Today’s recipe is shared by Pat Padley, co-host of the terrific In Between Sunday’s podcast.

Nordstrom’s Bistro Cafe Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 12 to 14

Fr. Leo of Grace Before Meals suggests the following alteration to this recipe to make it meatless for Lent:  “May I suggest replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock.  Using  a splash or two of soy sauce will give a similar depth as chicken broth.”

1/3 cup olive oil

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 T fresh basil sliced

2 -28 oz cans diced Italian style tomatoes in puree

3 -32 oz boxes chicken broth (12.25 cups)

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots, onion and dried basil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the puree and the broth, and bring to just a boil. Reduce the hear to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.  Remove from the heat. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the cream and place over medium heat. Warm until heated through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the basil leaves and serve immediately.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe is shared by Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie, who says, “Excellent and simple recipe for banana bread. Just smelling this in the oven will cause you to reach for the butter! YUM!”

Paul’s Banana Bread

Ingredients

1. 3 ripe mashed bananas
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 1 egg
4. 1 1/2 cup flour
5. 1/4 cup melted butter
6. 1 tsp. baking soda
7. 1 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Mash bananas
2. Stir in other ingredients.
3. Pour into a greased regular-sized bread pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

(You could also use 3 smaller bread pans and bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.)

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe is shared by Paul Camarata, host of The Saint Cast.

Fresh Basil Creamy Pesto Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (~ 60 or so leaves)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

butter, 4 tbsp

half and half – 3 cups

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Special equipment needed: A food processor

METHOD

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, minced garlic, and olive oil and pulse a few times in a food processor. May need to divide the ingredients into 2 batches for even chopping in food processor.

2  Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add ½ cup grated parmesan cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3 Melt butter in saucepan, gently heat up pesto mixture, adding in half and half slowly and whisking while heating up.  Heat gently until thickening.

Poor over 1 pound cooked spaghetti or linguine.  Toss ½ cup grated parmesan over pasta and sauce.

N.B.  If you have an abundance of Basil in the spring/summer months, you can pick the leaves and make up the pesto mixture (minus the cheese) and freeze in packets.  It keeps well.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe is shared by Patrick Denny of the wonderful Verbum Domini podcast.  Patrick shares, “This is my FAVORITE low calorie (and meatless) recipe.  Believe it or not, it tastes fantastic.  Just don’t cook it down too “dry”. I like to leave it a bit wet as the moisture will disappear much faster than a standard alfredo sauce.  Perhaps add a bit more milk?”

Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
(From Cooking Light)

1 Tablespoon Margarine
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups skim milk
2 Tablespoons light cream cheese
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 ounces) grated
Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine,
cooked without salt or fat
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Fresh ground pepper

Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.  Stir in flour.  Gradually add milk, stirring with a wire wisk until blended; cook 8 minutes or until thickened and bubbly (but not too thick), stirring constantly.  Stir in cream cheese, cook 2 minutes.
Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until it melts.  Pour over hot cooked fettuccine; toss well to coat.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe was shared by our fabulous chef, Jeff Young of The Catholic Foodie.

You’re not going to believe how good these things are. Really. I mean that. Whew, I’m getting hungry just thinking about them!

Oysters. Those ugly little things that, once opened, yield such soft delicious goodness. They bite too. Well, the cocktail sauce that Char and I prepare and use when eating raw oysters… that bites. But it is oh-so-good.

Next to raw oysters, these are our favorites. Char-grilled oysters. You’ve got to try them to believe it!

INGREDIENTS

* 4 sticks of butter
* 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced (or crushed & beaten in a mortar & pestle)
* Raw oysters – Lots of ‘em. You can get them un-schucked in a sack, or shucked in a bucket filled with oyster liquor. How many? Well, that’s up to you. The more you get, though, the more of the other ingredients you need to have on hand.
* Fresh ground black pepper – to taste
* Tabasco or Crystal Hot Sauce – to taste
* About 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese (we love lots on our oysters!)
* 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
* 12 oyster shell halves or a metal muffin pan

