Passion Pita Pizzas

The following post was submitted by Lori from Busy with Blessings, sharing the "Passion Pita Pizzas" she created with her children last year on Good Friday. Thank you Lori!

First we took a pita and discussed how the stripes remind us of Our Lord's scourged body and that by His stripes we are healed. We are also thankful that He gives His body to us in the Holy Eucharist to strengthen us along our journey.

We brushed the pita bread with olive oil for He was arrested in the Garden of Olives. (I bake these at 425 for about 5-8 min to get them crispy.)

Next we spread the pizza sauce to represent the blood He shed for us and for all so that sins may be forgiven.

The white cheese and mushrooms were added to represent purity from sin.

We added green bellpepper in the shape of a cross to represent life.

Black Olives were added for His 5 Wounds.

Onions were added last to represent tears shed.

I sprinkled a little more cheese on the top and baked them for about 10 min., keeping an eye on them so they didn't burn.  They are very symbolic and yummy!

Lord by Your Cross and Resurrection You have set us free, You are The Savior of the World!

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Mixing up Meatless: Baked Felafel

The following recipe was submitted by Sarah Rose, from Rose's Supposes. Thank you Sarah Rose!  

Sometimes meatless meals can get a little monotonous in our house. Both my husband and my son can be pretty picky, so very often we resort to mac and cheese or spaghetti. Its not that I don't like these things, but I'm the kind of person who likes to mix it up a bit. Much to my surprise one night I decided to feed my husband felafel and he loved it! He says its one of his favorite things that I make. I still need to work on my son, but my baked felafel helps us when we want to mix up meatless.

Felafel is kind of a chickpea fritter that is usually deep fried, but this baked version I adapted from allrecipes.com turns out great!

Baked Felafel

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or equivalent amount of cooked from dried*
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• Cumin and curry powder to taste. My husband usually asks me to add a little cayenne too.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Put the onions, chickpeas, parsley, garlic, baking soda, flour, egg, and seasonings into a food processor.

Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil. Process until smooth

Form into patties or balls (I personally prefer balls) and let sit for 15 minutes.
note: This recipe makes a very soft felafel that can be difficult to handle when it is still uncooked. If you feel it is too soft feel free to add more flour or even breadcrumbs to help thicken it up.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Put a pan with a little olive oil in it over medium heat and brown the felafel. This will give it a little crunch on the outside.

Put the felafel on a sheet pan and bake for ten minutes.

Serve in pitas or on a salad! Some great accompaniments are lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and plain yogurt.


*How to cook dried chickpeas (this method works for any dried bean)

1. Sort through the beans and remove any debris.
2. Cover the beans with water and soak at least 4 hours. I usually let mine soak overnight.
3. Drain and rinse the beans. Recover them with water, add a little salt and put on the stove on high heat. Sometimes I'll add in a bay leaf here.
4. Let the beans come to a boil. Once they reach a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover. Let the beans cook for 1 hour.

Canned beans are just fine and very convenient, I have used them before. But dried beans are cheaper and you can control things like the amount of salt you use. You just have to plan ahead! Sometimes I'll cook more than I need and keep them in the refrigerator.

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Shamrock Soup

The following recipe was submitted by Joanna Cichy in honor of the upcoming feast of St. Patrick! Thank you Joanna! 

In our house an ordinary pot of cream of broccoli soup becomes "Shamrock Soup" on St. Patrick's day.  It's great as a main meatless meal during Lent or as a first course for a celebratory meal.

Shamrock Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 TBS butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 TBS flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3-4 cups chopped broccoli
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8-1/4 black pepper
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

In a large pot melt butter on medium heat. Sautee onions and celery until tender. Add the flour, whisking until combined. Add the 2 cups of milk and turn the heat to high. Whisk constantly until mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Reduce heat and add the remaining 4 cups of milk. Add the broccoli, salt, and pepper. Turn up the heat to medium high/high and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking on occasion so as to not scald the bottom of the pan and to prevent over boiling. Turn to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Serve with a pot of gold (bowl of shredded cheese) and some potato rolls!

Serves 6-8

Additional recipes for the feast of St. Patrick can be found in the archives!

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