Mr. Phoenix Raises the Bar on Easter Eats!

Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights.

Julius Caesar Act 1, scene 2, 190–195

Swift was fat; Addison was fat; Steele was fat; Gay and Thomson were preposterously fat—all that fuddling and punch-drinking, that club and coffee-house boozing, shortened the lives and enlarged the waistcoats of the men of that age.

Thackeray on the English Humorists

Lent's Over. . .almost. On Friday, March 30th, I fasted and tried to pray with some lust and consequence specifically for Religious Freedom.

For 24 hours, I subsisited on water and lime. Not really a great big Joe Bidenesque deal.

On that very day, I read about Mr. Charles Phoenix, Humorist, Author, Chef and heo of the first order.

Mr. Phoenix welcomes the Risen Christ with this spendid appeal to the human heart - An Easter Lamb Meatloaf.

As long as I’ve been performing my Big Retro Holiday Slide Shows, funny Easter lambcakes have been part of them. Year after year, I’ve threatened to buy one of those classic two-piece aluminum lambcake molds and bake one myself. This was the year!

So finally, I went online and two days later a baby sheep shape arrived. But when it came time to actually use it, I was feeling a bit more savory than sweet and decided my little lamb should be molded meat. Yes, ground lamb would’ve been more apropos, but I opted for some good ‘ol ground cow. Yum.

After baking both halves of the meatloaf mixture,
I “glued” the back and front of the li’l lamb with mashed potatoes and placed it on a generous mound of more mashed potatoes.

Now the fun part: giving him his coat of curly wool by squirting the rest of the mashed potatoes through a star-tipped pastry bag, finishing the mound with frozen peas and corn and framing him with halo-esque quartered carrot burst! And, oh, his little pea eyes and carrot nose.

After concocting the Cherpumple, Astro-Weenie, Chiristmas Tree, Light up-Jello Tree, Frosty the Cheeseball Man and now Easter Meatloaf of Lamb, I’ve finally figured out: “Don’t just cook your food, craft it too!”

Here’s to Easter Meatloaf of Lamb and YOU!

Charles Phoenix
March 30, 2012

There is hope for Mankind, when a hero like Charles Phoenix helps us take down the purple and black, shower off the ashes of penitence and look to the Resurrection.

I would have opted for the ground lamb, but then again, I am but a harmless drudge.

Sacred Heart Easter Mass, Crying Babies and Creepy Easter Bunnies

Clare and I just returned from Mass at Sacred Heart Church tucked in a tough neighborhood hinterland between Morgan Park and Washington Heights at 116th & Church Street.

For my trio of readers, Sacred Heart Church is my house of worship, though I live in St. Cajetan Parish. Sacred Heart is an old French Mission Church that was saved from Cardinal Bernardin's wrecking ball years ago, thanks to Father Veder and the many people who worship and support this gem of humility, simplicity, and traditional Catholic worship in Chicago.

Sacred Heart is served by Father Flynn and a cadre of great priests like Fathers McKenna and Gallagher. Father McKenna is a classically trained musician. Father Gallagher spent most of his life as a missionary in Mexico. Father Gallgher is, in my opinion, the best homilist I have ever listened to - I have heard many homilists and listened to very few.

Father Gallagher springs out of the Gospel. He is in his late seventies and beset by rusty joints and struggles up the almost vertical stairs to the chapel itself. No set-backs or stumbles once the man bows at the altar - he is spiritually athletic. He springs out of the Gospel with words that actually connect with the people in pews - the Church: cops, firemen, teachers, lawyers, radio hosts, City workers, housewives and many, many, many babies and toddlers -today in particular.

I love watching the little guys (gender neutral) at Mass - duked up in a sharp vest and maybe a man-guy tie; gorgeously turned out little heart-breakers in white anklettes, purses and straw bonnets with white prayer books, or kid friendly rosaries; toddlers with zip-lock bags of Capt. Crunch or more wholesome treats. There is no crying room at Sacred Heart, but plenty of room for crying. Today, the wee-ones matched the Baritone Boom-Box Voxed Terry McEldowney at Pange Lingua and Panis Angelicus. The Wave of Toddler Outrage swept the Church sinister et dextra from Virgin Mary side to St. Joseph and back and seemed to be rooted in the stuffed Easter Bunnies dropped in the pew behind, or in the chubby mitts of peers some rows removed. The rolling wave of infantile thunder Tsunamied to me and Clare as Communion got under way. The noise was exquisite.

Easter Bunnies! Easter bunnies were pointed to, recoiled from, tossed, or clutched amid wailing and gnashing of gums!

