Harvesting a Heritage of Charity: St. Hedwig’s celebrates 100 years

St. Hedwig Parish in Holdingford celebrated its centennial “Harvesting a Heritage of Charity” Sept. 12. The parish — named after a Bavarian princess, married to a Polish prince, who dedicated her life to charity — was founded in 1910 to minister to Polish immigrants in a German-speaking community.

A rendition of traditional hymns preceded the Mass celebrated by Bishop John Kinney. A chicken and ham dinner was served and the event included live music, a silent auction, bingo, rides and games for children, crafts, quilts and tours of the church. Polish specialty foods and refreshments were on sale throughout the day.

Debbie Binsfeld, Rene Harlander, Patty Kotzer and Lois Schmit, the centennial book committee, compiled and published a 257-page hardcover, spiral bound book, illustrated throughout with several photos. It features a number of historical articles, Polish prayers, priest biographies and 80 pages of recipes. Parishioner John Binsfeld painted the book’s front and back cover illustrations of the church and an angel from the parish’s shrine built in 1942 to honor soldiers. It even comes with a laminated bookmark featuring a prayer to St. Hedwig.

The centennial book titled “Harvesting a Heritage of Charity” is available for $18.95. Call Debbie Binsfeld at 320-746-2426 to order a copy.

Of course, one chapter of the cookbook section is dedicated to Polish recipes. Today I’m sharing Art Harlander’s recipe for Polish Mushroom and Potato Soup from those pages and Debbie Binsfeld’s Dutch Apple Bread from the Breads, Rolls and Muffins category. Enjoy! CJK

Polish Mushroom and Potato Soup

(Art Harlander, Jr.)

5 tbsp. butter, divided                                   

2 leeks, chopped                                   

2 large carrots, sliced                                   

6 cups chicken broth                                   

2 tsp. dried dill weed

2 tsp. salt                                                                                   

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced                       

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Fresh dill weed for garnish (optional)

Melt 3 tbsp. butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in leeks and carrots and cook 5 minutes. Pour in broth. Season with dill weed, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Mix in potatoes. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender but firm. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add to soup. In a small bowl, mix the half and half and flour until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Garnish each bowl of soup with fresh dill weed before serving.

A note from Art: After a cold winter’s day of chores, this excellent soup will take away the chill. It should be served hot and steamy with a side of your favorite wild game sausage and red wine. (Don’t forget to pray!)

Dutch Apple Bread

(Debbie Binsfeld)

Bread:

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup baking apples, chopped

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. sour milk or buttermilk

Topping:

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease loaf pan.

Cream margarine or butter with sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add apples, flour and salt and mix well. Combine baking soda with sour milk or buttermilk and add to mixture. Place in loaf pan. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over bread mixture. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F.

A note from Debbie: I got this recipe from dear friends about 25 years ago. Both early fall apples or those that taste better after a frost work well for the recipe. Our kitchen smells so good while this bread is baking — the cinnamon and apples are a wonderful combination. The bread freezes well, too.

A Tradition of Good Taste and Grace

Immaculate Conception Parish in Rice marked its century-and-a-quarter anniversary Sept. 26 with a Mass concelebrated by Bishop John Kinney, Father Timothy Wenzel, pastor, and others. After the Mass, Bishop Kinney blessed the church addition — the Fellowship Hall and new kitchen, built in 2005, and 11 classrooms completed this past year. Then, everyone feasted at a hog roast with all the trimmings.

To further commemorate the occasion, Patti Krystosek, parish secretary and bookkeeper, and parish members Colleen Burton, Peggy Kubat, Diane Wojtanowicz and Pat Spence, compiled a cookbook titled “A Tradition of Good Taste and Grace.” Interspersed in the great collection of recipes, provided by many of the 465 families who are currently members, are favorites from the parish’s “Centennial Cookbook” published in 1985.

Pat Spence, parish faith formation director and liturgy coordinator, summarized the church’s first 100 years and wrote the narrative of the last 25 for the history portion of the book.

The books can be ordered from the parish office (320-393-2725) for $15, plus $5 shipping and handling. Or they can be purchased at the Catholic Credit Union, 300 23rd Ave. N, St. Cloud. (320-251-3971)

I truly enjoyed paging through this cookbook — so many of the recipes would be fun to try! I’ve chosen two to share with you today — “Wild Rice Quiche” submitted by Father Wenzel and his brother, Tony, and Erin Kelash’s “Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Pie.” Bon appétit! CJK

Wild Rice Quiche

(Father Timothy Wenzel and Tony Wenzel)

9-inch unbaked pie shell

1/3 cup chopped Canadian bacon or fully cooked ham

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp. butter

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup light cream

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450°F. Prick bottom of pie shell with a fork and bake for 7 minutes at 450°F. Remove from oven and cool. Reset oven temperature to 325°F.

Fry bacon (or ham) and onion in butter. Mix in the wild rice and spoon into the crust. Sprinkle on the cheese.

Beat the eggs, cream and salt and pour the mixture over the top. Bake an additional 40 minutes at 325°F or until the center is done.

