Slainte'

I would like to interrupt the wonderful Lenten posts to remind everyone of an upcoming feast near and dear to my heart.

The Saint Patrick's Day feast almost always lands toward the end of Lent when the fasting and mortifications have become habitual and we are, perhaps, longing for an opportunity to celebrate the lives of one of our great saints.

Patrick was not, in fact, Irish but rather born of a wealthy Roman family. His name was Succat and in his youth he was abducted by Irish brigands and forced into slavery on the Emerald Isle. Patrick prayed faithfully for an opportunity to escape and eventually God led him away from his captors to safety. After studying to become a priest Patrick was sent back to Ireland as a bishop to convert the pagans. This he did with great success and become so beloved in the process that very few people even remembered that Patrick was not Irish. Those that knew did not care, at heart he was a true son of Eire. He loved the people and took their conversion to heart. Patrick died in 461 and his work lived on long beyond his life.

Such a great Saint deserves a little celebration right? So substitute another penance and indulge a little.

Your penance could be green beer. I never understood the appeal of that particular concoction. A Black and Tan, some Guinness, even a long tall Killian's is acceptable, encouraged even since beer is a most noble beverage. However the true drink of the day is that liquid amber, that ambrosia of Eire....whiskey.

The custom of imbibing alcohol on St. Patrick's Day comes from an old Irish legend. As the old story goes, St. Patrick was served a measure of whiskey that was much less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper by telling him that in his cellar resided a monstrous devil who fed upon his dishonesty. The devil was large and bloated. In order to banish the devil, the innkeeper must change his ways. Sometime later St. Patrick returned to the hostelry and he found the owner generously filling the patrons' glasses to overflowing. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper to find the devil emaciated and starved from the landlord's generosity. St. Patrick promptly banished the demon, proclaiming thereafter everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day. This custom is known as Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot. The custom is known as "drowning the shamrock" because it is customary to float a leaf of the plant in the whiskey before downing the shot.( Paraphrased from Saint Patrick's Day History by Peggy Trowbridge)

It would be a shame not to imbibe in the good stuff in honor of the great man on his feast day. In my house we are fans of Jameson's a good Catholic whiskey, but there are several good ones available.

Another traditional libation is Irish Coffee. This is a wonderful close to a meal with friends.

Irish Coffee

2/3 part freshly brewed coffee
1/3 part Irish whiskey
2 tsps brown sugar
lightly whipped cream

Into a stemmed glass, put two teaspoonfuls of sugar, preferably brown; add one-third Irish Whiskey and two-thirds really hot, really strong black coffee, preferably freshly brewed, not instant. The glass should be filled with this mixture to within half an inch (1cm) of the brim. Stir well at this point to ensure all of the sugar is dissolved, and then carefully float over the back of a spoon a collar of lightly-whipped cream, so that the cream floats on the top of the coffee and whiskey. Do not stir any more. Serve the drink without a spoon or a straw, as part of the pleasure comes from sipping the hot coffee and whiskey through the cool cream.

A feminine cocktail...

Dublin Handshake
1/2 oz Baileys Irish cream
1/2 oz Irish whiskey
3/4 oz Sloe gin
Combine in shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into rocks glass with ice.

Of course, a Baileys on the rocks is always very pleasant.

What's a good drink without a good toast? You can not beat the Irish for a toast so here is one for your feast day.

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Pin It

Meatless Meals for Lent Using Beans

Meatless meals on Fridays during Lent are not a problem for my family – we are very fortunate that our parish has a meatless dinner followed by the Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent. Despite this, we enjoy many meatless meals throughout the year, as I have found it to be a real money-saver. I also have been made aware in the past year or so that the meatless Fridays obligation was not actually removed… if we do not refrain from eating meat on Fridays, we are supposed to substitute another sacrifice. So, seeing as I was already making at least two meatless dinners a week, I have begun to plan one of those meals for Fridays.

Here are two of our favorite, relatively easy, and healthy bean recipes:

Bean Chalupas

This makes three full-size chalupas (two tortillas each). Younger children may only eat half of a whole chalupa.

1 can pinto beans (can cook dry beans instead if desired)

Cumin to taste

Cilantro to taste

6 whole grain flour tortillas

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 avocado, thinly sliced

¾ cup cheddar, shredded

¾ cup Monterey jack, shredded

Optional toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded lettuce

Diced red bell pepper

Sliced black olives

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook each tortilla for a few minutes on both sides. Make sure to watch them carefully as they can burn easily, especially when cooking the second side (you may find that it helps to add more oil for each tortilla). Set aside. You can also proceed to the next step if you are able to keep an eye on the tortillas as well.

Drain most of the liquid from the can of beans. Heat beans on the stove, then mash to make a paste. Season with cumin and cilantro. Place three tortillas on a large baking sheet and divide the bean mixture evenly onto each tortilla, spreading it to the edges. Top with tomatoes, avocado, and cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for seven minutes. This time can be used to either cook the remaining three tortillas or to prepare the toppings.

