Baileys Cream Puffs - St. Paddy & St. Joe Combo Treat

The feasts of St. Patrick and St. Joseph share a week in mid-March. Since they are just days apart how about a treat that combines elements of cultural symbolism of each. The cream puff - an Italian pastry sfingi, is a typical St. Joseph treat. But this variation on the traditional cream puff gets an extra kick from the addition of Baileys Irish Cream, a tribute the land of St. Patrick.

Baileys Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

Pastry puffs

3/4 cup water

6 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1 egg for egg wash

Baileys cream filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp Baileys Irish cream

1 Tbsp  granulated sugar

Chocolate

1/3 cup hot fudge topping

1 Tbsp Baileys Irish cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pastry

Combine butter, sugar, and water in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring it to boil, while stirring slowly, and take off heat. Add flour and stir until all combined and coming off the walls of the pan easily.  Whisk in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is mixed into the batter before adding another.  Transfer batter into a piping bag and pipe little round mounts, about 1 ½ inches in diameter.  For egg wash, beat 1 egg in a separate little mixing bowl and brush pastries with egg wash before baking.  Bake pastries at 425 for 12-15 minutes then lower the heat to 350 and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let pastries cool completely before adding the filling.

Baileys cream filling

Add the cold heavy whipping cream into the cold mixing bowl. Starting at low speed, start whisking, gradually raise to speed to high. Slowly pour in the sugar and then Baileys. Beat until stiff peaks appear (don't walk away far). Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Transfer whipped cream into a piping bag. Cut cooled pastries in the middle and fill them with whipped cream.

Chocolate

Heat up hot fudge topping and whisk it with Bailey's until completely combined. Cool before using so it doesn't melt the whipped cream.  Once cooled, drizzle filled cream puffs with chocolate sauce.

St. Patrick, Pray for us.
St. Joseph, Pray for us. 

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Lily Pasta Santa Caterina

April 29 (new) and April 30 (traditional) are the feasts of St. Catherine of Siena. Last night I ended up serving Pasta Santa Caterina for dinner. This time I made it with lily shaped pasta (Capanelle, also referred to as gigli or riccioli, translates to little bells or bellflowers) from Trader Joe's, since I had given some to our children in this year's family Easter Basket.

The lily symbolizes purity. Its stoic structure, pure white color, and delicately sweet aroma attribute to qualities of royalty, purity, and chastity. It is the symbolic flower of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is sometimes depicted with other saints (including St. Catherine of Siena) who possess these qualities. A lily among thorns represents the Immaculate Conception as the purity of the Virgin is preserved among the fallen nature of the world. Legend says that the lily originated from Eve’s tears when she and Adam were banished from the Garden of Eden. Another legend claims that lilies sprang up from the ground when drops of blood fell to the foot of the Cross. During the Easter season, many churches line their altars with Easter Lilies to signify the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life.

This pasta would also be perfect for tomorrow's feast (May 1, St. Joseph the Worker) since the lily is also one of the symbols for St. Joseph.

Pasta Santa Caterina

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. ripe tomatoes 
• 2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Basil, chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic minced
• 3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I omitted this and it was still great) 
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 lb. gigli pasta 

Directions:

Peel tomatoes, remove seeds and dice.

In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients except the pasta.
Marinate at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, until tender. Drain thoroughly, and transfer pasta to a heated serving dish. Add the sauce and toss.

Serves 8 to 10.

St. Catherine of Siena, ora pro nobis! 

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Lady Kisses for Lady Day

The solemnity of the Annunciation is also known in some places as Lady Day. When I first saw these little bite-sized Italian cookies called, baci di dama or "lady’s kisses", I thought of them as an option for this day - Lady Day. I can imagine them being Our Lady's kisses - kisses Our Lady would have bestowed on her sweet son. The name originates from the cookie’s resemblance to two lips holding together like a kiss. These Italian cookies are common for feast days in Italy - especially St. Joseph. Most years St. Joseph's feast day and the Annunciation are a week apart, so making double at that time could cover both feasts. Though this year the feast is abrogated to April 9 because its traditional date fell on Palm Sunday. 

