St. Patrick’s Good News Popcorn

This post was submitted by past Catholic Cuisine contributor Lena, from JOY{filled} Family. 

Patrick suffered much in Ireland and there was always the danger that he would be killed, yet the saint kept on preaching about Jesus.….How happy he was to bring the Good News of the true God to the people who once held him a slave. ~Holy Spirit Interactive

My parents used to treat my sis and I to flavored popcorn. There was a small snack shop in the mall that had a variety of flavored popcorn. My favorite was bubblegum. It has been a long time since I’ve enjoyed that yummy treat.

I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to treat my GFG to a childhood novelty of mine.
I made green lemon-lime flavored popcorn, AKA Good News Popcorn, in honor of St. Patrick. The children loved the Good News.

St. Patrick’s – Good News Popcorn

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 30 | Difficulty: EASY | Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ⅔ cups Butter
• 6 quarts Plain Popped Popcorn
• 1.5-2 packages Kool-Aid (without the sugar)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pre-heat the oven to 225 degrees.
• Boil sugar, syrup, and butter together for 3 min.
• On a large, ungreased, baking pan, spread out popped popcorn.
• In a separate bowl, combine the Kool-Aid with baking soda.
• Remove the syrup from the stove. Slowly and carefully stir in the Kool-Aid mixture -- the mixture may ooze.
• Pour sugar mixture over the popped popcorn. Carefully mix all until combined.
• Place the coated popcorn into the oven for 30 min. Stir every 10 minutes.
• Take popcorn out of the oven. Break it apart once it starts to cool.

Enjoy the GOOD NEWS!

Hence, then, I give unwearied thanks to God, who kept me faithful in the day of my temptation, so that today I can confidently offer Him my soul as a living sacrifice--to Christ my Lord, who saved me out of all my troubles. Thus I can say: `Who am I, O Lord, and to what have Thou called me, Thou who did assist me with such divine power that to-day I constantly exalt and magnify Thy name among the heathens wherever I may be, and not only in good days but also in tribulations?' So indeed I must accept with equanimity whatever befalls me, be it good or evil, and always give thanks to God, who taught me to trust in Him always without hesitation, and who must have heard my prayer so that I, however ignorant I was, in the last days dared to undertake such a holy and wonderful work--thus imitating somehow those who, as the Lord once foretold, would preach His Gospel for a testimony to all nations before the end of the world. So we have seen it, and so it has been fulfilled: indeed, we are witnesses that the Gospel has been preached unto those parts beyond which there lives nobody. 

~ The Confession of St. Patrick, St. Patrick

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All Saints’ Day ~ Saintly Steak Sandwich - French Dip

 

This is a simple and warm dish to serve up on chilly day before the festivities. 

This EASY French Dip Sandwich is an offshoot of Papi’s creation. Papi loves steak (including tri-tip).  Bread comes a close second for him.  He made a tri-tip sandwich one night in September when dinner was served up.  Papi declared, “This is a Saint Steak Sandwich.”  The girls agreed, “A Saint Steak Sandwich, perfect for All Saints’ Day!”  

Prayers for a blessed All Saints’ Day!

~~~

Prayer for All Saints Day

Dear Father,
You have given the saints in Heaven eternal happiness and they now live in the fullness of Your glory. Because of their holy love for You, they also care about me and my family, my friends, my church, and my neighbors. Thank You for the gift of their friendship and the witness of their holy lives. I ask our patron saints and every saint who has become especially dear to me to intercede for us. I ask them to help us journey safely on the narrow path that leads to Heaven. O Lord, give us their protection. Grant us their assistance in overcoming temptation and gaining the fullness of life with You.
Amen.