Easter bunnies always creeped me out, too.



Clare was freaked out by a surprise visit from Chip and Dale at Disney world when she was two and a half. From two-through six years of age, Clare remained in mortal horror of anyone in costume -Chip, or Dale, Sylvester or Tweety, Bugs or Buss Lightyear, Clowns or Mimes ( the girl always had great sense) any costumed counterfeit character set her lungs on fire and her chubby cheeks contorted and cascading with tears.

We came home and I found a link to Daily Caller's great article by Ms. Alyssa Moody -The Creepiest Easter Bunnies

Those ears. Those teeth. That frozen, menacing smile. It’s no wonder children often scream in fear and flee from this frightening furry character, better known as the Easter Bunny. The holiday may be nice for those celebrating, but bunnies don’t always heighten the experience in a positive way. If you’ve ever encountered a scary bunny, you’ll recognize the pain of the poor souls below. Enjoy these pictures of the creepiest bunnies in the bunch and be sure to avoid sketchy Easter rabbits during all future Easter egg hunts!

Click my post title for more really creepy Easter Bunnies.

Father Gallagher placed baskets of candy (red licorice for the bigger greyer babies) in vestibule. Things quieted nicely. Easter is all about the Joy that follows the Tears.

Christ is Risen! Our Moveable Feast is Constant

I listened to a talk on radio that considered the starting date of Easter* back about 4,000 years ago. This chat was a raction to the kiddie movie Hop, meant to sell product, toys, DVDs, and games as well as secularize a religious observance - nothing new here.

Easter began in Roman Occupied Palestine during the reign of Tiberius Caesar some time between AD 26-36 - the Sunday following the Friday Crucifixion. Christ Rose from the dead after He harrowed Hell on Saturday. Easter is the advent of faith.

Millions of Christians worship God through the Risen Christ, Son of God.

Some people who were brought up in the faith no longer accept that. They tend to be loud and public and political. That's okay. The early Christians were loud and public and political. The big difference is that the later day atheists, Wiccans, Solar Power Adventists and since Jacob Grimm in the 19th century Ostarans, are not fed to lions, nailed to the cross, beheaded -except in Islamist happy nations -or stoned to death - except in Islamist happy nations. The secular apoptles have their 'feelings hurt.' In our Seseame Street Sweet PC dystopia feelings are every thing.

Christ Rose after Dying for my sins. I am going to Mass at Sacred Heart with my daughter Ckare. Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!


*

The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the paschal full moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the vernal (spring) equinox.

While Western Christians use the Gregorian calendar (the calendar that's used throughout the West today, in both the secular and religious worlds) to calculate the date of Easter, the Eastern Orthodox continue to use the older, astronomically inaccurate Julian calendar. Currently, March 21 on the Julian calendar falls on April 3 in the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, for the Orthodox, the Sunday following the 14th day of the paschal full moon has to fall after April 3, hence the discrepancy in the date of Easter.

Meet the Gardener! Happy Easter and Rejoice in Your Neighbors!

John's Gospel was given a turbo-charge by Father Gallagher at this morning Easter Mass at Sacred Heart Church.

The little 107 year old French Shrine Mission Church at 11652 S. Church on south side of Chicago was packed - the Sheas, the Wardinglys, the Reillys, the McEldowneys Brothers, Chief Jimmy Corbett, Jimmy Littleton, the Schumachers, the Vasys, the Dukevichs, the Garcias, The Esplanados, the Finns, the Sheahans, the Knightlys, the Moores, and Hickeys & etc.. Firefighters, Cops, teachers, nurses, City Hall clerks, tradesmen, WWII,Korea,Vietnam, Desert Storms veterans and two young guys just back from Iraq and Afghanistan. They are tough, generous, simple and brilliant people of faith.

Father Gallagher beamed as the two Schumacher toddlers pushed the envelop, because Grandpa Jerry was two pews in front. Father Gallagher called our church within The Catholic Church "The Shrine of the Blessed Intermission." Everyone turned around to cast the glance of recognition toward Baritone Terry McEldowney whose commentaries on homilies - even while in progress - are legendary. " No, not today. This is for the beautifully dressed young ladies."

In Today's Gospel, the Risen Christ is unseen, the Tomb is Empty, Mary Magdalen tells the disciples Peter and John, John bolts to the tomb followed by the lumbering fisherman and find the funeral shrouds and wrappings. Magdalene went conspiracy theory -"' They' have taken Him away!" No they, Toots, but He. Interesting to note that secular feminists and parsing Progressives tend to ignore the fact that Christ chose the gospel's 'fallen' but forgive woman to reveal the wonder of his Resurrection.

