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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Ave Maria Toast

For the Feast of the Immaculate Conception we made a simple snack to celebrate Immaculate Mary.  This simple idea would be appropriate for any of Our Lady's feasts, including the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on January 1st! 

Ave Maria Toast

In separate bowls each, I dyed a small amount of whipped cream cheese (whipped definitely spreads smoother than block or regular cream cheese) pale blue and golden yellow with food coloring. I spread some white whipped cream cheese onto some toast. Using snack size ziploc bags, I piped an "A" and an "M" onto the toast in a design inspired by Catholic Emroidery's Ave Maria design.

I think it turned out lovely and the kids enjoyed eating it after they colored Charlotte's Immaculate Conception coloring page. I am sure many of you could come up some with wonderful ideas to add to this or tweak it for other feast days.

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Crock Pot Pineapple Curry Chicken

 

For the Feast of  Blessed Mother Teresa on September 5th, we honored her and her work with the poor in India with this curry dish. It is very easy and takes very little time away from your little ones. It's also a great dish to have children help make because it is so simple. On her feast day I usually read Blessed Mother Teresa's speech for Nobel Peace Prize. It is filled with such beautiful words.

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, 

but how much love we put in the action that we do. 

It is to God Almighty - how much we do it does not matter, 

because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. 

How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving."

Blessed Mother Teresa

Crock Pot Pineapple Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or as many as your family needs)
2 white or sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of the jarred minced garlic
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt
1 package steam bag peas
1 can of pineapple chunks in its own unsweetened juice
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup toasted cashews or peanuts (I actually didn't use these, but I imagine they would be delicious)
large package of yellow saffron rice (prepare as directed on package)
Directions

In a 5-quart slow cooker, toss chicken, onion, pineapples and juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, and cumin to coat. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover, cook until chicken is fork-tender, about 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low (do not uncover while cooking).

Microwave steam bag of peas as directed on package.  Stir in coconut milk and peas; cover, cook until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a large bowl; shred with fork. Return to pot;  toss with sauce.

Prepare yellow saffron rice per package instructions.

To serve, spoon rice onto serving dish. Spoon chicken and sauce mixture on top of rice. Garnish with 1/2 cup toasted cashews or peanuts if desired.

Blessed Mother Teresa, Pray for Us. 

"There is a terrible hunger for love. 

We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. 

We must have the courage to recognize it. 

The poor you may have right in your own family. 

Find them.

Love them." 

Blessed Mother Teresa

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Poulet Roti aux Legumes for a French Saint

To celebrate the Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux on October 1st, we cooked our easy version of the French classic Poulet Roti aux Legumes (Roast Chicken with Vegetables). Some version of this one pan dish is probably something Saint Therese ate regularly living in France. Traditionally, this dish is cooked with a whole chicken but for our family we find it easier to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Poulet Roti aux Legumes

Ingredients

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 5-7 potatoes, cubed or whole small potatoes 
• 2 large sweet yellow or white onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges 
• 1 bag baby carrots 
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 
• few sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled 
• fresh or dried thyme to taste 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the vegetables and oil in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper, rosemary and thyme and toss to coat. Roast until the vegetables are beginning to soften and are heated through, about 30-45 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, rosemary, thyme and some salt and pepper. 
3. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. 
4. Return to the oven; continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. 

Saint Therese of Lisieux, Pray for Us!

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Tres Leche Cake for Trinity Sunday

Earlier this month we made an easy and delicious Tres Leche cake as part of our Cinco de Mayo dinner.   It would be a great option this coming weekend in honor of "Trinity Sunday!"

I based it off of this recipe but made some alterations (mostly to make less sugary and cut out some unnecessary fat) so my version is below:

Tres Leche Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups skim milk

1/2 of a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 and 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork.Cool cake.
6. Combine the skim milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.
7. Whip whipping cream, 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with cinnamon. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy!

This cake would also be good for celebrating the feast of our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego.

Our Lady of Guadalupe & Saint Juan Diego, 

patron saints of Mexico, 

Pray for us!

*Additional recipes for Trinity Sunday can be found in the archives. Pin It

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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Epiphany Feasting

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!


For the feast of the epiphany, I made a couple symbolic things for dinner. The first for the children was macaroni and cheese stars. I used star silicone baking molds and made them little mini mac 'n cheeses to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. They look orange in the picture but were really more really resembling a star.


