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The season of Lent is almost here! Lent is a beautiful time of preparation. It is a time where we ready our hearts for the amazing work of God’s redemption on Easter Sunday. Throughout Lent, we mark our time with prayer, fasting and almsgiving. While there is a great focus on prayer and fasting in Lent, we often don’t see much on the third pillar of Lent which is almsgiving. Almsgiving is simply collecting and distributing money for those in need. Traditionally, an alms box is placed when we walk into the church and in a prominent place in your home. We always place ours in the center of the table that we eat at. As we give up things for Lent, we take the money that we would have spent on those things and we place the money in our alms box. It is exciting to watch the box fill up as Lent progresses! And there is so much joy at the end to see how much money you have raised as a family and to decide on the way that you will give it away. The alms box for Lent is a wonderful way to walk with your children through the season. They are able to actively walk through the season with their whole lives and have a sense of expectation that while we are fasting, praying and gathering alms during Lent, Easter is on it’s way! This is a kid friendly project! Let your kids go for it. The craft was created to embrace imperfections and little hands! (Except for the Xacto knife part! :) ) Materials: Empty, cleaned out milk or half and half container Xacto knife or scissors Kraft paper Ruler 1 cup flour 1 cup water Washable purple paint Paintbrush Washable white paint Instructions: Wash out your milk carton and let dry. Have an adult cut away the spout part of the container. Tear strips of kraft paper with a ruler. The strips do not be even or the same shape or size. Thoroughly mix the flour and water in a bowl with a whisk. Dip a strip of paper into the homemade glue, slide most of the glue off with your fingers and lay the strips across the carton. Continue layering the glued strips all over the container until it is completely covered. Let it dry. Pour purple paint into a bowl, add enough water to make the paint the consistency of cream. Paint the container purple. Let it dry. Dip a small, stiff brush into the white paint. Paint on the words “Prayer, Fasting, Alms”. Let your child decorate the rest of the carton with simple white crosses. I hope this easy, alms box is a blessing to your family! Have a blessed Lent! Ashley +

Happy first day of March! This month is filled with so many special days in the liturgical year! We start with the Ember Days where we pray for those who are discerning a call to the ministry and we end the month with the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation where Gabriel appears to Mary and announces that she will bear the Messiah. Follow along as I share the history, recipes, and traditions for these special days in the church's life.

Today is Friday and you know what that means…no meat all day! Throughout the season of Lent, Christians abstain from meat on Fridays. This is done out of reverence for Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross. If having a meatless Friday strikes fear into your heart, take courage! Making your Friday meatless doesn't have to be difficult. Today, I thought I’d share one of our favorite (and super easy!) meatless meals - Instant Pot Lentil Soup. I love lentils, they are super cheap, easy to make and have a really deep, hearty taste. Easy Instant Pot Lentil Soup 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced 5 carrots, thinly sliced 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 1 cup lentils, rinsed and sorted 3 14 oz. cans vegetable broth 3 cups water ½ tsp. Salt ½ tsp. pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. Thyme 1 cup shredded parmesan Place all ingredients (minus the parmesan cheese) in your Instapot. Hit manual, 40 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese along with a light salad and cornbread pancakes.

The King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras dessert. It was created to use up all of the rich things (butter, sugar, alcohol) in our pantries before a season of fasting begins. This is a delicious traditional King Cake with a flaky, buttery brioche, a sweet filling of toasted pecans, cane syrup, cinnamon, and coated with a bourbon glaze. Ingredients for the Brioche: 1 envelope of Active Dry Yeast 1/4 cup warm water (115 degrees) 1 teasoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup milk 2 teaspoons orange zest 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into very small pieces 1 egg beaten and 2 Tablespoons water for the egg wash 1 plastic baby trinket or dried bean Dissolve the yeast in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, and let stand until frothy. Dissolve the salt, sugar, orange zest, and milk in a small bowl. When dissolved combine the milk mixture with the yeast mixture. Mix the cinnamon with the flour. Add the eggs with the mixer on low speed, then gradually add the flour until all is incorporated. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes until a smooth elastic dough is formed. A little more flour may be necessary. With the motor running, incorporate the butter into the dough, a little at a time but rather quickly so that it doesn’t heat up and melt. Turn the dough into an oiled bowl, loosely cover it with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm spot. When the dough has doubled in bulk punch it down, cover, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. You can skip this step if you are pressed for time. The following day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out to a 6 x 18-inch rectangle. Spread the pecan filling (recipe below) out in the middle of the rectangle along the whole length, leaving about 1 1/2 inches on each side. Place the baby trinket somewhere with the filling. Fold the length of the dough over the filling and roll up tightly, leaving the seam side down. Turn the roll into a circle, seam side down and put one end inside of the other to hide the seam, and seal the circle. Place the cake on a baking sheet and let rise, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Brush all over with the egg wash, then place the king cake into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. When the cake cools, brush with some of the glaze (recipe below) thinned out with more cold water. This will help the sugars adhere. Decorate the cake with the colored sugars and drizzle some of the thicker glaze onto the cake. Place on a large round serving plate and decorate with Mardi Gras beads, doubloons, and whatever else that you like. Ingredients for the filling: 1 cup pecan halves, broken up slightly and roasted until fragrant 2/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1 pinch of salt 4 Tablespoons Steen’s Cane Syrup Combine all of the ingredients together. For the glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon bourbon water Combine the sugar and bourbon, and whisk in enough water to make a glaze that can be drizzled.