 ~~~

Recipe: All Saints’ Day Saintly Steak Sandwich – French Dip

Prep Time: 5 min. | Cook Time: 10 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 7 Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans beef consomme
• 2 pounds thinly sliced deli roast beef
• 14 slices provolone cheese
• French bread

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Slice French bread and butter one side of the sliced bread
• Place sliced French bread, butter side down, on a baking sheet. 
• Heat beef consomme and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Adjust water amount to suit your preferences.  Less water will make a richer beef broth.
• Place the roast beef in the broth and warm for 3 minutes.
• Arrange the meat on the sliced French bread and top each side of meat with 2 slices of provolone.
• Top the meat and cheese with another slice of French bread, butter side up. 
• Bake the sandwiches in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese just begins to melt.
• Serve the sandwiches with small bowls of the warm broth for dipping.

ENJOY YOUR SAINTLY SANDWICH!

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St. Jogues - Huron Indian Blueberry Crunch Cake

SAINTS ISAAC JOGUES, JOHN DE BREBEUF, AND THEIR COMPANIONS

Martyrs

 

September 26 – Extraordinary Form ~ October 19 – Ordinary Form

 

DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / RED
These eight French Jesuit missioners, the first canonized saints of the North American continent, labored and died among the most barbaric of red men in the most impenetrable fastnesses of the 17th-century New World. After struggling with unbelievable privations and hardships, they were severely tortured and martyred by the Iroquois Indians between the years 1642 and 1649. Fathers Isaac Jogues and Anthony Daniel and the two lay oblates, John Lalande and Rene Goupil, gave their lives in what is now New York State; Fathers John de Brebeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier, and Noel Chabanel in central Canada.

~~~

My children’s interest led us to this impromptu Saintly treat.  We imagined that St. Isaac Jorgues, St. John De Brebeuf, and their companions would have eaten something similar while on their mission among the Huron Indians since the Huron Indians supplemented their diets with wild blueberries. 

Although agriculture was important in the economy of the Huron, it was not the only source of subsistence. Berries, particularly strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, were plentiful. Fruits were fried for winter use, to be used as preserves for the sick, to give taste to sagmite, ad to put into the small cakes that were baked in the ashes. ~ An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

The ordinary meal of soup was sometimes supplemented with unleavened cornbread baked under the ashes.  This bread occasionally hand beans of wild fruits added to it.  To make bread, corn was first pounded into flour in a wooden mortar and the hull removed by fans made of tree bark.  The corn was boiled for a short time in water and wiped and dried a little, then crushed and kneaded with warm water, shaped like cakes or tarts (an inch long), and baked in the ashes.  To the dough might be added beans that been been boiled separately.  Sometimes dried or fresh fruits, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries were added. ~ An Ethnography of the Huron Indians, 1615-1649

~~~

Additional resources on St. Jogues and the First American Martyrs are listed here.

This recipe is modified from Paula Deen’s  Pineapple Blueberry Crunch Cake

Sweetie and Sparkles collected the ingredients.

Sweetie crushed our pineapples while Sparkles melted the butter.

 

They took turns adding the ingredients.

Dad and I consider our family to be modified Paleo -- we do what we can, within the means that we have been provided.  Here’s an example of what I mean.  We don’t keep the traditional treats handy in our home but being the sugar addict that I am, I will send Dad to the nearby store for a quick fix.  (I like to think that pregnancy hormones have something to do with my attempted binges but I’m not so sure.)  In order to avoid such scenario I opt to store some quasi healthy treats.  In this case it’s gluten-free cake mix.  The blueberry pie filling was bought after a saw a pin from Melody for a blueberry cake recipe.  I was unable to locate a gluten-free pie filling but I did search for a filling that did not contain high-fructose corn syrup.  Again, it’s not the ideal snack but it beats the alternative for us.  

The kids are always thrilled when the get to “enjoy” a mom-approved treat.

First went the crushed pineapples.  Sweetie was in charge of using the emulsion blender to crush the cubed pineapples that we had on hand.

Together, they layered the blueberry filling and covered it all with boxed yellow cake mix.

Then I drizzled the warm butter over the top.  Note that all the cake should be covered with some amount of butter.