Since foods with spices are traditional for the Feast of the Epiphany, I made a honey spice bread that was delicious. The recipe is below and is from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic.

Honey Spice Bread

Bread Machine
from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3 cups Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons FLEISCHMANN's Bread Machine Yeast

Directions:

Add milk, butter, honey, salt, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, flour and yeast to bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select basic cycle; medium/color settings.

Yield: 1 (1 1/2-pound) loaf

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Saints on The Clouds of Heaven Cake

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!


For the Solemnity of All Saints, I made this cake which is meant to be a Saints on The Clouds of Heaven Cake. The cake inside is blue for the blue sky and the marshmallow fluff meringue frosting is swirled like fluffy clouds. I used this recipe (which I quoted below with my changes).  The Saints are meant to be standing on or floating above the Clouds of Heaven.

I made the following variations from the original which I included in the tweaked recipe below:

I only made 3 layers with 2/3 of a white box cake in each pan.  I used only blue food coloring.  I used almond flavoring instead of lemon.  I used applesauce instead of oil and it was so moist and delicious (I will never use oil again).  I decorated the top with some small plastic statues of Mary & St. Joseph and some skewered felt Saint Softies.

Clouds of Heaven Cake:

(tweaked from recipe for Cakerrific Cake from How Does She)

You will need:

Food Coloring (I just use the normal watery kind)

1 Jar of Marshmallow Fluff

2 WHITE Cake Mixes

Applesauce (or oil)

Eggs

Powdered Sugar

Butter

Almond Flavoring

Circle Cake Pans (you can try different shapes, it just makes it harder to stack)

Empty Cereal Box (or any box big enough to trace the pan)

STEP 1- Use the cardboard to trace the pan once, Cut out, and set aside.

STEP 2- Mix first cake, following instructions on the back of the box, making sure NOT to use yokes (it will mess up your colors). 

STEP 3- I also substitute applesauce instead of using oil. 1cup oil = 1cup applesauce.

STEP 4- Divide batter into three bowls, and add the coloring. I used 20 drops of food coloring for each cake. Pour into buttered and floured cake pans and bake.You can follow the baking instructions on the box, just remember each cake is 2/3 of the batter, and not 1/2, so it will take a little more time. Repeat this process with the third cake as well.

STEP 5- Once they are cool enough, release the cake from the pan; run your knife around the outside put your hand on top of the cake, and pop it out.  Next, partially freeze the cakes, this will make them easier to level (step six). I like to put them separately onto paper plates, and let them rest in the freezer for a half hour or so. That means while you are cooking the second two cakes, the first two can be resting in the freezer, and so on, and so forth.

STEP 6- Stacking and leveling the cakes requires a little patience, and a big knife! First take your big bread knife and cut the rounded part of each cake off.  Once you have all six tops off, make sure they are level, and trim off a little more if necessary. Then lay your cardboard circle down on a big plate. (you will want to freeze the stacked cake before you finish frosting it, so don’t use your cake plate yet).

Frostings:

#1 - Almond Frosting:

1 lb Powdered Sugar

1 stick of Butter

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp almond Flavoring

1/4 cup water

—Mix Well—

#2.- Crummy Almond Frosting  

same as #1., just cut the recipe in half, and add some water to make it runny enough for your crumb coat (step7 ).

#3.-Marshmallow Fluffy Perfection

(recipe on STEP 8)

O.k. back to STEP 6- Spread a little smidgen of the Almond Frosting on the cardboard round, then place your first cake down.  Next, spread a generous 1/4′ish inch layer of the same frosting on the first layer, then place the next cake round down.

Repeat these steps till the cake is stacked. Be sure to frost the top of the cake with your Almond Frosting cause it tastes so yummy!!!

Once you have your cake to this point, just pop it in the freezer for a half hour while you make frosting #2.

STEP 7- Coating the cake with Crummy Almond Frosting. Depending on the day, you will need to add more or less water. Don’t worry, if it gets too runny just add some more powdered sugar.  

Next, spread #2. frosting over the whole cake.  The frosting will get all crummy by the time you’re finished with the crumb coat, which is the whole point. So, to sum things up, the “crumb coat” stops the “crummy cake” from ruining the “real frosting,” which is the Marshmallow Fluffy Perfection!  

Once it is all covered, (yes it will look that ugly), pop it in the freezer overnight, or for a few hrs till the crumb coat hardens.

