A Brown Scapular Cake

Today, inspired by Anne, I made a Brown Scapular Cake to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

For our cake I used a simple yellow GOLD cake mix (baked in a 9x13 pan and cut in half) and topped with chocolate brown frosting. I used two brown pipe cleaners for the cord, and then decorated it with some white frosting.

My sister Julianna stopped by for a couple minutes before work, and I talked her into drawing the image of Our Lady, since she is such an artist! Didn't she do a beautiful job?! I did the (attempted) writing on the right. (I am very new to cake decorating, but it sure is fun!!) In case you can't read it, it says:

"Whosoever dies wearing this SCAPULAR
shall not suffer eternal fire..."

For more information on the Brown Scapular, please visit A Catholic Life. (Thank you Seminarian Matthew for the link!)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel ~ Pray for us!

Mystic Monk Coffee

Speaking of the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Coffee... I thought I would take this opportunity to draw your attention to the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming.

In order to build an abbey and support themselves, the Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is roasting and distributing Mystic Monk Coffee.

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks’ great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.

We are especially fond of this particular Carmel, are currently Guild Members, and my husband even had the opportunity to visit since his brother spent a few months there before returning to the FSSP.

So... What are you waiting for? Hop on over and order some coffee, and while your at it, don't forget to order their CD. The music is beautiful!

A Cake for Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The night before last, I sat here trying to think of something to bake for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which is coming up on July 16th. I was looking for ideas online, and in various cookbooks, and wasn't having very much luck. I started thinking that it would be so neat to make a dessert based on the Brown Scapular.

I didn't really know exactly how I would be able to pull it off, but today I received an email from Kimberlee directing me over to Under Her Starry Mantle. It was just what I was looking for!!!

Last year Anne made a beautiful Brown Scapular Cake for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Head on over to her blog and check it out! It's amazing!

Granita di Caffe

In the Feast Day Cookbook, Katherine Burton recommends making Granita di Caffe, a cool and refreshing Coffee Ice beverage, for the summer time feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Granita di Caffe

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups strong coffee

Stir the sugar into the warm water until it is melted and add the lemon juice. Stir for about five minutes. Add the coffee, strain, place in a freezing tray, and then freeze (stirring frequently), until it becomes a mush.

Serve the ice slush in glasses, with any of the following toppings:

• Whipped cream (add vanilla, sugar, almond extract, etc.)
• Liqueurs (Amaretto, Kahlua, Baileys, etc.)
• Chocolate curls
• Small pieces candied citrus peel

I actually think it would be perfect topped with whipped cream and some caramel sauce, don't you?

Roast Chicken With Lemon & Rosemary

Rosemary is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region and the name derive from the Latin name rosmarinus, which literally means "dew of the sea". The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as an herb; they have a bitter, astringent taste, which complements a wide variety of foods. It is is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6.


For today's quick and easy meal, I will like to share with you one of our favour way to roast chicken wings. It's pretty easy to prepare and bursting with juicy taste and scented with the aroma of the herbs.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
4 - 6 Chicken Wings, washed and tuck-in
3 - 4 Cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced
6 Slices of Lemon
1 Spig of Rosemary
1/2 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
Pinch Of Salt
Ground White/Black Pepper
5 - 10g of Butter, optional

Methods:
1. Washed and pat dry the chicken wings then tuck in the wings.
2. Marinate the Chicken Wing with garlic, lemon, rosemary(the leave only), salt and pepper for at least 1 hour or leave it over night in the fridge.
3. Preheat the oven to about 180 degree, place the marinated chicken wings in the baking dish and top each wings with the lemon and garlic slices from the marinate and a little cubes of butter(optional) and bake for about 20 - 30 minutes(depend on the oven) until golden brown and cooked through. (turn the wings once or twice to have even baking colour)
4. Served with baked potato, fries, spaghetti or as finger food.

OR (in order to cut down the baking time)
3. Place the marinated chicken wings in a microwave oven and cooked on medium heat for about 5 - 8 minutes.
4. Remove from the microwave and place it in baking dish and top with a tiny dot of butter and arrange the lemon and garlic slices on top of the chicken wings.
5. Bake in an oven toaster for about 15-20 minutes turning the wings at least thrice until down.

Notes:
a) You can buy those mid-joint or drumlets to make this dish depending on your preference.
b) If you can't get hold of rosemary you can ombit it but add in more garlic slices instead.

Chaldean Coconut Cookies

Another option for the feast of St. Thomas would be to make Chaldean Coconut Cookies.

In her book, A Continual Feast, Evelyn Birge Vitz recommends making Chaldean Coconut Cookies for the feast of St. Thomas. She says that "these triangular coconut cookies are served at First Communion parties among Christians in such countries as Iraq. According to their tradition, Saint Thomas the Apostle on his way to India brought the Gospel to the Chaldeans of Babylon and Assyria."

Chaldean Coconut Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In a small heavy saucepan mix the sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture come to a boil and skim off the foam. Let cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 240° F. on a candy thermometer. Let cool.

In a bowl beat the eggs lightly, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the sugar syrup. Knead the dough gently in the bowl with the palm of the hand and the fingers for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Take balls of dough a little larger than a walnut. Using a spoon or your fingers, form each ball into a flattish triangle about 1/4 inch thick.

Place the cookies on greased baking sheets. Bake them for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are very light brown.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies.

*If I have a chance to make these, I will update with a photo.

Thomasstriezeln

The feast of St. Thomas the Apostle is July 3rd. In honor of his feast, I am planning on trying out the recipe suggested in Cooking with the Saints for Thomasstriezeln (St. Thomas Fingers). They look delicious, and not overly complicated to make.

Thomasstriezeln

1 TBSP Dry Yeast
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 Lemon
2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
6 egg yolks
4TBSP butter
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 TBSP Cinnamon

Mix yeast with the sour cream and let it stand for 5 minutes. Was the lemon and grate peel finely into a bowl. Add all other ingredients and stir them together. When the dough becomes slightly sticky, knead it for 5 minutes. (More dough may need to be added to make sure the dough is firm.)

Butter a 14x6 inch baking sheet and roll out the dough on it. With a pastry cutter, cut the dough into long fingers. Brush with melted butter. Mix powdered sugar with cinnamon and dust fingers thoroughly with the mixture.

Cover with a towel and let fingers rest in a warm place for about 40 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F until golden. Approximately 30 minutes.

Yield: 40 fingers

You know, the more I use this cookbook, the more I am loving it... Now, to make those fingers!

St. Thomas the Apostle ~ Pray for Us!