Forty-five minutes later, we enjoyed a yummy treat!

~~~

Recipe: St. Jogues - Huron Indian Blueberry Crunch Cake

Prep Time: 10 min. | Cook Time: 35-45 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8-12

INGREDIENTS: 

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
• 1 (20-ounce) can blueberry pie filling
• 1 box gluten-free yellow cake mix

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Butter a 9x13 casserole dish
• Pour the pineapple with juice in the casserole dish
• Evenly spread the blueberry filling over the pineapples
• Cover with dry yellow cake mix
• Drizzle with melted butter over the cake layer
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees

~~~

"To maintain it, and see what can be done for the instruction of these tribes, it is here deemed expedient to send some Father. I have reason to think I shall be sent, having some knowledge of the language and country. You see what need I have of the powerful aid of prayers, being amidst these savages. I will have to remain among them—almost without liberty to pray; without Mass; without Sacraments —and be responsible for every accident among the Iroquois, French, Algonquins and others. But what do I say? My hope is in God, who needs not us to accomplish His designs. We must endeavor to be faithful to Him, and not spoil His work by our shortcomings. I trust you will obtain for me this favor of Our Lord, that, having led so wretched a life till now, I may at last begin to serve Him better.” ~ St. Isaac Jogues

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St. Valentine’s Sweet Pizza

 

SAINT VALENTINE

Priest and Martyr

~~~

Here is a yummy and semi healthy treat.

I found my inspiration from here.

Last year I used a boxed brownie mix and skipped on the suggested cream cheese spread.

This year I’m following a recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes found at Elana’s Pantry.  I’m also using her Vegan Chocolate Frosting.  It has quickly become a family favorite.  These cupcakes even passed the test for extended family who despises coconut flour and loves sugar.  

ENJOY this Sweet Treat with your loved ones on St. Valentine’s Day!

~~~

Recipe: Chocolate Cake/Cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 min. | Cook Time: 15 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6-8 Cupcakes or 1 - 8in round cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• /4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup agave nectar

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• In a med. bowl, mix coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, mix eggs, oil, and agave.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Mix well.
• Grease cake pan with coconut oil or line cupcake pan with 1/4 cup of batter
• Bake at 375 ° for 10-15 minutes or until middle is set.
• Cool and cover with icing and heart-strawberries.

NOTES:

I recommend that you adjust the amount of agave nectar to suit your taste.  This was a bit sweet for me. 

----

Recipe: Chocolate Icing

Prep Time: -- | Cook Time: 25 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: enough frosting to lightly frost 2 dozen cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and grapeseed oil.
• In a large bowl, mix eggs, oil, and agave.
• Stir in agave, vanilla and salt.
• Place frosting in freezer for 15 minutes to chill and thicken.
• Remove from freezer and whip frosting until it is thick and fluffy.
• Frost cake

NOTES:

“This gluten-free, dairy free and creamy chocolate frosting” fools everyone who tries it.  Sparkles and dad even ate the frosting in its solid state.  I love the sea salt!

----

Love Berries

INGREDIENTS

• strawberries

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• remove the stem by cutting a small triangle into the top of the strawberry
• slice strawberry in half – horizontally

NOTES:

Best with fresh strawberries. Pin It

St. Valentine’s Healthy Heart Breakfast

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” –1Jn 4:16

SAINT VALENTINE

Priest and Martyr

February 14 -  feast of St. Valentine in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

SIMPLE / RED

During the persecution under Emperor Claudius II, Valentine, a zealous priest in Rome, ministered boldly to the martyr. He was arrested and taken before the prefect, who made tempting offers to induce him to apostatize. Finding that he was wasting his breath, the prefect condemned Valentine to death. The beheading took place on February 14, about the year 270. The true follower of Christ ignores worldly caution when he is called upon to bear witness to Jesus. "The inclination of the flesh is death, but the inclination of the spirit, life and peace" (Rom. 8:6)

~~~

St. Valentine is my family’s patron saint for 2012.  We are trying to find simple ways to celebrate.  This is the first, complete year for my family’s radical diet change.  That mean’s no more traditional sweet treats for us.  (Don’t worry, we are not deprived and we do eat!)

We start the day with a healthy serving of protein, usually eggs and bacon.  Here is our take for St. Valentine’s Breakfast – Egg cupcake, heart bacon, and love berries.

I’ve listed more St. Valentine’s resources here.

St. Valentine ~ ora pro nobis

