Life, Well-Lived

Coming up with fresh gift ideas for Catholic moms can be difficult.  Here are some unique and inspiring Catholic gifts that mom will treasure, from custom mugs and tote bags, to woven blankets, saint quote t-shirts and printable floral Scripture wall art.

This is a fun and easy recipe for using up excess or leftover candy (is there such a thing?) that might be in your house after a treat-laden special occasion.  This yummy cookie dough uses crushed up chocolate bars or candy covered chocolates, instead of chocolate chips.  The addition of whole grain flour adds nutrition and tempers some of the sweetness.    Gather your ingredients:  Chop up your favorite candy or chocolate bars:   The cookie dough, ready to scoop:  Place dough balls 2 inches apart on a non-stick baking sheet:  Just out of the oven: Let's get baking! Ingredients: ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 large egg ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder ¾ cup whole wheat flour ¾ cup white flour 1 cup crushed chocolate bars    Method:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat butter with an electric or stand mixer until fluffy.  Add brown sugar and white sugar.  Beat for 5 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat another 2 minutes.  Add salt, baking soda, baking powder and both flours.  Mix only until incorporated.  Do not over beat.  Stir in crushed chocolate treats.  Scoop dough using a teaspoon, or a small (#7) cookie dough scoop approximately 2 inches apart onto a nonstick baking sheet.  Bake for 7 minutes.  Open oven door, and using oven mitts, grasp the side of the baking sheet and bang the baking sheet down a few times onto the oven rack.  Turn the baking sheet around and repeat on the other side.  Bake another minute or so until the cookies’ edges are lightly golden.    Allow to cool before removing from the baking sheet.  *Product links are provided as a courtesy, and are not affiliate links.

    When I make a batch of this dip, raw veggies magically become an acceptable snack to my children.  This recipe cuts much of the saturated fat hidden in typical spinach dips (from sour cream and cheese) but still packs a lot of flavour. It is best served the next day, as the dip thickens and becomes more flavorful after several hours in the fridge.  It’s also tasty served with hunks of sourdough bread, or used as a sandwich spread.   Ingredients: 1 onion, minced 1 clove of garlic, minced Approximately 10 oz baby spinach 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped OR 4 oz water chestnuts, drained and chopped  1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 cup plain Greek yogurt ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt  Black pepper to taste 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp lemon juice  Method: Rinse spinach and drain but do not dry.  Place wet spinach in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Cook, turning frequently until spinach is bright green and wilted.  Remove from heat.  Place spinach on paper towels (or tea towel) and squeeze to remove excess moisture; let cool.  Discard liquid from skillet and wipe skillet dry.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat.  Add onion and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add fresh garlic and cook until onion/garlic mixture is softened and fragrant.   If using carrots, add them to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.  Remove skillet from heat.   Chop the cooked, cooled spinach. In a medium bowl, blend together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.  Add cooled spinach, onion/garlic and carrots (or water chestnuts); stir to mix well. Refrigerate overnight or for as long as you can; the dip improves in flavour as you allow the flavours to marry.     

Easier to make than strawberry pie, but every bit as heavenly

  Whoopie pies -- hand-held mini layer cakes -- are a dessert with mysterious roots.  While there is no consensus about their exact origins, several States -- including Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania -- claim to have invented this fabled dessert.  As one legend goes, Amish women would make these from bits of leftover cake batter and frosting.  Their husbands, upon discovering this treat in their packed lunches, would exclaim, “Whoopie!” :) Whoopie pies are making a comeback -- not only because they are a practical alternative to baking (or transporting) a whole cake, but also because they achieve the perfect ratio of cake to frosting.   Ingredients: Mini Cakes 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup milk Mocha Frosting ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups icing sugar ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 heaping teaspoon instant decaf coffee, dissolved in ¼ cup hot water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt    Method: Mini Cakes Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk dry ingredients together:  flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.  In a separate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the bowl and continue beating until well combined. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until well combined.  Add half the milk and continue to beat.  Add half of the remaining flour mixture and continue to beat.  Finally, add the remaining milk and beat until mixed, followed by the remaining flour mixture and, beating just until incorporated. Spoon the cake batter into a large freezer bag, and cut off a bottom corner (1” slice) of the bag.  Pipe the batter into 2-inch circles on the parchment-lined baking sheets, a few inches apart.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the tops of the mini cakes look set.  Watch them carefully!  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Frosting Beat butter until softened.  Add icing sugar, vanilla, salt and cocoa powder, beating on low speed, and adding coffee 1 tablespoon at a time, using only the coffee you need to achieve the desired consistency.  Beat until fluffy.   Assembly: Turn cooled mini cakes upside-down, and spread or pipe frosting on the flat surface of one cake.  Top with a second cake to make one whoopie pie.  Repeat with all the mini cakes.  Depending on the size of the mini cakes, this recipe typically yields around a dozen whoopie pies.  

  These muffins are so quick and easy, that we often make them first-thing in the morning.  As a bonus, this recipe generates very few dirty dishes. :)  The muffins are moist, yummy and super-nutritious.  We eat them with crunchy peanut butter and would never think of using anything other than chocolate chips.   (adapted from “Flax & Oat Breakfast Power Muffins” by Angela Liddon)  Makes 12 muffins INGREDIENTS 2 ripe bananas ¼ cup milk 1 Tbsp olive oil  1 large egg 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup ground flax seed 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup large flake oats 1 tsp. baking soda ⅓ cup add-in (we use chocolate chips, but you could use raisins, nuts or blueberries) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 12-serving muffin tin with muffin liners (or spray tin with oil).   Using a fork or potato masher, mash bananas in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, beat in milk, olive oil, egg, and brown sugar.  Add to the bowl:  flax seed, whole wheat flour, oats and baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients + add-in into the wet ingredients until combined; do not over mix. Spoon batter into 12 prepared muffin tins. Bake for 19-20 min, until lightly golden.  Let cool and enjoy!