St. Carlo Acutis Nutella Puppy Chow Snack

Blessed Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager with a devotion to the Eucharist and to the Blessed Mother, will be canonized soon.  An interesting fact about him is that he was a pet lover and his family had 4 dogs (and 2 cats and a goldfish). He was known to make videos of his dogs. It has been shared that one of his favorite foods was Nutella - the Italian hazelnut chocolate spread. A fun melding of the love of dogs and of Nutella would be to make a hazelnut puppy chow snack.  Very simple to make for a low key celebration of his canonization September 7 or on his feast day which will be October 12. 

Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies, Reindeer Chow, Muddy Munch - whatever you want to call it, is a delicious and simple snack to make. The traditional variation is made with melted chocolate and peanut butter, but a variation substitutes Nutella (or other hazelnut spread) for the peanut butter. 

Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Nutella hazelnut spread (or peanut butter for classic puppy chow) 

8 cups rice or corn squares cereal 

1 ½-2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:   

Measure cereal squares and add to large bowl (with lid). Melt together the chocolate chips and butter, either in the microwave or on the stove-top in a double boiler, until smooth. Add Nutella and vanilla to melted chocolate mixture and stir until mixed and smooth.  Pour mixture over cereal and toss to coat. Then add powdered sugar.  Place top on the container, shake again until the Nutella Puppy Chow is well coated with sugar and ready to eat.

St. Carlo Acutis, Pray for us!

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St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Coffee

Un caffè, per favore.

Coffee in Italy is an intrinsic part of daily culture, especially espresso. Pier Giorgio, being an Italian was very much a coffee drinker. Friends attested to spending time with him drinking coffee. He references his coffee drinking in letters. Frassiti USA has a great post about Pier Giorgio and his coffee - A Cuppa Joe/Una Tazza di Giuseppe which includes this portion of a letter to his mother. 

"Now, dear mama, I’ll tell you what I am eating and how many times. I have breakfast at 7 in the morning; bread, coffee, milk, butter and marmalade, then at 10 bread and salami or something; at one we eat and there’s always a soup, a plate of meat, vegetables and the usual potatoes and then almost always some dessert. At four in the afternoon coffee the same as at midday. So, you see, dear mama, that I am very well." 

One beautiful aspect of modern saints is how relatable they are and drinking coffee is something we can relate to. What a simple and enjoyable way to celebrate his canonization next Sunday morning - with an espresso, or cappuccino, or other coffee of your choice in honor of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. Whether you brew it home or stop in a coffee shop, let's tip a cup for St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. 

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Pray for us!

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St. Carlo Acutis Canonization Treats

A Millennial Saint and a Gen X Treat 

The first Millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, was born in 1991 and Nutella was invented/marketed in 1964 ushering in the Gen X period.  Nutella was apparently a favorite food of soon-to-be Saint Carlo Acutis. Since he is an Italian and Nutella is an Italian invention - developed by (Pietro and) Michele Ferrero (of Ferrero Rocher fame) an Italian Catholic with a devotion to Our Lady and her apparition at Lourdes - it is a simple and meaningful suggestion to celebrate his upcoming canonization (September 7) or his feast day in October (Oct. 12). 

For more information on the the Catholic connections to Ferrero Rocher and Nutella see our Catholic Cuisine post, Our Lady of Lourdes Candies.

For inspiration there are recipes here at Catholic Cuisine that are made with Nutella:
St Monica's Tears
Cream Puff Cake
Acorn Treats

And for an even more simple approach, Nutella is great as a dip, filling, or topping for many foods, so it is an easy way to celebrate the canonization or feast day. 

Get a jar and use it for dipping:

• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Apple slices
• Vanilla Wafers
• Graham Crackers
• Pretzels

Or for topping:

• Ice Cream
• Cheese cake
• Waffles
• French toast
• Crepes

Or for filling:

• Vanilla Wafers
• Graham Crackers
• Cream puffs

St. Carlo Acutis, Pray for Us!

