wide and have a 14-inch strip hanging down the front and the back. The strips are finished with black silk, almost like the hooves of the sheep the archbishop is symbolically carrying over his shoulders." (CNS)

According to The Church's Year of Grace, "Our saint's name should be traced to the Greek hagne - the pure, rather than to the Latin agna - lamb. But the Latin derivation prevailed in the early Church. The reason may have been that eight days after her death Agnes appeared to her parents with a train of virgins, and a lamb at her side. St. Augustine knew both derivations. "Agnes", he writes, "means 'lamb' in Latin, but in Greek it denotes 'the pure one'."  (Catholic Culture)

Because of St. Agnes's association with lamb,  I made some quick and easy Marshmallow Lamb Cookies for the children to enjoy while coloring pictures and listening to a story about the life of St. Agnes in honor of her memorial.  These Marshmallow Lamb Cookies would also be perfect to make during the Easter season!

Marshmallow Lamb Cookies 

Adapted from Last Minute Mel

Ingredients:

• Graham Crackers
• Mini Marshmallows
• 1 T Confectioners Sugar (and a drop of milk to make icing)
• Raisins
• Food Marker

Directions: 

Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut the graham crackers to a somewhat oval shape.

Spread a thin layer of the powdered sugar icing over the top of the graham cracker and cover with marshmallows. 

Microwave on high for approximately 10 seconds.  Remove from microwave and gently push the marshmallows together and flatten slightly.

Add the raisin for the ear and draw in an eye.  Enjoy! 

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Agnesenplätzchen (St. Agnes Cookies)

In honor of today's feast of St. Agnes I finally had the opportunity to bake Agnesenplätzchen (St. Agnes Cookies), with lots of help from our six year old, adapting the recipe found in Cooking with the Saints.  The recipe for these delicious jam filled shortbread cookies was originally from an old German cookbook first published in 1924.

Agnesenplätzchen (St. Agnes Cookies) 

adapted from Cooking with the Saints 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 jar apricot jam
• powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

Cream the butter with the sugar. Gradually incorporate the flour until it becomes a smooth dough. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

On a clean work surface, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut out an even number of circles about 2 inches in diameter.

Let the dough rest for about 30 to 60 minutes.  

Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Spread apricot jam on the top of one cookie and cover with a second cookie.

Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.  

You can find additional pictures and ideas over at Shower of Roses. 

St. Agnes, Ora Pro Nobis!

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Edible St. Agnes Lambs

The following post was submitted by Sarah Rose, from Rose's Supposes, for the feast of St. Agnes. Thank you Sarah Rose!

St. Agnes' feast day is today, January 21st! She was a young Roman girl who promised her life to God. Because of her beauty many men wanted to marry her, but she always refused, saying "Jesus Christ is my only Spouse." One of them became so angry when she refused him, he turned her in for being a Christian. She was then tortured and killed for refusing to deny her faith. She was only thirteen years old when she was martyred. She is the patron of young girls, (among other things.) Learn more about St. Agnes here.

In art she is often pictured holding a lamb, as her name is very similar to the Latin word "Agnus" which means lamb.

So today I decided to make a healthy snack of vegetable lambs in honor of St. Agnes. 

For each lamb you will need:

• 3 toothpicks cut in half (kitchen shears work well for this)
• 1 white mushroom cap or 1 cauliflower floret
• 1 large black olive

Stick four of the toothpick halves into the bottom of the mushroom or cauliflower. These are the legs. Then stick one toothpick half in the top to hold the head. The black olives already have a hole in the middle so you can just slide them on! Serve them as is or with a dip. You could even give them a meadow of salad to frolic on.

While we were making the lambs I read a short bio of St. Agnes, and then afterwards we said a St. Agnes prayer.

Prayer to Saint Agnes

St. Agnes, although you were only a child, you believed that Jesus was always with you; help us to remember that he is also with us, and to remain true to his presence.

St. Agnes, you refused to give up your faith; help us to be proud of our faith, to love it, to be strong in it, and to give witness to it daily.

St. Agnes, patron saint of children, watch over the children of the world; keep them safe from harm; be with them in their hour of need; and always pray for them. Amen.

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Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Novena Treats

Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Treats and Novena

It has been a blessing to make our final preparations for First Holy Communion during the Easter Season.  So many of the symbols that coincide with the season are also applicable to First Holy Communion.  There are so many different foods, treats, and candies that can be made.  Many of the ideas from the Good Shepherd Garden Parties can be used as well.  I just wanted to share this idea that can also be used a long with a lovely First Holy Communion Novena that is free to download online.  It is called the Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Novena with St. Therese of Lisieux.  We are enjoying this immensely!  If you have a lamb cookie cutter, this would make the perfect simple treat to accompany the final days of the novena with your child.

I found this lamb cookie cutter last year but it is still available!

Instructions:

{Follow Rice Krispies Treats recipe on the box}

Ingredients Needed:

3 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter

1 Package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Writing Icing for decorating

Spread Rice Krispies on to cookie sheet for best cutting with cookie cutters.  Use Icing to decorate  treats upon cooling:

We also cut out a chalice and host (free hand) for our special First Communicant to decorate!

God Bless all the precious children making their First Holy Communion!

A beautiful excerpt from Day 4 of the Novena:

"When you receive your First Holy Communion you will carry Jesus with you in your heart.  He carries you on His shoulders, a Shepherd with His little lamb.  That is the strength of Jesus with arms like steel to lean upon.  He is a special friend in all the fun and not so fun times in your life."

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The Lamb, Symbol of Saint Agnes

January 21st is the feast of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, numbered among the most famous martyrs of Rome. Because of the similarity of her name to the Latin for "lamb" (agnus), the lamb has been St. Agnes' symbol since the 6th century. In Rome on this feast day two lambs are blessed, and the wool from these lambs is used in making the pallium, the symbols archbishops wear as sign of their authority.

On the feast of St. Agnes the use of any lamb symbol in cooking could be incorporated as a reminder of this connection. One option is to make a lamb cake, similar to those made for Easter. Another idea would be to make these cute lamb cupcakes featured here last March or this adorable Lamb of God bread Jessica posted at Christmas.

Lamb of God Bread

Lamb Cupcakes

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