• About
    • Copyright Disclaimer
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure Policy
  • My Book List
  • Book List for Catholic Men
  • Book List for the Youth
  • Sermons and Audios
  • Finer Femininity
    • Finer Femininity Meeting
    • Traditional Family Weekend
  • My Morning and Night Prayers
  • Donate to Finer Femininity?
  • Catholic Mother’s Traditional Advent Journal
  • Finer Femininity Magazine!
  • Books by Leane
    • My New Book – Catholic Mother Goose!
    • Catholic Hearth Stories
    • My Book – Cheerful Chats for Catholic Children
  • Toning With T-Tapp
    • Move It! A Challenge for You and Me….

Finer Femininity

~ Joyful, Feminine, Catholic

Finer Femininity

Category Archives: Recipes

Christmas Tea Party…and some Festive Food Ideas

29 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by Leanevdp in Podcasts - Finer Femininity, Recipes, Seasons, Seasons, Feast Days, etc.

≈ 2 Comments

I think it would be a great idea to have a Tea Party for one of the Twelve Days of Christmas! Girls and Boys alike enjoy tea parties…and older folks, too! And it would be a good opportunity to pull out the nice china and set a real spread! We love tea and tea parties over here! We don’t take time to have them too often but it is always a good time! (Scroll down for the recipe links!)

sept. 2013 011

You can plan a tea party of your own…..simple or a little more extravagant, with a little help from Emilie Barnes.

Christmas Is Coming: Our Family Holiday Organizer

A Merry Christmas Tea

Christmas is a special time for friends and family to gather together, and a Christmas tea offers a wonderful chance to celebrate your relationships and the season itself. Let your Christmas tea be your special gift to friends, family, and yourself.

Tea parties are more personal than a general party. There is something about a tea party that brings out the best in people – the best behavior, the best intentions, the best attitudes. We expect a little more of each other when we come to tea, and we tend to live up to those expectations. We give a little more. That in itself is cause to celebrate!

I begin planning my holiday tea party in October, because it takes time to get the details just right. Keep your eyes out for pretty Christmas-themed notecards with no message inside to use for invitation. Send them out by the end of November.

There are no limits on the decor for a tea party. Take advantage of the wonderful decorating materials that are available – sparkling red and green fabrics, lush and fragrant greens, and all kinds of candles. Fragrant pine garlands, red berries, shiny red apples, pretty ornaments, poinsettias and anything Christmassy are great for an arrangement or special centerpiece.

The table can be as decorative as you like. I usually pull out all the stops and use my best china and fancy white linens for this celebration. I love to decorate each guest’s plate with a little candle held in a special clip – the same kind used many years ago in Europe to secure little candles on the Christmas tree. There are no rules to decorating.  It’s whatever sets a tone and mood for your party. Play Christmas music to add to the merriment!

And load the table with a variety of sweet and savory foods. I usually have a special tea, some tea sandwiches, a fancy cake, fruits and a special cheese like mascarpone, and decorated Christmas cookies. Everything is presented on doily-lined trays…it’s almost too pretty to eat!

The most special part of this holiday tea is when we share our favorite memories and Christmas blessings together. I light the candle of the person nearest to me and ask her to share a Christmas thought or Christmas blessing. After she speaks. she lights the candle of the person next to her, who then shares her Christmas thoughts. Around the room we go with each person sharing a bit of her heart.

Spiced Russian Teaindex

6 teaspoons Russian blend or any good black tea

1 pinch cloves

1 1/2 pints freshly boiled water

Place tea and cloves in pot, add water, and brew for five minutes before pouring. Add sugar and lemon to taste.

Almond Chicken Tea Sandwichesimages

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped coarsely

1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds

1/2 cup mayonaise

White or wheat bread

Butter each slice of bread well. On half the slices, spoon about 3 tablespoons of almond chicken mixture. Top with remaining slices.

Wrap in wax paper and again in a slightly dampened kitchen towel. Let filling set for at least an hour before serving. Cut off crusts and trim into pretty shapes.

3ce05b9c30392dba52154a9720bdb4ec

The following are links for some Festive Food Ideas! Christmas season is not over…let us continue to celebrate!