Top each chalupa with remaining tortillas and return to the oven for an additional two minutes. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

Toddler Tip: These can be hard for little mouths to handle if they are made too thickly. I try to make one with a much thinner layer of beans, tomatoes, and cheese so that my little one can eat it more easily. If it is thin enough, you may be able to cut it into wedges like a quesadilla. I usually use a pizza wheel to cut it into small pieces that she can pick up with a fork. My husband and I cut them up with serrated steak knives, which seem to work better on the crispy tortilla than a table knife.

Red Beans and Rice

This is a recipe that my mother used to make on Fridays during Lent. It is very easy and uses simple ingredients. We like to have cornbread on the side.

½ lb. Dry red beans

¼ cup chopped onion

1 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Cilantro

1 cup uncooked rice (we use brown rice)

Shredded cheddar (as much as desired!)

Sour cream, if desired

Rinse, sort, and soak beans according to package directions. Once beans have completed soaking, place them in a pot with approximately three cups of water. Add the onions and seasonings and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, at least 1 – 1 ½ hours. Check the water every so often and add more water if it begins to get low.

Cook the rice according to package directions so that it will be ready at about the same time as the beans. Serve the beans over the rice and top with cheese and sour cream if desired. This makes 4 generous servings.

And an easy meatless lunch idea… top a layer of tortilla chips with a can of drained black beans. Add cheeses, olives, tomatoes, salsa, and bake for just a few minutes in the oven to make nachos!

I hope these ideas make plain ol’ beans sound a bit more appealing!

This post was written by Erin at Growing my Girls for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Erin!

Pin It

Polish Sugar Cookies

You may have noticed that there are quite a few Polish saints on the liturgical calendar. Today's feast of St. Casimir is just one of many. I keep this cookie recipe in my cookbook for just such a feast day. These are a crisp, light cookie (think lemon snickerdoodle), and they would be a perfect tea time treat, as well as a perfect companion to some lemon sherbet or vanilla ice cream for dessert. The first time I made them, I was out of vanilla (I know -- a serious baker's sin), so I substituted 1/2 t. lemon extract. I intended to make them the next time with vanilla, but we loved those lemon cookies so much, I never did try vanilla.

Lemon Polish Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar, plus extra for rolling
3 egg yolks
1/2 t. lemon extract (or 1 t. vanilla)
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream sugar and butter.
Add egg yolks and vanilla (or lemon extract).
Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
Mix until well combined -- dough will be stiff.
Pinch off dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
Roll in granulated sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake until set, not brown, for 10-12 minutes.

Pin It

Meatless Lasagna and Shrimp Creole

It seems I spend more time looking through cookbooks during Lent than the rest of the year. My behavior could be hunger-driven, since I'm denying myself in eating, I'm making up the denial in other senses. But I think the actual reason isn't gluttony, but more of a practical nature. Because of our family's resolve to be more frugal, to eat out less, and to have more meatless meals during Lent, it requires some planning on my part. With my own personal resolution to have a meal plan and make the presentation of my meals as a loving act, not just duty-driven, I need to "hit the books" for more creative and tasty ideas.

One of the latest cookbooks I use for my inspiration is Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, so many lost their collection of recipes. This is a project of trying to rebuild the collections. There are some wonderful recipes, and here are two that will be wonderful for those meatless, penitential days (including the Ember Days of Lent, which is this Wednesday, Friday, Saturday).

The following recipe can be made ahead and just save the baking time (1 1/2 hours) for later. A recipe fit to serve to guests on Friday.

Meatless Lasagna

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 (15 ounce) containers low-fat or nonfat ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons crushed garlic (from jar)
1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
4 3/4 cups prepared pasta sauce, without cream or cheese (Classico was recommended, but homemade is also acceptable)
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 medium zucchini, sliced (lengthwise) 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, spices, and garlic, and stir in about one-fourth of the mozzarella cheese.

Spread one-third of the pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with 4 noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, half of the zucchini, and one-third of the remaining mozzarella. Repeat the layers. Top with the last 4 noodles, the remaining sauce, and the remaining mozzarella. (The recipe may be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for several hours or overnight.)

When ready to bake, pour the water around the edges of the lasagna and cover the pan with foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

This next recipe originally came from a column by Marcelle Bienvenu in the Times-Picayune, January 1997:

Shrimp Creole, or Shrimp a la Creole, was for years a mainstay on most restauant menus in New Orleans. It was often served in homes on Fridays during the Lenten season, in keeping with the Catholic rules of fast and abstinence....I embarked on a week-long research project.... This is the result. It's quite simple and quick to prepare. You can make it your own by adding personal touches, so use it as a basic recipe.

With the Shrimp Creole I serve a green salad and either Southern biscuits, cornbread, or French rolls. For allergy reasons I skip the roux step (we can't have flour) and add corn starch (or Filé powder, also called gumbo filé) at later stage before serving if the sauce needs to be a bit thickened.

Shrimp Creole

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes with juice
1 cup shrimp or chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Hot cooked rice for serving

Melt the butter in a medium heavy pot over medium heat and add the flour Cook, stirring, to make a blond roux, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, shrimp stock, salt, and cayenne. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and add the parsley. Serve over rice.