~~~

Recipe: St. Valentine’s Health Heart Breakfast

Egg Cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 min. | Cook Time: 18 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 18-20 Egg Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

• 10-12 eggs 
• cooked meat (optional)
• 1 green onion
• 1-2 zucchini
• 2-3 cups spinach
• red & yellow bell peppers
• olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Grease muffin pan with olive oil
• Scramble eggs in bowl
• Use the food processor to finely chop spinach, zucchini, bell peppers and green onion. (Do not purify mixture.)
• Add the mixture to the scrambled eggs.   Mix well and season to taste.
• Fill the muffin pan with 1/4 cup of the egg mixture. 
• Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle. – DO NOT OVERCOOK.

NOTES:

The kids love this version of eggs.  It’s perfect for breakfast on-the-go.  We use it for our Sunday breakfast since we have an hour drive to Mass.  You could also make these the night before and re-heat.

Dad likes to garnish his egg cupcakes with salsa.  I prefer guacamole.

I pictured another version of eggs - soft boiled egg and plain egg cupcakes.  Soft boiled egg – break the egg into a greased cupcake pan, season, and bake for 8-10 min. Plain Egg Cupcake – follow the directions above sans veggies.

-----

Heart Bacon

INGREDIENTS

• bacon

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• fold two pieces of bacon into a heart shape
• cook in a George Forman Grill or oven.

NOTES:

This shaped bacon works better in a George Forman Grill.

-----

Love Berries

INGREDIENTS

• strawberries

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• remove the stem by cutting a small triangle into the top of the strawberry
• slice strawberry in half – horizontally

NOTES:

I often use frozen berries.  Defrost the berries. 

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St. Lucia Chocolate Chip Cookies

"To God's servants the right words will not be wanting, for the Holy Ghost speaks in us. Yes, all who live piously and chastely are temples of the Holy Ghost.” ~ St. Lucia

Saint Lucy
Virgin & Martyr
December 13 ~ New & Traditional Calendar

~~~

Lucy, patron of Sicily, and one of the saints of the Canon of the Mass, was martyred at Syracuse in the persecution of Diocletian about the year 304. The legend of her martyrdom says that she was denounced as a Christian by a rejected suitor. Refusing to apostatize, she was condemned to a brothel, but a mysterious force prevented the persecutors from moving her from the tribunal. After an unsuccessful attempt had been made to burn her to death, her neck was pierced with a dagger.

 