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Bartlemas - Traditional St. Bartholomew feast day treat

Watermelon is a classic summer fruit treat - refreshing and plentiful. So it is a perfect choice for the August 24th feast of the Apostle, St. Bartholomew (aka Nathanael).  Watermelon originated in Africa (or at least that is where there is earliest evidence) but seems to have been introduced in Europe by the 10th-12th century. Medieval manuscripts created in several countries have illustrations of watermelons. In Northern Europe, monk and scholar St. Albertus Magnus might well have provided the first written description of watermelon in the 13th century. 

Turismo Roma Website shares an history of an old traditional festival that was held in Rome (until the 19th century) at the Tiber island church Church of San Bartolomeo all’Isola - the Church in Rome dedicated to St. Bartholomew. So at least in Italy the watermelon is very much connected Bartlemas - the feast of St. Bartholomew. 

Bartholomew’s memory and popularity among Romans, until the 19th century, were also linked to the feast held here every 24 August, when every corner of the island was invaded by watermelon sellers and watermelons displayed on the so-called “spallette” or piled up like cannonballs. Amid the shouts and cheers of the crowd, some watermelons would be thrown into the river and become objects of contention among the kids who would dive into the eddies of the Tiber to retrieve them. Decidedly dangerous, the pastime was banned in 1870 because of the frequent accidents that occurred: but watermelon has remained one of the city’s freshest summer vices.

For its ease of preparation and the plentiful availability this time of year, watermelon is a fun and simple choice for a treat for this Apostle's August feast day.   Bon appetito!

St. Bartholomew, Pray for us!

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Refreshing Glass of Milk to Toast St. Columba

A very simple way to remember St. Columba (aka St. Colmcille) on his feast day today (June 9) is by having a glass of milk. Readily available and easy to serve - no prep or fuss. One of the pious legends of St. Columba's life involved him casting a demon out of a pail of milk. So toast to the grand Irish saint with a frosty glass of milk today. 

St. Columba, Pray for us.

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Snickerdoodles for the Humorous Saint, Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri (feast day May 26), is known by many names including the “laughing saint,” the “humorous saint,” and the “patron saint of joy.” This Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory was a practical joker, as exemplified by him showing up to an event with his beard half shaved off. He inserted humor into his homilies, was known to keep a joke book, and also hung a sign on his door that said, “The House of Christian Mirth.” In all things St. Philip maintained a light-hearted view of the world, using humor to keep him from being too prideful or vain. 

For St. Philip's feast day don't take yourself to seriously...and enjoy some snickerdoodles, the cookies with the funny name that sounds like they are laughing. 

Snickerdoodles 

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter or margarine, softened 

1 ½ cups sugar 

2 eggs 

2 ¾ cup flour 

2 t. cream of tarter 

1 t. baking soda 

¼ t. salt 

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture: 

1/4 cup Sugar 

1 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and cream together. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into small balls until round and smooth. Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll to coat well. Place on ungreased sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. 

 “A heart filled with joy is more easily made perfect than one that is sad.” 

 St. Philip Neri, patron of joy, Pray for us 

Additional Note: There are other saints who saw the value and importance of humor - St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa, St. Ignatius, and St. John Vianney to name a few. Check out this Catholic Exchange article for some insight into other saints whose feast days would be also be opportunities to partake of some snickerdoodles.

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Homemade Eclairs for St. Therese

Eclairs are known to be the favorite treat of St. Therese of Lisieux, so after binge watching some early episodes of that British baking show, I decided to try a recipe that I had been admiring for a while but was too afraid to try: Homemade Eclairs with Peanut Butter Mousse from Sally's Baking Addiction. I don't think St. Therese ever had Peanut Butter Mousse eclairs, but I think she would have loved them!