DIRECTIONS

1. Make a sauce with the butter, minced garlic, and the black pepper in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cook only until the butter is melted and starts to bubble. Cut the heat and remove. We also add Tabasco or Crystal Hot Sauce to the pan while cooking. Add it to taste.
2. Fire up the grill. Heat to about 350 – 375.
3. Put oyster shells or muffin pan on the grill and spoon some of the garlic-butter sauce, just enough to coat the bottom of the shells / pan.
4. Add oysters to the shells / pan (if you are using a muffin pan you can add two (or three, depending on size) oysters in each cup. Spoon a bit more garlic-butter sauce over the oysters, careful not to cover completely.
5. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over each oyster. It could be just a pinch (but we like lots!). Then sprinkle a bit of the chopped parsley on the oysters.
6. Grill for about 3 to 5 minutes. You are looking for the oysters to curl around the edges and “puff up” a bit.
7. Serve immediately!

I must confess that we often stand around the grill with our little seafood forks and attack the oysters as soon as they are ready. Those yummy little oysters often never make it to the plate! If desired, you could serve these is small, individual-sized glass bowls.

And then… Bon appetit! Enjoy!

Today’s meatless recipe was shared by Pat Gohn of the wonderful Among Women Podcast.  Pat shares, “This makes a great simple lunch, or side dish with soup, etc.”

3 cups of diced zucchini, skin included
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt, pepper,
(Italian options: add ½ tsp oregano plus 2 tbsp. parsley)
1/2 c. oil
1cup of shredded sharp or mild cheddar cheese
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients and place in a grease cassarole dish, about 8×8 or 9×9.

Bake at 350 degrees, about 40-45 minutes.  Test with knife inserted at center.  Center should be firm and dry.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s meatless recipe was shared by Mary DeTurris Poust, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism, over on her wonderful blog last week.  Enjoy!

1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), rinsed
6 sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in boiling water, drained and chopped in slices
1 8-ounce container of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, rinse and drained
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted (optional)
1 pound rotelle pasta (or ziti, rigatoni, whatever you like)

Bring pasta water to boil. Rinse broccoli rabe and blanch in boiling pasta water for four minutes. Lift broccoli rabe from water with handheld strainer, reserving pasta water in pot. Drain broccoli rabe and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve. Keep pasta water boiling, and throw in pasta.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat olive oil and saute garlic until it begins to sizzle. Add mushrooms and sundried tomatoes and saute for two or three minutes. Add cannellini beans and saute for two minutes. Add broccoli rabe and heat for a few minutes so the flavors can marry. If it begins to dry out, ladle in some pasta water to keep it moist. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is al dente, drain and place in serving bowl. Pour broccoli rabe-tomato-bean mixture over the top. If needed, ladle in more pasta water so the pasta is not too dry.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese (if you’re not eating vegan), crushed red pepper and toasted pine nuts (if using). Note: To toast pine nuts, shake them in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant but not brown.

We served our dinner with Italian bread and a side salad heavy on the arugula and “fixed” with olive oil and vinegar.

Mary says, “Delish! This dish is definitely a keeper. Remember, if you don’t have the exact ingredients, don’t be afraid to improvise. Use broccoli instead of broccoli rabe, or even kale. The best thing about this kind of pasta dinner is that you can change it up or use up whatever you have in the fridge and come up with something that looks and takes like it came from an elegant restaurant. Mangia!”

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s meatless recipe was shared by Dana, who says, “This works great for kids or folks who don’t care for peas.”

Kid Friendly Tuna Casserole

Approximately ½ package of medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 can of light tuna in water, well drained
2 cans of cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup
1 can of milk
1 11 oz can of whole kernel corn -OR- 8 oz of frozen corn (doesn’t need to be thawed)
Crushed potato chips

While the noodles are cooking, crush enough potato chips (plain corn flakes will work in a pinch) to top the casserole. Make sure the chips are coarsely crushed and not crumbs when you are done.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. You may add a little salt and pepper to your taste, but the canned soup will provide plenty of sodium. Pour mixture into a large baking dish or casserole. Top with a thin layer of potato chips so that all the casserole is covered. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until bubbles come through the chips. Serve with rolls/bread and a tossed salad with plenty of cold milk.