STEP 8- Here is how you make Marshmallow Fluffy Perfection. 

Pour 1/2 cup Sugar, 2 Tbsp Water, and 2 Egg Whites in medium saucepan.   Cook over low heat, beating continuously with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.  Add Marshmallow Creme(7-oz jar, 1&1/2 cups); beat until stiff peaks form.  You really want them to be quite stiff. If you don’t do it long enough, the pretty swirls won’t hold their shape. Remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp vanilla.

Pull the cake out of the freezer, and transfer it onto the cake plate. Oh wait, put two pieces of parchment paper down on the cake plate before you transfer the cake. This way you can do your decorating without messing up the cake plate. Next you will want to smear dollops of frosting onto the cake.

Once the entire cake is covered, take the spatula and make the frosting swirl around in random circles. The frosting will look all bubbly, but once it rests, the little bubbles just fade “perfectly” away.

Slowly pull out the parchment paper, and now you get to decorate.

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Carmel Iced Milks and Coffee

This post, in honor of the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!    A few other drink ideas for this feast can be found in the archives including: Granita di Caffe, Mystic Monk Coffee, and Mount Carmel Steamers!

In honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel which falls in the heat of the summer, make some easy and yummy refreshing iced drinks for your family for morning or evening. I decided to make these drinks because I wanted to make something special for my husband who faithfully wears his Our Lady of Mounat Carmel scapular medal daily. He loves Starbuck's Carmel Frappuccinos, so I decided to make a homemade version for him for to take on his way to work on the morning of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

For the children, make Carmel Ice milks by blending milk, carmel sauce and ice in a blender. Top with whipped cream and carmel sauce.

For a refreshing start to your morning make a Carmel Iced Coffee by blending chilled strong coffee (4 times stronger is what I like), milk, carmel sauce, milk and ice. Pour into a glass and for a sweet addition top with whipped cream and carmel sauce.

Or make it a Carmel Coffee piping hot with carmel melted in it.

Add a shot of coffee liquor and serve it in a wine glass for an after dinner treat.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!

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Coffee & Cannolis for St. Gianna

Robina, from Motherly Loving, shares a few ideas for celebrating the feast of St. Gianna Beretta Molla on April 28th.  Thank you Robina!

"I am having friends from our parish's Mom's Group over again for Coffee & Cannolis and to pray the rosary while our children play to celebrate the Feast of St. Gianna. I used to make my own cannolis as a child, but now I have a few select places that I buy from, with my all time favorite but far away being Venieros in Manhattan (their chocolate covered cannolis pictured above).

You could also celebrate St. Gianna's Italian heritage and make an Italian meal for dinner, some kind of yummy pasta or even pizza or eat out at your favorite Italian restaurant."

Classic Cannoli

For the Filling:
2 3/4 cups (22 ounces) fresh ricotta cheese
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:
3 dozen pre-made cannoli shells
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Make the filling: Line a sieve with a layer of cheesecloth, and set over a bowl. Spoon ricotta into sieve. Cover, and let drain in the refrigerator overnight.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat ricotta and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in chocolate chips, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip one end of each cannoli shell into chocolate and dip into mini chocolate chips. Let set 15 minutes on parchment paper.

Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. (*You can also just use a plastic bag and spoon it in.) Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

Prayer of Saint Gianna

God our Father we praise You and we bless you because in St Gianna Beretta Molla you have given us one who witnessed to the Gospel as a young women, as a wife, as a mother, and as a doctor. We thank you because through the gift of her life we can learn to welcome and honor every human person. You, Lord Jesus, were for Gianna a splendid example. She learned to recognize you in the beauty of nature. As she was questioning her choice of vocation she went in search of you and the best way to serve you. Through her married love she became a sign of your love for the Church and for humanity. Like you, the Good Samaritan, she cared for everyone who was sick, small or weak. Following your example, out of love she gave herself entirely, generating new life. Holy Spirit, Source of every perfection, give us wisdom, intelligence, and courage so that, following the example of Saint Gianna and through her intercession, we may know how to place ourselves at the service of each person we meet in our personal, family and professional lives, and thus grow in love and holiness.  Amen.

Saint Gianna, Pray for us!

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Divine Mercy Pancakes

This picture was submitted by Robina, at Motherly Loving, for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

We celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday with a lunch of heart-shaped pancakes with strawberries and blueberries for the red and blue rays representing the blood and water that flowed from Jesus' pierced heart.

