Easter is approaching! And we didn't want you to be caught unawares. We know that there's almost nothing worse than Holy Saturday coming and not having anything to stuff Easter Baskets with. Don't ask us how we know ;)But in all seriousness, as we prepare for the...
Bitter Herb Salad At a Jewish Passover Seder meal like the one Jesus was celebrating on Holy Thursday with the apostles, bitter herbs are served as a reminder of the bitterness of the slavery endured by the Jewish people in Egypt. This salad is bitter and sour (and...
Jesus walks into a restaurant and says to the maitre'd, "Table for twenty-six please." The maitre'd does a quick head count, and says, "I see there are only thirteen of you here. Please let me know when the rest of your party arrives, sir, and I’ll be happy to seat...
Flatbread These tasty flatbreads are quick and easy and make an excellent side for curries and any meal that needs a “pusher.” They’re great with dips or folded and filled with sandwich fixin’s. They are relatively flat, but allowed to rise (chametz again). A more...
Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Lamb rib chops make for an impressive presentation with their long handle, and kids like to pick them up and eat them like an ice cream on a stick. But this recipe also works with the little triangular lamb loin chops. 1 pound lamb...
Potato Knishes These hearty and delicious doughy-potatoey bundles are a traditional Jewish delicacy. However, full-disclosure, they wouldn’t be served at an observant Passover meal, because chametz (anything containing grain that has come into contact with water and...
Applesauce In a Jewish Passover seder meal, haroset (an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.) represents the mortar used by the Jews in Egypt. Recipes for haroset are available, of course, but my family prefers to go the straight-up homemade...
St. Joseph the Worker Spiced Play Dough This smooth, natural, homemade playdough is fun to make, long lasting, and smells amazing. For the feast day, I let my kids go at it with real tools (on a protected surface, with supervision). 2 cups Flour1 cup Salt4 tsp Cream...
St. Joseph is the patron that we have chosen for our family this year. So needless to say I absolutely had to do something special to share about our St. Joseph traditions with you! WATCH NOW Though he was a quiet man, who left us not even a single quote, there is...
St. Joseph the Worker Spiced Play Dough This smooth, natural, homemade playdough is fun to make, long lasting, and smells amazing. For the feast day, I let my kids go at it with real tools (on a protected surface, with supervision). 2 cups Flour1 cup Salt4 tsp Cream...
St. Joseph Sfinge Cream Puffs These tasty cream puffs made with Choux pastry dough are traditionally served in Italy on the solemnity of St. Joseph. This Sicilian version is filled with whipped cream. A Neapolitan version is filled with custard cream instead. They are...
Pasta on the Table (Pasta Alla Tavola) One of the best parts of my high school career was eating at the home of a friend who came from an Italian-American family. Every meal his mom cooked was amazing, but the most fun were the days when they would invite big groups...
Melon & Prosciutto Skewers Melon ballerPicks 1 Cantaloupe Melon (cut into cubes or melon balls)12 slices Prosciutto di Parma Cut each Prosciutto di Parma slice in half, crosswise.On a small skewer or toothpick, stack the melon and prosciutto, alternating between...
Caprese Skewers ColanderPicksBottle 2 cups Balsamic Vinegar10 oz Cherry Tomatoes8 oz Ciliegine Mozzarella Cheese (also called "cherry" size, I like Belgioso)8 oz Clamshell Fresh Basil LeavesSalt and Pepper (to taste) Balsamic DrizzleAdd balsamic vinegar to a small...
Trash Can Soup Stock This is really just stock or bone broth, but my kids like to call it “trash can soup” because the stock is made entirely from things we would have otherwise thrown away. It’s free. It’s an authentically “whole” way to eat. It’s a natural way to...
Universal Homemade Soup What to do with all that lovely stock you just made? Turn it into a simple and infinitely customizable soup. For a quick dinner option, I use two 10-12 ounce packages of frozen seasoned vegetables, and a 1 pound bag of frozen meatballs. It’s...
Lenten Soft Pretzels Perfect for Lent, homemade pretzels are a great way to jump into bread baking. Pretzels are historically associated with Lent, as their traditional shape is meant to look like arms folded in prayer (with a twist!). This easy recipe makes chewy...
Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce Ingredient bowlsMeasuring glassesSaucepanWhisk 1/4 cup Butter1/4 cup Flour2 cups Cheddar Cheese (grated)1 cup Milk1/2 cup Beer1 tsp Grainy Mustard1/2 tsp Oregano1/2 tsp Salt1/2 tsp PepperCayenne Pepper (or Tabasco Sauce) (to taste and garnish...
Laetare Sunday Buttercream Frosting This delicious buttercream frosting is dyed pink by the berries that are used in the recipe and is the perfect topping to cupcakes or a cake to celebrate this particularly joyful Sunday in the midst of Lent. 1/2 cup blackberries1/2...
Calling all homemakers, wanna-be homemakers, and reluctant homemakers! I've got the perfect saint to introduce you to in the latest episode of Catholic All Year at Home! WATCH NOW This episode is all about St. Frances of Rome, a young woman who wanted to dedicate her...
Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce Ingredient bowlsMeasuring glassesSaucepanWhisk 1/4 cup Butter1/2 cup Flour2 cups Cheddar Cheese (grated)1 cup Milk1/2 cup Beer1 tsp Grainy Mustard1/2 tsp Oregano1/2 tsp PepperCayenne Pepper (or Tabasco Sauce) (to taste and garnish on top)...
Lenten Soft Pretzels Perfect for Lent, homemade pretzels are a great way to jump into bread baking. Pretzels are historically associated with Lent, as their traditional shape is meant to look like arms folded in prayer (with a twist!). This easy recipe makes chewy...
Universal Homemade Soup What to do with all that lovely stock you just made? Turn it into a simple and infinitely customizable soup. For a quick dinner option, I use two 10-12 ounce packages of frozen seasoned vegetables, and a 1 pound bag of frozen meatballs. It’s...
Trash Can Soup Stock This is really just stock or bone broth, but my kids like to call it “trash can soup” because the stock is made entirely from things we would have otherwise thrown away. It’s free. It’s an authentically “whole” way to eat. It’s a natural way to...
Introducing the newest episode of Catholic All Year at Home! This episode is all about celebrating Fat Tuesday before we buckle down with our Lenten Disciplines for the next 40 days. As you watch you'll discover creative, family-friendly ideas for your own Fat Tuesday...
Boeuf Gras Sundaes King cake gets eaten for breakfast at our house, so we need a dessert after dinner. And in our family we’re going to be giving up all treats and desserts throughout Lent except for special treats on Sundays and solemnities, so we need to get all...
Hurricane Mocktail & Cocktail The hurricane, which originated in the 1940s at a French Quarter bar called Pat O’Brien’s, is the quintessential New Orleans beverage. Although this is traditionally a rum cocktail, we just do the juice part in our house. But both...
Authentic King Cake Our Fat Tuesday menu is all about celebrating a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras. And you can’t do that without a king cake. Named for the Three Kings aka the Three Wise Men and enjoyed around the world, all the variations are served on or before Fat...
Louisiana Shrimp Etouffee There are plenty of great options for a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras dinner: gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, po-boy sandwiches . . . but we always have shrimp etouffee. “Etouffee” is French for “smothered” and in this recipe our shrimp...
Cheater King Cake Between Epiphany and Lent we celebrate Carnival, a little season of Ordinary Time. One popular tradition from this medieval European celebration is the King Cake, named for the Three Wise Men, and decorated with colored sprinkles: purple for justice,...