CHOUX PASTRY
1/2 cup (115g; 8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup (120ml) water
1/2 cup (120ml) 2% or whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, beaten
egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk or water


Combine the butter, water, milk, salt, and granulated sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted. Bring mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir until the flour is completely incorporated and a thick dough clumps into a ball. Mash the dough ball against the bottom and sides of the pan for 1 minute, which gently cooks the flour. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Allow to cool down for a few minutes before adding the eggs in the next step.

Read this step in full before starting: With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the eggs in 3-4 separate additions mixing for 30 seconds between each. The mixture might look curdled at first, but will come together as the mixer runs. Pour in the final addition of beaten eggs very slowly. Stop adding when the choux pastry has reached the desired texture: shiny, thick, and smooth with a pipe-able consistency. Any leftover egg can be used for egg wash. I ended up using all of mine. Dough can be used immediately or refrigerated up to 3 days. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mist or brush parchment paper with water. You want a nice moist environment for the choux to puff up. Transfer dough to a piping bag and pipe 4 inch long shells 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN! After 20 minutes, turn oven down to 350 degrees and back for 10 - 15 more minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
8 ounces (224g) full-fat brick style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (130g) creamy peanut butter*
salt, to taste

Make the peanut butter mousse: Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Transfer to another mixing bowl. Using the same whisk attachment again (you don't need to clean in between), beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and peanut butter then beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream until combined. Taste. Stir in a pinch of salt, if desired. Transfer mousse to a piping bag fitted with a small round or open star piping tip. Set aside as you make the ganache.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make the chocolate ganache: Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts steaming, not boiling.  Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted.

1.  

Let the ganache cool on the counter while you fill the shells with the mousse. I piped them on both ends to make sure they were nice and full. Dip the tops in ganache and leave to firm up. Ganache will set up in about an hour at room temp or about 30 minutes in the fridge. Enjoy! 

FYI... all three components (pastry shells, mousse, and ganache) can be made ahead of time. To assemble, just warm the ganache in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time to soften. 

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Angel Food Cake for the Archangels' Feast

Heavenly King,You have given us archangels
to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth.
Saint Michael is our protector;
I ask him to come to my aid,
fight for all my loved ones,
and protect us from danger.
Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News;
I ask him to help me
clearly hear Your voice
and to teach me the truth.
Saint Raphael is the healing angel;
I ask him to take my need for healing
and that of everyone I know,
lift it up to Your throne of grace
and deliver back to us the gift of recovery.
Help us, O Lord,
to realize more fully the reality of the archangels
and their desire to serve us.

Holy angels,
pray for us.

Amen.

Every baker should have a good angel food cake in her (or his) repertoire for the angels' feast days (the feast of the Archangels, the Guardian Angels, Our Lady of Angels, etc.). This is one of those baked goods that seems daunting, but is really very easy to  make, and rather budget friendly. It stands alone with a dollop of whipped cream, or can be dressed up simple with berries, a drizzle of chocolate glaze, or really kicked up a notch with creme anglaise. 

One true key to a successful angel food cake is to make sure there are no traces of oil in the batter, so  make sure your pan is completely clean and that you don't get any yolk in your egg whites.

Angel Food Cake

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

12 large egg whites

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 t. cream of tartar

1/2 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Be sure that your 10 inch tube pan is clean and dry. Sift together the flour, and 3/4 cup of the sugar, set aside.

In a large bowl (the egg whites will whip up to completely fill a Kitchen Aid mixer bowl), whip the egg whites along with the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, to medium stiff peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, one third at a time. Do not overmix. Put the batter into the tube pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake springs back when touched. Balance the tube pan upside down on the top of a bottle, to prevent decompression while cooling. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.

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Mary's Crown - Queenship Salad

Bachelor's Button, or Cornflower, is an annual flowering plant in the aster family, with florets that are edible and may be used fresh in salads.  Its jagged frilly petals remind one of an ornate crown and because of that it also has a Marian connection – often called Mary's Crown. Traditionally blue, they also come in many different color variants. The blue ones especially are a Marian color.  