Hope you had a wonderful Sunday.

St. Faustina, Pray for us.

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I Heart Donuts

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina, and congratulations on your precious new little one!

Here is a yummy Valentine's Day tradition of ours. Yummy, enjoy.

Heart Donuts

biscuit dough - ready to use or from scratch

small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a circle of any kind for traditional round shape

1/4 - 1/2 cup cooking oil - vegetable or canola

tongs

paper towels

cinnamon and sugar mix and/or powdered sugar

Open the biscuit can and spread all the rolls out. Then using your cutter, press out a donut hole right in the middle.

Then get your pan on medium heat with 1/4 - 1/2 cup oil. Depending on how many you make, you will need more oil. You want enough oil to cover half of the donut when cooking. Place 3-4 doughy donuts into the pan and leave until the bottom is golden brown (2-3 minutes). Don't do anything else but watch these, as they cook fast and don't want them to burn. Then turn them over and cook another minute or so.

Using tongs, place the cooked donut on paper towels to drain and cool slightly. Then get your pan on medium heat with 1/4 - 1/2 cup oil. Depending on how many you make, you will need more oil. You want enough oil to cover half of the donut when cooking. Now place the donuts on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar too. Or let cool slightly and cover with chocolate icing and Valentine's sprinkles.

Enjoy.

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Monkey Bread Birthday Breakfast Christmas Cake

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

We always have ooey gooey yummy Monkey Bread on Christmas morning. Since the children understand that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, we now put candles in the monkey bread and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I don't have a picture of my Monkey Bread, but here is the recipe.

Monkey Bread

4 packages standard size biscuits (not Grands)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each biscuit into four quarters and place in separate bowl. Mix all dry ingredients above in a bowl. Spray surface of bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Dip a few biscuit quarters at a time into cinnamon sugar mixture completely covering them with sugar and then place in bundt cake pan until all done. Pour half of remaining sugar mixture onto biscuits. Melt butter in the microwave and pour it all evenly over biscuits. Then pour remaining sugar mixture over biscuits. Place cake pan on foil-covered cookie sheet. bake for 30 minutes depending on your oven. We like our monkey bread a little undercooked, so if you want it cooked more then bake for 35 minutes or so. Immediately after taking out of the oven, carefully flip over onto a platter and let stand until cool enough to eat. I have to say that the above recipe is a double recipe for thecinnamon topping, so it has lots of ooey gooey crust. If you prefer you can decrease the sugar, cinnamon and butter by half. Below is a picture of our Monkey Bread Cross that we eat at Easter since I don't have a picture of our Monkey Bread Christmas Birthday Cake.

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A Scottish Feast to Celebrate St. Margaret and St. Andrew

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

In honor of the feasts of St. Margaret on November 16th and St. Andrew on November 30th who are both patron saints of Scotland, we will be having a dinner feast celebrating our family's Scottish heritage on Sunday, November 29th. This is the second year of this annual family tradition, but we will be missing our relatives from Scotland who were able to celebrate with us last year.

St. Margaret of Scotland was an exemplary Catholic wife, mother and queen. With her husband Malcolm, St. Margaret transformed Scotland "from a remote and barbaric outpost to a beacon of Christian culture. Her charity to the poor, particularly to children and the elderly, was unparalleled. (Not only did she feed and clothe the many beggars who presented themselves, but she and Malcolm personally washed the feet of these impoverished visitors.)" from Women for Faith and Family

PRAYER TO ST. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND

O Heavenly Patron of Scotland, and my patron saint in whose name whom I glory, pray ever to God for me; strengthen me in my faith; establish me in virtue; guard me in the conflict; at my end be steadfast at my side and plead for me with Christ, my Judge and Savior, that I may vanquish the foe malign and attain to glory everlasting to behold one day thy beautiful countenance. Amen.

Saint Andrew - El Greco1606 - Oil on Canvas

St. Andrew was the first of the apostles of Jesus. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist, he recognized Jesus as the Messiah. He brought his brother, Simon (Peter), to Jesus.

"As he was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, 'Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him"- Matthew 4:18-20

Like Jesus, St. Andrew was crucified, but on a cross the shape of an "X" at Patras in southern Greece on November 30th. This type of cross has long been known as "St. Andrew's cross." The flag of Scotland features an X-shaped cross in commemoration of the shape of St. Andrew's cross.