The outer cookies are delicate and usually made of almond or hazelnut flour. The hazelnut version is from the city of Cuneo (where Nutella comes from), and the almond ones are from the town of Tortona.  There are some different variations of the recipe available. This is adapted from the Martha Stewart recipe. 

Our Lady's Kisses

Ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, fine
2/3 cup almond (or hazelnut) flour
3/4 cup unbleached wheat flour
pinch of salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat 7 tablespoons butter with sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon zest, then both flours and salt; beat until a dough starts to form. Transfer to a work surface; knead until a firm dough forms, 1 minute.

Scoop 1 level teaspoon of dough; roll into a ball. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 inch apart. Place in freezer about 15 minutes, until firm.  Melt chocolate and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Let cool until thick and spreadable.

Bake cookies until domed and light golden, about 16 minutes. Let cool completely. Spread 1/2 teaspoon chocolate mixture on flat side of one cookie; sandwich with flat side of a second. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let chocolate set before serving.

I found this litany poem by G.K. Chesterton which speaks of a kiss and the mystic rose – a reference to Mary (as are all the symbols in this poem). So beautiful and definitely brings to mind the image I was imagining between Mother and the Child Jesus. 

A Little Litany by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

When God turned back eternity and was young,

Ancient of Days, grown little for your mirth

(As under the low arch the land is bright)

Peered through you, gate of heaven—and saw the earth.

Or shutting out his shining skies awhile

Built you about him for a house of gold

To see in pictured walls his storied world

Return upon him as a tale is told.

Or found his mirror there; the only glass

That would not break with that unbearable light

Till in a corner of the high dark house

God looked on God, as ghosts meet in the night.

Star of his morning; that unfallen star

In that strange starry overturn of space

When earth and sky changed places for an hour

And heaven looked upwards in a human face.

Or young on your strong knees and lifted up

Wisdom cried out, whose voice is in the street,

And more than twilight of twiformed cherubim

Made of his throne indeed a mercy-seat.

Or risen from play at your pale raiment's hem

God, grown adventurous from all time's repose,

Or your tall body climbed the ivory tower

And kissed upon your mouth the mystic rose.

Note: I also think these little cookies would be fitting for the feast of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22) as she is believed to be the woman who washed with her tears, anointed with oil and kissed the feet of Christ. She is often depicted kissing Christ's feet. Lady Kisses could represent her as well.

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Cannoli Bites for Solemnity of St. Joseph

This recipe is a different take on a classic Italian feast day treat; simpler than the traditional cannoli but with similar flavors.  Making cannoli is a big process and it to great way to get the flavor of cannoli without the work. Use a pre-made pie crust, flavor it a little, cut into small circles and make mini cups to fill with the cream.

Cannoli Bites

Ingredients:

Cannoli cups:

1 refrigerated pie crust
3 tablespoons coarse natural sugar (Turbinado)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
dry white wine

Cannoli Filling:

16 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese, strained
4 oz Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

For the cannoli cups - Heat oven to 400°F.  Thaw pie crust. Unroll the crust onto a lightly floured surface. Brush lightly with wine and sprinkle the top of each crust with the sugar and spice mixture. Lightly roll over it with a rolling pin so that sugar and spices are pressed into the dough.

With a 2 – 2 ½ inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out circles and lightly press them inside a greased mini muffin cup to create a pastry cup.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

For Filling  - In a mixing bowl, blend together Ricotta and Mascarpone cheese to mix well and remove lumps. Add sugars and vanilla and mix in. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

After mini shells/cups are cool, remove cannoli filling from refrigerator, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a tip (or you can use a large resealable bag and cut the tip off one end). Pipe filling into cups and sprinkle with chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar. 

For best results serve within 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.  Makes approximately 20 cannoli bits.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for us!

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St. Joseph and St. Patrick Cakes

The following cake was submitted by Anna, from Regina Coeli Baker for the upcoming March feasts of St. Patrick and St. Joseph. You can find additional cakes decorated by Regina Coeli Baker here. Thank you, Anna!

I decorated this cake for the 150th Anniversary of St. Benedict Parish. It is a cluster of four Parishes, St. Benedict, Sacred Heart, St. Patrick and St. Joseph. 

