We just completed our seminarians’ family weekend at Mount St. Mary’s University. Nearly 100 family members came to visit their son / brother / friend studying for the priesthood at this Holy Mountain in Emmitsburg, MD.  It was a perfect weekend (minus the rain on Friday and Saturday). The leaves are in full Fall color!

Many of the families were very congratulatory to me, after seeing the Throw Down with Bobby Flay Episode that recently aired 9.9.09.  Sorry, I didn’t know that so many of you wanted to sample the Fusion Fajitas.  Remember, that recipe will come out in the next book, set to be reprinted next summer.

One of supportive family members was the mother of seminarian Jason Burchell from the Diocese of Arlington, VA.  She’s a big foodie, as well as her son who is also a very fine cook!  She’s also a devoted friend to our Grace Before Meals movement.  She tells me she loves when her son creates his special meals for the family, but she just wishes he writes the recipes down so that she can enjoy the same dishes again?  Sounds very familiar to my style of cooking!

This year, Mr. & Mrs. Hinkle with their son, James even offered me a soup recipe to post after last year’s family weekend,  but somehow it got lost in cyberspace.  Sorry about that! Mr. & Mrs. Hinkle, if you remember to send that cream of mushroom soup you mentioned, please do so!  I love mushroom soup and I’m sure, so do the other subscribers!  It’s perfect for the Fall Season.

It was a great weekend of celebrating families, especially since it was celebrated around FOOD, FAITH, and FUN!  

At one point on the weekend, when it rained cats and dogs, I didn’t have any particular dinner plans and didn’t want to go out in the rain.  So I stayed in and cooked myself a spicy spaghetti alla vongole.  I purchased the baby clams from Colluccio’s Italian Market in Brooklyn, NY.  While I have no Italian blood in me, I sometimes wonder if I have some Italian distant relative?  This dish tasted like something an Italian mother would make for her children! Delicious, if I do say myself.

To all the families that came this past weekend, thanks for coming.  And, to quote the Olive Garden Restaurant, please know you’re always welcome at the Mount. “When you’re here, you’re family!”

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