PRAYER TO ST. ANDREW

O Glorious St. Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend St. John you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity. As you led your brother St. Peter to Christ, and many others after him, draw us also to Him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him, and dedication in His service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus.

Amen.

Like last years Scottish feast on the Feast of St. Andrew, we will use traditional Scottish recipes given to me by my great aunt Mary who lives in Scotland and is usually here with my great uncle Jimmy this time of year with us, but can not be this year. We will have a dinner of steak pie, mashed potatoes, and peas and then shortbread for dessert. We also made scones and tea for breakfast. The recipes and other activities for celebrating the day are below. These are all family recipes.

Scottish Steak Pie

(Sorry for the poor pictures, these are from last year and I forgot to take pictures until after people started serving themselves)

1 lb. cubed beef stew meat, cut into smaller chunks if prefer
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c. flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 onion, chopped
4 to 5 carrots, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
Pie crust, enough for 1 (9-inch) crust
1 egg
1 tbsp water

Heat oil in skillet and brown stew meat in skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in chopped in onions and cook until soft. Add 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup water and beef bouillon cube and stir until gravy thickened. Add more flour if necessary. Add carrots. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour meat and gravy mixture into pie dish. Lay pie crust on top of meat and press edges onto the rim of the dish to seal. Cut vent slits into crust. Make egg wash with egg and 1 tbsp water and brush top of of pie crust. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until pie crust golden brown.

Scottish Shortbread

2 to 2.5 cups flour (depends on preference)
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 lb. unsalted soft butter
1/8 tsp. salt or a pinch
1/8 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat in egg. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture gradually until well combined finishing by hand or using bread kneader attachment. Place in buttered cake pan. Pierce the dough with fork halfway down in rows. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until light with barely golden edges. Remove from oven and cut right away into rectangles. Cool in pan.

Scottish Scones

4 cups flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cups sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-2 cups currants, raisins or blueberries (use amount you desire)
10 oz milk (sometimes may need 11 ounces & better with whole milk)

Mix flour, margarine, sugar, cram of tartar, backing soda with pastry blender. Add raisins, currants or blueberries. Add the milk with a spoon until blended. Put in rectangular cake pan. Sprinkle with sugar and butter glaze if desired. Bake at 35 for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Don't over bake or they will be dry.

Scottish Feast Activities

- As St. Andrew was a fisherman before being a "fisher of me" as an apostle of Jesus, he is also the patron saint of fisherman. His feast day is an appropriate time to teach children how the "fish is a symbol of the Christian faith because the letters of the Greek word for fish, "ichthys" form an acronym for the Greek phrase, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior". Early Christians, during the time of persecutions when it was not safe to be a known as a Christian, drew a fish in the ground in order to secretly identify themselves to other believers. Even today one sees this fish symbol, often containing the Greek letters spelling "fish", on religious articles and even on bumper stickers." from Women for Faith and Family

- Find Scotland on a world map and color a map of Scotland or the Scottish flag.

- As the feast of St. Andrew on November 30th also marks the beginning of the season of Advent so put up Christmas decorations, start Advent wreath prayer and Jesse Tree readings.

- Another way to celebrate Saint Andrew's feast day and Advent is to say the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena, as it is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

You can make chaplets out of 15 beads and a St. Andrew medal to help you count your prayers each day.

- Listen to traditional Scottish Bagpipe Music.

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Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

On September 12th, we celebrate the naming of the Blessed Virgin as Mary. I want to do something easy and yummy for the kids to celebrate the name of Mary. I decided blue Jello letters spelling out her name would be an easy, inexpensive way to celebrate that is also fun. The directions are simple. Follow the below instructions for maing Jello Jigglers, letting it set in a large casserole dish or deep cookie sheet. Using letter cookie cutters, cut out the letters "MARY," and carefully with a thin spatula transfer them to your serving platter. I wish I had some sort of rose shaped cookie cutter, but any flower shape will do as a little floral decoration with her name. Place a statue of Mary next to the platter and say a Hail Mary or sing "Ave Maria" before enjoying the treat.

~ Directions ~ 

2-1/2 cups boiling water (Do not add cold water.)
2 pkg. (8-serving size each) JELL-O Gelatin

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 min. until completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan.

REFRIGERATE at least 3 hours or until firm.