 

 

The statues of Saints were totally edible and built on ice cream cones. Flowers are hand modeled with fondant. Topper and arches in pastillage. Tailor made cakes for every saint. Chocolate with Chocolate filling for St. Benedict. Red velvet with cream cheese filling for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Green with almond filling for Saint Patrick. White cake with rum buttercream for St. Joseph. Also a yellow cake tier with dulce de leche filling. Covered with buttercream.

St. Patrick, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us!

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St. Simon (& Jude) Saw Cookies

St. Simon, the apostle (who shares tomorrow's October 28 feast with St. Jude) is often pictured with a saw in paintings or on statues.  It is one of his chief symbols since he was said to have been martyred by being cut in half with a saw.  As we recall this feast day of St. Simon the Zealot, sugar cookies decorated like saws are a good way to illustrate that symbol. Use the sugar cookie recipe of your choice or this one published in past at Catholic Cuisine which is the standard one I use.

This is the cookie cutter that was used.

I made a decorator frosting and tinted it brown and grey to replicate the colors of a saw.

Cookies are always a fun way to incorporate saint symbols. Enjoy.

St. Simon, 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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Mudrica - St. Joseph's Sawdust

On St. Joseph's feast day in Italy, many pay tribute to the carpenter saint by sprinkling "sawdust" over pasta. There are different variations on the "sawdust" ingredients. This recipe for Mudrica (St. Joseph's Sawdust) is adapted from John Besh's My New Orleans: The Cookbook. You can read more about Mudrica in the archived St. Joseph Altar foods post by Jenn Miller.

Mudrica

Ingredients:

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 T. olive oil

3 tbsp. grated parmesan

2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

2 tbsp. dried currants

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch fresh chopped oregano leaves
pinch of salt

Directions: Put all the ingredients in food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times or until the mixture is well combined. Sprinkle over buttered pasta of choice.

St. Joseph, Most Courageous, Pray for us!

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Cathedral Cake for St. Joseph

"He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: “Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord." - St. Bernardine of Siena

Bake a cake in a cathedral shaped pan in honor of St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church. Some pan options include this Cathedral Bundt Pan, this Vaulted Cathedral Pan, and this Stained Glass Bundt Pan.  Be sure to take a moment to offer a prayer for all priests!

Prayer for Priests to St. Joseph

O illustrious patriarch St. Joseph, who carried the Infant Jesus in thy blessed arms and who, during the space of thirty years, lived in the most intimate familiarity with Him, take under thy powerful protection those whom He has clothed with His authority and honored with with the dignity of His priesthood, whom He has charged to continue His mission, to preach His Gospel, and to dispense everywhere His graces and blessings. Sustain them in their fatigues and labors; console them in their pains; fortify them in their combats; but above all, keep far from them all the evils of sin.

Obtain for them the humility of St. John the Baptist, the faith of St. Peter, the zeal and charity of St. Paul, the purity of St. John and the spirit of prayer and recollection of which thou, my dear Saint, art the model, so that, after having been on earth, the faithful dispensers of the Mysteries of thy foster Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, they may in Heaven receive the recompense promised to pastors according to the Heart of God. Amen.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for Us!

Additional recipes for the Solemnity of St. Joseph can be found in the archives. 

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New St. Joseph Apron :: Free Shipping for a Limited Time!

Catholic Embroidery has generously offered Free Shipping, to all Catholic Cuisine visitors, on pre-orders of their brand new limited edition St. Joseph Apron! Offer expires on February 12th, so be sure to pre-order your apron soon.

Viva San Giuseppe - Long Live St. Joseph!

Such is the traditional cry of honor given to the Foster Father of Our Lord, St. Joseph, in the spirit of Italian custom, around the world. This apron, embroidered with the Portrait of St. Jopseh in traditional and bright Italian colors, will take it's place proudly in your March 19th feastday celebrations - or any time of year. A great gift for that special man in your life.



Embroidered - not printed! Our durable cotton-twill apron provide ultimate stain protection and comfort. Designed with two large pockets and an adjustable strap, they measure 23”W by 30”L.. Extra long 39” ties and reinforced bar tacking construction promises durability and practicality.