Peanut Butter Cups:

“The secret to a good peanut butter cup isn’t the chocolate. What really makes them shine is finding the right peanut butter center. We couldn’t use just peanut butter because that would leave the wrong texture, and would probably effect the shape of the cups we’ve come to hold dear. The trick, we found, was to mix the peanut butter in with some confectioners’ sugar and graham cracker crumbs. It provided just the right amount of sweetness with some firmness to it as well to make the peanut butter cups a perfect no-bake treat.”

The recipe is here.

no-bake-peanut-butter-cups

Eggnog Trifle Dessert (Taste of Home)

This classic Christmas dessert is too delicious to have just once a year. So our family serves it for birthdays…and whatever other occasion we can think of! —Cynthia Butt, Winnipeg, Manitoba

expsi7631_W101973175A05_04_3b

Cranberry Layer Cake Recipe (Taste of Home)

“I adapted a Bundt cake recipe to create this layer cake. Cranberries, walnuts and homemade frosting make it taste so delicious that you’d never guess it starts with a convenient cake mix.” —Sandy Burkett, Galena, Ohio

exps19222_SD143207C06_05_2b

No Bake Coconut Snowballs

No-Bake-Coconut-Snowballs-1-550x478

Quick and Easy Snowy Chocolate Pine Cone Recipe

“Many years ago, while taking my nieces on a little nature walk, I remember watching as my youngest niece picked up a pinecone and tried to eat it. I can only imagine how prickly the scales were on her tiny tongue! Here’s an idea for a pinecone snack that’s sure to make curious tastebuds happy.”

1-chocolate-pinecone-recipe-2

untitled

Happy 5th Day of Christmas! “The childlike faith and hope of simple peasants found fulfillment in a Child. Christmas came rushing into their uneventful lives on the wings of an Infant’s smile, and the low-voiced gratitude of a mother welcoming these first Christmas guests who, in a beautiful single gesture, adored her Son and filled her day with the sweet fragrance of their Christmas greeting.” -Fr. Daniel A. Lord, Art by Donna Gelsinger, https://www.donagelsinger.com/

New Podcast!

Join siblings Gemma (15 years old) and Angelo (14 years old) as they discuss the efficacy of Journaling and of using their Traditional 30 Day Journals….

Journals available here.

Just in time for those New Year’s Resolutions!… The Catholic Boy’s and Girl’s Traditional 30-Day Journals! Let’s keep our youth engaged in the Faith! Let’s teach them how to be organized, how to prioritize, how to keep on top of, first, the Spiritual things in their lives, and then the other daily duties that God requires of them… Available here.



NEW!

Traditional Catholic Tabletop 2022 Calendar Coil Binder Book!

Available here.

Do you have a hard time writing appointments in the calendar as it sits on the wall? Are you tired of taking down your calendar to flip the pages and see when your appointment is?

Here is a 2022 simple calendar that is made to sit on your table top or desk top in order to write in the spaces when your appointments are, etc. All the feast days of the traditional Calendar of the Catholic Church are included each day!

It is coil binded to make flipping the pages easy. The first page is a plastic covering and the last page is a heavier colored cardstock.

This will be a tremendous help in keeping things organized as each busy month goes by!

Available here.


 

S

In With God in Russia, Ciszek reflects on his daily life as a prisoner, the labor he endured while working in the mines and on construction gangs, his unwavering faith in God, and his firm devotion to his vows and vocation. Enduring brutal conditions, Ciszek risked his life to offer spiritual guidance to fellow prisoners who could easily have exposed him for their own gains. He chronicles these experiences with grace, humility, and candor, from his secret work leading mass and hearing confessions within the prison grounds, to his participation in a major gulag uprising, to his own “resurrection”—his eventual release in a prisoner exchange in October 1963 which astonished all who had feared he was dead.

Powerful and inspirational, With God in Russia captures the heroic patience, endurance, and religious conviction of a man whose life embodied the Christian ideals that sustained him…..

Captured by a Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek spent 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Only through an utter reliance on God’s will did he manage to endure the extreme hardship. He tells of the courage he found in prayer–a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. For, as Ciszek relates, the solace of spiritual contemplation gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw amidst the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Ciszek learns to accept the inhuman work in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God. And through that experience, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

He Leadeth Me is a book to inspire all Christians to greater faith and trust in God–even in their darkest hour. As the author asks, “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?”
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Christmas Tea Party…and some Festive Food Ideas

29 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by Leanevdp in Podcasts - Finer Femininity, Recipes, Seasons, Seasons, Feast Days, etc.

