Movies, Books, Food, and Faith (Five Favorites)



Captain America.

Saturday night, David and I watched "Captain America".  It's pretty rare that we watch a movie.  Even though Lucia usually goes to sleep fairly early, we spend our nights keeping up with things around the house.  We have Amazon Prime for the free shipping benefits and it wasn't until just recently that I realized I could stream instant videos for free with it.  Lucia's been watching a ton of Peep on it, but this is the first time I've searched for movies to watch and I was really impressed by the selection.   We saw "The Avengers" last year and really enjoyed it and since Captain America was my favorite character in that movie, I knew I would love this one.  And I did.  He is definitely my favorite comic book character.  I've actually never read a comic book before (not because I'm adverse to it, just never got the opportunity) but this makes me want to go find some vintage Captain America comics. 

 

Smooching on St. Francis.

After Mass on Sunday, Lucia would not leave poor St. Francis alone.  She was smooching on him and hugging him and then kissing his birds and then starting it all again.  We actually had to eventually pull her away so we could leave.  I really don't think that it gets more precious than this.  Also, I tweeted this picture and I think it was my most re-tweeted tweet ever.  Guess I'm not the only one who melts at the sight of a sweet Catholic tot. 

   

  This Recipe. 

This morning, I shared the recipe I made last night, adapted from my favorite mac 'n' cheese recipe to become green chili & chicken baked mac 'n' cheese.  It was sooooooooooooo delicious.  Probably our current favorite and a new meal plan staple.

 

 The Hobbit. 

For someone who read Lord of the Rings in high school and absolutely loved it (I even have LOTR Trivial Pursuit if that tell you anything - although it's hard to find people to play it with), it's kind of shocking that I just finished The Hobbit yesterday.  But, I loved it, as I expected to.  Can't wait till the kid(s) is (are) old enough to read this as a family read aloud.  Now, tell me about the movie.  Will I be disappointed or pleased?

 "Unimportant" people who change the world...with love. 

"So in love was he with the Eucharist that after chemo, when he had to be isolated because his immune system was ravaged, the family would sit outside the church in their massive black Suburban. At Communion, Father Drummond would walk down the aisle, leave the church, and go outside. Brendan’s window went down and the priest would give him the Blessed Sacrament."

Thanks so much for hosting, Hallie!

Green Chili Chicken Mac 'n' Cheese

I rarely share recipes on the blog because my food photography is less than stellar (and my food rarely looks like something out of Martha Stewart anyway), but I had to share yesterday's recipe. I took my favorite mac 'n' cheese recipe, added a few items, changed out a few things, and turned it into green chili chicken mac 'n' cheese. It was a huge hit and my usually all-night-grazing toddler ate a whole bowl in one sitting. This is going to be on the regular recipe rotation.

Note: We try to be wheat free in our household, so I subbed rice macaroni for regular noodles and rice flour for wheat flour.  We've been doing it with our mac 'n' cheese for a while and truly can't taste the difference (my parents couldn't either).  But if you do wheat, then just sub them back.  Easy peasy.

Ingredients:

16 ounces (rice) macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons (rice) flour 

2 cups whole milk (or split with cream)
sea salt, to taste

fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 

3/4 cup tomatillo/green salsa

1 can (4 oz) fire roasted green chili, drained

2-3 chicken breasts

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
 

2) Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions; set aside.
 

3) Put chicken in a pan on the stove with a little oil to cook. 

 

4) (While chicken is cooking, start sauce) In a large saucepan melt butter. Once fully cooked, shred and set aside.  (Tip: If you have a stand mixer, 2 minutes with the paddle attachment will result in perfectly shredded chicken.)
 

5) Add flour mixed, using a whisk to stir until well blended.

6) Pour milk/cream in gradually; stirring constantly.

7) Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly).
  

8) Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) 10 minutes.

9) Add shredded cheddar little by little and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.  Stir constantly.
 

10) Stir in salsa, green chili, salt, and pepper. 

 

11)  Stir in chicken until fully coated.

 

12) If your saucepan is large enough, add macaroni as well and toss to coat with chicken cheese sauce.  If not, layer bottom of casserole dish with cooked macaroni and poor chicken cheese mixture over top.

13) Bake 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Serves 4-6.  Total prep time: ~30 minutes.  Total baking time: 30 minutes.

If you make this, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you!  I'm trying to hold off on the leftovers until tomorrow night so we can eat quickly before David's back-to-school night.  But it's so hard to open the fridge and see the casserole dish and not take just a tiny bit. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Catholic Family Gifts giveaway: A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms

Catholic Family Gifts has generously offered to give one reader a copy of A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms.  A week-by-week walk with the Saints, this book makes a lovely gift for any mom who wants to grow deeper in her faith.  Read my review of the book here. 

Giveaway is open to US residents only.  

It will end at midnight on September 9th.  

Enter below and good luck!

Book Review: A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms

When I was pregnant, my relationship with God had never been better.  My participation in the miracle of life was so obviously binding to God.  But since Lucia's birth, my prayer life has been a struggle.  The diapers and laundry are not as obvious a spiritual work.  Even if I were to get pregnant again, it won't be quite the same with a little one to care for at home.  Finding time for prayer in my day can sometimes be difficult, at least structured, disciplined prayer.  Right now I am in need of prayer that I can slip into my day, in the little free moments, or that I can pray with my child.  

Since becoming a mother, I've also felt a draw to the Saints.  Being in "the trenches of motherhood" all day, I've found companionship with those women and men who have lived fully in this world, doing everyday labor in the house and in the workforce, while simultaneously serving God.  Even those who lived secluded in monasteries and convents were involved in housework - cooking and cleaning, laundry and dishes.  These men and women, fully human - with all the temptations and demands that entails - were able to fill their busy lives with prayer and service to the Lord.  If they could do it, so can I, and who better to learn from than those who have come before me?

It was for these reasons that I was attracted to A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul by Lisa M. Hendey.   I'd been eyeing it for a while, so when Catholic Family Gifts contacted me about doing another review/giveaway for them, I knew just the item I wanted to choose. 

What I love most about A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms is its format.  Divided into 52 chapters, each one focusing on a different Saint, the book is meant to walk you through a year of Saints, one per week.  Each Saint is matched with a particular intention important in the life of a mother, for example, Saint Isidore of Seville represents "Employing Technology to Inspire and Educate" and Saint Teresa  of Avila, " Living Holiness in Our Humanity".  These topics are listed alongside the Saints names in the table of contents, allowing mothers to choose Saints for specific important intentions in their lives.  

Each chapter includes:

• a summary of the Saint's life
• lessons that can be learned from his/her story
• traditions that have arisen from devotion to the Saint
• a quote from the Saint
• a scripture reading for each day of the week (Sunday-Saturday)
• Saint-inspired activities - separate ones for mom and kids
• a prayer to say as a family
• a few questions for reflection

I appreciate that the chapters include reflections and information for mom, but also ways in which to share the faith as a family.   I also like that the actual reading time is short on any one day, but that it still gives you enough information for deeper contemplation and to grow in faith.  I also love that, unlike some other Saint books for moms, this book does not only include Saints who were themselves mothers, or even just female Saints, but a diverse collection of  Saints - male, female, young, old, religious, married, single - who mothers can learn from in various aspects.

This book is available at Catholic Family Gifts and would make a particularly lovely gift for a new or experiences mom.  Catholic Family Gifts has generously offered to give one reader a copy of A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms.  

I was sent a copy of A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms in order to facilitate this review. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy. 

What Real Motherhood Looks Like (Vol.1)

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