*All aprons will be shipped directly from Catholic Embroidery.   Catholic Cuisine will receive a percentage of any of the aprons purchased directly from this page.  Thank you for your support!  

January 1, 2015 Update: Unfortunately these beautiful aprons are not currently available. 

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Pappardelle di San Giuseppe

The following recipe adapted from Cooking with the Saints was submitted by Hi Cookery in honor of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Thank you Highlander and Islander!

May 1: Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker

Highlander used to toil in construction to pay his way through college. The wages were low and the labor was hard but he knew what he had to do to make a living. St. Joseph the Worker is an inspiration to those like Highlander who work(ed) in blue-collar professions to provide for the future and their families. Jesus’ earthly stepfather is deservedly fêted twice a year on March 19 and again on May 1. We honor him with a sweet pasta dish called Pappardelle di San Giuseppe (Noodles for St. Joseph’s Day), which is traditionally eaten in the Italian region of Lucania. The sprinkling of the noodles’ topping ingredients symbolizes the holy carpenter’s sawdust.

Recipe
(Adapted from Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Schuegraf)

Ingredients

• ½ pound of pappardelle pasta noodles
• salt
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons of sugar

Directions

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high. Stir-fry the walnuts, breadcrumbs and sugar. Remove from heat and mix with the drained pasta.

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The 4th Annual St. Joseph Altar Blog Fest

The 4th Annual St. Joseph Altar Blog Fest is taking place over at The Virtual Saint Joseph Altar until the end of the month. Be sure to head on over to check out all the beautiful Altars that have been set up in honor of this beloved Saint, or to share pictures of your own.

You can find pictures of my family's St. Joseph Altar 

over at Shower of Roses! 

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Celebrating Saint Joseph :: Gluten-Free Brownie Staff with Coconut Ice Cream

The following post was submitted by Mary at Better Than Eden, in honor of today's feast of St. Joseph!  Thank you Mary! 

We're taking the day off in honor of today's Solemnity of St. Joseph. I thought about taking the kids somewhere but Brian had to go to work and they seem just as happy building forts in the playroom. I was trying to think of a special way to celebrate today. I've never actually understood why St. Joseph's Day is traditionally an Italian thing. I guess they just like him a lot. We're not Italian so we've never done all those neat traditions and I've never even been to a St. Joseph's Table. I'd love to learn more about them all but in the meantime, I think we'll celebrate in a different way.

I decided that in honor of Saint Joseph we would treat our own family's Saint Joseph to a feast tonight. We're having rib-eye steak, baked potatoes, and glazed carrots.
And for dessert I spent this morning making his favorite...brownies.

Normally, Solemnities for us mean a suspension of any Lenten fasts but since we've been testing the gluten-free thing so long, I want to keep it going, hence the black bean brownies.
So here's what we're treating ourselves to tonight.

I had some black bean cake at a friend's house the other day and we were shocked with how much it tasted just like regular cake. It was delicious! So today I used this recipe for black bean brownies but made a few changes (don't you think it's hysterical when people write reviews like that? Like..."This recipe is perfect! I just switched out the apples and used potatoes, then I added shredded chocolate and increased the sugar from 1/4 cup to 3 1/2 cups. I also decided not to bake it and boil it instead. Oh, and I added a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and truffle oil on top. Superb. This is my FAVORITE recipe!!" But I totally do the same thing.) So here's what I did:

Blend 1 can of rinsed black beans, 3 eggs, 3 tbsp. banana (not pictured), 3 tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 c. cocoa powder, and 3/4 c. sugar.  I also added about 3/4 c. crushed walnuts because we like them.

I used our immersion blender and blended everything completely. I put in the beans and eggs first just to make sure the beans were completely pureed then added everything else.

After lots of internal debate and going through my cupboards to figure out how best to make a "Joseph's staff" shape, I decided on using a loaf pan and a circle pie pan. I greased both with butter and filled the pie pan half as deep with batter as the loaf pan. You can see in the picture how I cut the circle in half, stacked them and did a tiny bit of shaping to make it look sort of staff-esque. The extra pieces may or may not have ended up in my mouth as a "taste test."

