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LET'S TALK, LET'S COOK by Mary Alesi On Christmas Eve in the dead of winter, the future Father Solanus Casey arrived at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit, Michigan. Who would have known how this young man would touch so many lives through-out the United States and Canada. As a little girl, I lived around the corner from the Bonaventure Monastery and received most of my religious education from these good Capuchin Brothers. At that time, I heard many stories about miracles attributed to his prayers. The neighbors would remark, "If you have a problem, go see Father Solanus." Many went to his door. It seemed as if Father could see into the future. He welcomed troubled people of every occupation, any time of the day. Because Father Solanus had a wispy voice, he had a voice enhancer attached to his private telephone so his voice would sound louder. I knew of a family whose son had contracted polio in his legs. His parents visited Father Solanus for prayers. "This boy will recover," he told the parents. He did recover and led a good and normal life. There have been thousands of recorded stories about this dear man. Such as life sometimes happens, not all stories have a successful conclusion. Take the case of a teenage girl named Rose, who visited Father Solanus to intercede for her mother, Carmella, who was dying of cancer. Father said, "It is not in God's design for this good soul to live". Carmella was my beloved mother! During the Great Depression era, Father was instrumental in gathering food from all areas of the city. He started a soup kitchen at the Bonaventure Monastery, and fed many folks. The Soup Kitchen is still operating and helping the poor. Recently Father Solanus Casey's story appeared on the TV program, Unsolved Mysteries. The show re-enacted some of the stories and miracles attributed to him. In the summer of l957, Father Solanus Casey died at the age of 86. His last words were "I give my soul to Jesus Christ". He lay to rest on the grounds of his beloved St. Bonaventure Monastery. (This story appeared in my first book) Pasta with Bread Crumbs Ingredients: 8 ounces short pasta of choice, such as penne 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons olive oil (divided use) 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic 1 cup coarse-textured, not soft (not toasted) breadcrumbs ½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Optional garnish Bring 2-1/2 quarts of water to a boil. When water reaches a rapid boil, add pasta and cook just until tender. Melt butter over a medium heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add garlic, breadcrumbs, oregano and salt to skillet, and stir to coat the crumbs with butter mixture. Cook stirring until crumbs are golden brown. When done remove from stove and set aside. When pasta is cooked, drain into colander shaking to remove as much water as possible. Pour into a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining oil. Add cheese then toss the cooked breadcrumbs and enjoy! Makes four servings Honey Clusters (Struffoli) Ingredients: 2 cups flour 3 eggs ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla Make well in center of flour, put in one egg at a time. Knead dough, divide dough into halves. Lightly roll each half ¼ inch thick, to form a rectangle. Cut dough with pastry cutter into strips, ¼ inch wide. Use palm of hands to roll strips to pencil thickness. Cut into pieces ¼ - 1/2 inch long, roll into tiny balls and then deep fry. Cool and coat with honey and dust with powder sugar. (Arrange in cone and cluster shapes). Personal Message: I have been away for a year completing my new book " Let's Talk…Let's Cook Again." The book will be out soon. It is time to say farewell for now. Ciao with love, Mary Alesi, CC Member Emeritus Italian Catholic Federation, 8393 Capwell Drive, Suite 110, Oakland CA 94621 tel: 888/ICF-1924; 510/633-9058; fax: 510/633-9758; Email: info@icf.org Website designed by HYPERSPHERE