≈ 1 Comment

I think it would be a great idea to have a Tea Party for one of the Twelve Days of Christmas! Girls and Boys alike enjoy tea parties…and older folks, too! And it would be a good opportunity to pull out the nice china and set a real spread! We love tea and tea parties over here! We don’t take time to have them too often but it is always a good time! (Scroll down for the recipe links!)

sept. 2013 011

You can plan a tea party of your own…..simple or a little more extravagant, with a little help from Emilie Barnes.

Christmas Is Coming: Our Family Holiday Organizer

A Merry Christmas Tea

Christmas is a special time for friends and family to gather together, and a Christmas tea offers a wonderful chance to celebrate your relationships and the season itself. Let your Christmas tea be your special gift to friends, family, and yourself.

Tea parties are more personal than a general party. There is something about a tea party that brings out the best in people – the best behavior, the best intentions, the best attitudes. We expect a little more of each other when we come to tea, and we tend to live up to those expectations. We give a little more. That in itself is cause to celebrate!

I begin planning my holiday tea party in October, because it takes time to get the details just right. Keep your eyes out for pretty Christmas-themed notecards with no message inside to use for invitation. Send them out by the end of November.

There are no limits on the decor for a tea party. Take advantage of the wonderful decorating materials that are available – sparkling red and green fabrics, lush and fragrant greens, and all kinds of candles. Fragrant pine garlands, red berries, shiny red apples, pretty ornaments, poinsettias and anything Christmassy are great for an arrangement or special centerpiece.

The table can be as decorative as you like. I usually pull out all the stops and use my best china and fancy white linens for this celebration. I love to decorate each guest’s plate with a little candle held in a special clip – the same kind used many years ago in Europe to secure little candles on the Christmas tree. There are no rules to decorating.  It’s whatever sets a tone and mood for your party. Play Christmas music to add to the merriment!

And load the table with a variety of sweet and savory foods. I usually have a special tea, some tea sandwiches, a fancy cake, fruits and a special cheese like mascarpone, and decorated Christmas cookies. Everything is presented on doily-lined trays…it’s almost too pretty to eat!

The most special part of this holiday tea is when we share our favorite memories and Christmas blessings together. I light the candle of the person nearest to me and ask her to share a Christmas thought or Christmas blessing. After she speaks. she lights the candle of the person next to her, who then shares her Christmas thoughts. Around the room we go with each person sharing a bit of her heart.

Spiced Russian Teaindex

6 teaspoons Russian blend or any good black tea

1 pinch cloves

1 1/2 pints freshly boiled water

Place tea and cloves in pot, add water, and brew for five minutes before pouring. Add sugar and lemon to taste.

Almond Chicken Tea Sandwichesimages

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped coarsely

1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds

1/2 cup mayonaise

White or wheat bread

Butter each slice of bread well. On half the slices, spoon about 3 tablespoons of almond chicken mixture. Top with remaining slices.

Wrap in wax paper and again in a slightly dampened kitchen towel. Let filling set for at least an hour before serving. Cut off crusts and trim into pretty shapes.

3ce05b9c30392dba52154a9720bdb4ec

The following are links for some Festive Food Ideas! Christmas season is not over…let us continue to celebrate!

Peanut Butter Cups:

“The secret to a good peanut butter cup isn’t the chocolate. What really makes them shine is finding the right peanut butter center. We couldn’t use just peanut butter because that would leave the wrong texture, and would probably effect the shape of the cups we’ve come to hold dear. The trick, we found, was to mix the peanut butter in with some confectioners’ sugar and graham cracker crumbs. It provided just the right amount of sweetness with some firmness to it as well to make the peanut butter cups a perfect no-bake treat.”

The recipe is here.

no-bake-peanut-butter-cups

Eggnog Trifle Dessert (Taste of Home)

This classic Christmas dessert is too delicious to have just once a year. So our family serves it for birthdays…and whatever other occasion we can think of! —Cynthia Butt, Winnipeg, Manitoba

expsi7631_W101973175A05_04_3b

Cranberry Layer Cake Recipe (Taste of Home)

“I adapted a Bundt cake recipe to create this layer cake. Cranberries, walnuts and homemade frosting make it taste so delicious that you’d never guess it starts with a convenient cake mix.” —Sandy Burkett, Galena, Ohio

exps19222_SD143207C06_05_2b

No Bake Coconut Snowballs

No-Bake-Coconut-Snowballs-1-550x478

Quick and Easy Snowy Chocolate Pine Cone Recipe

“Many years ago, while taking my nieces on a little nature walk, I remember watching as my youngest niece picked up a pinecone and tried to eat it. I can only imagine how prickly the scales were on her tiny tongue! Here’s an idea for a pinecone snack that’s sure to make curious tastebuds happy.”