~~~

This is a late addition for this feast day since it was a surprise from my eldest daughter, Rose. Because of her surprise, they will forever be referred to us as St. Lucia’s Cookies.

~~~

"O virgin Lucy, why do you ask of me what you yourself can procure for your mother? For your faith too has come to her aid and therefore she has been cured. By your virginity you have indeed prepared for God a lovely dwelling."

~St. Agatha’s words of consolation to St. Lucy, in a dream

 

Recipe: St. Lucia Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 8 min. | Cook Time: 13 min.| Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 24 small cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons refined coconut oil
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup dark chocolate (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Whisk the coconut flour and the baking soda together in a med. bowl.
• Mix together the coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl.
• Add the the dry ingredients into the wet, mix.
• Add the dark-chocolate chips.
• Bake at 350 for 13 minutes.

NOTES:

The consistency of these cookies are a bit flakey and soft. However, they are a fine replacement to the traditional version.

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St. Lawrence Grill Cakes

 

"Sheltered under the name of Jesus Christ, I do not fear these pains, for they do not last long." ~ St. Lawrence

Saint Lawrence 
Deacon & Martyr 
August 10 ~ New & Traditional Calendar

Surrounded by this ill-favored company, the prefect thus addressed the valiant Deacon: "Sacrifice to the gods, or else the whole night long shall be witness of your torments." "My night has no darkness," answered St. Laurence, "and all things are full of light to me." They struck him on the mouth with stones, but he smiled and said: "I give Thee thanks, O Christ."
Then an iron bed or gridiron with three bars was brought in and the Saint was stripped of his garments and extended upon it while burning coals were placed beneath it. As they were holding him down with iron forks,
St. Laurence said: "I offer myself as a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness." The executioners continually stirred up the fire and brought fresh coals, while they still held him down with their forks. Then the Saint said: "Learn, unhappy man, how great is the power of my God; for your burning coals give me refreshment, but they will be your eternal punishment. I call Thee, O Lord, to witness: when I was accused, I did not deny Thee; when I was questioned, I confessed Thee, O Christ; on the red-hot coals I gave Thee thanks." And with his countenance radiant with heavenly beauty, he continued: "Yea, I give Thee thanks, O Lord Jesus Christ, for that Thou hast deigned to strengthen me." He then raised his eyes to his judge, and said: "See, this side is well roasted; turn me on the other and eat." Then continuing his canticle of praise to God: "I give Thee thanks, O Lord, that I have merited to enter into Thy dwelling-place." As he was on the point of death, he remembered the Church. The thought of the eternal Rome gave him fresh strength, and he breathed forth this ecstatic prayer: "O Christ, only God, O Splendor, O Power of the Father, O Maker of Heaven and earth and builder of this city’s walls! Thou hast placed Rome’s scepter high over all; Thou hast willed to subject the world to it, in order to unite under one law the nations which differ in manners, customs, language, genius, and sacrifice. Behold the whole human race has submitted to its empire, and all discord and dissensions disappear in its unity. Remember Thy purpose: Thou didst will to bind the immense universe together into one Christian Kingdom. O Christ, for the sake of Thy Romans, make this city Christian; for to it Thou gavest the charge of leading all the rest to sacred unity. All its members in every place are united—a very type of Thy Kingdom; the conquered universe has bowed before it. Oh! may its royal head be bowed in turn! Send Thy Gabriel and bid him heal the blindness of the sons of Iulus that they may know the true God. I see a prince who is to come—an Emperor who is a servant of God. He will not suffer Rome to remain a slave; he will close the temples and fasten them with bolts forever."
Thus he prayed, and with these last words he breathed forth his soul. Some noble Romans who had been conquered to Christ by the Martyr’s admirable boldness, removed his body: the love of the Most High God had suddenly filled their hearts and dispelled their former errors. From that day the worship of the infamous gods grew cold; few people went now to the temples, but hastened to the altars of Christ. Thus St. Laurence, going unarmed to the battle, had wounded the enemy with his own sword.  ~ Abbot Gueranger, The Liturgical Year

~~~

St. Lawrence is considered one of the most famous martyrs and a powerful witness for Catholic Christians.  He is also the namesake for Dad and Dragonfly.

Baby G - 86 days old.

We celebrated last year’s feast day with these yummy cupcakes—grill cakes.

The cupcakes are semi-homemade.  We added 1 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to a boxed vanilla cake mix.

We added black food coloring to the butter cream frosting for the grill and charcoal.  (I generally make a full batch of frosting and use it for the following (traditional) feast days, St. Philomena (8/11) and St. Clare (8/12).  For this step, you could use gel food coloring instead of the dyed frosting.
The following sweets were used for the barbeque.

Kebabs - Slice a  caramel cream and red, yellow, and green Jelly Bellies (or any other candy fruit slices).  Place sliced candies on a toothpick (skewer)
Pork chop - Mold caramel cream candy.  Using a toothpick, add black food coloring.
Hot dogs - Apply black frosting/food coloring with a toothpick to the Hot Tamales.

