Recipes for April ~ Month Dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament

Since Holy Thursday, the day on which we celebrate the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper, usually falls in April, the Catholic Church dedicates this month to devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

“The Eucharist is the supreme proof of the love of Jesus.   After this, there is nothing more but Heaven.” ~ St. Peter Julian Eymard

"When you have received Him, stir up your heart to do Him homage; speak to Him about your spiritual life, gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness; welcome Him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence." ~ St. Francis de Sales



April 11, St. Leo the Great (Trad.):

• Lion Cake (Since Leo means Lion!)
• Lion Cupcakes

April 16th, St. Bernadette Soubirous (Trad./some places):

• Crepes for the Feast of St. Bernadette
• Blueberry Muffins for Our Lady
• A (Blue) French Meal for Our Lady of Lourdes
• A Grotto for Our Lady 
• Mary's Immaculate Conception (An all white dinner in her honor!)
• Springs at the Grotto (pictured here)

April 16, Pope Benedict's Birthday:

• Zucchetto Cakes
• Popecakes
• Birthday Dinner for Papa Ben!
• Pope Benedict's Coat of Arms Cupcakes
• Other Uses for those St. Nicholas Cookie Cutters!

April 23, Saint George (New, Trad.):

• Recipes for St. George
• Cry 'God for Harry, England and St. George!'
• St. George -- A Boy's Feast Day!
• In Preparation for St. George's Day

*We plan to post another Mr. Linky on April 24th, so you all can share pictures of your Dragon Cakes and/or St. George's Day Celebrations.  Be sure to take pictures!


April 25, Saint Mark (New, Trad.):

• Risi e Bisi ~ Venetian Rice and Peas
• St. Gregory's Cherries (Crisp)
• San Marco Pasta and Animal Cakes
• Cupcakes for St. Mark's Feast Day

April 29 (New) and April 30 (Trad.), Saint Catherine of Siena:

• St. Catherine of Siena - Peace Bread
• Pasta Santa Caterina
• Lily Sandwiches for Our Lady (The lily is a symbol of St. Catherine)
• Upside Down Pineapple Cake for the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena

O Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us.

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Celebrating Easter ~ Share your pictures and recipes!

Happy Easter!   I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday, and that you continue to have a blessed and joyous Easter Season!

For those of you with children, Charlotte and I have been planning to celebrate the 50 days of Easter with a weekly Good Shepherd Garden Party for our children and would love for you to join us!  The recipes and Bible readings for the first two weeks can be viewed and downloaded here and here.  Charlotte has also illustrated a set of 50 printable symbols, for anyone that wasn't able to order a Sticker Calendar or, like my children, would like to color their own set, in addition to using the daily stickers!

Beginning next Monday (and continuing each Monday throughout the Easter season) we will post a Mr. Linky, here at Catholic Cuisine, so we can all share the pictures from each week's Garden Party!   

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to see what you served your family for Easter!  Please post your pictures (and/or favorite Easter recipes) and add a link to the bottom of this post.   

Here are a few pictures of what I served to my family:

~ Easter Brunch ~ 

Baked Blueberry & Pecan Crusted French Toast

Served with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, and Orange Juice

~ Easter Dinner ~

Grilled Tri-Tip served with Pecan, Cranberry and Feta Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus,  and Dinner Rolls with Lamb Shaped Butter

~ Dessert ~

A Lamb Shaped Pound Cake served with Fresh Strawberries, Whipped Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream

The Easter Story Cookies ~ Resurrection Cookies 

(made by my children on Holy Saturday)

Chocolate Nests 

(made by my girls on Holy Saturday)

Now it's your turn! What foods did you incorporate into your Easter Celebration?

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A Little Lamb for Easter

Isn't it CUTE?!?!  

This was my first attempt at making a lamb out of butter.  I decided I wanted to make one while searching online for various lamb recipes, when Charlotte and I were trying to choose one for our first Good Shepherd's Garden Party.

At first I ran across this beautiful mold, but it is definitely out of my budget, so I ended up purchasing this one for less than $10 (including shipping) on ebay.  It is also available at Monastery Greetings and the Polish Art Center.   