1-chocolate-pinecone-recipe-2

untitled

Happy 5th Day of Christmas! “The childlike faith and hope of simple peasants found fulfillment in a Child. Christmas came rushing into their uneventful lives on the wings of an Infant’s smile, and the low-voiced gratitude of a mother welcoming these first Christmas guests who, in a beautiful single gesture, adored her Son and filled her day with the sweet fragrance of their Christmas greeting.” -Fr. Daniel A. Lord, Art by Donna Gelsinger, https://www.donagelsinger.com/

New Podcast!

Join siblings Gemma (15 years old) and Angelo (14 years old) as they discuss the efficacy of Journaling and of using their Traditional 30 Day Journals….

Just in time for those New Year’s Resolutions!… The Catholic Boy’s and Girl’s Traditional 30-Day Journals! Let’s keep our youth engaged in the Faith! Let’s teach them how to be organized, how to prioritize, how to keep on top of, first, the Spiritual things in their lives, and then the other daily duties that God requires of them… Available here.



S

In With God in Russia, Ciszek reflects on his daily life as a prisoner, the labor he endured while working in the mines and on construction gangs, his unwavering faith in God, and his firm devotion to his vows and vocation. Enduring brutal conditions, Ciszek risked his life to offer spiritual guidance to fellow prisoners who could easily have exposed him for their own gains. He chronicles these experiences with grace, humility, and candor, from his secret work leading mass and hearing confessions within the prison grounds, to his participation in a major gulag uprising, to his own “resurrection”—his eventual release in a prisoner exchange in October 1963 which astonished all who had feared he was dead.

Powerful and inspirational, With God in Russia captures the heroic patience, endurance, and religious conviction of a man whose life embodied the Christian ideals that sustained him…..

Captured by a Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek spent 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Only through an utter reliance on God’s will did he manage to endure the extreme hardship. He tells of the courage he found in prayer–a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. For, as Ciszek relates, the solace of spiritual contemplation gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw amidst the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Ciszek learns to accept the inhuman work in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God. And through that experience, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

He Leadeth Me is a book to inspire all Christians to greater faith and trust in God–even in their darkest hour. As the author asks, “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?”
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Remembering and Recipes

29 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ 4 Comments

This was an old post but it was fun for me to read and has a couple of good recipes so I am bringing it back for Throwback Thursday.

As a side note: Jeanette is now expecting #2 and Margy has taken over the meals so I am once again put on the “don’t know how to cook” list. That’s okay by me. hehe

I’m not a fancy cook. I usually stick to pretty simple fare. Not only for the cost factor but also for health reasons. But I do like to try new things and if they turn out well and the family likes them a lot, I will pass them on to you.

I also have something to prove. You see, my 17yr. old daughter made the main meal every day for a year and a half. And in the zeal of youth, she would make some pretty amazing dishes. She also was astonishing at her stictuitiveness. Even if she was going somewhere that evening she would still prep the meal and have it all ready.  And I didn’t have to bug her about it.

Maybe it is my imagination, but it seems as if the kids see me close to the stove, their eyebrows raise, as if to say….”Mom, don’t even try, we know you don’t know how to cook.”

Short memories or what????

Then “someone” came along and snatched Jeanette from right off my apron strings and I am left holding the bag.jeanette's camera 096

I’ve had to really adjust to being the meal-maker again. So to keep my focus, I have been doing a menu and I get some of my meals out of my old Taste of Home books. And I’ve hit upon some pretty good ones.  I am redeeming myself slowly.

Hopefully not for long though. I am waiting for Rosie or Margy to take over. 🙂Photo 1

The following lasagna recipe was a bit finicky. I thought it just used spaghetti sauce and I was trying it for a Friday meal. But the sauce was made of milk,etc. so it took a bit more time but it was well worth the effort. So, if you have a little extra time, or many hands to chop veggies, try this one out. It’s good! Really good!