The lily was a spur of the moment spark of liturgical genius. I used marshmallows cut in half, smooshed and sort of shaped like petals and a yellow licorice Trader Joe's candy leftover from Christmas (my kids sure know how to save their candy as long as possible...). The leaves I cut off a pineapple that happened to be in the fridge. This is why people think I'm a weirdo.

Because one of my husband's favorite things is a brownie sundae with bananas, I decided to experiment with a coconut milk ice cream creation. I couldn't find one faux ice cream recipe that used ingredients I had on hand so here's what I did:

Blend 1 can coconut milk, 1 banana, 1 tbsp. vanilla, and 2 tbsp. coconut nectar.

I again used my Cuisinart immersion blender which is one of the most used kitchen tools I own. I blended a while until it was well mixed and had whipped a tad. I chilled for about an hour and then put it in the ice cream maker for about 15 minutes. And...it worked! It looks like ice cream and tastes pretty good! It has more of a light banana flavor than I would prefer but I think the husband will enjoy it. We'll add some sliced bananas and chocolate syrup when it's time to put it all together.

I think St. Joseph will be pleased that I'm attempting to honor him and his fatherhood of Jesus by honoring my husband. Perhaps that's what he would want more than me stuffing myself with spaghetti which was the other option for the evening. Here's hoping that my interior resolution made early this morning to give him the evening off and lead the boys in serving him doesn't give way to the 5-7 p.m. daily occurrence of me wanting to curl up in a corner covering my ears after throwing all the children at him as he walks in the door. I'm much better intentioned and grace-filled at 10 a.m. than I am at 5 p.m. Is that just me?

At least today there'll be brownies.

Happy St. Joseph's Day!

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Italian Balsamic Honey Bean Salad for St. Joseph

Italian Balsamic Honey Bean Salad

This dish can be made on either feast of Saint Joseph to represent Italy's devotion to Saint Joseph and the symbolism of the fava bean in their devotion. 

Italian Balsamic Honey Bean Salad

any variety of cooked beans (we used white navy and garbanzo beans)

chopped raw baby spinach

diced tomatoes (Roma or grape best)

sauteed sweet onions (or raw if that is your preference)

balsamic vinegar (good quality, ours is from Italy but it can be just a symbol of Italy)

honey

olive oil

lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix beans, spinach, tomatoes and onions gingerly in a large serving bowl. In a separate small bowl mix a 2:1:1:1 ratio of balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil and lemon juice. This ratio really is to your individual liking as it is just the dressing for the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dress the salad before serving. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us!!

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Vatican Flag and Pope Francis' Papal Coat of Arms Cupcake Toppers {Free Printables}

We are baking cupcakes to celebrate the Solemnity Feast of St. Joseph and the Installation of Pope Francis today.  I thought I would upload and share the cupcake toppers I created with you all.  Here are the links:

Vatican Flag Cupcake Toppers

Pope Francis' Papal Coat of Arms Cupcake Toppers 

Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Whole Church

O Glorious Saint Joseph, you were chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus, the most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, and the head of the Holy Family. You have been chosen by Christ's Vicar as the heavenly Patron and Protector of the Church founded by Christ. 

Protect the Sovereign Pontiff and all bishops and priests united with him. Be the protector of all who labor for souls amid the trials and tribulations of this life; and grant that all peoples of the world may be docile to the Church without which there is no salvation.

Dear Saint Joseph, accept the offering I make to you. Be my father, protector, and guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me purity of heart and a love for the spiritual life. After you example, let all my actions be directed to the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and your own paternal heart. Finally, pray for me that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church,
Ora Pro Nobis! 

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Italian Cream Cupcakes

The following recipe was submitted by Hi Cookery in honor of today's feast of St. Joseph and the Installation of Pope Francis. Thank you Highlander and Islander!  Update: I just created a Vatican Flag Cupcake Printable for you all. Here is the link! 

Habemus papam—we have a pope! Congratulations to Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who was elected as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. This is a significant event for the billions of Catholics worldwide as the church struggles to stay grounded in Christian morality in a predominantly secular society, deal with scandals and controversy, continue its rich historical traditions, grow in modern times and still keep the faith.

Succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, Francis is a Jesuit priest of Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, whose papal name was taken after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of Italy. Before first blessing those gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on the night of his election, Pope Francis asked that they pray for him. He surely needs our prayers, as being head of the church is not an easy task.

While baking Italian cream cupcakes for a pope prayer party for Islander’s brother’s students, we prayed that the Holy See is made an instrument of the Lord’s peace during his tenure as pope. We topped the cupcakes with tiny Vatican flags instead of a pecan for a festive Francis food. May God bless Pope Francis!

Recipe
(Adapted from Cupcakes: From the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn)

For the Italian Cream Cupcakes

• 1 box (18.25 ounces) yellow, white or French vanilla cake mix (we recommend Duncan Hines brand)
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons coconut flavoring
• 1 cup flaked coconut, sweetened
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Blend well until smooth.

Mix in the coconut flavoring. Fold in the flaked coconut and chopped pecans.

Scoop the batter into 24 cupcake papers lining a muffin pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Prepare the frosting.

For the coconut and cream cheese frosting

• 1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used clear vanilla flavoring)
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1+ tablespoons water or milk (optional)
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• pecan half (optional)

Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the butter until well blended with the cream cheese. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and mix until smooth. Add water or milk to the frosting, if necessary, to make a spreadable consistency.

Use a spatula to spread frosting on top of the cupcakes. Dip the frosted cupcakes into a small bowl of coconut flakes. Decorate with a pecan half or mini Vatican City flags.

Notes

• We used a yellow cake mix and a white coconut cream cheese frosting to match the colors of the Vatican flag.
• Boost the coconut flavor in the cream cheese frosting by substituting the vanilla for a teaspoon of coconut flavoring. Toast the sweetened coconut flakes to bring out the fruitiness as well as add some color to the cupcakes.
• The parish we attend, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, is proud to bear the name of new pope!
• Make Italian cream cupcakes for the installation of Pope Francis on March 19, the Feast Day of St. Joseph, or on October 4, the Feast Day of St. Francis.

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St. Joseph's Day Altar {and Giveaway Winner}

The 3rd Annual St. Joseph Altar Blog Fest is taking place over at The Virtual Saint Joseph Altar until the end of the month. Be sure to head on over to check out all the beautiful Altars that have been set up in honor of this beloved Saint, or to share pictures of your own.

Here are the pictures of Our 2012 St. Joseph Altar.

The winner of the beautiful embroidered Pysanky Basket Cover/Liner from Catholic Embroidery is #54.  Congratulations Pamela!

Thank you all for participating in the giveaway.  There is still time to place an order for Easter!

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Frittelle di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Fritters)

We are in the process of putting together our family St. Joseph's Altar in honor of today's feast. You can find ideas in the archives, beginning with Jennifer's great post on Foods for St. Joseph's Altar.

One of the recipes we decided to try this year is called Frittelle di San Giuseppe, St. Joseph's Fritters.  We found the recipe in A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith Throughout the Christian Year, and I just happened to have all the random ingredients needed, including orange rind, golden raisins, and pine nuts!  (We omitted the fruit brandy.)  

I offered each of my children a sample and they have all declared them a delicious success.  They are all eagerly awaiting to eat the rest during our celebration this evening.  Here is the recipe.

Frittelle di San Giuseppe

adapted from A Continual Feast

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup raw rice
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons fruit brandy (optional)
• Grated rind of 1 large orange
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• Oil for deep frying
• Confectioner's sugar

Directions:

Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Add the salt, vanilla, granulated sugar, and rice. Cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the milk has absorbed. Let the rice cool for several hours, or overnight. (The rice needs to be completely cooled before proceeding to the next step.)

Mix the rice thoroughly with the eggs, flour, baking powder, brandy, orange rind, raisins, and pine nuts.

Heat the oil to 375˚ F. for deep-fat drying. Drop 1 tablespoon of the Frittelle mixture at a time into the oil until golden brown.  You can cook a few at a time, keeping them separate.

Drain the Frittelle on paper towels.

Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve hot.

Happy St. Joseph's Day! 

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