Inspiration for these cupcakes was found here.

~~~

"Who would not gladly burn one hour with St. Lawrence, to escape the fire of hell?" ~ St. Augustine

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Our Lady of Mount Carmel Meatball Sandwich

Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady, queen and beauty of Carmel, pray for us. 
July 16 ~ New & Traditional Calendar

According to legend, a religious community was established even before the time of Christ on Mount Carmel. This is the mountain overlooking the Mediterranean Sea on which the prophet Elijah successfully challenged the priests of Baal and won the people to the true God. The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel entered the Calendar of the universal Church in the early 18th century.

~~~

My family has a special devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  She is also Sparkles and mine namesake – Carmen.  Because of this, Dad coordinates this feast day celebration.  Praise God!

Dad has narrowed in on my favorite, Carmel Iced Coffee and his specialty, meatballs. 

This recipe is not my own. Dad found it on one of my family’s favorite recipe site, Pioneer Woman. We have been using her recipes for some time. We even started a cooking challenge, where we make one of her recipes every week – for the entire year. We have never been let down by any of her recipes. She gives great directions and provides wonderful pictures and humorous dialogue. Pioneer Woman is also a homeschooling mom!

Dinner: Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Meatball ~ Mount Carmel.

Provolone Cheese ~ White for the purity of Our Lady.

Bread ~ The Bread of Life, Jesus – who Mary ALWAYS leads us to.

~~~

NOTES:

I like using ground turkey, Dad prefers ground beef.

Dad likes to make an extra large batch and freeze the cooked meatballs for future use.

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St. Catherine of Siena Faith Cupcakes

Saint Catherine of Sienna Exchanging Her Heart with Christ " by Giovanni di Paolo, part of a three part altar panel, hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Saint Catherine of Siena
Virgin & Doctor of the Church
April 29 ~ New Calendar - April 30 ~ Traditional Calendar

 

Our catechesis today deals with Saint Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary, a woman of great holiness and a Doctor of the Church. Catherine’s spiritual teachings are centered on our union with Christ, the bridge between earth and heaven. Her own virginal entrustment to Christ the Bridegroom was reflected in her celebrated visions. Catherine’s life also shows us the importance of the spiritual maternity exercised by so many women in every age. From this great saint let us learn to grow in holiness, love for the Lord and fidelity to his body, the Church. ~ BENEDICT XVI, GENERAL AUDIENCE, November 24, 2010

~~~

St. Catherine of Siena is assigned the virtue of faith for the Little Flowers Girls’ Group. 

The sunflower represents faith.

“Our faith may be compared to this flower, since its gaze is ever fixed above, and turned towards the glorious sun of divine truth.”

~ Fr. Lasance - Catholic Girl’s Guide

I decided to make this cupcake in honor of St. Catherine of Siena and the virtue of faith.

  I found the idea at Skip To My Lou.

St. Catherine of Siena Faith Cupcakes

SUPPLIES:

• yellow cake mix
• buttercream frosting (recipe below)
• chocolate frosting
• chocolate puff cereal
• cupcake liners
• golden yellow gel icing color
• star tip for icing

DIRECTIONS:

Bake cupcakes as desired. I used a box mix of yellow cake.

Frost the middle of the cake with chocolate frosting.

Dip the frosted cupcake into chocolate puff cereal.*  Don’t worry too much about the edges because you will be able to cover up any imperfections with the yellow icing, in the next step.

*Save this step for later if you plan to refrigerate the cupcake.  If not, the cereal will loose it’s crunch and become stale.

Using a star tip, frost around the chocolate top of the cupcake with buttercream frosting that has been dyed yellow using Golden Yellow gel icing color. 

 

1 batch of the buttercream frosting is enough for approximately 36 Faith Cupcakes or 1 dozen traditional cupcakes.

 

Recipe: Buttercream Frosting (taken from the Bird and the Berry)

Prep Time: --  |  Cook Time: --  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 3 cups of icing

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Slice butter into large bowl.  Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer.

