recipes

Bake Soul Cakes for Halloween

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Sometimes I feel as if my family is eating its way through the liturgical year. Cake for the guardian angels, cream puffs for St. Joseph, Mexican food for Our Lady of Guadalupe, king cake for Mardi Gras, Paska bread for Easter, and on and on.

So in addition to our secular yet delicious pumpkin, ghost, and bat butter cookies, we’re enjoying soul cakes, which a couple of my children have been prodding me to make for several years.

In conjunction with the release of the Catholic Teen Books anthology Shadows: Visible & Invisible, my daughters and I and fellow author Catholic Teen Books author T.M. Gaouette had the opportunity to test and tweak several soul cake recipes, finally landing on the one that appears at the end of the Shadows anthology. These cakes can easily be made with pantry staples.

I encourage you to learn more about souling traditions and the entire Halloween triduum by reading Shadows. Halloween has taken a dark turn in our culture in some cases, but it’s fascinating to see its Christian roots. Maybe by noshing a few soul cakes, we can revive some positive traditions from the past, and remind us of the reason for our celebrations.

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Come Back to Me Recipe

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

Megan brings a peace offering of sorts when she embarks on her “reconciliation tour” and visits her brother Tim and his fiancee, Holly.

This easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is a summer favorite! Simple enough that my tween daughter has made it by herself but pretty enough to impress foodies at a summer cookout. I need to bake one and snap a picture. For now, you’ll just have to imagine the gooey, syrupy brown sugar caramelized between juicy slices of pineapple. Mmmm! Best prepared in a cast-iron skillet for extra-deliciousness and easy serving.

Prep time: 15 min.
Cooking time: 45 min.
Yield: 8 servings

3 tbsp. butter
1 c. light brown sugar
7 slices canned pineapple
1/2 c. pineapple juice, reserved
7 maraschino cherries
pecan halves (optional)
raisins (optional)
3 eggs
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Melt butter in 10-in. cast-iron skillet over low heat. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter. Remove from heat.
  3. Arrange the pineapple rings in the skillet, cutting a few in half, if necessary, to fit all the rings in the pan. Place cherries in the center of each pineapple ring. Place the pecan halves and raisins, if desired, between pineapple rings.
  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the sugar. Add the vanilla and reserved pineapple juice and blend well.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and blend.
  6. Pour batter over brown sugar and pineapple rings in a skillet. Bake for 45 minutes or until nicely brown. Invert onto a platter while warm.

(Adapted from Cast-Iron Cooking for Dummies by Tracy Barr.)

Guest Posts: Recipes to Use Fall Bounty, Mexican Saints, and More

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Bulletin Board EXTRA: New Term, New Tools

August 29, 2019

Today’s Catholic Teacher

Who doesn’t enjoy a round of Mad Libs? Now you can entertain, sharpen grammar skills, and learn about the Catholic faith with Karen and Tommy Tighe’s Catholic Funny Fill-ins. With illustrations and “Did you know?” facts on each page, these puzzles are fun for individual students, youth groups, or classrooms

Meatless Friday: Eggplant Parmesan Soup

September 20, 2019

Catholicmom

All the taste of eggplant parmesan in a bowl! This soup was quick, easy, and a perfect complement to a big summer salad and French bread. I was surprised that even the reluctant kids enjoyed this soup.

Book Notes for Kids: Two Books about Mexican Saints

September 24, 2019

Catholicmom

Together these books are an excellent introduction to Mexican history, Church history, and sainthood.

Catholicmom Hangout: The Grace and Mercy of Time

October 9, 2019

Catholicmom

Carolyn Astfalk shares thoughts about the grace and mercy of time in relation to changing families, our salvation, and making progress.

Meatless Friday: Italian Zucchini Pie

October 11, 2019

Catholicmom

This recipe is perfect for using some of your garden’s bounty! With fresh zucchini, tomatoes, shallots, and parsley, this pie was simple and delicious. 

