This is the story of how I found Catherine Doherty’s recipes. She is the foundress of the lay apostolate, Madonna House.

At a second hand store, I came across a handmade scrapbook with the handwritten title on the front “Cooking with Mary, recipes by Catherine.” How delightful, I thought. It looked to be someone’s personalized cookbook – from the bottom up – and had been done with care and love. It is that, but it’s even better. Guess who the Catherine is? Yeap. Catherine Doherty. Anyone who’s a regular reader knows why as soon as I opened it and saw my dear spiritual friend Catherine’s recipes in that book, tears came to my eyes. I’m still overjoyed and shaking. And it was just sitting there. I looked around me almost suspiciously wondering why no one else had claimed this priceless treasure, but truly felt in that moment that I had no need to worry. It had been saved for me.

So, what is inside are articles clipped from the Madonna House’s Restoration newspaper. Catherine ran a column with recipes for awhile in the paper entitled “Cooking with Mary” and some loving soul had cut them out and saved them in this book. They date from October 1974 until February 1976. Sixteen articles in all. Now, I have no idea if these are the only ones Catherine ever wrote or if the collector stopped before the end. I do know that Catherine was very sick for many years before her death in 1985, so there is the chance that this is the complete collection.

October 1974, Carrot Loaf and Sour Gravy

November 1974, Pudding leftovers and Hearts

December 1974, Yeast Dough Meat Pie

March 1975, Russian Easter Specialties – Koolich and Paska

December 1975, Walnut Strudel and Christmas Log

January 1976, Epiphany Fruit Bread, Braided Christmas Bread and St. Nicholas Spice Cookies

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