 

Four-Cheese Spinach Lasagna Recipe

exps12010_TH10101C29B

  • Prep: 50 min. Bake: 50 min. + standing
  • Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
  • 1-1/2 cups julienned carrots
  • 1 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

Directions

  • In a large skillet, saute vegetables and garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; set aside.
  • In a small heavy saucepan, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in spinach. Set 1 cup aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Spread 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with four noodles, half of the cheese mixture, vegetables and 3/4 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, reserved spinach mixture and remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Cover and bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings
  • Here is another recipe that I have made just recently and the kids ranted about. ” You’re going to put this one on your blog, aren’t you Mom?” I thought that was good enough reviews to put it up here.

     

    Mother’s Ham Casseroleexps11789_CW10097C31B

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
    • 1 large carrot, sliced
    • 2 celery ribs, chopped
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
    • 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
    • 7 Tablespoons butter, divided
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1-1/2 cups milk
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

    Directions

    • In a saucepan, bring the potatoes, carrot, celery and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.
    • In a large skillet, saute the ham, green pepper and onion in 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Add to the potato mixture. Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish.
    • In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add cheese and stir until melted.
    • Pour over the ham mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4-6 servings

Recipe – Meat Loaf by Nourishing Traditions

04 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ 1 Comment

This is a wonderful meatloaf and we make it often at our home! It is delicious and hearty!
meatloaf-closeup

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground grass-fed beef hamburger
  • 1/2 pound ground heart (optional)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried chile red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole grain bread crumbs
  • 1 cup cream [TNC: I omitted, you can omit to make this kosher or casein free]
  • 1 egg
  • 4 Tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup

Preparation:

Saute onions, carrots, and celery in butter until soft. Add red pepper flakes (if using), thyme, salt and pepper and stir around. Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in cream (if using cream).

Have a 9 inch by 13 inch pyrex pan ready. Using your hands [or food processor], mix meat with sauteed vegetables, soaked bread, and egg. Form into a loaf and set in the pan. Ice with ketchup or tomato paste, if using. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours.

New Recipes

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ 2 Comments

I’m not a fancy cook. I usually stick to pretty simple fare. Not only for the cost factor but also for health reasons. But I do like to try new things and if they turn out well and the family likes them a lot, I will pass them on to you.

I also have something to prove. You see, my 17yr. old daughter made the main meal every day for a year and a half. And in the zeal of youth, she would make some pretty amazing dishes. She also was astonishing at her stictuitiveness. Even if she was going somewhere that evening she would still prep the meal and have it all ready.  And I didn’t have to bug her about it.

Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed as if they saw me close to the stove, their eyebrows would raise, as if to say….”Mom, don’t even try, we know you don’t know how to cook.”

Short memories or what????

Then “someone” came along and snatched Jeanette from right off my apron strings and I am left holding the bag.

I’ve had to really adjust to being the meal-maker again. So to keep my focus, I have been doing a menu and I get some of my meals out of my old Taste of Home books. And I’ve hit upon some pretty good ones.  I am redeeming myself slowly.

Hopefully not for long though. I am waiting for Rosie or Margy to take over. 🙂

The following lasagna recipe was a bit finicky. I thought it just used spaghetti sauce and I was trying it for a Friday meal. But the sauce was made of milk,etc. so it took a bit more time but it was well worth the effort. So, if you have a little extra time, or many hands to chop veggies, try this one out. It’s good! Really good!

 

Four-Cheese Spinach Lasagna Recipe

exps12010_TH10101C29B

  • Prep: 50 min. Bake: 50 min. + standing
  • Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
  • 1-1/2 cups julienned carrots
  • 1 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

Directions

  • In a large skillet, saute vegetables and garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; set aside.
  • In a small heavy saucepan, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in spinach. Set 1 cup aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Spread 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with four noodles, half of the cheese mixture, vegetables and 3/4 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, reserved spinach mixture and remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Cover and bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings
  • Here is another recipe that I have made just recently and the kids ranted about. ” You’re going to put this one on your blog, aren’t you Mom?” I thought that was good enough reviews to put it up here.

     

    Mother’s Ham Casseroleexps11789_CW10097C31B

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
    • 1 large carrot, sliced
    • 2 celery ribs, chopped
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
    • 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
    • 7 Tablespoons butter, divided
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1-1/2 cups milk
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

    Directions

    • In a saucepan, bring the potatoes, carrot, celery and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.
    • In a large skillet, saute the ham, green pepper and onion in 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Add to the potato mixture. Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish.
    • In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add cheese and stir until melted.
    • Pour over the ham mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Recipe – Cream Puff Dessert from Taste of Home

07 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

This is an absolutely, knock-your-socks-off,  not-very-good-for-you, but wonderfully light and delicious dessert that we make often for company!