John the Gospel writer credits himself with. “He saw and believed” (Jn 20:8) offering a bit of writer's hubris and shameless self-promotion - as is our wont.

Father Gallagher talked of the appearance to Magdalene of Christ whom she mistakes for a Gardener.

That is what the Resurrection and our Catholic Faith is all about - the Risen Christ whom we self-absorbed people mistake for something else. Christ merely says, "Mary."

That is what is waiting for us - we hope and pray.

Christ might say, "Hickey. Your wife's here. What the Hell she see in you? Just, stroking you . . .come on in."

The Catholic Church will be fine. God Bless Father Gallagher. The joint was packed.

The Final Front Ear! Star Treking, Kid! I'll Give You Three To The Door! I'm Eatin' This Lamb Without a Fazer in My Face!

My brother in law Mike Cleary*, publisher and editor of the Will County Farmers Weekly Review roasted a leg of lamb that was pure gustatory poetry bordering on the pornographic. www.farmersweekly.net

Bone-in, Frenched, five pounds trimmed of fat - this was a leg that could have danced with Fred Astair ( read Joe Epstein's Fred Astair), but served the Hickeys, the Clearys, the Holms, and the delicate and beautiful Miss Terry Sullivan.

Conversation matched the bounty of the festive board! One of my nephew's pals joined us - the young lad happened to be a Trekkie the New Generation! Jesus, I hated that show back in 1966. Never understood the appeal, though countless devotees have tried to balance my TV viewing diet of Simpsons, Have Gun will Travel, Roller Derby ( Darby in the U.K.) and at one time Michelle Leigh's weather broacasts on Fox WFLD 32 with goofball and faux-phisticated plots of Star Trek in all of its manifestations.

Not a chance.

I hated every crew, captain, and configuration of the United Star Ship Enterprise from Kirk to Picard to the Fat Guy I can't recall.

However, Young Phill, an African American Pre-Med student and Francophile, offered to treat me to several bits of Star Trek Humor that got my craggy, masculine mug to bounce up in a smile! 'Mr. Hickey, you hate Star Trek, I hear. Check these out -

Question: How many ears does Picard have?
Answer: Three. A right ear. A left ear. And a final front ear.

Question: What did the blonde Klingon say?
Answer: "It was a good day to dye."

Question: What is Thomas Riker’s dating philosophy?
Answer: "If at first you don’t succeed, try Troi again."

Thomas Riker, that's the fat guy! Near micturated my Munsingwears!


These Phil found on a website for smart kids called Neatorama!

I love this place - this is the minutiae needed by the bright and faux bright scholars of the internet!

Not since the bumptious Sun Times cashiered the worthy Zay Smith have I enjoyed the charms of pointless, yet necessary information. Get Thee There!

Click my post title to neatorama or here


http://www.neatorama.com/* Mikes Leg of Lamb is a version for this one by Chef Mike White - Too Yummy, by Half!



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/10/earlyshow/living/recipes/main4934084.shtml

6 oil packed anchovy fillets, drained and blotted with paper towels
3 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small bone-in leg of lamb (about 5 pounds without the bone)
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large rib celery, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cups dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 475. In a food processor, combine the anchovies, garlic, thyme, rosemary, orange zest and olive oil and process into a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using a small paring knife, make 1 1/2 inch deep slits all over the lamb. Spread the herb paste all over the lamb, working it into the slits; season the lamb with salt and pepper. Using seven or eight long pieces of kitchen string, tie the roast at 1 inch intervals. Scatter the onion, carrot and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan just large enough to hold the lamb and lay the meat on top. Reduce heat to 375. Roast for 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours until an instant-read thermometer, inserted in the center of the thickest part of the meat, registered 140 degrees to 145 degrees. For medium-rare, cook to 135. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, set the roasting pan over high heat. Pour in the wine and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain it into a small sauce pan, pressing on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Skim the fat from the surface and boil until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minuets, then pour it into a gravy boat.
Remove the kitchen string from the lamb and cut the meat across the grain into thin slices. Serve at once with the sauce.

Serve with sauted Green Beans almondine.

Happy Easter from The Hickeys! A Message from My Priest -Cardinal George!

Pascua feliz

Obchodzić Wielkanoc

Švęsti Velykų

행복한 부활절

Ευτυχές Πάσχα

Fröhliche Ostern

The stone is rolled back; the tomb is empty! Death is defeated; Christ is Risen!