As Christians we believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus is the most important thing to ever happen to us! Just as Advent is a time of preparation for the miraculous birth of Christ, so Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. This Lenten paper chain is a wonderful way to walk with your children through the season of Lent. They can actively walk through all of the feast and fast days and have a sense of expectation that Easter is on it’s way! Materials: Purple, White, Black, Red and Blue construction paper Glue stick or glue Ruler Colored pencils Instructions: Rip strips of colored paper using the ruler along the width of the paper. Interlock strips and glue the ends together. You will need: 36 purple strips The purple represents the days of Lent. Put a black cross on 1 of the strips to represent Ash Wednesday. 7 white strips The white strips represent the Sundays of Lent which are always feast days since they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. (Put a gold cross with flowers all around one to represent Easter) 1 blue strip for the Feast of the Annunciation. It’s a feast day where we celebrate Gabriel’s Announcement to Mary that she would have God’s Son. 1 red strip to represent Palm Sunday. Put a green palm on it. 2 black strips represent Good Friday and Holy Saturday The order of the strips: 4 purple (Put a black cross on the first purple strip for Ash Wednesday), 1 white, 6 purple, one white, 6 purple, 1 white, 6 purple, 1 white, 5 purple, 1 blue, 1 white, 6 purple, 1 red, 3 purple, 1 white, 2 black, 1 white (decorated with a gold cross and flowers for Easter) Have a blessed Lent +

Lent is almost here! Lent is my favorite season of the liturgical year. It is a time set aside to prepare our hearts for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The season of Lent is a time of penitence where we pray, fast, and collect alms for those in need. Follow along as I share ways to celebrate this season!

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter, everybody!

We have a terrible habit going on in my house right now. My youngest requests more apples whenever I am making my grocery list. I purchase said apples and then notice that they are not getting eaten, they are just piling up on the counter. I don’t like apples but I don’t like wasting food even more. So yesterday I decided to use all of those apples to make apple butter. I know I said I don’t like apples but I LOVE apple butter! Apple butter is this amazing spread that is made from apples that have been cooked down to a thick, smooth consistency. It is similar to apple sauce, but is cooked for a longer period of time and has a more intense apple flavor. Despite the name, it contains no actual butter; butter refers only to its butter-like consistency. It’s a delicious and versatile spread that can be enjoyed in so many different ways. We use it like jam and spread it on toast or biscuits, but you can also use it as a topping for pancakes or waffles. It can also be used as an ingredient in baking, such as in cakes, cookies, and pies, or as a glaze for meats, such as pork or chicken. The recipe I am sharing is so easy to make. All you have to do is chop up your apples (you can peel them but you really don’t need to since everything will be pureed), add in your spices and sugar, place in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, and cook. The mixture is then pureed in a blender and you’re done! It’s that easy! Apple butter is SO easy to make and so good! Plus, it’s such a great way to use up a surplus of apples. Easy Homemade Apple Butter 8 cups apples, cored and chopped 5 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons water 3 cups sugar Combine all ingredients in your Instant Pot. Turn to no venting and set at manual high pressure for 40 minutes. If using a slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH until hot, then turn to LOW and cook all day (7 to 10 hours). When the apples are done, pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour up into mason jars or airtight containers and store in the fridge.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Matthew! Feasts in the church are celebrated sundown to sundown so the feasting begins tonight! The Feast of St. Matthew is the day that we celebrate Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark we are given the story of the call of Matthew (also known as Levi). We are told that Matthew was a tax collector and was sitting by the customs house in Capernaum when Jesus walked by. The description is brief but powerful. Jesus simply says, “Follow me” and Matthew gets up, leaves everything and follows him! How amazing! Both gospels then say that Jesus ate at Matthew’s house with his disciples and that many publicans and sinners ate with them. When the religious leaders saw who Jesus was eating with they were furious. They asked the disciples how it was that Jesus was able to eat with such notorious sinners. Jesus overheard them and told them that it was not the healthy who needed a doctor, but the sick. Then he told them to go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Matthew remained in Jerusalem with the rest of the disciples. He received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and became an apostle of the Lord or “one sent out” to proclaim the gospel of the Lord. Matthew wrote an account of the life of Jesus and it is known as The Gospel According to Matthew. It is the first gospel account in the New Testament and is believed to be written to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus was the Messiah. Ways to Celebrate: Read the story of the call of Matthew with your family. Matthew 9:9-13 or Mark 2:13-17. Since St. Matthew dealt with money, we are making stacks of little pancakes to resemble coins. In Logrono, Spain, the celebration of St. Matthew’s Day falls during the time of their grape harvests so the whole week is called Las Fiestas de San Mateo (the festivals of St. Matthew). Eat grapes or anything related to grapes. Parents, enjoy a nice glass of wine! Listen to St. Matthew's Passion by Bach Easy Fluffy Pancakes for St. Matthew’s Day 1 egg 3 TBL butter, melted 1 cup flour 1 TBL sugar 1 tsp baking soda ½ salt 1 cup buttermilk Melt the butter. When cool, blend in the egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the egg, butter and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Heat a griddle to medium low heat. Melt 1 tsp of butter in the griddle. Pour out batter making small circles. Flip when golden brown. Drizzle with honey or syrup. Makes 2-3 servings.

