St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr, August 14

 

St. Maximilian Kolbe, like St. Pope John Paul II, was a priest from Poland. Born in 1894, he entered the seminary when he was fourteen. At age twelve, he had a vision of Our Blessed Mother offering him two crowns, a white one for purity and a red one for martyrdom. Our Lady asked him which he wanted? Maximilian said he wanted both! To find out more about St. Maximilian Kolbe click here,  St. Maximilian Kolbe

St. Maximilian is known for offering his life in Auschwitz Prison Camp during World War II in place of a married man and father who had been randomly selected to be killed. From his earliest days, St. Maximilian sought to love Our Blessed Mother and to make her known and loved. At the end of his life, Our Lady gave him the grace to give up his life for another man. Jesus said, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12-13. Let us honor the great love that St. Maximilian Kolbe had in imitation of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

We have a Polish Cream Cake for you to make and enjoy as  you celebrate the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe. This is a treat you can make for St. Pope John Paul II's feast day, too. This recipe was a favorite of his!

Kremowka

Polish Cream Cake

INGREDIENTS                                                                                              

2 sheets of puff pastry dough, 1 pound package thawed

2 cups of 2% milk or higher

¾ cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

5 tablespoons of cornstarch

6 large egg yolks beaten

Garnish: powdered sugar and/or drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate chips

 EQUIPMENT

Rolling pin

Rolling pastry mat

Sharp knife

Parchment paper

Cooling racks (2) or (4)

Medium saucepan

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Whisk

Sieve or strainer if required

Wooden spoon

Container large enough for ice water bath

13 X 9-inch pan

 DIRECTIONS (PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 – DEGREES FAHRENHEIT)

Bake the Puff Pastry

1.      Roll out each piece of thawed puff pastry slightly to blend seams to about 1/4 – inch thickness. You may lightly dust the pastry mat with flour to keep pastry from sticking.

2.      Lightly score each pastry sheet into 9 sections but do not cut all the way through. This helps when cutting and serving.

3.      Place one puff pastry sheet between two pieces of parchment paper and two cooling racks. If you wish to bake both sheets at the same time you will need two more cooling racks.

4.      Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

5.       Remove the top cooling rack and the top sheet of parchment paper and replace the top rack.

6.      Return to oven and bake until golden brown and crispy throughout, about 5 - 7 minutes. Watch carefully for the first puff pastry and repeat baking procedures for second pastry. Ovens vary and it is really important to not overcook the pastry.

Prepare Pastry Cream

1.      As the puff pastry bakes, prepare the pastry cream. If you like thick filling double the recipe.

2.      In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, salt and cornstarch thoroughly so there are no lumps. First mix milk, vanilla and beaten egg yolks in a separate bowl and then add to saucepan. Blend well. On medium heat, stir continually with a wire whisk and bring to a boil.

3.      Reduce heat slightly and continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to get in the corners.

4.      Remove pan from heat and plunge in a bath of ice-cold water. Be careful not to get the water in the pastry cream. If you have lumps in your cream, first strain it through a sieve or wire strainer into a heat proof bowl and then place it in the ice bath briefly.

5.      Do not chill the pastry cream. It will be poured hot over the baked puff pastry.

Assemble the pastry

1.      Place one layer of baked puff pastry into the bottom of the 13 X 9-inch pan.

2.      Pour the hot pastry cream over it and place the second baked puff pastry on top with the cutting guide marks on top.

3.      Refrigerate Kremowka until set.

4.      When ready to serve, cut along the prescored marks, cut in 9 pieces. Dust each piece with powdered sugar and drizzle melted chocolate over the top if you like.

This tasty Polish cream cake was recently renamed Kremowka Papieska when it was learned that St. Pope John Paul II was very fond of it.   ENJOY!!!!!