DIP bottom of pan in warm water 15 sec. Cut into 24 decorative shapes using 2-inch cookie cutters, being careful to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift JIGGLERS® from pan. Reserve scraps for snacking. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine.  Thank you Robina!

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A Blueberry "Waffle Cake" for Mary's Birthday!

So as I imagined, I did not have time to make a cake for Mary's birthday today.  So I opted for my alternate plan of a "waffle cake" for dinner. This was embarrassingly easy, as I didn't even make the waffles, but just used frozen toaster waffles. The kids were having such a fun time at the park, that I decided to let them play longer instead leaving early to get home in time to make the waffles from scratch. To make the "cake," I layered the waffles with whipped cream, finishing with a layer of whipped cream on top. I poured blueberries (defrosted from my large and perfectly frozen collection) all over the top of the cake and then drizzled the entire cake with maple syrup. I had to work fast so the whipped cream didn't melt, but I placed a statue of Mary next to the cake and lit a blue candle on top and we sung "Happy Birthday" to Mary. It was a very sweet dinner, but a dinner and dessert in one. The kids loved it.

Happy Birthday Mary!

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine.  Thank you Robina!

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Happy Birthday Church!

Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the twelve apostles. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks after Easter, this year on May 31st. This event marks the BIRTHday of the Church as with this power of the Holy Spirit the apostles went out to be Jesus' witnesses to the world, able to speak all language and perform great acts.

"But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:8

What better way to celebrate a birthday than to have a birthday cake. Since red is the liturgical color for Pentecost, I think a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing sounds perfect. Place twelve candles on the cake representing the twelve apostles, and the lighting of the candles represents the flame of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.

"Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,

which parted and came to rest on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the holy Spirit"

Acts 2:3-4

There are so many variations of red and white cake and decorations possible, so make whatever cake combination you fancy. I am doing this for the first time this year so I don't have a picture of a red velvet cake with twelve candles on it yet. This picture is meant to sweeten your appetite to want to make this scrumptious treat to celebrate the Holy Spirit and the beginning of our Holy Mother Church.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

For more ideas for celebrating Pentecost, be sure to check the archives! 

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Rice Krispie Flower Crown for May Crowning

Early in the month of May it is tradition to have a May Crowning to honor Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother, as the month of May is dedicated to her. This is often done as a procession with a ceremony of placing a crown of flowers onto a statue of Mary and flowers at the foot of the statue. Hymns honoring Mary are sung and prayers such as the Haily Mary, Hail Holy Queen, and Memorare are said. For more information on how to have a May Crowning in your home and the history of May Crownings go here and here.

To celebrate this event with food I came up with this yummy idea of making an edible replica of the floral crown for Mary with Rice Krispies using this recipe. Decorate it however you like with blue and white icing flowers, sprinkles, jellybeans in the shape of flowers. The possibilities are endless. I used blue food coloring to symbolize the blue in Mary's mantle but you could keep it the basic color too. Inside the crown you can display your Mary Candle.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows

- OR -

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon blue food coloring

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

frosting, sprinkles, jelly beans etc.

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows & stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring.

2. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Transfer cereal mixture to wax paper. Using buttered hands shape mixture into wreath approximately 8 inches in diameter. Decorate with frosting, sprinkles, candies, powdered sugar. Best if served the same day.

Note: This picture above is only a half recipe because someone got a hold of the marshmallows and ate half the bag. Also, I had planned on using the blue and white jelly beans left over from Easter as the center of the flowers, but they got eaten too before I could use them.

So I made a buttercream frosting with butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. I use a simple ziploc bag for piping the frosting out. I am not a very good frosting decorator but I think you can tell that the crown is decorated with flowers.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

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Monkey Bread Cross

Our family has a tradition of eating monkey bread, sweet, gooey and delicious, on Easter morning. Usually I make it in a bundt cake pan, but this year I wanted to try making it in a cross shaped pan to honor Jesus' sacrifice for us on the cross. I bought the cross cake pan for $5 on ebay. It took me a couple trial runs to figure out how to change the recipe for the different cake pan, but no one in my family minded eating monkey bread twice this past week.

Cross Monkey Bread

• 4 packages of standard size biscuits
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 sticks margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each biscuit into four quarters. Mix all dry ingredients above in a bowl.

Spray surface of cross cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Dip each individual biscuit quarter into the cinnamon sugar mixture and then into the cake pan.