We will be making it for our family reunion this coming Tues. when we get to visit with Sr. Marie Hosanna and see Father VanderPutten off to his apostolate in Nigeria!

exps13272_QC10140C27D

Cream Puff Dessert Recipe

    • Prep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 30 min. + cooling
    • Yield: 12 Servings

20 3Ingredients:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • FILLING:
  • 1 Pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
  • 3 1/2 cups cold milk
  • 2 pkgs. (3.9 oz. each) chocolate instant pudding mix
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 carton, (8 oz.) thawed frozen whipped topping
  • 1/4 cup chocolate ice cream topping
  • 1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
  • 1/3 cup chopped almonds
  • (We don’t use the almonds or the caramel topping but I am sure it would add to the deliciousness of it!)

Directions

  • In a large saucepan bring the water and butter to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.
  • Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For filling, beat the cream cheese, milk and pudding mix in a large bowl until smooth. Spread over puff; refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  • Spread with whipped topping; refrigerate until serving. Drizzle with the chocolate and caramel toppings; sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Recipe – Beefy Wild Rice Soup from Taste of Home

07 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

I know it is summertime and maybe the thought of soup doesn’t float your boat. But we like this soup so much that we will have it here and there even in summer! Enjoy!exps11348_C10078C51D

    • Prep: 15 min. Cook: 1-1/4 hours
  • Yield: 10-12 Servings

15 75 90 Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 6 cups water, divided
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 3 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained

Directions

  • In a Dutch oven, cook beef and Italian seasoning over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add 2 cups water, onions, celery, rice, bouillon, pepper and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the soup, mushrooms and remaining water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Yield: 10-12 servings (3 quarts).

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe…..

30 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by Leanevdp in Recipes

≈ Leave a comment

….and one other Fave!

This is a great basic whole wheat bread recipe. I make 4 loaves at a time in my bosch mixer. It turns out great…every time!

whole wheat bread

Yields 5-6 loaves

multigrain-bread

2/3 C honey
2/3 C oil
6 C warm water
3 TB Saf Instant Yeast
1 1/2 – 2 TB Real Salt
16-20 C fresh whole wheat flour
3 TB Dough Enhancer

1/3-1/2 Cup Vital Wheat Gluten

I often do not use the gluten and sometimes even leave out the dough enhancer.

After kneading, bake@ 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Here is the website that has some great recipes and info on bread making (and if you need more technical help on the recipe):

Urban Homemaker Bread

GRANOLA:

SLIED2401

We use this recipe a lot. In the brackets are the measurements I use for a large and hungry family! Even then it doesn’t last long enough! 🙂

3 cups oats     (12 cups)

1/2 cup flour, barley or whole wheat    (2 cups)

1/3 cup sunflower seeds    (1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup sesames seeds, hulled   (1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup almonds, slivered    (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup pecans    (1 cup)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground    (2 tsp.)

1/4 tsp.nutmeg, ground    (1 tsp.)

1/4 tsp. sea salt    (1 tsp.)

_____________________________________________

1/4 cup maple syrup – or other liquid sweetener    (2 cups)

1/4 cup canola oil    (1 cup…I use a mixture of melted butter and light tasting oil from the health store)

1 tsp. vanilla extract    (4 tsp.)

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients.

2. Mix liquid ingredients and stir into the dry ingredients.

3. Spread on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees until done. Stir every 10 minutes. Watch so it doesn’t burn.

I add my dried fruit after the granola cools off (raisins, dried blueberries, etc.)

Follow FF on Facebook

Follow FF on Facebook

Follow FF on MeWe

Have Tea With Me!

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

The Catholic Wife and Young Lady’s Maglets!

Beautiful, Feminine Aprons for Sale!

Rosaries, etc.

