St. Anne Thimble & Thread Pasta in Chicken Noodle Soup

There are two types of pasta I found whose names are associated with sewing in some way – ditalini and filini.

Ditalini is short tube pasta which means “little thimble.” It is a common soup pasta, typically found in minestrone.  I found it fun that this pasta is also sometimes called Ave Maria or Pater noster, as that was about the amount of time it needed to cook the pasta – the time it would take to say that prayer.  Filini is a very thin, small cut strand pasta. The name in Italian literally means “small strands” (or threads).  These are best for light, broth based soups or cooking with rice.  In the United States we usually find it packaged as fideo. 

Today, July 26, is the memorial of St. Anne and St. Joachim the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Since St. Anne is the patron of sewing and seamstresses, it would be fitting to make something using the “sewing” named pastas – “Thimbles and Threads”.

St. Clare of Assisi is the patroness of embroidery and needlework. Assisi is known for its beautiful needlework and embroidery and “Assisi embroidery” is a distinct type of cross-stitch.  Clare would have learned this skill herself as a girl. So her feast day, August 11 would be another opportunity to make this dish as well. And since the BVM is a patron of sewing as well, so any of her feast days, I would include, too.

Since they are both soup pastas I was looking for a broth based soup to use a combo of these two pastas and I decided on chicken noodle – a basic staple soup associated with comfort and healing.

Chicken Noodle Soup

½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onions
4 cans chicken broth
½ pound cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
½ t. basil
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cup of pasta

In large pot sauté onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add broth, chicken, and herbs/spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add dry pasta when close to serving. Needs to cook for 5-8 minutes until tender. Serve.

St. Anne, pray for us!

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Infused Water - Refreshing Drink for Summer Feasts

Infusing your water with fruits, herbs, or veggies not only adds flavor to the water, but also adds essential vitamins and nutrients that help your body.  It is a great way to quench your thirst and keep you hydrated on a hot, late summer day. They can be helpful for getting children to increase their daily water intake. And they are pretty, too. 

Making your own is more cost friendly and healthier than purchased waters. So join in making some feast day themed waters with a hint of summer flavors for our August saints. 

Making infused water is very simple. Just add desired fruit, veggie, or herb or combination to a pitcher of water with ice. Muddle mixture a bit if you want to increase flavor and let steep for at least several hours, up to 24, depending on how strong you want the flavors.  For some mixtures you can pour directly from pitcher, for others you may want to strain ingredients first to remove small floaters. As long as you keep the water refrigerated, the fruit should stay fresh. And you can keep refilling the pitcher as you drink the water but, it will dilute the flavor each time you refill.  It should last several days before you need to remake with fresh fruit.

One way to make infused water is with a single ingredient. Citrus is a great, no lose option for adding a touch of flavor to water, so it can be a good one to start with.

St. Dominic – Orange

In her recent post for Catholic Culture, Jenn Miller alerted me to the connection of St. Dominic (August 8) to the orange. So orange infused water would be perfect for his feast day.  

You can also make infused waters that combine a variety of fruits, veggies or herbs.

St. Maximilian Kolbe – Coconut Strawberry or Blueberry Orange

Infused waters are simple, no frills refreshers and considering that St. Maximilian Kolbe (August 14) died in a concentration camp it is a simple, non-extravagant treat for an austere remembrance. St. Maximilian had a vision of Mary – she offered him two crowns – red for martyrdom and white for purity and asked which one he would accept.  He chose both. Making a coconut strawberry infusion represents the colors of the two crowns that he was shown and accepted.

Blueberry orange infused water incorporates blue for his Marian devotion and formation of the Militia of the Immaculata movement of Marian consecration. Orange trees and their blossoms are symbolic of purity, chastity and generosity so the addition of oranges for St. Maximilian represents three strong characteristics of this saint who gave his life to take the place of another prisoner.

Assumption – Blueberry Lemon

As mentioned since blue is a universal color associated with Mary, the blueberry is a great fruit to use on Marian feasts. The lemon is a symbol of fidelity in love, and, as such, is often associated with the Virgin Mary in art. A lemon blueberry infused water would be a refreshing addition to this Marian solemnity.

Saint Rose - Raspberry, Rose, & Vanilla

The rose is closely associated as a symbol for St. Rose of Lima (August 23) but could be used, too, for St. Clare (August 11) as she has a rose story. The vanilla bean and raspberries of this recipe don't necessarily represent anything about the saints but were a infused water combination I found with rose that sounds delicious.

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Italian Flag-Shaped Caprese Salad

Here's an idea for any Italian Saint's Feast Day or Papal Celebration!  We used this idea to celebrate the Canonization of JPII and John XXIII this past weekend at the same time as we gathered for our Rome Pilgrimage Reunion.

 

Caprese salad is a common salad entrée found in Rome so we thought it quite fitting for an Italian feast! 

 

Don't forget that both St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis of Assisi are the 2 Patron Saints of Italy...It would be quite fitting for their feast days as well:)

It's very simple to put together and even more festive in the shape of the Italian flag!

Ingredients:

Typically, Caprese consists of  sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. It's that easy and it's so fresh and delicious!

*I used a fresh mozzarella log and Roma tomatoes for the flag so the shapes would correspond in size.*

 

Depending on your taste, balsamic vinegar may be added or a different blend of spices.  Dining in Rome, we rarely experienced it being served with vinegar.

Instructions:

Wash and gently dry fresh basil leaves and set aside.  Slice fresh mozzarella log and tomatoes of choice.  (We used Roma) Arrange according to flag colors, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Buon appetite!