Every year, this miracle gives new life to me. I beat myself up pretty good - listen, I play the St. Peter Betrayal scene seven days a week and a matinee on Sunday - and Easter reminds me that God's Son sacrificed Himself to free me of sin.

This Feast day is our reason to be. Happy Easter! Joyous Passover - remember we dovetail with Passover. I love Passover! To Joe Epstein, Reuben Vernof, Ron Gidwitz, Bob Rosenthal, Bert Odelson,Hackey Reitman, Gary Saul Morson, Si Blitzstein, Jeff Tessler, Bunny Cohen, the late great Danny Levi Mosel Tov! Passover that Leg of Lamb. Just kidding. No I'm not. I respect the sanctity of that night, but I do love roasted Lamb!

Here is what Easter is all about from my favorite priest in this Archdiocese - Francis Cardinal George:

Easter Sunday

Christ’s resurrection brings him and promises us new life. Not just eternal life, although that’s part of it, but genuinely new life. Change is hard, as so many people tell me and as I know myself. Left to our own devices, we’d probably just settle for an improved version of our present life. But risen life, life lived in radical freedom and perfect unity with God, comes when death is suffered and conquered, which is the kind of radical change our imaginations can’t handle. Even science fiction is mostly ringing changes on what we know or re-arranging things we can imagine. No wonder Jesus’ closest friends and disciples were surprised.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, draws on an old belief that Jesus first appeared to his mother, Mary, when he rose from the dead. In inviting us to imagine the scene, St. Ignatius leads us to believe she wasn’t surprised. Every mother knows her son, and Mary probably thought: “Isn’t this just what Jesus would do?” As we get to know Jesus more intimately, we come to see that rising from the dead to give us new life is just the thing he would do. It’s called seeing with the eyes of faith.

Jesus Christ gave all of us the chance to dust our selves off and get back in the game! Let's see with the eyes of Faith, like the Man from Holy Name says! Happy Easter!

Code Stupid Part IV - Hamerhard Media, Michael Moore, Andy Thayer, Kevin Clark, Catholic Schoolgirls Against The War and Bloody Sunday

The Nut Bag is Deep. Kevin Clark of International Solidarity Movement(ISM) a thoroughly discredited wing of the Palestine terror network that helped get people killed in 2003 and Chicago Media group Hamerhard Media; party planners for violent acts, n'cest pas? Michale Moore touting the work of Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War - produced by Funded Organizations listed below. Who says stuff just happens?

Yesterday, Easter Mass worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral Annex were violently assaulted by six domestic terrorists/martyrs/goofs/ISM-stooges/ whatever. All six were arrested and charged with felonies. One of their witnesses Kevin Clark, 57 of International Solidarity Movement - discredited by Mother Jones as responsible if not complicit in the deaths of some people in Gaza in 2003 disappeared from the Chicago Tribune reports this morning. Bad idea Tribune - that is why no one is buying the Sun Times.

Turns out Kevin Clark has a friend in Michael Moore - the Reverse Gandhi of the American Left. Michael Moore touts Hamer Hard Media for it's fine work in this guerrilla theatre at Holy Name yesterday.

Hamer Hard Media -Here's Who we are:

Who we are Our history Our partners

Who we are: HammerHard Mediaworks is a worker-run non-profit collective of media professionals and activists committed to media advocacy, skills-sharing and movement-building in partnership with grassroots progressive groups.

Our history: HammerHard MediaWorks was jumpstarted in Chicago in 1995 by activist and communications worker Christine Geovanis, who needed a handle for press outreach to support the family of a mentally ill man who was beaten to death in front of his wife and children by two Chicago police officers. Today, HammerHard’s core collective includes Chris, independent media activist Richard Reilly, audio and video producer Allan Gomez, policy analyst Joleen Kirschenman, LGBT activist Philana Fisher, Palestinian solidarity activist Mahmud Ahmad, community activist Andy Thayer, stellar graphic designer Emily Lonigro and a rolling crew of volunteer partners and interns who keep the work going. Collective members have worked on issues that range from rank-and-file trade union democracy and immigrant rights to Palestinian solidarity and police brutality. Active projects today include tactical and public relations planning in projects revolving around police brutality, anti-war initiatives, and media access issues.

Our partners: Groups with whom we have a standing relationship or have worked with recently include Jewish Voice for Peace, the Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism, Carpenters for a Democratic Union, Peace Pledge/Chicago, the Free Palestine Alliance, the Arab American Action Network, Houston Global Awareness, People Power Can End the War Coalition, United Students Against Sweatshops, Smartmeme, PERRO -- the Pilson Environmental Rights & Reforms Organization, Democracy Uprising, the DNC to RNC March Project, the Stop CAT Coalition, the 8th Day Center for Justice, ISM -- the International Solidarity Movement, Chicago Action Medical.