Recent Posts

  • Woman’s Gift of Receptivity ~ Alice von Hildebrand / The Winner of the FF Giveaway is….
  • Septuagesima To Ash Wednesday ~ Maria von Trapp
  • “To Love” Has a Present Tense Only
  • The Things That Matter—and The Things That Don’t ~ Charlotte Siems
  • The Church Trusts Christ: A Wife is Like the Church ~ Rev. Fulgence Meyer

Recent Comments

Christine on A Giveaway ~ In Time for Lent!
maryarc on Septuagesima To Ash Wednesday…
revivedwriter on Septuagesima To Ash Wednesday…
Galilee on A Giveaway ~ In Time for Lent!
Rach on A Giveaway ~ In Time for Lent!

Archives

Categories

  • About the Angels
  • Achieving Peace of Heart – Fr. Narciso Irala
  • Activities
  • Advent/Christmas
  • Alice Von Hildebrand
  • An Easy Way to Become a Saint
  • Attitude
  • Baby Charlotte
  • Be Cheerful/Helps to Happiness
  • Beautiful Girlhood
  • Book Reviews
  • Books by Leane
  • by Alice von Hildebrand
  • by Anne Kootz
  • by Charlotte Siems
  • by Emilie Barnes
  • by Father Daniel A. Lord
  • by Father Daniel Considine
  • by Fr. Edward Garesche
  • by Leane Vdp
  • by Maria Von Trapp
  • by St. Francis de Sales
  • by Theresa Byrne
  • Cana is Forever
  • Catholic Family Handbook – Fr. Lovasik
  • Catholic Family Handbook, Rev. George A. Kelly
  • Catholic Girl's Guide
  • Catholic Hearth Stories
  • Catholic Home Life
  • Catholic Mother Goose
  • Catholic Teacher's Companion
  • Charity
  • Cheerful Chats for Catholic Children
  • Christ in the Home – Fr. Raoul Plus S.J.
  • Clean Love in Courtship – Fr. Lovasik
  • Courtship and Marriage and the Gentle Art of Homemaking
  • Creativity
  • Dear NewlyWeds-Pope Pius XII
  • Educating a Child ~ Fr. Joseph Duhr
  • Education
  • Events
  • Family Life
  • Fascinating Womanhood
  • Father Walker
  • Father's Role
  • Feast Days
  • Femininity vs Feminist
  • FF Tidbits
  • Finances
  • Finer Femininity Maglet!! (Magazine/Booklet)
  • Finer Femininity Podcast
  • For the Guys – The Man for Her
  • Friendship
  • Give-Aways
  • Guide for Catholic Young Women
  • Health and Wellness
  • Helps to Happiness
  • Hospitality
  • How to be Holy, How to be Happy
  • Inspiring Quotes
  • It's the Little Things…
  • Joy
  • Kindness
  • Lent
  • Light and Peace by Quadrupani
  • Loving Wife
  • Marriage
  • Modesty
  • Motherhood
  • My Shop – Meadows of Grace
  • Organization Skills
  • Parenting
  • Patterns
  • Peace….Leaving Worry Behind
  • Plain Talks on Marriage – Rev. Fulgence Meyer
  • Podcasts – Finer Femininity
  • Power of Words
  • Prayers
  • Praying
  • Printables
  • Questions People Ask About Their Children – Fr. Daniel A. Lord
  • Questions Young People Ask Before Marriage, Fr. Donald Miller, C.SS.R., 1955
  • Reading
  • Recipes
  • Rev. Fulton Sheen
  • Sacramentals
  • Scruples/Sadness
  • Seasons
  • Seasons, Feast Days, etc.
  • Sermons
  • Sex Instructions/Purity
  • Singles
  • Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens
  • Special Websites
  • Spiritual Tidbits
  • Tea-Time With FinerFem – Questions/My Answers
  • The Catholic Youth's Guide to Life and Love
  • The Christian Home ~ Celestine Strub, OFM
  • The Everyday Apostle
  • The Holy Family
  • The Mass/The Holy Eucharist
  • The Rosary
  • The Wife Desired – Father Kinsella
  • Tidbits for Your Day
  • Traditional Family Weekend
  • True Men As We Need Them
  • True Womanhood, A book of Instruction for Women of the World, Rev. Bernard O'Reilly, L.D., 1893
  • Virtues
  • Vocation
  • Will Training by Rev. Edward Barrett
  • Womanhood
  • Youth
  • Youth's Pathfinder
  • Youth/Courtship

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Blogroll

  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • Theme Showcase
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Disclosure Policy

This site contains affiliate links. Read more details here: Disclosure Policy

Powered by WordPress.com.

 

Loading Comments...