Around the Catholic Table: 100+ Simple Recipes for Family and Friends

Monica McConkey reviews Emily Stimpson Chapman's cookbook that focuses on family life and hospitality.

Around the Catholic Table: 100+ Simple Recipes for Family and Friends

By Emily Stimpson Chapman

Published by Emmaus Road Publishing

When I first skimmed through Around the Catholic Table by Emily Stimpson Chapman, I was a tiny bit disappointed because I thought the recipes would be focused around the Catholic liturgical calendar or the Catholic saints. I then read through the Introduction and discovered Emily’s passion for cooking and hospitality reflecting her parents’ love of hosting and how her passion flourished with Thursday Night Dinners at Franciscan University, and continues today, hosting family and friends with her own family.  

The Catholic Virtue of Hospitality

It turns out that hospitality can be very Catholic, even if the food is not directly related to the saint's day or liturgical season.  Just look at the Rule of Saint Benedict! I was reminded of how much Saint Benedict valued hospitality and encouraged the monks to receive guests as they would lovingly receive Christ.  

It was also particularly touching to discover that this beautiful cookbook began as an e-book and was given to those who helped support Emily and her husband Chris through the adoption journey of their three children. 

The recipes are Emily’s “simplest, tastiest, and most crowd-friendly recipes for hosting.” Emily reminds us that our home doesn’t have to be picture-perfect and our meals don’t have to be culinary feats.  

These recipes can be joyfully prepared, even with limited budgets and busy households, and they are perfect for fun, low-stress family and friend gatherings. 

There are thirty-minute meal ideas, and modifications are specified for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, and nut-free diets. 

The cookbook is punctuated by thoughtful essays by Emily about the Catholic understanding of food, practical aspects of hosting including cooking for guests with food allergies or special diets, getting the house ready, feeding little kids, and food prep with little kids running around. 

I love that Emily clarifies the difference between entertaining (impressing people) and hospitality (loving people). 

While this month has been busy, I have managed to host a couple of times, and I made my first recipe from this book that both impressed my guests and allowed me to lovingly serve them yummy food! 

Ask for Around the Catholic Table: 100+ Simple Recipes for Family and Friends at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Emmaus Road Publishing.

Is this a book you'd like to read? Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Monica McConkey
Images: (top, center) copyright 2025 Monica McConkey, all rights reserved.