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July 4/5

 

Saint of the day:
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal’s Story

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Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch. At her birth in 1271, her father Pedro III, future king of Aragon, was reconciled with his father James, the reigning monarch. This proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding her early years, she quickly learned self-discipline and acquired a taste for spirituality.

Thus fortunately prepared, Elizabeth was able to meet the challenge when at the age of 12, she was given in marriage to Denis, king of Portugal. She was able to establish for herself a pattern of life conducive to growth in God’s love, not merely through her exercises of piety, including daily Mass, but also through her exercise of charity, by which she was able to befriend and help pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor—in a word, all those whose need came to her notice. At the same time she remained devoted to her husband, whose infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom.

Denis, too, was the object of many of her peace endeavors. Elizabeth long sought peace for him with God, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his life of sin. She repeatedly sought and effected peace between the king and their rebellious son Alfonso, who thought that he was passed over to favor the king’s illegitimate children. She acted as peacemaker in the struggle between Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and his cousin James, who claimed the crown. And finally from Coimbra, where she had retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the monastery of the Poor Clares after the death of her husband, Elizabeth set out and was able to bring about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso, now king of Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_of_Aragon
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=116
https://soundcloud.com/user-84758912-221844386/ep-78-st-elizabeth-of-portugal

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Prayer:

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card_248_st_Elizabeth_of_portugal__1506-

 

 

Visit:

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Mosteiro de Santa Clara-a-Nova

(New Monastery of St Clare)

Calçada de Santa Isabel / Alto de Sta Clara

3040-270 Coimbra, Portugal

*St Elizabeth of Portugal was both the Queen of Portugal and a great-niece of St Elizabeth of Hungary.

In her kingdom she was known as the peacemaker since her efforts were critical in maintaining the peace

between her husband and her son when they were battling against each other.

*The remains of St Elizabeth of Portugal currently rest within a casket above the main altar within the church at this convent.

For ten years she was part of a Poor Clare community in this city.

 

 

Recipe:

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Rose De Coque in Portuguese (Christmas Cookie)

Also called Lotus Blossom cookies (Laos Wedding cookies)

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Lotus Blossom Cookies

  • 1 can coconut milk 

  • 4 cups AP flour

  • 2 cups milk (I use almond milk too)

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1tsp salt

  • 2 eggs
    optional~~~~~~

  • Some toasted sesame seeds (optional)

  • vanilla TT

  • cinnamon TT

  • cardamom TT

  • orange oil TT

  • lemon oil TT

  • Optional Food color like red or green

  • if the dough is too thick, I like to thin it out with white wine

  • I like to top my cookies with powder sugar

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Directions:​

  1. In a large bowl, mix everything together.
    Make sure there are no lumps.

  2. Heat a pot on high heat and add oil (about 2 inches).

  3. Once the oil is hot, dip your mold into the oil and let it get hot. If the mold is not hot, the batter will not stick to the mold.

  4. Dip the mold into the batter (dip it almost to the top, but be careful not to go to the top). Shake it lightly to remove excess batter.

  5. Dip the mold into the hot oil and then lightly shake/wiggle the handle. The batter will loosen and fall into the oil.
    (DO NOT LET THE MOLD TOUCH THE BOTTOM OF THE POT when the batter is on it.)

  6. Cook the cookie for only a few seconds and then remove onto a wire rack.

  7. To shape the flower, take a small bowl and place it upside down on the rack (or something round like a ball of foil).

  8. Then place the flower on top of it to make it curve. 
    This will bloom your cookie, if you don't let the cookie cool on a half circle shape it will be flat.
    Notice the above pictures show a flat cookie in the first picture but a bloomed cookie in the second picture. 

  9. The cookie is ready to eat when it has cooled....I like to top mine with powder sugar!

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