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Pie

(Erin Kelash)

9-inch unbaked pie shell

Filling:           

2 eggs, slightly beaten

15 oz. can pumpkin

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. flour           

1 tsp. lemon peel, finely shredded

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans

3 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together eggs, pumpkin and milk. Stir in sugar, flour, lemon peel, vanilla, salt and spices. Pour into pie shell. Cover edges of crust with foil to prevent over browning. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, pecans and butter. Remove foil from crust and immediately sprinkle mixture over top of pie. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Onamia’s Holy Cross Parish commemorates centennial with cookbook

Holy Cross Church in Onamia marks 100 years Oct. 10 starting with a 9:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop John Kinney and Crosier Provincial Father Tom Carkhuff. The parish’s anniversary takes place in the same year that the Crosiers are observing 100 years presence in the United States and 800 years as an order.

The parish’s first church building was made from an old schoolhouse and the dedication Mass was said on the first Sunday of Advent in 1910.  Crosier Father Van Dinter was named the first pastor of Holy Cross Parish.

Crosier Father Jerry Schik is the current pastor. Crosier Fathers Jude Verley and Greg Poser are the associate pastors.

Sunday’s event includes a pictorial directory and memorabilia display. And, a special cookbook created to commemorate the centennial will be available for sale. Holy Cross parishioners Marilyn Hoheisel and Marilyn Rhode coordinated the cookbook project. Gail Pete and Amber Presland helped to type the 400 recipes from current and former parishioners. 

Cookbooks may be purchased at the church after the weekend masses for $12.50 each or may be ordered by calling the parish office at 320-532-3122 or sending an e-mail to hconamiaparishoffice@yahoo.com. (An additional $4.95 shipping and handling will be added to mail the cookbooks.)

The cookbook is dedicated to the Crosiers for their service to the parish. Two recipes from the cookbook shared by Crosier priests — German Wiener Schnitzel with German Spaetzle from Father Edward Greiwe and Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Father Jude Verley — are a gift to you today. Father Verley concludes his recipe with “Serve, eat and enjoy!” I second that! CJK 

German Wiener Schnitzel 
with German Spaetzle

(Crosier Father Edward Greiwe)

Wiener Schnitzel

Boneless pork chops

Salt and pepper

2 eggs

Flour

Bread crumbs

Shortening or cooking oil

Spaetzle

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of pepper

1 tbsp. butter or margarine

Wiener Schnitzel

Pound boneless pork chops to about 1/4 inch thickness. Remove fat. Salt and pepper both sides. Beat eggs with small amount of water. Lightly flour pork chops. Dip them into egg mixture holding with fork until nothing more drips off. Lightly dust both sides of pork chops with fine bread crumbs. Heat about 1/2-inch shortening (or cooking oil) in frying pan. Fry them until both sides are nicely light brown. Place on paper-toweled cookie sheet and put in 250°F oven to keep warm. Serve with German spaetzle noodles.

Spaetzle

Mix eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper together. Fill a saucepan half full of water, heat to boiling. Drop dough into boiling water by tablespoons [or by pushing it through the holes of a colander]. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. Cook about 5 minutes or until spaetzle rise to surface. Drain and toss with butter or margarine to serve.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

(Crosier Father Jude Verley)

1 1/2 sticks butter

brown sugar

pineapple rings

maraschino cherries

1 white or yellow cake mix

Melt butter and pour into the bottom of a 9 x13-inch baking pan. Spread a layer of brown sugar over the top of the melted butter. Arrange pineapple rings over brown sugar layer. Place a maraschino cherry in each center of pineapple ring.

Mix cake according to package directions, pour over ingredients in pan. Bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick near center comes out clean. Let cool five minutes before turning cake over onto serving dish.

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Diocesan employees who work at the Pastoral Center and Chancery celebrated the coming of fall with a potluck this Thursday. Of course there were numerous delicious dishes and a full table of desserts to sample. What can I say? Potlucks are always fun!

I brought a romaine salad with an apple, pears, dried cranberries and cashews. A number of people asked for the recipe so I'm considering it a hit! If you’re looking for a healthy, unique salad to serve at this time of year, consider giving this one a try.

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

(Adapted from “Festive Foods to Make & Take”)

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tsp. finely chopped onion

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2/3 cup oil

1 tbsp. poppy seed

Salad

2-3 heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 10 cups)

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup cashews, roughly chopped (some of the nuts should remain whole)

1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 apple, cubed*

2 pears, cubed*

In blender combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard and salt. Cover; process until blended. With machine running, add oil in slow steady stream, processing until thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds; process a few seconds to mix.

*Do not cut up fruit until right before serving.

In large serving bowl, gently combine all salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad immediately before serving; toss to coat.

Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings

Notes from Carol:

This is a wonderful salad to serve in the fall or winter! I usually make a double batch of the salad dressing in the blender and store it in a quart jar. This double recipe can be used for three or more salads. (I like to add only a light coating of the dressing instead of using a full batch for one salad.)

*I used one Honeycrisp apple and two ripe Bartlett pears in the salad served at the Pastoral Center Sept. 30, 2010. I mixed in all of the shredded cheese but reserved some of the dried cranberries and cashews to decorate the top.

The original recipe suggested Anjou or Bosc pears as they are available in the fall and throughout the winter months. Both varieties are sweet — Bosc pears have a slightly spicy flavor. CJK