Because of these connections, the flowers make a beautiful and symbolic addition as a garnish to a Marian summer salad.  Its name as Mary's Crown is particular fitting for a salad on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary (August 22).

Use any available salad greens and fresh summer vegetables. Garnish with freshly picked Mary's Crown flower heads. Serve with a light vinaigrette dressing. Regina Red Wine Vinegar, in addition to being a common vinegar, easy to find - has a name that means queen, so perfect for this Queenship of Mary summer salad. 

If you don't have access to fresh Bachelor Button flowers, make sure to plant some for next year. These hardy and easy to grow flowers, make a great addition to a liturgical year and Marian garden.  And other edible late summer Marian flowers or flower petals (daisy, lavender, rose, calendula, nasturtium, chive, marigold) could be substituted though they don't have the same crown significance. 

Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, Pray for us. 

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Flower Fruit Sandwiches for Our Lady

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!

Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Earlier this month I ran across a photo of some lovely flower covered sandwiches and was inspired to try something similar with my children in honor of Our Lady during her month of May. Due to the pandemic and stay-at-home order I used what I happened to have on hand, so some of our fruit was frozen instead of fresh, but they still turned out lovely! 

To make the sandwiches we simply trimmed the crusts off of some white bread, spread some homemade whipped cream over the bread, and then decorated each tea sandwich with flowers made from slices of fruit. 

We used fresh cuties and kiwis along with frozen blueberries, strawberries and a little mango. 

I just shared additional pictures over at Shower of Roses.

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Saint George and the Dragon Cake

Catholic Cuisine contributor Charlotte, from Waltzing Matilda, has been amazing and inspiring us with her Dragon Cakes for the feast of St. George for well over a decade now! Here are a few of her past creations. 

You can find her dragon cake direction, as well as her directions for a Dragon Cupcake Cake and Dragon Scone for Good Saint George, in the archives. If you end up making one we would love for you to share a picture on our Facebook page or tag us over at Instagram!

Scroll through all posts for the feast of St. George here.

St. George, ora pro nobis! 

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St. Brigid Irish Tater Tot Nachos

St. Brigid feast day is February 1. National Tater Tot day is February 2. 

When two dates collide and an idea is born. I have a soft spot for the tater tot. It originated at Ore-Ida Labs in the area where my family lived in Eastern Oregon. And this year in September they are having the first annual Tater Tot festival.  So when I made a chance discovery that National Tater Tot Day was the day after St. Brigid's feast is seemed a perfect pairing.

The idea of tater tots as a substitute for chips to make a potato "nacho" (or totchos) is making the rounds as an appetizer. And the potato is an Irish staple, one of the foods most associated with Ireland, making it perfect for our Irish saint. St. Brigid is the patroness of dairy farmers and milk maids, so pile on the cheese and sour cream.  I suggest Kerrigold Dubliner Irish cheese if available. Several stories connect her to pigs as well so add the bacon. Also avocados (or guacamole) and green onions for the Irish green.  A tasty and easy Irish feast day recipe - for a multitude of Irish saints, not just Brigid.

St. Brigid Irish Tater Tot Nacho Ingredients

Directions:
Fry or bake tater tots per package instructions. Once tots are cooked, top with grated cheese. Place back in the oven or microwave until cheese is bubbly and melted. Top the tots with guacamole or avocado, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onion (and extra cheese if desired). If you want them spicy you can add salsa. I had some green taco sauce that I added in keeping with the Irish color theme.

St. Brigid, Pray for Us!

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St. John Bosco's Candy Juggling Balls

St. John Bosco, patron of educators and a spiritual father to boys in need, has his feast day today, January 31. He is known for having used magic tricks and juggling to entertain the youth he wanted to draw closer to God. St. John Bosco was a skilled showman and crowds would be drawn to him. During his performance, he would stop to teach and people would stay to listen to his message.