Polish Cream Cake with a Polish Tea Pot, Creamer, and Sugar Bowl

 

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Religious Foundress

 

St. Jane Frances de Chantal was born January 28, 1572 and died December 13, 1641. She was married at age twenty to Baron de Chantal. During the nine years of their marriage they had six children, two which died as infants. Baron de Chantal was killed in a hunting accident which left Jane Frances a widow in her late twenties with four young children. You can read more about St. Jane Frances de Chantal here and how she coped with the many challenges she faced. St. Jane Frances de Chantal or  St. Jane Frances de Chantal

I am continuing with easy recipes, variations on Oreo cookie recipes and Dump Cake recipes. I will offer for August 14th, the Feast of St. Maximillian Kolbe a slightly more complex recipe for your older granddaughters or grandsons. It is a very scrumptious Polish Cream Cake. But for today here is another easy and tasty Lemon Oreo Balls recipe to make. You may enjoy it for any saint's feast day, but today we honor St. Jane Frances de Chantal. She is the patron saint of widows, forgotten people, parents who are separated from their children, mothers and wives.

                                         Lemon Oreo Balls

Ingredients                           Equipment

 

1 package Lemon Oreo Cookies                        1 large mixing

                                                                              bowl 

3/4 cup of cream cheese, softened                     1 large spoon

¼ tsp. lemon juice                                                 Measuring spoons

                                                                              Measuring cups

White chocolate or colored candy melts                Food Processor

Sprinkles for decoration, optional                           Parchment paper

                                                                                    Cookie Sheet

                                                                                    Small bowl

                                                                                    

                                                                                    Plastic spoons

                                                                                    Toothpicks

                                                                                     

Directions                                                    Yield: 30

 

1. Place cookies in food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs.

2. In large bowl place softened cream cheese and add lemon juice. Blend thoroughly.

3. Add Oreo crumbs to cream cheese mixture. Mix until well blended.

4. Roll into balls and place on a cookies sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer for one hour or more.

5. Melt white chocolate or colored candy melts in microwave until smooth and creamy. 

6. Working in batches of six. Dip the Oreo balls in the creamy mixture one at a time. Cover completely by spooning the mixture over the entire ball. Use a toothpick to remove the Oreo from the candy mixture. Add sprinkles or drizzle white chocolate over dipped balls if you like. Place on cookie sheet and return to refrigerator or freezer to harden.

7. Repeat with other balls until all are covered.

8. Between servings, return to the refrigerator or freezer.

                                                           Enjoy!

Pray for Our Priests, Feast of St. John Vianney

August 4th is the feast day of the patron saint of priests, St. John Vianney. Also known as the Cure d' Ars. He was not known for his intellectual prowess. In fact he struggled in the seminary with Latin. He is known for his holiness, his deep love for Our Lord, and a deep love for the parishioners he ministered to. Of course, he did manage to pass the Latin requirement. To read more about his life,  https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-john-vianney

As laity, we are so blessed to have good priests who embrace their vocation to the priesthood so you and I can go to Confession and receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Without priests, we would not have the Mass and the sacraments which are the life-blood of the Catholic soul. Today, let us remember to pray for our priests. Let us honor them for the gift of their life which each one gives to us when they are ordained to the priesthood. Mary, Mother of Priests, Pray for and protect them. z

Here is a recipe for Almond Oreo Truffles to serve when you have your parish priests over for dinner or  celebrate the feast day of St. John Vianney.

Almond Oreo Truffles

Ingredient                            Equipment

 

1 package Oreo Cookies, 45 cookies                        1 large mixing

  Original chocolate                                                    bowl 

1 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened             1 large spoon

1 ¼ tsp. almond extract                                              Measuring 

                                                                                    spoons

Candy Melts, whatever colors you like                      Food Processor

Sprinkles for decoration, optional                              Parchment paper

                                                                                    Cookie Sheet

                                                                                    Small bowl

                                                                                    

                                                                                    Plastic spoons

                                                                                    Toothpicks

                                                                                     

Directions                                                    Yield: 30

 

1. Place cookies in food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs.

2. In large bowl place softened cream cheese and add almond extract. Blend thoroughly.

3. Add Oreo crumbs to cream cheese mixture. Mix until well blended.

4. Roll into balls and place on a cookies sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer for one hour or more.

5. Melt candy melts or other chocolate in microwave until smooth and creamy. 

6. Working in batches of six. Dip the Oreo balls in the creamy mixture one at a time. Cover completely by spooning the mixture over the entire ball. Use a toothpick to remove the Oreo from the candy mixture. Add sprinkles or drizzle chocolate over dipped balls if you like. Place on cookie sheet and return to refrigerator or freezer to harden.

7. Repeat with other balls until all are covered.

8. Between servings, return to the refrigerator or freezer.

                                                           Enjoy!