The potato chip topping adds a little zest while keeping the top noodles from drying out and getting hard while baking. Using two cans of soup with one can of milk makes for a nice, creamy texture that is very palatable to children. When it isn’t Lent, I also use cream of chicken soup. Actually, I use whatever is in the pantry – if I have one can of mushroom and one of celery or chicken, I use one of each, etc.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe was contributed by Alice Di Gioia, author of

Mediterranean Pasta
from 30 Days of Easy Entrees for the Single Vegetarian, www.alicedigioia.com

¾ cup (uncooked) Penne pasta
½ cup, about 12-14 Grape tomatoes
about 10 Cracked green olives – tip: pitted green olives can be substituted for cracked green olives
2 teaspoons Olive oil
4-5 medium fresh Basil leaves
¼ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

1. Boil about 1quart of cold water in a sauce pan.  Add the penne and set a timer for 9 minutes for al dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the grape tomatoes in ½ lengthwise.  Place on a serving plate.

3. Drain the cracked green olives and rinse with cold water.  Add about10 to the serving plate with the tomatoes.

4. Drain the pasta and then return to the pan. Add the olive oil and toss to coat.

5. Place the penne on the serving plate and gently mix with the olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle feta cheese over the penne mixture then season with black pepper. Tear the basil leaves onto the mixture and serve.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe is shared by Eva E. who shared, “My family enjoys this soup as their fasting meal every Friday during Lent.”

Lenten Friday Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large leeks, washed and thinly sliced (or 2 small)
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery chopped (optional my son doesn’t care for celery so I leave it out)
2 carrots, sliced

3 cups canned diced tomatoes (I use the one with basil)
2 boxes of Vegetable Both
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup diced squash (zucchini or yellow squash)
1/2 cup orzo or alphabet  pasta
Salt and pepper

Directions
In a stock pot heat the olive oil. When hot, add onion, leeks, celery & carrots.  Cover and simmer until tender.  Add the tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes, squash and pasta, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until all the ingredients are tender.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe was shared by Father Robert Reed of the CatholicTV Network.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio

-1 pound Barilla regular spaghetti
-9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-3 fresh garlic cloves
-1 dried peperoncino (if possible; if not hot pepper from the spice rack)

In a large flat pan add the 9 tablespoons olive oil and the 3 garlic cloves.  Begin to heat the oil on medium low heat.  As the oil heats, cut the cloves into very small pieces using a fork and small sharp knife.  Crush the single peperoncino into the oil (or add two pinches of bottled hot pepper).  Allow the oil to heat for a few minutes until garlic pieces begin to turn golden, just slightly toasted.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta about 7 minutes, or until “al dente.” Drain the pasta completely and put back in the empty pot.  Add the heated oil, toss vigorously and transfer onto a serving plate.

Enjoy immediately.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe contributor says of this tasty dish, “To be eaten as a main dish. However, they would also make a nice side dish to go along with  some vegetarian Falafel burgers.”

Oven-baked chips with garlic and rosemary

Ingredients
1 kg large potatoes
1 bulb garlic
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
some sprigs fresh rosemary

Cover a baking tray with olive oil and place it in the oven. Preheat it to 230 degrees C. Peel the potatoes, then thickly cut them into chips. Parboil for about ten minutes in salted water.
In the meantime peel the garlic and cut the gloves into halves. Remove the leaves from the rosemary and bash them up in the mortar. It might me less strenuous just to chop them. Use a chopping knife for that job.

Bake in the preheated oven for about half an our, until the chips are crispy and golden.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s recipe was shared by Christy J. (daughter of Maria J. of Secrets of Farmville Fame), who shares, “Here’s something my brother really likes and is so simple to make. It’s a perfect match for David’s tomato soup.”

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sammich

sliced bread (any kind–you can be all traditional and use Wonder Bread, but I like the all-grain that is tasty and has texture)
slices of cheese (I’ve used plain ole yellow american, but muenster, and provolone are good too!)
half a small onion, sliced thin
2 tsp butter

Grill onion in butter on medium heat until soft. Remove from pan. Place slice of bread in pan, layer cheese, onions, and cheese, and add top slice of bread.

Toast bread over medium heat. When bread is cooked to your liking (I like it golden brown, a little on the crispier side) turn over and repeat. You might want to add a little more butter so it doesn’t stick.

Sandwich is done when the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted to your liking. That’s it — so easy. Clean up isn’t so bad, either.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com

Today’s meatless recipe comes courtesy of Steve Nelson, SQPN Executive Director and Host of On the U. 