It is also said that he kept candy in his pockets as treats for the boys, and even “turned" pebbles into candy with illusion. For those reasons, I am sharing this idea of a simple treat to celebrate his feast day - M&M’s are candy, that resemble juggling balls.

Let us enjoy a sweet reminder today this caring and entertaining priest.

St. John Bosco, Pray for us!

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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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St. Sebastian Fruit Skewer Arrows

On January 20 we remember St. Sebastian, early Roman martyr. He was sentenced to be shot to death by archers. His body was riddled with arrows and he was left to for dead, but survived and was later clubbed to death. He is the patron of soldiers, athletes and archers. The arrow symbol is associated with him for this persecution that he suffered.

Other saints who have arrows for a symbol are:

• St. Frances of Rome (March 9) - art depictions of her holding arrows
• St. Thomas the Apostle (July 3) - was martyred by spear, though arrows and stones are also often pictured with the spear as his symbols
• St. Philomena (August 11) - the two anchors, three arrows, palm and ivy leaf found on the tiles of her tomb were interpreted to represent method of martyrdom
• St. Ursula (October 21) - an arrow is the symbol of her method of martyrdom and pictured either holding an arrow or with an arrow in her chest
• St. Edmund (November 20) - symbol is crown this two arrows, symbol of his martyrdom

Readers often ask for healthy feast day options and also ones that are simple. Hopefully this is an idea that fits both those request criteria. Fruit skewers can be made in just a few minutes. A variety of fruit can be used - blackberries, blue berries, raspberries, melon balls or cubes, grapes. And strawberries with their "tipped" ends make a nice pointed end of the arrow, so place it as the final fruit. You can also leave the pointy skewer end free.  We cut feather end (fletching) out of construction paper and taped on the skewer.

St. Sebastian, Pray for Us!

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St. Anthony of Egypt Bacon Strips

Today is the feast day of St. Anthony of Egypt (also know as St. Anthony the Great, St. Anthony of the Desert, St. Anthony the Abbot). He is considered the father of western monasticism. He is also the patron saint of domesticated animals, and Saint Anthony is often depicted standing next to a pig, which he is said to have healed. That is one of numerous explanations as to how St. Anthony has become associated with pigs. The feast has traditionally been associated with farmers bringing their animals to the church to be blessed, for good health and fertility.

His feast day is a very good excuse to eat bacon, which is always a treat at our house and always welcome for any occasion. It is simple and always enjoyable. While today's feast is a Friday this year and many families would be going meatless - think about him this weekend and enjoy a treat then. Any excuse to "pass the pig."

St. Anthony, Pray for Us!

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Hermit Bars to Remember the Hermit Saints

Old-Fashioned Hermit Bars are a classic New England cookie that are spicy and sweet thanks to addition of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. There are several variations, but the basic cookie/bar is full of spices and dried fruits (usually raisins). Origin of the name for these spicy bars is not known - and several theories exist, including that they look like a rough brown hermit's robe. Regardless of the origin, the name is intriguing as it evokes the idea of the hermit saints - those who isolated themselves from society to live a life of asceticism. There is a tradition of holy hermits (Eremites, "inhabitants of a desert" from the Greek eremos). Several well known hermit saints have January feast days: St. Simon Stylites (January 5) and St. Paul, the first Christian hermit (January 15) and St. Anthony of the Desert (January 17), father of Western monasticism. And while a life of asceticism would not include indulgent sweets, in this week of two great hermit saints, you can still enjoy some hermit bars or cookies. 

Old-Fashioned Hermit Bars  

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter

1 cup brown sugar 

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2/3 cup chopped raisins (or other dried fruit, ie cranberries)

1 cup powdered sugar

5 tsp milk

Instructions

In bowl combine together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and continue to mix. Gradually add the flour and spices mixture until just combined. Stir in the raisins.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes.  While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 375° and grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

After chilling shape it into a ball and divide in two. Shape each half into a log, 12 inches long and arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between the logs. Press down lightly on the tops of the logs with your fingertips to give them a slightly squared-off shape.

