St. Joseph's Day

St. Joseph

St. Joseph, well known from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke as the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus, was a carpenter by trade and thus is called the patron saint of fathers, home and family, craftsmen and carpenters.

He is often depicted holding a lily, which apparently comes from an old legend.   The High Priest told the Virgin Mary to have marriageable young men place their staff in the temple overnight.  In the morning, the staff of Joseph had blossomed, indicating the favor of God, and he was chosen to be her husband.

Since Lilies grow from bulbs, and not any tree that would produce a wooden staff, you can draw your own conclusions about the legend.  On the other hand, the purity of his spirit as a 'just man' could easily be depicted in the beauty of the lily.

March 19th is the feast of St. Joseph and a very popular Italian feast day.  A delicious Italian themed meal would be a nice way to honor him.  Spaghetti, bread and a green salad makes a simple and easy meal.

Beatrice Ojakangas in her book The Great Holiday Baking Book suggests Stuffed Italian Bread.  I usually don't think far enough ahead or have enough time in the afternoon to make yeast breads for dinner, so I'm going to adapt her recipe for something quicker.


Quick Stuffed Italian Bread
1 tube refrigerated french bread dough
Thinly sliced Provolone cheese
Thinly sliced Beef Salami lunch meat
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Crumbled bacon bits
Olive Oil
Black Pepper

Preheat oven according to bread package directions.  Unroll bread dough onto a flat surface. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and bacon.  Place a layer of Provolone slices and then Salami slices, leaving about an inch open along one side of the dough because the filling will slip forward as you roll.  Roll tightly from the opposite side like a cinnamon roll.  Pinch the ends closed and place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake a bit longer than the package directions.  The added ingredients will increase baking time.  After removing from the oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle black pepper over the top of the loaf.  Cool slightly, slice and serve.

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Several cook book authors recommend making Cream Puffs filled with sweetened Ricotta Cheese as part of a St. Joseph's day menu.  Try this version of a Ricotta Cheese filling.  Other filling options for cream puffs are vanilla pudding, ice cream, or whipped cream.

Ricotta Filling for Cream Puffs
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
2 tablespoons orange marmalade jam
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar

Beat ricotta cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add marmalade and sugar.  By hand, stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon filling into the bottoms of cooled cream puffs.  Replace the tops.  Sift powdered sugar over the cream puffs before serving.

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Isidore of Isolanis, a pious Dominican of the 16th century wrote, "The Lord will let His light shine, He will lift the veil, and great men will search out the interior gifts of God that are hidden in St. Joseph; they will find in him a priceless treasure, the like of which they had never found in other saints of the Old Testament."