Here’s a perfect fall recipe for your family. It’s a family favorite of ours created by my husband’s spicy grandmother, Lilo. It’s so easy to make and it’s so good ! You won’t be able to stop eating it! It’s crispy, rich and buttery sweet but don’t you worry…it’s got pecans so it’s healthy! 😂 Lilo's Candy Popcorn 4 quarts popcorn 2 cups nuts (pecans or peanuts) 1 1/4 cups sugar 2/3 cup butter 2/3 cup Karo syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Preheat oven 250 degrees. Pop popcorn and set aside. Mix sugar, butter and Karo syrup together and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Pour mixture over popcorn along with the nuts. Stir to coat. Pour onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

St. Antony was born in Egypt in 250 AD. He came from a very wealthy family and was deeply moved by Jesus’ teachings. He felt particularly challenged and called to embrace the words of Jesus, “Go and sell what you have and give it to the poor." He went to live alone in the Egyptian desert. He is considered by the church to be one of the first great Christian hermits. He lived on bread and water and tried to pray constantly. St. Antony died at the age of 105 in a cave near the Red Sea. He is considered to be the father of all monks. He is also known as a Desert Father of Egypt. He heavily influenced Christian monastic movements throughout the world and was made famous by the biography, “The Life of St. Anthony the Great” by Athanasius. Legend has it that St. Antony was tempted by Satan in the desert. Every time Satan tempted Antony, he would come in the form of a different animal and every time Antony would resist temptation. The legend says that the last form that Satan took was that of a pig and still St. Antony resisted. That is why many countries eat roast pig on this day and why St. Antony is usually depicted with a pig beside him. An easy way to celebrate this day is to eat pork! I am making a super easy recipe, Pesto Pork Chops. They are moist and flavorful and take no time to prepare. If you'd like an amazing homemade pesto recipe you can find it here. Pesto Pork Chops 8 boneless pork chops 3/4 to 1 cup of homemade pesto or jarred pesto 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with oil. Rub salt and pepper into both sides of your pork chops. In a small bowl, mix pesto and olive oil. Brush each side of the pork chops with pesto mixture and lay on baking sheet. Drizzle remaining pesto over pork chops. Roast for 6-8 minutes until pork chops are cooked through. Remove pork chops from pan and place on a plate or serving dish. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle pork chops with any remaining juice and serve.

I am so late on my free January printable! With all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I totally forgot about my January printable until a sweet follower asked me about it. Oh, well! Better late than never! We have entered the season of Epiphany now so a lot of the feast days will center around revelations or epiphanies. Either print up the list and hang it by your calendar or gather as a family and add the dates yourselves. Then follow along as I share the history, traditions, and recipes that go along with these special days. I hope this helps you and your family in the celebration of the seasons of the church within your home! Here's the January calendar as well.