 

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Tiny Tonsure Cakes

aka Your Favorite Franciscan Saint's Baked Donuts

We all know (all Catholics, that is) that our favorite Franciscans, like St. Francis and St. Anthony, wore their hair shorn on top, leaving the ring of hair around the sides, front, and back -- known as a tonsure (although a tonsure can also be completely shorn, as well). According to Catholic Encyclopedia, this practice was picked up by St. Francis because Greek and Roman slaves wore this hair "style" as a badge of their state in life. This practice is now not only known to Franciscans, but it seems this symbol of service to God is most recognizable from pictures of our favorite Franciscan saints.

St. Anthony of Padua                                                       St. Francis of Assisi

This morning I decided to greet the day with some Tiny Tonsure cakes, which are really just baked donuts. I think they look more like little cakes, however, than real donuts. My children were happy for the surprise. I intended to just make the Lemon Buttermilk variety, but before I knew it, I had the cocoa and chocolate chips out as well for Chocolate Cake Donuts -- a double pleasure today.

These little donuts would make a lovely breakfast on any Franciscan Saint day (if you mix up the dry ingredients the night before you can whip up the batter before the coffee brews), or even dessert or afternoon tea treat. The recipe does require the use of a donut pan, however.

The Lemon Buttermilk recipe is a variation of the one found at The Sweets Life, and the chocolate variety is modified from the recipe which came with my Norpro donut pan (except for the glaze, which I threw together).

Lemon Buttermilk Baked Donuts

1 c. whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/4 c. honey

2 T. butter, melted

1 T. vanilla extract

1/2 t. lemon extract (or the zest from 1 lemon)

1 c. confectioners sugar

2 t. lemon juice 

enough milk to make a runny glaze

 Preheat oven to375F. Spray a donut pan lightly with cooking spray and set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, eggs, honey, butter, vanilla extract, and lemon extract (or zest). Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing just until combined.

Using a spoon (or a cookie batter scoop), fill donut pan cavities about 2/3 full. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until golden and donuts spring back when touched. 

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Re-spray the pan and repeat with remaining batter.

Once donuts have cooled, prepare the glaze by whisking together the confectioners sugar and lemon juice and milk, if needed. Dip cooled donuts into the glaze before flipping over (glaze side up) and placing on wire racks until glaze is set. 

Chocolate Cake Baked Donuts

1 1/2 c. flour

1/3 c. unsweetened baking cocoa

1 t. baking powder

1/8 t. salt

2 eggs

2/3 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. milk

2 T. butter, melted

Glaze

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 T. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Make a well in dry ingredients and add wet ingredients (eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla). Stir together just until well combined.

Spray pan lightly with cooking oil. Fill with batter 2/3 full.  Bake 8 minutes. 

Cool. Carefully remove. Repeat with rest of batter.

Place chocolate chips and cream in a micro safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds on high. Stir. Heat for another 15-30 seconds and stir until smooth. 

When donuts are almost completely cool, dip tops in chocolate glaze.

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Poor Clares Solemn Vow Cross Cookies

For the Feast of Saint Clare, we made these cookies.

The cookies are sugar cookies cut into crosses using this rolled sugar cookie recipe, decorated with chocolate brown icing (recipe below) to match the habit of the Poor Clares. With white icing, we piped one of the four vows that the sisters take when they profess their Solemn Vows:

poverty
chastity
obedience
enclosure

We are fortunate to have the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in town, and it was a special treat to visit them on their special feast and bring them these cookies.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
(family recipe - this is the base which I often double or triple for most cakes)

1 stick salted butter or margarine

4-6 tbsp cocoa - I often add more and only use Hershey's not Nestle

melt above on stove on low to low-medium heat

pour melted cocoa mixture into mixing bowl and add

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

6 tbsp milk (sometimes I don't add all the milk, just depends on my mood and consistency)

mix until creamy

"Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me."

- St. Clare of Assisi

Saint Clare, Pray for Us.

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St. Clare Cheesecake

 St. Clare, Virgin

Memorial

~August 11~

We know that St. Clare became a living copy of the poverty, the humility, and the mortification of St. Francis; that she had a special devotion to the Holy Eucharist, the

  source and summit of Christian worship, life and mission.

In the Eucharistic Liturgy is found every form of prayer. Here we "gather up" the heart, recollecting our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit. (CATECHISM 2711) Here we unite ourselves to Christ as He offers perfect praise and thanksgiving to the Father. Here the Good Seed of the Word is lavishly sown. The Eucharist is the food of faith which strengthens us for the spiritual combat. In the Eucharist, communion with God becomes a reality cherished in adoring silence. Is it any wonder that the Seraphic Mother did all she could to foster devotion to the Eucharistic mystery?

In honor of St. Clare, try making this simple and quick

"St. Clare Cheesecake"

{Adding the design of a monstrance to the face}

Recipe:

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

1/3 Cup sugar

1 Cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. whipped topping

Graham cracker crust (I prefer the large 10 inch size)

Cream softened cream cheese and slowly add sugar.  Mix in sour cream and vanilla.  Fold in whipped topping.  Beat with electric mixer for about 2 minutes until smooth.  Pour into graham cracker crust.  Design your own monstrance on the face of the cheesecake!  I used gold sparkle gel icing. (You may chill or serve immediately)

O Glorious St. Clare! God has given you the power of working miracles continually, and the favor of answering the prayers of those who invoke your assistance in misfortune, anxiety, and distress. We beseech you, obtain from Jesus through Mary His Blessed Mother, what we beg of you so fervently and hopefully, (mention your petition) if it be for the greater honor and glory of God and for the good of our souls. Amen.

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