Meatless Friday: Herbed Spaghetti Squash Casserole

November 8, 2019

Catholicmom

This easy casserole takes advantage of fall vegetables such as spaghetti squash and bell peppers. Paired with a garden salad, it made for a light fall dinner.

Guest Posts: Blog and Radio Interviews, a Recipe, and More

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Things Visible & Invisible

Sweetest Romances for Sweetest Day (October 20, 2018)

“I read heavily in the non-Catholic Christian genres and enjoy those novels very much. But there’s something to be said for seeing your own experience reflected in novels from time-to-time. So, when my characters pray, they’re more likely to bring out the rosary beads. If they’re practicing their faith, they’re at Mass on Sunday. They have the benefit of the sacraments and the grace that they offer. They’re more likely to be open to large families.”

Catholic365.com

How My Mom Changed Lives One Chocolate Chip at a Time (September 11, 2018)

“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you must do something big, or be someone important to make a difference. You can live your life in obscurity being ‘only’ a mother or a housewife or whatever role it is you are called to. You don’t need money, fame, or education to do what matters most.” Continue reading →

Guest Posts: Teaching Children About Chastity, Catholic Fiction & More

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CatholicMom.com

LoveEd Program Empowers Parents to Teach Their Children About Chastity (December 20, 2017)

“The beauty of LoveEd: Raising Kids That Are  Strong, Smart and Pure by Coleen Kelly Mast is that it does not seek to minimize the parents’ role in educating their children about chastity but instead empowers them to excel at it. It does so by offering materials and a format that encourage the frank, meaningful dialogue necessary to teach our children fundamental, critical lessons about the truth and meaning of human sexuality in a manner that is engaging and appealing.”

Protecting Young Minds with Good Pictures Bad Pictures (October 17, 2017)

“Using analogies and terms children can understand, seven short chapters cover pornography, addiction, and various aspects of brain function. The book also offers a five-step “CAN DO” plan for children to implement should they be confronted with pornographic images.”

Meatless Friday: Shrimp, Corn, and Potato Foil Packets (September 1, 2017)

“By hitting the local farmers’ market in the afternoon, I had all of the fresh corn on the cob and potatoes I needed for this recipe, which, after some prep time, is quick and easy on the grill.”

Catholic365.com

Catholic Fiction and Where to Find It (September 23, 2017)

Catholic Christmas Book-Giving Guide: Ten Picks for Your Holiday Shopping (December 15, 2017)

Under the Catholic Child’s Christmas Tree: A Book-Giving Guide (December 16, 2017)

 

Rightfully Ours Recipes

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Unlike in Stay With Me (Rebecca Rhodes) and Ornamental Graces (Grandma Malone), no character in Rightfully Ours is known for baking. Mrs. Mueller can apparently make a mean casserole and a delicious apple dumpling, but Paul and Rachel are preoccupied by things other than what hits the dinner table – namely each other and the search for buried treasure.

Still, Rachel fills a boring afternoon by making lentil soup and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Both of these recipes are delicious and simple enough for any teen to make!

I shared my lentil soup recipe at CatholicMom for Meatless Fridays.

The chocolate chip recipe is my go-to cookie recipe, which is easily adapted to make jumbo or bar cookies. The recipe can be found in Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook. I typically use butter rather than margarine, milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, and forego the nuts.

Meatless Friday: Lentil Soup

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. margarine or butter, softened

1 egg

2 – 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. coarsely-chopped nuts (optional)

1 pkg. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix sugars, margarine, and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. (Centers will be soft.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Yield: about 6 dozen cookies; 90 calories per cookie.

Guest Posts: Savory Soups for Cold Nights

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CatholicMom.com

Meatless Friday: Butternut Squash and Cider Bisque (January 6, 2017)

“Delicious and very pretty with its rich orange color, I served a bowl of this soup with some artisan bread and butter. And while there’s some chopping involved, it’s so easy to make.”

Meatless Friday: Potato Leek Soup (December 16, 2016)

“The fact that the potatoes do not need to be peeled makes makes preparation of this soup quick and easy. Chop your vegetables, throw them in the Dutch oven or soup pot and take care of something else while your soup simmers.”