Collection: Digital Downloads

“Christmas Eve Salad” in English, Mexican Ensalada de Nochebuena (ehn-sah-LAH-dah de NO-chay BWAY-nah) is a cool/sweet/tart addition to any feast day table. It can also be made in a fruit salad-style without lettuce, but this recipe is how my family likes it best. Other common ingredients include grapefruit, prickly pears, beets, apples, pineapple, and pecans. Feel free to create your own combination!

Your calendar medallions for the month of December!

The name of this rather obscure cocktail comes from a legend in which young maidens would seek to find the name of their true love by sipping on lavender brew while invoking Saint Luke with the words: “Saint Luke, be kind to me. In my dreams, let my true love see.”

All the saint of the day images for the month of October!

On the feast of the Transfiguration, a cloud overshadowed those on the mountain while a voice came from the cloud saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him." In this recipe, the ice cream represents Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, and when you pour your soda over the top a cloud "miraculously" forms!

There is a tradition that basil grew up around the foot of the cross, where Jesus’ blood and Mary’s tears hit the ground. St. Helen is said to have found the True Cross hidden beneath an overgrowth of basil. So for dinner on the feast of the Holy Cross, I like to make a basil-heavy meal.

The word Agnes means “lamb” in Latin, which is traditionally associated with purity, innocence, and sacrifice in the Bible! Use the included template, yarn, and pompoms, to make a garland to celebrate her feast day, and reflect on this young virgin martyr and her shining example of faith and courage as you DIY. Plus, it works great for Easter, too!

Participate in this tradition of old for the feast of Saints Adam and Eve! Inside the file you’ll also find some printable fig leaves and cherubim accessories to help you bring the story to life!

Retell the story of the Transfiguration with the help of some DIY puppets! Just color, cut out, and glue to craft sticks for a tangible transfiguration activity.

Saint Bridget’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land marked a turning point in her spiritual journey. Guide her pilgrimage through the maze and help her reach the Holy Land!

Ask the Patron Saint of Immigrants (and an immigrant to the U.S. herself) to pray for our country and its immigrants while you color!

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. Use this tracker to check off your daily Rosary. Not ready for a whole Rosary yet? Try starting with one decade, and work your way up to all five by the end of the month.

Enjoy grapes and herbs sprinkled with holy water this month!

If you’ve got The Catholic All Year Compendium, you might remember the story of our Advent novena with a Ugandan priest who told the kids a VERY memorable tale about the Christmas Eve slaughtering of cows in Uganda. So we make these Ugandan Kabobs for the feast of Saint Charles Lwanga & Companions and we make them with beef! Kabobs in general are a favorite party food in our home. For a larger party, or for choosier guests, I’ll pre-cook various kabob ingredients and put them out individually to let guests assemble their own skewers. (I keep utensils and pans separate if cooking for guests with food allergies.) Ugandan kabobs are often made with meatballs, but I also like this quicker steak version. The spice traditionally used would be harissa paste, but chipotle or other chili paste, or a dry spice mix can be substituted in the marinade.

In 1873, Fr. Damien volunteered as a chaplain to the Hawaiian government-mandated leprosy quarantine camps established on the island of Molokai. He served the physical and spiritual needs of the members of the camps and, along with native member-leaders, brought education, arts, order, law, and culture to a forsaken community. Since his death from the disease in 1889, he has been remembered and celebrated by the people of Hawaii. 

Popovers are a favorite Sunday breakfast for our family, served with strawberry butter, and bacon on the side. But they are also a lovely accompaniment to meat and soups. I especially love them for the feast of the Ascension. The kids all standing at the oven watching them rise heavenward is liturgical cooking at its finest! These popovers REALLY rise—to about three inches above the pan—so if you’re making multiple batches, use the bottom and middle rack only, and be sure you have enough room between them.

In 1873, Fr. Damien volunteered as a chaplain to the Hawaiian government-mandated leprosy quarantine camps established on the island of Molokai. He served the physical and spiritual needs of the members of the camps and, along with native member-leaders, brought education, arts, order, law, and culture to a forsaken community. Since his death from the disease in 1889, he has been remembered and celebrated by the people of Hawaii. Also called huli huli chicken (meaning “turn, turn”), this tasty Molokai Hawaiian BBQ chicken recipe is great for summer parties, especially with an iconic pineapple upside down cake for dessert.

My mom grew up in Memphis, TN, and her crispy, crunchy, tender, flaky fried catfish is my very favorite thing she cooks. It’s a great meal for any Friday, especially if you’re entertaining. At our annual Good Friday backyard Stations of the Cross, my mom fries up mountains of catfish for family and friends. We keep the spread simple with just coleslaw and cornbread on the side, and water to drink. It’s a mouth-watering full meal for a fasting day. Deep-frying is really a very straightforward process. A deep-frying or candy thermometer helps ensure your oil is at the right temperature, to avoid oil-soaked or under-cooked fish. You can also choose to fake-fry-bake them in the oven.