Bake on the center rack for 15 minutes, or until the edges are just barely crisp.

While bars are cooling, combine the powdered sugar and milk until smooth but not too runny. Drizzle over the baked logs while they are slightly warm.

Allow the icing to firm up then cut into bars.

[Variations on the hermit cookie genre can include drop cookies or flatten the dough in a baking dish for brownie style.]

There are so many hermit saints of the Church, that Hermit Bars can be a feast day item throughout the year. 

St. Paul, the Hermit - Pray for Us!

St. Anthony of the Desert - Pray for Us!

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Catholic Cuisine Aprons

Our beautiful aprons are high quality and make a perfect gift for any Catholic foodie friends!

Shop our Catholic Cuisine Apron Selection

All of our aprons are embroidered, not screen printed, giving them a rich, elegant, look! Our durable 100% cotton-twill aprons, with soil-release finish for added stain protection, provide ultimate full length cover and comfort. Designed with two large pockets and 1" wide neck and waist ties, with adjustable neck strap, they measure 22”W by 30”L.  

All aprons are shipped directly from our supplier.

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An Advent Appetizer for Feast of Immaculate Conception

This simple appetizer with its combination of ingredients: goat cheese, pomegranates, thyme, and honey - holds symbolism for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Advent season. It is a yummy flavor combination, too, with the tangy sweetness of the pomegranates contrasting to the tartness of the goat cheese. Just top your favorite cracker and enjoy.

The pomegranate is often depicted in paintings of the the Madonna and Child. It's availability during the months around Christmas also make it a great food for the Advent and Christmas season.  While suggested for today, it is actually a fitting appetizer for anytime during the Advent or Christmas season.

Madonna of the Pomegranate ~ Sandro Botticelli

The four ingredients all have a symbolism or connection to make them fitting for this feast:
Pomegranate – fruit that is a symbol of the hope of eternal life through Christ the Word made flesh White (goat cheese) - symbol of Our Lady’s purity/Immaculate Conception
Thyme – herb that is a symbol of Mary’s humility
Honey – a “locust and honey” nod to St. John (2nd Sunday of Advent)

Pomegranate & Thyme Goat Cheese Log

Ingredients:
4 oz. goat cheese log
~ 1/2 cup of pomegranate arils
fresh thyme sprigs
honey

Directions:
Allow the goat cheese to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften. Add pomegranate arils to top and sides - gently pressing in to hold. Strip the thyme leaves from the stem. Sprinkle thyme leaves over the cheese log. Drizzle with honey. Serve with crackers.


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St. Jerome and the Lion Cupcakes

At the end of each September, I love turning our leftover Michaelmas Cupcakes into the face of a lion for the kids to enjoy while we read the legend of St. Jerome and the Lion. You can find many options for today's feast listed in our September Book Basket over at Shower of Roses.

I shared this idea here in the archives many years ago but my children all agree that our newer lions look so much better. Here are some pictures from recent years!

Our 2015 Cupcakes • Original post at Shower of Roses

Our 2016 Cupcakes • Original Post at Shower of Roses

Our 2018 Cupcakes • Original post at Shower of Roses
Saint Jerome and the Lion from our out-of-print copy (The Neumann Press, 2000 Edition)
of Legends of Saints and Beasts by Ann Marie Jauss originally published in 1954.

+ + + 

"So valuable to heaven is the dignity of the human soul that every member of the human race has a guardian angel from the moment the person begins to be." - St. Jerome

The feast of the Holy Guardian Angels is coming up in a couple days! 

Recipes for celebrating can be found in the archives. 

St. Jerome, Ora Pro Nobis!

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