May you and your family experience the blessings of this day.

It’s a time to be thankful to God for the generous blessings he gives to us.  The Food on the table are great gifts and blessings. But, the food does not compare to the family and friends.   The greatest Gift is LIFE!  For that we are thankful, not just today, but every moment of our life!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Posted in Events, Greetings | 1 Comment »

Post Thanksgiving Turkey Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Appx. 1 ½ cup leftover turkey, cubed

½ cup red onion

1 clove garlic

1 cup fresh string beans, washed and cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 tablespoons canned cranberry (either the gelled or chunky version)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped cashews

Instructions:

Heat peanut oil in a large skillet.  Add turkey, garlic, onion and beans, and saute.  In a bowl, create the sauce by combining the cranberries, soy sauce and vinegar, then mix together.  When onions become translucent, pour the cranberry and soy mixture and allow this to simmer for a few minutes. This can be served over a plate of steamed rice.  Sprinkle cilantro and cashews.

Posted in Recipe-Meats | 4 Comments »

Hope you had a chance to see the CBS Sunday Morning Show.  It was a great opportunity to share the simple but important / necessary message about family meal and leaving a little room for God at your dinner table.

I actually didn’t have a chance to see it because I was celebrating Mass for the community at 9:00am where I preached about Christ the King – today’s celebration!

We actually did a promo piece for the Sunday Morning Show on the Baltimore CBS Affliate for yesterday’s morning news.  Gosh, they’re nice people!

And, even though I didn’t have a chance to see the clip on CBS, my family had a chance to come up for a visit.  It’s been a while since they’ve visited the seminary. We went to Mass together and then to a local place for a wonderful brunch.  For me it was a perfect “Grace Before Meals” kinda’ day.

As we approach Thanksgiving Week, I have so much to be thankful for in just these few hours of this beautiful Maryland day.

If you learned about us from the CBS Show, welcome to our Home Page and please be sure to sign up  for ongoing weekly fun as I send out free email blasts – bitesized theology for all of the subscribers.  Again, it’s free!  Join our growing movement and our Grace Before Meals “family”  which helps us to spread our message.

Have a blessed day and a week of Giving Thanks!

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments »

This past weekend I spoke at a Eucharistic Retreat in Olean NY.  Great group of people.  My sense of geography is so poor, I had no idea where I was, but I sure had a great time!  The young people were enthusiastic for the God!

The band that led the music was a family of 14 children!  Bob Fera and some of 14 of his children were the band members, plus a few “Fera” relatives.

St. Augustine says that singing is praying twice.  And another important truth says, “a family that prays together stays together.” So, you get a family that is praying twice as much because they sing together and you get extra blessings, of course!  Joking with some of the kids about fraternal rivalry made me think of my days growing up and sharing a room with my brother.  With 14 siblings, they have to share a room. But I guess the praying and singing pays off because they actually enjoy each other’s company – at least for the most part!

Their dad told me that the family was going out for Chinese food after the busy weekend of leading the music for this successful and faith-filled Eucharistic Congress.  I guess we can add another one of those “sayings”:  the family that eats together – especially the Food of Everlasting Life – will be together in the next life!

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Appx. 1 1/2cup left over turkey, cubed

½ cup red onion

1 clove garlic

1 cup fresh string beans, washed and cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 tablespoons canned cranberry (either the gelled or chunky version)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

Heat peanut oil in a large skillet. Add turkey, garlic, onion, and beans, and saute. In a bowl, create the sauce by combining the cranberries, soy sauce, and vinegar, then mix together. When onions become translucent, pour the cranberry and soy mixture and allow this to simmer for a few minutes. This can be served over a plate of steamed rice. Garnish and add extra flavor with cilantro.

Posted in Recipe-Turkey | No Comments »

Apricot, Brie cheese, and Toasted Walnut Tartlets

Ingredients:

Pastry puff (refrigerated)

Apricot preserves

Brie cheese

Chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

Nonstick spray

Adding Walnuts

 Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a baking dish for small muffins with nonstick spray.  Cut the pastry puff into 1inch squares, according to the size of the muffin pans.  Place pastry puffs in individual spaces.  Cut brie cheese into small cubes, about ¼-inch pieces and place on top of pastry puff.  Spoon about a teaspoon of apricot preserve on top of the cheese.  Add chopped walnuts on top of the apricot preserve.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the pastry puff is fully cooked.  Let cool before removing and plating.  Note, the preserves will bubble and melt to create a sticky and gooey center, so it’s best not to plate these tartlets on a paper doily.

Posted in Recipe-Pastry | No Comments »