Because St. Joseph worked with his hands, we like to highlight finger foods on his feast day! Get the whole family involved with making these easy appetizer skewers and then enjoy the delicious fruit of your labors at dinner time!

A perfect meal for the feast of Saints Perpetua and Felicity—especially since it usually falls during Lent—is Stracciatella alla Romana: Roman egg drop soup. It’s quick and easy and has only a few ingredients. It’s Roman, as were they. The eggs highlight the motherhood of these martyrs. Stracciare means “to rip to shreds” in Italian. In this soup, it refers to the process of whisking in the eggs, and . . . I’m just going to stop there and not make any wild beast parallels. Homemade chicken stock is lovely in this recipe, but I’ve also used chicken stock paste with success. It’s also a great choice for Lenten Friday Soup & Stations.

Lamb rib chops make for an impressive presentation with their long handle, and kids like to pick them up and eat them like an ice cream on a stick. But this recipe also works with the little triangular lamb loin chops.

The surprise is that these sugar cookies get their lovely green color from . . . spinach! You really can’t taste it, honest.

Homemade butter is a perfect food AND activity with which to celebrate Saint Brigid, herself a dairymaid who gave away butter to the poor (only to have it miraculously restored). Shaking it by hand in mason jars feels like a real accomplishment. Using a stand mixer is quicker and gives an interesting view of the process.

This delicious caramelized, crustless cheesecake is a traditional recipe from the town in the Basque region of Spain called San Sebastian. . . making it the perfect way to celebrate the saint! Not to mention, it’s decadent and delicious. This dessert is best enjoyed two hours after chilling, but it can be refrigerated until the next day, if needed.

This rustic soup is a real family favorite. We have it on Christmas Eve and sometimes also for our “all white dinner” on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and it’s perfect for a German saint day. It’s always in the Lenten “soup and stations” rotation, and the kids often choose it for their special days. I have very fond memories of cutting dumplings into bubbling soup with my grandfather, and I love doing it with my kids now. It’s not exactly a quick and easy process, but the results are so worth it. The soup thickens up with time and gets even better. It can be made a day or two ahead if desired. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding water if necessary. Stir very often to keep from scorching the bottom when reheating.

British chef Fergus Henderson’s renowned restaurant “St. John” is named for the street on which it sits in the Smithfield area of London. Chef Henderson specializes in “nose-to-tail” eating and gourmet versions of British comfort food. This is an adaptation of his recipe for a classic American dish, which—if not officially associated with St. John the evangelist himself—bears the saint’s name and makes for a lovely meal on a cold winter’s day.

Plantains or “cooking bananas” are a major food staple in Africa. Green plantains are used like potatoes: fried, boiled, or processed into flour to be used in a variety of tasty dishes. Plantains are widely available in the produce section at grocery stores in the U.S. They look like large green bananas. Uglai is a corn porridge similar to smooth grits, made with corn flour. Potatoes can be substituted for the plantains and grits or rice for the ugali if necessary. (But it won’t be quite as much fun!)

Any combination of apples will work. My favorite is Granny Smith + Honeycrisp.

Saint Joseph models the holiness of labor to us. Pope Pius XII emphasized this when he said, “. . . no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by [the spirit] than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work.” This crossword highlights his pursuit of virtue and dedication to work!

This coloring page draws its inspiration from Saint Teresa’s writings about the interior castle in the soul. Color your castle and ask Saint Teresa to intercede for you on your own journey closer to God!

Learn more about Saint John the Baptist by reading about him in the bible, simply turn your spinner to reveal a new verse about his life!

Show some love for this relatively new Marian feast day by praying this prayer composed in her honor by Pope Francis in 2013.

Use this fun activity to share the story of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth (this feast is on May 31st) with your kids!

This cut-and-glue activity is a fun and easy way for your kids to have fun honoring our Blessed Mother this May!

Originally compiled in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the prayers in this Palm Sunday at Home booklet can be used for placing already blessed palms in a place of honor in the home!

Saint Gianna Molla was a devout Catholic who was also a busy wife, mother, and physician. Cut and arrange the items in her clinic!

The relics of Saint Mark took an exciting journey from Alexandria, Egypt to Venice, Italy. Help them find their way through the maze!

On this feast day we honor the papacy. Use this stationary to write a letter to the pope! It’s a chance to say “hi,” or say “thank you,” offer a suggestion, or tell him about your family.

Saint John is often pictured holding a cup with a cute little serpent coiled around the edge to symbolize a cup of poisoned wine that didn’t kill him. Saint John’s Day is traditionally the day to bring a bottle of wine to Mass with you for Father to bless. If you’re not able to make it to Mass, or your wine isn’t, the head of the household can ask God to bless the wine.