Steve’s Simple Veggie Stew

2 cans of tomato soup, prepared according to the label.  (Probably feeds 4 people, I guess)
Add 1 chopped yellow squash
Add 1 chopped zucchini
Add 1/2 of a chopped white onion  (adjust according to preferences)
Add 2 chopped red potatoes  (I like mine mostly peeled)
Add 2 chopped carrots (about the same amount as a yellow squash)
Add 1/2 tsp of basil
Add 1/2 tsp of oregano

Simmer at least until the potatoes are cooked.  Serve with some garlic croutons and you’re all set!

That’s about it.  I usually chop things into about 1/2 pieces because I’m lazy and I’m afraid of my chopping skills.  That makes it more like a chunky stew, but it you’re a whiz at chopping you might like something more elegant.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com.

Today’s recipe was shared by Rachel V who shares, “This recipe was a great hit with kids and adults at our church’s Soup and Stations every Friday during Lent last year. Offers a healthy (and pretty colorful) update on traditional mac and cheese for Lent.”

Surprise Macaroni and Cheese Stew

2-3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced for quick cooking
2-3 large carrots peeled and sliced for quick cooking
1 large onion peeled and chopped
1 stick celery chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 10oz bar of extra sharp cheddar grated
1 lb box of pasta of choice cooked according to package directions(we prefer whole wheat elbows, but feel free to use any bite-size shapes of your choice)
1 1lb package of mixed vegetables with lima beans (mixed vegetables are colorful, but feel free to use any frozen vegetables you like)
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup whole milk or cream
Dash of nutmeg if desired
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place sweet potato, carrot, celery, onion, garlic in a large pot and cover with water. Cook until tender. Drain, saving the broth.
Place 1/2 of the cooked vegetables in a blender while still hot (be careful as hot food in a blender with cover will expand!) and puree, adding 1/2 of the milk and some of the broth from cooking until thick and creamy consistency is reached (consistency should be like melted ice cream). Pour into slow cooker or large pot and repeat with remaining milk and vegetables.

Stir in nutmeg, grated cheese, frozen vegetables, beans. Heat until cheese melts and vegetables are tender. Add noodles, salt, and pepper. Add more of the vegetable broth to adjust consistency as desired. Enjoy.

Do you have a meatless recipe to share?  Comment below or email Lisa@CatholicMom.com.

Today’s recipe was shared by Chelle S.

So Easy, So Cheap Tuna Casserole

2 packages chicken flavor Ramen noodles
1 – 2 inch slice of Velveeta cheese (depending on taste preference)
1 can of tuna (packed in water)
1 Tbsp of sour cream (optional)

Make Ramen according to directions (usually 3 min. to get most of the water out); be sure to put the seasoning packets in- this makes all the difference). Mix in Velveeta cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and tuna. Stir until well mixed. Recipe serves 4-6 and costs about $.30 per person.

**If your kids like vegetables, try adding frozen peas, carrots, or mixed veggies when you add the tuna and sour cream.

Fr. Leo is the author of Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life, one of the few cookbooks I have actually ever read and used!  My personal copy was a gift from Deacon Tom Fox and is autographed by Fr. Leo – I almost don’t want to use it for fear that one of Fr. Leo’s signature recipes will be dripped on the pages, but this book is too good not to enjoy.

Fr. Leo’s talk this morning was very fitting, coming as we commemorate the events of September 11, 2001.  He shared with us that the origins of his Grace Before Meals ministry came about in the days immediately following 9/11, when he and his brother priests were on retreat together.  It was an amazing story, told with wit and energy.  When listening to Fr. Leo or watching him cook, you can’t help but cheer for him – I truly hope that he finds success on network television, where he can share an example of a holy Catholic priest living life to its fullest.  His message this morning also reminded us that gathering with our families around special meals, even the non-gourmet variety, draws us closer to one another and to the God who loves us so greatly.

I hope someday you have the treat of enjoying a home-cooked meal from Fr. Leo.  But in the mean time, you can take advantage of his wisdom by acquiring your own copy of Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life and visiting him at GraceBeforeMeals.com.

View my photos of Breakfast with Fr. Leo at Facebook.

