It doesn’t matter if you are observing the Octave of Christmas, which is eight days long, or the more widely known Twelve Days of Christmas, today is the fifth day for both. As the fimilar song is sung, the tempo is very upbeat and quick until the 5th Day of Christmas. Clearly there is an emphasis on the Five Golden Rings.
There is an entire Catholic Folktale surrounding the Twelve Days of Christmas. As the story goes, the song was created to teach Catholic Children their Catechism during a time when openly being Catholic in England was banned. Just as the early Christians were persecuted by the Romans, once division began to set in with the Christian Faith, Catholics were often obsessed and had to hide their true identity. In Ireland when the British moved in and took over you had to convert to the Protestant Church of England in order to own land. Catholics who refused to convert were stripped of everything and became servants on the land that once was theirs. It’s also why, during the Potato Famine when much of Ireland fled to America that you have a concentration of Irish Catholic Emigrants in the port cities such as Boston and New York, while the Protestant Irish relocated further inland. The Protestants had means and money to travel into the heartland. The Catholics got off the boat, settled where they were and found work. Many became civil servants such as fire and police. That much is true. I don’t know about the authenticity of the Twelve Days of Christmas. I do know that Five Golden Rings are suppose to represent the Five Golden Books. They are the first five books of the Old Testament. Christians know these as the Pentateuch. In Judaism these books are the first part of the Torah. They are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers.
Many Catholics leave their Christmas Trees up until January 6, with the Feast of the Three Kings marking the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. As a child we would put our shoes outside so the Wise Men would leave coins and candy as they passed by. Yes, we were excited to receive trinkets. But we also learned about the Wise Men and their journey. It’s such a beautiful story. And a part of my Catholic tradition.
Perhaps it’s because Rome is also home to the Vatican that whenever I think of celebrating my Faith with food, I naturally gravitate to Italian Food. One of my favorite dishes is Lasagna. For the longest time when I made Lasagna, Hubby would stand at the front door and shout to the entire neighborhood that it was time to eat. My Lasagna weighed several pounds. We could eat it for days, freeze what was left, and then eat some more later. It took a while to come up with a recipe that was baked in a loaf pan with just six servings. This is delicious, and we are no longer feeding a small country.
Italian Sausage Loaf Pan Lasagna
8 Lasagna Noodles
1/2 White Onion
4 Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoons Parsley
1/2 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup Romano Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 large Egg
Spicy Italian Seasoning Blend to taste
1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 lb Milk Italian Sausage
1/4 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 tablespoon Heavy Cream
1 (14 oz) can Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups shredded Italian Cheese Blend
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook Lasagna Noodles al-dente according to package directions. Drain, lay out flat to cool. If necessary, trim noodles to fit snuggly in the loaf pan.
While the pasta cooks, peel and finely dice onions, set aside. Peel and finely mince garlic, set aside. Snip parsley, set aside.
In a bowl, combine Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella cheeses together with the egg. Season with a pinch of Spicy Italian Seasoning. Add parsley, mix to blend.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion with a pinch of salt. Sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the Italian Sausage to the pan, breaking into small pieces as it browns. Season meat mixture with a little salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink, for about 2 minutes. Stir in cream, diced tomatoes with their juice, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer; cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
To assemble the lasagna, lay 2 Lasagnas noodle in the bottom of a loaf pan. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce over noodle, followed by cheese mixture, then another noodle layer. Repeat this layering, ending with a final layer on noodle. Top final layer with Italian Cheese Blend.
Bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly around the edges. Turn oven to broil and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the cheese on top is lightly brown in spots. Let cool for about 6 minutes for the lasagna to settle before slicing. Cut into 6 squares.
Serve this perfectly proportioned Lasagna with a simple salad, warm garlic bread and a bottle of wine.
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before Him;
praise and grandeur are in His sanctuary.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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