I can't tell you how EASY it was to make!  All I did was fill each side of the mold with softened butter, clamp both sides together, and place it in the freezer for an hour.  I didn't do a very good job of making sure I had the nose filled in all the way, but I still think it turned out darling.  

Taste of Home does have directions for making a Lamb out of butter without a mold, but I don't think it is quite as cute.   Nevertheless, it is still a great, last minute, option if you'd like to make one for Easter.

Apparently you can also make Chocolate Lambs with the mold as well, but since I am planning on baking a Lamb Cake for Easter with our new pan, I think I'll save the chocolate lambs for another time.  

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Hot Cross Buns (Bread-maker Recipe)

There is already a recipe for Hot Cross Buns in the archives, in addition to a great post on the History of Hot Cross Buns, but since I tried a new recipe this year I thought I would share it with you all.

It has been a busy week, since a number of my children have been sick with a stomach bug, and I wanted to try and save a little time by making this years Hot Cross Buns in my bread-maker.

I ended up modifying a recipe I found at All Recipes.  I also topped the buns with flour-and-water dough crosses, as suggested by Joanna Bogle (this is the way my Grandmother always made her Hot Cross Buns!) and I am very pleased with the results.   Here is the recipe:

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup dried currants or raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

For the crosses: 1 oz. flour, a little cold water  (I also added about 1/2 Tbsp of Sugar)

Directions:

Put warm milk, butter, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program.  When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add currants and cinnamon.

Leave in machine till double.

Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes.

Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls.

Make the crosses for the buns: mix flour and water in a bowl to form a pastry. Roll out dough and cut into thin strips. Place these across the buns to form crosses.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

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Recipes for Easter ~ From the Archives

Blessing for Easter Food

Prayer Source: Family Customs: Easter to Pentecost

O Lord, who hast blessed five loaves in the desert, Graciously give us bread for life's needs. Almighty God, let not Thy gifts lead us to sin. Let not the goblet of sparkling wine induce us to misdeeds. While we enjoy our feast, let us also in charity remember All those who suffer want and hunger. May not the pleasure of the body stifle the inspirations Of Thy Holy Spirit, O Lord.

Easter:

• Festive Easter Breads and Cheese: Paska and Pascha
• Staples of our Feast Day Celebrations Part One: Bread
• Staples of our Feast Day Celebrations Part Two: Wine  
• Living Easter Grass

• Monkey Bread Cross
• Lamb of God (Rolls)
• Lamb Cupcakes
• A Simple Lamb Cake for Easter
• A Little Lamb for Easter

• Easter Story Cookies ~ Resurrection Cookies
• Resurrection Rolls
• Teatime Suggestions for Lent and Easter
• A Joyous Easter Tea (pictures here)

• Celebrating Easter ~ Share your pictures and recipes!

The 50 Days of Easter ~ The Good Shepherd's Garden Party: 

Charlotte and I are putting together a series of weekly menu's for celebrating the 50 days of Easter.

We will be posting a Mr. Linky here at Catholic Cuisine for any of you who would like to share photos from your own* Good Shepherd's Garden Parties.

You can read all the details here.

• Week One ~ The Good Shepherd's Pasture (Download here.) 
• Week Two ~ Welcome to the Lord's Table (Download here.)
• Week Three ~ The Heaven's Tell God's Glory (Download here.)
• Week Four ~ The Wind and Sea Obey Him (Coming soon...)
• Week Five ~ The Gardener Plants Paradise (Coming soon...)
• Week Six ~ Oh, What a Beautiful City! (Coming soon...)
• Week Seven ~ The Heavenly Zoo (Coming soon...)

*Please feel free to modify our plans to suit your family!

• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week One (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Two (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Three (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Four (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Five (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Six (Mr. Linky)
• The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Seven (Mr. Linky)

Divine Mercy Sunday:

• Divine Mercy Sunday
• Strawberry-Coconut Tres Leche Trifle 
• A Cake for Divine Mercy Sunday
• A Cake in Honor of the Image of Divine Mercy
• Divine Mercy Pancakes
• Divine Mercy Rice Krispie Treat
• Divine Mercy Cheesecake

Ascension:

• Ascension Pancakes
• A Fluffy Cloud Dessert
• Feast of the Ascension (Picnic Menu)

Pentecost:

• Holy Ghost Sopas
• Twelve Fruit Salad
• Menu Ideas for Pentecost Sunday
• Staples of our Feast Day Celebrations Part One: Bread
• Staples of our Feast Day Celebrations Part Two: Wine  
• Happy Birthday Church! (Red Velvet Cake)
• Flames of Pentecost Cupcakes
• Confirmation Party Foods
• A Cake for Pentecost

Novena for Easter

O Divine Saviour, who rose from the dead on that first glorious Easter morn, grant that I may rise from my sins and so live as to see You, glorious and immortal, in heaven. Lord, I am nothing, but, although nothing, I adore You.

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Strawberry-Coconut Tres Leches Trifle

I've had a number of requests for the recipe for the Strawberry Trifle we made for the feast of St. Joseph.  There really wasn't any particular significance to why we included it on our St. Joseph Altar, other than the fact that my girls were finishing up "S" week and it was a great way to use some Sliced Strawberries!

It would be a great addition to upcoming Easter celebrations, and since it is based on the flavors in a popular Mexican cake, it would be great dessert to make in honor of any of the Mexican Saints. 

Strawberry-Coconut Tres Leches Trifle

Adapted from Pampered Chef's 2010 Season's Best Cookbook

1 lb fresh strawberries, divided
One 16-oz frozen pound cake*, thawed
(*The recipe called for 3 packages of Ladyfingers.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk, divided
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk, divided
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg (3.3 oz) coconut cream* instant pudding and pie filling 
(*The recipe called for vanilla.)
1 tsp Cinnamon

1. Set aside one strawberry for garnish. Hull remaining strawberries and slice. Set aside.

2. Trim Pound cake and dice into 1-in. cubes. Set aside. Whisk together 1/2 cup of the condensed milk, 2/3 cup of the coconut milk and sour cream. Add cake and toss gently.

3. Attach open star tip to Pampered Chef's Easy Accent® Decorator. Fill with 1 cup of the whipped topping. Combine pudding mix and remaining coconut milk; whisk until thickened. Add remaining condensed milk and cinnamon; whisk until incorporated. Fold in remaining whipped topping.

4. To assemble, place half of the pound cake mixture into Trifle Bowl; top with half of the strawberries. Spread half of the pudding mixture over strawberries. Repeat layers one time. Pipe whipped topping over top; garnish with strawberry fan.

5.  Enjoy!  Oh, and be sure to share! ;)

Update:  I just read on Colleen's blog, Footprints on the Fridge, that she is planning to serve this dessert on Sunday night, Palm Sunday.  She says that they will have "passionfruit juice (since this Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday)..." and this trifle "... which we will use to symbolize that even though we are saddened that Christ had to shed His blood for us (the red), we are filled with gratitude that by His sacrifice, we are washed clean (the white)."  Isn't that perfect?!  Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us Colleen! Pin It

Fig Bibles and Palm Sundaes

A couple weeks ago I decorated some Fig Newtons to look like Bibles/Books and placed them on top of cupcakes as a snack for my Little Flowers Girl's Club.

Those little cookies got me thinking about Palm Sunday (Palm Sunday is also known as Fig Sunday since tradition says that Jesus ate figs after entering Jerusalem.) and planning the following dessert to serve my family.

(Update: You can find step-by-step pictures for creating the Bible Cookies here.) 

Fig Bibles and Palm Sundaes

Shopping List:

Fig Newtons
Cookie Icing
Coconut Ice Cream
(Or ice cream of choice. I choose coconut, since coconuts also grow on palm trees... Our favorite is Coconut Bliss.)
Whipped Cream
Chocolate or Caramel Syrup
Maraschino Cherries

Place a scoop (or two) of ice cream in each serving dish. Drizzle syrup over the ice cream.  Place a small dollop of whipped cream over each scoop and top with a cherry. Serve with Decorated Fig Newtons.


Here is a picture of the "Palm Sundaes" made by Sara at A Shower of Roses.  I love the Palm Frond Cookies she cut out to go with the Sundaes!

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