Pour half of remaining sugar mixture evenly over biscuits. Melt margarine in microwave and pour all of it evenly over biscuits.

Then pour remaining sugar mixture over biscuits especially in pools of melted butter. Place cake pan on foil covered cookie sheet because it will spill over and be messy. Bake for 35-40 minutes depending on your oven. We like our monkey bread a little undercooked so we cooked it in that range. If you like it really cooked or even a little crispy, then maybe cook between 40-45 minutes. Immediately after taking out of the oven, carefully flip cake pan onto platter and let stand until cool enough to eat.

(please note the above picture was taken on a practice round when I didn't cook it long enough so that is why there is margarine and melted cinnamon seeping out when I flipped the cake pan)

If you want to make it in the traditional circle bundt cake pan, follow the same recipe as above but only cook it for 30 minutes and you don't need the cookie sheet under the cake pan. One idea for being creative with the circle monkey bread would be to put toothpicks in it and have it resemble a crown of thorns. This would be more appropriate earlier in Holy Week. Another idea on Easter Sunday would be to put a white candle in the center symbolizing Christ being the light of the world.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

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"I am the bread of life..."

I love making this bread recipe from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It's very easy and after a couple of times the long directions don't seem nearly as daunting. Here is the recipe with my tweaks in italics. I know this recipe is long and seems so confusing but just doing it a couple times makes it very simple. I actually don't own this book yet, and am hoping to get it for a birthday gift from my husband. I have heard there are some great variations of this recipe, including a whole wheat loaf which I would love to make. I love that I know the bread my family is eating when I make this is free of preservatives and it tastes so fresh. I also think this a very special thing to make during Lent to symbolize the Last Supper and Jesus' sacrifice for us of His body which He offers to us as the bread of life.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body."

- Matthew 26:26

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."

- John 6:35

Artisan Bread

Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare enough dough for four loaves, to be baked over four days. Each daily loaf will average 5 minutes of active preparation time. Makes four 1-pound loaves.

3 cups lukewarm water (about 100º F)

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt

6 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour (no need to sift)

Cornmeal for the pizza peel (I don't use this)

1. In a 5-quart bowl, mix the yeast, water and salt. Add all the flour, then use a wooden spoon to mix until all ingredients are uniformly moist. It is not necessary to knead or continue mixing once the ingredients are uniformly moist. This will produce a loose and very wet dough.

2.Cover with a lid (not airtight). Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours, but no more than 5 hours.

3. After rising, the dough can be baked immediately, or covered (non completely airtight) and refrigerated up to 14 days. The dough will be easier to work with after at least 3 hours refrigeration.

4. On baking day, prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal (I don't have a pizza peel so I prep my loaf on a plastic cutting board and then let it rest as below on a small square of parchment paper which is covered with flour and that parchment paper and dough sits on a small plastic cutting board. I also don't use cornmeal because my loaf sticks to the parchment paper which when I stick it into the oven slides right off the small cutting board as one unit onto a cookie sheet already in the oven.) to prevent the bread from sticking when you transfer it to the oven. Uncover the dough and sprinkle the surface with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough (serrated knives are best). Store the remaining dough in the bowl and refrigerate for baking at another time.

Note my small green cutting board (Target $1 section purchase which I use all the time) under the parchment paper with the dough on it. I use the cutting board as a sliding vehicle that the parchment paper slides off of onto the cookie sheet in the oven.

5. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick. Create a smooth ball of dough by gently pulling the sides down around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. While shaping, most of the dusting flour will fall off. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten out during resting and baking. Shaping the loaf this way should take no more than 1 minute.

6.Place the dough on the pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest for about 40 minutes. It does not need to be covered. The bread may not rise much during this time.

7. Twenty minutes before baking, place a pizza stone on the center rack of the oven. If you don't have a baking stone, use another baking sheet (this is what I do, just an old cookie sheet). Remove any upper racks. Place a broiler pan on a rack below the pizza stone or on the floor of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 F.

8. When the dough has rested for 40 minutes, dust the top liberally with flour, then use a serrated knife to slash a 1/4-inch-deep cross or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top (during Lent or always you could make this the shape of a cross instead of an "x" to signify Jesus' sacrifice for us on the cross)

9. Slide the loaf off the peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door.

10. Bake for about 30 minutes (I usually only cook 25-27 minutes), or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow the bread to cool completely, preferably on a wire cooling rack.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submited for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

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