Here's What They Do:

What we do How we work

What we do: Our collective members provide press outreach, tactical planning, public relations, and training in organizing and outreach to grassroots projects fighting for economic and social justice. The project is run – as it was from the day it was created – as a pro bono effort, although we have on the rare occasion allowed a project to kick us a couple of bucks. Our individual collective members also work on contract to spec on a variety of projects.

The HammerHard collective's philosophy is simple: help get the word out about stories that have to be told – and empower the people whose lives drive those stories to change the root conditions that thwart justice today. That philosophy is imbued with a couple of key concepts:

►First, media strategies must be embedded in a larger strategic organizing approach, so that core organizing goals always drive the messaging – and safeguard the integrity of the organizing effort.

►Second, movement-building is intrinsically bound to community- building, and wherever possible our work is designed to connect groups and people across shared lines of concern and common points of unity.

►Third, our collective strength is built on the struggles and accumulated wisdom of the people and projects who’ve broken ground before us. It is our right and our responsibility to pass these strengths along, free from the constraints of the commercial ‘imperatives’ that commonly undercut social and economic justice.

How we work: We run this volunteer effort collectively, and are always open to sharing our resources, collaborating with people and projects that share our goals, and working with groups to allow them to take control of their own media work and broader organizing. We are also committed to tapping into the burgeoning environments of new media, technology and information-sharing that have evolved in recent years as alternatives to traditional modes of media and organizing work. That said, we recognize that some traditional approaches – including people-to-people outreach and a renewed interest in approaches that are rooted in direct democracy – continue to have enormous value in our work. While we’re happy to manage media messaging and tactical planning for our partners, we are also deeply committed to sharing the skills and resources that allow grassroots projects to seize control of their own messaging and strengthen their organizing efforts.


And Michael Moore touts their efforts on his site:

March 24th, 2008 12:42 am
Fake Blood, Real Arrests in Holy Name Cathedral Easter Service Disruption


WBBM 780

Six anti-war protestors have been charged following an Easter service disruption at Holy Name Cathedral in the Loop Sunday morning.

Three men and three women were arrested at 735 N. State St. at the 11:40 a.m. service. Cardinal Francis George was leading services at the Parish Center because of construction at the main Cathedral. The protestors discharged packets of fake blood. Some of it splattered parishioners.

The men arrested: 21-year-old Donte D. Smith, 22-year-old Ephran Ramirez, Jr., and 25-year-old Ryane J. Ziemba.

The women arrested: 18-year-old Mercedes Phinaih, 25-year-old Regan Maher and 20-year-old Angela Haban.

All six protestors have been charged with two counts of felony criminal damage to property and two counts of simple battery.

As Cardinal George began his homily, the protesters stood up to stage what they called a Die-In.

Protestors denounced the Cardinal for meeting this past January with President Bush, who they label a war criminal.

Ushers rushed in to remove the protestors along with some Chicago police officers who were stationed in the lobby to help with traffic control. The demonstrators also laid down – passive resistance -- to make it more difficult for them to be removed. The anti-war group “Catholic Schoolgirls Against The War” has claimed responsibility for the protest. They took part in the Wednesday Loop protest on the fifth anniversary of the start of the war. The Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice lists them as members and describes the group this way: "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War is a humorous, political street threatre group composed of college students and young adults. The group was formed in October of 2006 and meets twice per month."

After the brief interruption, the Cardinal took a moment to talk about the "peace" that God gives the faithful. He said he was grateful to those who interrupted his homily so that he could deliver that message.

The six are scheduled in court a week from Monday, March 31.

The group sat through the Mass until Cardinal George reached the homily. A few seconds into the main holiday message, the protestors rose from their seats, turned to address the thousands of parishioners in the auditorium and talked about the continuing death of both Iraqis and Americans in Iraq, according to a release from HammerHard.

Hamerhard Mediaworks is also a ICPJ member, listed this way: "HammerHard Mediaworks is a worker-run non-profit collective of media professionals and activists committed to media advocacy, skills-sharing and movement-building in partnership with grassroots progressive groups."

WBBM NewsRadio 780's Michele Fiore, CBS2 and The Sun-Times News Group wire contributed to this report.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=11166

So let's see - Blood on Easter, Six Goofs in Custody, Kevin Clark and ISM involvement, Andy Thayer Local Goofball tied to Cop Lawsuit King Jon Loevy, - you can not make this stuff up!


http://www.hammerhard.org/whoweare.html