Add vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.

Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. 

The frosting should be creamy in texture and easy to pipe, but stiff enough to hold shape and not move off the cupcake.

NOTES:

The more you whip the frosting the more air you add to it and the creamier and fluffier it will be.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use.

Refrigerate in airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

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Good Friday Meal – Tomato Bisque

  It is a family tradition in my home to serve tomato soup on Good Friday.  This tradition was started by Sweetie’s Godfamily.  The children and nursing or pregnant mom gets a grilled cheese to go with their soup. 

Sweetie has named the tomato soup, Christ’s Blood.  I love that my GFG are always finding meaning in everything around them.

Good Friday (also called "Great Friday" or "Holy Friday") is the most somber day of the entire year. A silence pervades, socializing is kept to a minimum, things are done quietly; it is a day of mourning; it is a funeral. The Temple of the Body of Christ is destroyed, capping the the penitential seasons begun on Septuagesima Sunday and becoming more intense throughout Lent. Traditional Catholics wear black, cover their mirrors, extinguish candles and any lamps burning before icons, keep amusements and distractions down, and go about the day in great solemnity. ~ Fisheaters

~~~

I’m sorry that this post is last minute.  My family has been a bit under the weather. 

The recipe below will make a bisque almost identical to that found at Safeway, yummy.  Some may question it’s appropriateness for a Lenten Meal, it’s that tasty.  I do!  However, it’s the only meal we’ll eat on Good Friday.

I triple the recipe below to feed my family, 2 adults and 4 kids.  It yields lots of leftovers but once the soup is gone, it’s gone since I’ll only make it once a year. 

This soup is good hot or cold.

~~~

   Cut squash.  Sauté onions and garlic in butter or oil over medium-low heat until soft and golden.  Do not brown. Add tomatoes, tomato paste,  stock, butternut squash, salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Partially cover and simmer for about 30-35 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender. 

Puree the soup with an emersion blender. Stir in cream.  Add some Tabasco sauce for a little kick. Heat the soup just to a boil, then serve.  Garnish with parmesan cheese.

I generally don’t follow this recipe (or any other recipe) to a T.  I included my variations in red. 

 

Recipe: Good Friday – Tomato Bisque

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 30-35 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 6

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil (I use this Olive Oil (from Carmen’s Godfamily.)  My fav is A².)
• 1 onion, chopped (Don’t worry about chopping it small for the kids.  It’s all going to be blended.)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (I use the minced garlic that comes in the jar.  I buy it from Costco and it lasts me all year long.)
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, with liquid (Canned tomatoes with Italian seasoning for added flavor.)
• 1/4-1/2 cup roasted garlic tomato paste (Add garlic powder to reg paste.)
• 2 cups vegetable or organic chicken stock (Any stock will do.  But theses two are the healthiest choices.)
• 2-2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced (Directions are below.)
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (Dried Italian seasoning to taste, in place of basil and thyme.)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups nonfat half-and-half or nonfat yogurt (Once again, this is the healthy version.  I tend to go for taste, heavy cream.)
• Several dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce.  (My kids don’t care for spicy so I divide the soup at the end and add hot sauce to half.)
• Parmesan cheese to garnish (cheese is not optional in my home.)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut squash.  This can be a toughie.  Be sure to use a sharp knife.  Cut in half, the shorter way.  Scoop out the seeds and fibers just as you would a pumpkin.  Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler.

Sauté onions and garlic in butter or oil over medium-low heat until soft and golden.  Do not brown.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste,  stock, butternut squash, salt, pepper, basil and thyme.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Partially cover and simmer for about 30-35 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender.

Puree the soup with an emersion blender (You could use a standard blender, then pour back into the saucepan.)

Stir in nonfat half and half or yogurt.

Add some Tabasco sauce for a little kick.

Heat the soup just to a boil, then serve.

Garnish with parmesan cheese.

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