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A Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

O Blessed Virgin Mary, you appeared to Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill to present your Divine Son to the people of the Americas. In your maternal tenderness and love, you revealed to the world the power and glory of your Son as our God and Redeemer.

Intercede for your children that they may have the strength to endure their hardships and the courage to persevere in their faith. By your act of perfect faith, Christ was conceived in your womb to bring new life and light into this world.

May your image inspire us to seek your help and spread your devotion to all who desire to know your Son and dwell in his Sacred Heart. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thank you to Fr. Rob Jack for writing this prayer for today’s feast!

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RECIPES FROM RITA

TWO LAYER PEPPERMINT BARK

Ingredients:

24 oz bittersweet chocolate – good quality

24 oz white chocolate – good quality

1 cup or so crushed peppermint

3⁄4 tsp PURE peppermint extract or scant 1/4 teaspoon food grade peppermint oil

Instructions:

Place peppermint candy in a large plastic bag and crush into small pieces with a meat pounder. Set aside.
Line a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet (small sheet pan) with parchment paper and set it aside. Let sides hang over a bit to form a cradle to make it easier to lift bark out.

Heat 4 cups of water in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Set a large glass bowl on the saucepan so the bottom does not touch the barely simmering water. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the glass bowl. Stir and slowly allow the chocolate to melt. Once most of the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from heat, wipe bottom of bowl to remove any moisture or steam (any moisture if it hits the chocolate will cause it to seize), stir to smooth out completely, then pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Smooth to an even layer and sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup of crushed peppermint candy. This acts as a somewhat gritty surface which I think allows the white chocolate layer to adhere better.

Let cool until firm, either in the refrigerator or even on the counter. You don’t want the chocolate real cold since it will be more difficult to spread the white chocolate on top and the layers adhere better together when the bottom layer is completely firm but not rock hard cold. (If it is real cold, let it sit out a bit to take the chill off, then proceed with white chocolate layer).
Wash and dry the bowl thoroughly, and set over the barely simmering water. Add the white chocolate. Stir until most of the chocolate is melted, then remove from the heat. Stir to smooth out completely, and add the peppermint extract, stir, and pour over the bittersweet chocolate. Smooth to an even layer and immediately top with remaining peppermint candy pieces.

Allow to cool at room temperature until hardened, 2-3 hours. Once the bark is hard, cut or break into pieces. Since the bark has hardened at room temperature, it won’t be rock hard and will be easier to break or cut into pieces.
Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to two weeks.

TIPS

Don’t use chocolate morsels/chips or the slabs of chocolate “bark” in the baking aisle that contain palm kernel oil, which may inhibit good bonding of the layers.

High quality “white” chocolate will have sugar and cocoa butter listed among the first ingredients on the label.

Don’t have peppermint extract? Sieve the candy cane pieces and the “candy dust” you shake out of the sieve can be stirred into the white chocolate layer for peppermint flavor, not as strong, but still good.

Don’t use imitation peppermint extract which contains too much water and may cause the melted chocolate to seize.

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BONUS RECIPE: PEPPERMINT WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients:

20 or so oz white chocolate bars
1 teaspoon peppermint extract or 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil
8 candy canes, regular size, crushed very fine
1 quart each half & half and whole milk

Instructions:

Easy peasy. Follow instructions above for melting white chocolate and adding extract.
After pouring white chocolate in pan and spreading into even layer immediately sprinkle with very finely crushed peppermint. Cool until solid.

To make peppermint white hot chocolate:
Heat half & half and milk to 160. Break up bark into piece that fit into mugs.
Pour warmed milk in cups and let folks add bark to taste.

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