Make some ‘comfort food’ for a neighbor in need
In our neck of the woods, November is the month where the vibrant colors of autumn fade to various shades of brown. Most of the vegetation that had burst into life in the spring and bore fruit in the summer is now dead or gone dormant for the winter months ahead. Daylight fades by late afternoon/early evening. With the changing of seasons, Mother Earth invites us – beckons us – to turn our mind to the transitory nature of all things, including our own lives. “As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field. A wind sweeps over it and it is gone.” (Ps. 103:15-16) If there ever was a season most suited to memento mori – remember our death, November would be it.
With All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2), the Church kicks off a month of praying for the holy souls in purgatory. During this time, some parishes host candle-lit Masses of remembrance that provide a moment of solace to those in mourning. Others invite parishioners to place photos of their deceased loved ones on a table or ofrenda made for commemorating those who have died in the past year.
These celebrations represent beautiful ways that we live out St. Paul’s conviction that the entire Body of Christ carries the grief of each of its members: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it.” (1 Cor 12:26) This is nothing new; since the earliest days when the Church gathered to pray over the tombs of the dead in the catacombs, the Christian community has always had a robust tradition of praying for the dead and of ministering to those who mourn.
Today, parishes continue to offer consolation and peace to the grieving through a variety of bereavement and funeral ministries. One recent funeral I attended featured a comfort-food-packed luncheon, lovingly prepared by a cohort of self-proclaimed “Funeral Lunch Ladies.” The generous hospitality and warmth of that meal – made by parishioners with no personal connection to the deceased – was a perfect companion to the beautiful liturgy that preceded it.
This month’s recipe for Beef Noodle Casserole offers a taste of the goodness and care that emanate from offering simple nourishment to a neighbor in need.
Beef Noodle Casserole
Ingredients:
• ½ tsp. salt
• 12 oz. wide egg noodles
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz. sharp white cheddar, shredded, divided
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water
(1-2 min. less than al dente instructions on package). **Reserving 1 cup pasta water, drain noodles.
Return noodles to empty pot, add butter, coat well.
• Meanwhile, in another large pot on medium-high, heat oil. Cook beef until no longer pink, 4-5 min. Season with salt.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic, stirring until onion is translucent, 4-5 min.
• Add tomato sauce, soup, cream, and one-third of cheese. Bring to simmer adding half to 1 cup pasta water, mix well until cheese melts, about 1 min.
• Add noodles to pot, fold thoroughly into meat mixture.
• Pour into 13” x 9” baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake casserole until bubbly, about 30 min. Garnish with fresh parsley.