To enter, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on August 29, 2009.  I’ll draw random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Here’s a brief description of A Taste of Heaven:

A Taste of Heaven, devout Catholic and journalist Madeline Scherb beautifully captures the heart and spirit of the holy work that goes into making some mouthwatering delicacies.  In this one-of-a-kind homage to the heavenly foods of America, Belgium, France, and Germany, Scherb details the history (Charlemagne was first given bloomy rind cheese by a monk); the process (the nuns at the Abbey of Saint Hildegard do everything by hand to make their lovely Riesling); and the itineraries for touring those abbeys open to the public (a dozen of which are in the United States).

Including over 30 recipes from notable chefs that incorporate these foods, A Taste of Heaven also provides information for anyone unable to travel to the monasteries themselves on buying or ordering these delectable ingredients.

Recipes include such delights as:

• Flamiche (a Belgian version of quiche that uses Postel cheese from the Postel Abbey in Belgium)
• Boneless Pork Loin Roast with New Skete Farms Smoked Bacon (uses bacon from New Skete Monastery in New York)
• Brownies a la Mode with Trappistine Caramel Sauce (uses caramel from Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey, Iowa)
• Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet (made with Pinot Noir from St. Hildegard Abbey near Rudesheim, Germany).

The 36 year-old Tarcher Books publishes books in the body-spirit-mind category. Some of its bestsellers include Julia Cameron’s The Artists Way; Piero Ferrucci’s The Power of Kindness; Levi H. Dowling’s The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ; and Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich.

To enter, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on August 29, 2009.  I’ll draw random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Update: Our lucky winners are Kelly (#3) and Sharon (#41). Your prize will be sent soon.  Take a look at our other CatholicMom.com contests for more great chances to win!

The Meal Box contains 54 cards, each one featuring a creative question guaranteed to spark fun family conversation during family meals. The questions, such as If you could have the voice of any famous person, whose voice would you have?, are sure to engage everyone in the family. The reverse side of each card features a quick “Food for Family Thought” tip from family expert Tom McGrath. The tip makes it easy, and downright fun, for families to apply the question and answers to their lives of faith.

Today, Bret and Tom will be joining us throughout the day to prompt conversation, field your questions about family meals time and share their perspectives on how our families can grow in faith.  Please chime in throughout the day in the comments area below or email your question to Lisa@CatholicMom.com.

Along with some great conversation here at the blog, we’re offering you two ways to win your own copy of The Meal Box.  First, Loyloa Press is generously offering one free copy of The Meal Box to a lucky winner.  To enter, drop an email to Halm@loyolapress.com with your name and the words “CatholicMom.com Blog Tour”.  I am going to match Loyola Press’s generous offer and give away a second copy of The Meal Box to one of our commenters.  Simply leave a comment here at the blog with a reply to Bret and Tom’s question or a question of your own for the authors on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 and your name will be entered into a random drawing to win The Meal Box.

Even if you’re not one of our two random winners, you are in luck because from now until June 30th, Loyola Press is offering 30% of The Meal Box, selling it to our readers for only $6.97.  Just enter the promotional code MomMeal at checkout.

So let’s get started with the conversation!  Here are Bret and Tom’s opening remarks – be sure to watch the comments, answer their introductory question and chime in throughout the day with your questions for these two great experts!

Good morning!

I’m Bret Nicholaus, and I have to confess that I have an unusual passion: I just LOVE asking questions that help family members and friends learn fun and fascinating things about each other. I’ve been writing question books for the last 16 years, so this “interest” is nothing new. What IS new to me is the opportunity to interact with all of you via CatholicMom.com. I can’t wait to get started and see where the questions—and ensuing conversations—lead.

Joining me will be Tom McGrath, who has written several books on family spirituality. Recently, Tom and I co-created The Meal Box: Fun Questions and Family Faith Tips to Get Mealtime Conversations Cookin’. Tom and I both believe that mealtime affords one of the best opportunities to help families grow in their love for one another and in their faith—and a helpful way to do that is to begin with a FUN question!

So let’s get started with a question from The Meal Box. Send in your answers—your HONEST answers—and we’ll get the conversation going! Together, we’ll have fun learning about one another and discovering ways to serve up a little faith at mealtime!

If you could open the back door to your home and step out into the PERFECT backyard, what would that yard be like for you?

Update: Our first Meal Box Winner, randomly selected from among yesterday’s comments, is Karen (#46).  I will announce the email winner soon.