I know we are only on the Second Sunday of Lent, but it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead. That’s why I’m grateful to Woodeene Koenig-Bricker for providing today’s guest post and recipe from her newly released book Dinner Party with the Saints. Enjoy! One of my favorite sweets is Turkish Delight. I’m not sure how a girl who grew up on the side of a mountain in Montana ever came to taste it, but I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember. When I visited Turkey as an adult and had the “real” thing from the market in Istanbul, I was over the moon. I swear I could live on the stuff! As I was writing the ..read more

Special thanks to Alicia Quebedeaux at Catholic Community Radio for gently nudging me to finally post this recipe! Enjoy! INGREDIENTS Sea salt 1 lb dried pinto beans 6 dried ancho peppers 2 to 4 dried arbol peppers 3 tablespoons cornmeal 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons cocoa powder 2 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 medium white onions 2 to 3 small jalapeño peppers, seeded 3 tablespoons oil (regular olive oil, bacon grease, or butter) 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced or beaten with mortar and pestle 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes 2 teaspoons honey or molasses 3 to 4 lbs ..read more

Thanksgiving embodies the idyllic family feast, at least for us here in America. Our literature, movies, television shows, and commercials (!) all pick up the theme: Thanksgiving is for family.  Even our statistical data bears this out: 95 percent of American families gather for Thanksgiving, according to a Harris Poll of people surveyed four years ago (see CDmag.net/2KXRWeP).But not all family gatherings are idyllic. Not all Thanksgiving dinners are thankful. And the perfect or ideal family doesn’t exist. Family is often messy because human beings are messy. For some, the annual Tha ..read more

The summer heat in south Louisiana can be oppressive. It’s not like the dry heat of southern California or Arizona. No. It’s a heat with teeth … and a fiery humid tongue that licks right through you. It’s a heat that bakes your bones. I am not a fan of the heat. The older I get, the hotter our summers seem to get. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe not. But my lack of tolerance for the heat plays a big part in the love I’ve always had for the month of October. For me, October signals autumn and the beginning of cooler weather. But the weather doesn’t always cool down in October in Baton Rouge. Sometime ..read more

In November 1971 Carly Simon released her second studio album, which was titled Anticipation. The title track of that album soared to number 3 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and the following year it nabbed her a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocalist. It’s a song, she later revealed, that she wrote on the guitar in about 15 minutes while waiting for Cat Stevens to pick her up for their first date. It’s a song that has endured and is still one of her biggest hits. Of course, I wasn’t aware of any of this in 1971, since I was not quite one-and-a-half y ..read more

I shared this recipe this morning on the Wake Up! show on Catholic Community Radio. It’s not my recipe. I just happened to come across it. And I’m glad I did. This recipe is from Chef Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. It yields 1 pint of jam. I’ve had a Creole Tomato Jam atop a fancy hamburger more than once when dining out. But I’ve never made a jam like this myself. It’s now on this weekend’s agenda. On the show this morning, I said I would post this recipe in case you would like to join me in a little Creole Tomato adventure. If you do, let me know how it turns out! Save ..read more

Barbara Stein shares her recipe for Summer Bulgur Salad today at CatholicMom.com as part of its Meatless Friday Series. Barbara’s recipe for?Summer Bulgur Salad jumped out at me this morning. Not only is the photo popping with color that tempts me to make this mouthwatering recipe right now, but the recipe?also?seems to be?Middle Eastern inspired, which endears it to my heart. Here’s what Barbara has to say about her Summer Bulgur Salad recipe: This is the kind of food that I could eat all summer long, every single day. Simple food, simple and healthy ingredients. I love bulgur, and it?s hig ..read more

Recipe submitted by Sr. Tracey Dugas, FSP When you hear the word Ratatouille, what pops into your head first? If you are anything like me, your first thoughts probably include a cute little animated mouse with a good sense of humor and a well-developed palate. Oh, and mean cooking skills, too. Disney’s film Ratatouille entertained audiences of all ages… and made them hungry at the same time. The Ratatouille movie revived popular interest in the classic simple French Provencal dish of the same name. If you have never had the pleasure of enjoying Ratatouille, allow me to describe the dish ..read more

From Wednesday’s show… King Cakes, Mardi Gras and the Epiphany… including the history of the King Cake, King Cake traditions, the Epiphany and how God meets us in the ordinariness of daily life AND does something extraordinary in us… AND my recipe to make a King Cake right in your very own kitchen. All this and more on The Catholic Foodie Show! LISTEN TO THE SHOW Click the Play button below to listen to the show. You can always right-click and save-as to download the show for listening later. King Cake Traditions & Carnival Season King Cake Recipe Save Print Mardi Gras King Cake ..read more

Bread from Heaven and French Baguettes… Today on The Catholic Foodie Show we talk about the readings from yesterday’s Mass and what they could mean for me and you. We also talk French Baguettes with a recipe from my friend Craig Poirier. Listen to the Show Click the play button below to listen to the show. You can always right-click and save-as to download the show for listening later. French Baguette Recipe Save Print French Baguettes Author: Craig Poirier Cuisine: French Recipe type: Bread Serves: 3 Prep time:  40 mins Cook time:  30 mins Total time:  1 ..read more