Pin It

Shrimp Pasta

This post was written by past Catholic Cuisine contributor Amy.

Not exactly a fancy name, but we just never came up with anything better! Believe me, the name may not be great but the meal is! Also, don't forget, I feed an army over here, so this might be more than you need!

Amy's Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• Approx 1 pound cooked tail off shrimp
• 1-2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 can of sliced mushrooms (fresh is great too)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 stick of butter
• feta or Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt butter in saute pan with onion. Meanwhile start to cook your choice of pasta, egg noodles are great. Add garlic salt, mushrooms, kosher salt, and tomatoes. Let heat through then add baby spinach.. Once pasta only has about 5 minutes left to cook turn sauce down to low and add shrimp.

Drain pasta (duh) and then toss with sauce. Sprinkle with feta or Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Pin It

Meatless Meal from Grace Before Meals

Imagine my surprise when I looked over yesterday's front page of The Washington Post and saw this photograph and article: A Maestro of the Soul Kitchen: Md. Priest's Culinary Art Adds Zest to Ministry. Well, you might not understand my surprise, so I'll explain that I had Father Leo E. Patalinghug's book, Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life sitting in front of me this week, as I was planning my meatless meals for Lent. I was actually considering sharing a recipe from his book for Catholic Cuisine.

So the article (which is wonderful, by the way) really has motivated me to post my recommendation for his book. His site provides a more thorough description of Father's work and writings.

Father tries to "preach the importance of the dinner table in family life. The family that cooks and eats together stays together, he says." His book tries to focus on conversations around the family meal, with many themes around the Liturgical Year. His section on Lenten Sacrifice I really enjoyed, particularly:

The tradition of abstaining from meat products during Lent reminds us of the staple of food in Jesus' time: fish. In fact, the Greek phrase "Jesus Christ is Lord" creates the acronym "FISH" in that language. Eating fish is a reminder of Jesus!

He then goes on to explain about sacrifice, and how our Friday meals should be both frugal and sacrificial. "God will give you creative ideas for making this sacrifice a truly special time of worship in word and deed."

I also enjoyed this text box: "Meals on Lenten Fridays should be more than cheese pizzas. They should be about creating flavors from simple ingredients."

I won't share the recipes from the book, but this recent post from his blog would be a marvellously simple Friday meal, with FISH included. And our family could easily substitute with rice spaghetti to make this allergy safe for us.

Spaghetti al Vongole (Spaghetti and Clams)
1/2 pound spaghetti or linguine
16 ounce can clams (or 1 1/2 -2 pounds of fresh baby clams, washed and cleaned)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions:
Boil water in pot and cook pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter together over high heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of parsley and saute. If using a can, add the clams and half the juice from the can. If using fresh clams make sure they are wash and soaked in cold water so that there is no sand. Add the fresh clams and stir together. Add the white wine, broth, and salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook until the clams begin to open up. When pasta is cooked, drain water (leave about 2 tablespoons of starchy pasta water for later). Add pasta to the pan and mix together. Add the starchy water, the rest of the butter, and salt and pepper. Top off with fresh parsley.

Find out more at his website: Grace Before Meals. Pin It

Daffodil Cake for St. David's Day

As a whole, our family abstains from treats during Lent but since St. David's day fell on a Sunday this year, we decided to celebrate in a small way this patron saint of Wales. In the past, we have enjoyed a traditional Welsh treat called a bara brith which means "speckled bread". This year we opted for a Daffodil Cake because it sounded so intriguing when mentioned by Dawn in this post. Being low on egg whites, we opted for a simpler version. I made a white cake but set aside about a cup and a half of batter, flavored it with 1 tsp. lemon extract and mixed in some yellow food coloring. Then using a standard marbling technique, I swirled the dark yellow batter into the batter already in the bundt pan. It is hard to see in the picture above, but the marble effect was really striking. Cream cheese frosting was the icing on the cake! (Couldn't resist!)

Now, as we are thoroughly americanized Welshmen, we like to eat our leeks, not wear them. Here are two of our favorite leek recipes. Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup
1/2 C. butter
2 leeks
4 C. chicken broth
1Tbl. cornstarch
4 C. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 C. half and half

Melt butter in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute leeks in butter with garlic salt and pepper as desired until leeks are tender, stirring frequently (about 10-15 minutes). Add broth, cornstarch and potatoes. Bring to boil. Add cream and reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. I like to use my full immersion hand blender to puree the soup at this point or it can be served as is. It goes great with a nice crusty bread!


Cheese and Leek Quiche
2 Tbsp. butter
3 eggs
4 oz. trimmed leek, thinly sliced
3oz. Stilton cheese, diced
1 1/2 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 C. milk
pinch of paprika
salt and pepper
Premade pie crust (either store bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line quiche pan or pie plate with crust. Melt butter in a small skillet and saute the leek for 4-5 minutes. until soft but not brown, stirring frequently. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the diced Stilton, then spread over the base of the pie crust. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of leek and stilton mixture. Whisk eggs and milk together in a separate bowl. Pour over leek and cheese mixture and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen. Remove and let stand 10 mintues.

I am sorry this post is so late. Happy St. David's Day! Pin It