Holy Monday of Holy Week

The Events of Holy Monday
On the way back into the city from Bethany, where Jesus and the twelve spent the night, Jesus became hungry. Seeing a fig tree with no fruit on it, though it was full of leaves and thus should have been full of fruit, Jesus spoke a curse on the tree. Jesus went to the temple on Monday and confronted those making a profit off of the people coming to worship there.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said the them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.’ – Matthew 21:12-13

Those who heard and witnessed Jesus’ miraculous healings on Palm Sunday sang praises to Him, which caused authorities to begin looking for a way to kill him. The Gospel of Luke says that “they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.” – Luke 19:48

Yet overturning the tables in the Temple was a pivoting point. The plot to silence Him grew. Why did Jesus create such a scene? Why did He provoke those who would turn on Him? All was necessary, for the blood of Christ would be the ultimate sacrifice of atonement for the whole of the world. From the moment of His birth, everything led to His execution so that we might live again.

On the secular radar, today is also Nevada Day. Nevada has a lot of sunshine. And sunshine equates to delicious foods cooked on the grill, served poolside. These spicy kabobs with grilled vegetables are perfect even if you don’t have a pool.

One more thing before we get to cooking. Kabobs are cooked on a skewer, much like a spear. The dessert is garnished with Blackberries that resemble a crown. Both are hints of what will come. Be blessed and give thanks to God.

Spicy Lemon Chicken Kabobs with Grilled Vegetables
Chicken Kabobs
1-1/2 lbs boneless Chicken Breast
1/4 cup Chives
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
4 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
3 tablespoons White Wine
1-1/2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried Crushed Rosemary

Place 16 Bamboo Skewers in water to soak.

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes, set aside. Snip chives for garnish, set aside.

In a large shallow dish, combine lemon juice, 3 tablespoons oil, wine, pepper flakes and rosemary. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate up to 3 hours.

Grilled Vegetables
8 oz White Mushrooms
1 large Red Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 medium Lemons

Clean mushrooms, trim stems if needed and set aside. Peel onion, cut into chunks for kabobs, set aside. Stem, core and chop bell pepper for kabobs, set aside.

Once the skewers have soaked for at least 20 minutes, remove 10 skewers from the water to thread vegetables.

Thread tomatoes and chunks of onion onto 5 of the skewers, set aside.

Thread mushrooms, bell pepper pieces and chunks of onion onto 5 remaining skewers, set aside.

When ready to grill, wipe grill grate with oil to prevent food from sticking. Heat to medium. Remove remaining 6 skewers from water.

Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Thread chicken onto skewers. Arrange chicken kabobs on the grill. Arrange vegetable skewers alongside the chicken. Grill, covered, over medium heat until no longer pink, turning once, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut lemons in half. Place on the grill, cut side down. Grill until lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Pull kabobs from the grill and place on a platter. Squeeze lemon halves over chicken. Drizzle with remaining oil; sprinkle with chives.

Arrange grilled vegetables on the platter with chicken. Serve and enjoy.

Great with Vegetable Rice Pilaf.

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And last but not least, today is Lemon Chiffon Cake Day. Now you could serve these amazing bites of goodness as the perfect dessert at the end of a lovely evening. Or you could add these kisses of sunshine to your upcoming Easter Dessert Table. The choice is yours.

Lemon Chiffon Tea Cakes with Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting
Chiffon Cake
8 Eggs, separated
6 Lemons
2 cups sifted Cake Flour
1-1/2 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/3 cup Water
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tarter

Heat oven to 325 degrees. For thin cake rounds, use a square or rectangular cake pan. Grease the pan well before filling and set aside.

Separate eggs, yolks from whites in two bowls. Set aside. Zest lemons for 2 tablespoons zest, set aside. Cut lemons in half, squeeze to measure 2/3 cup fresh juice, set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat in vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon zest at a low speed.

In another bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites until peaks form and the mixture is still foamy. Fold 1/4 of the whites into the batter with a spatula. Gently fold in remaining whites, ensuring the batter is blended but not deflated.

Fill prepared cake pans 1/3 full with the batter. Tap the bottom of the pan on the counter directly before putting into the oven to release air bubbles.

Bake in heated oven for 35 minutes or until top springs back from the touch.

Allow cake to cool completely on a rack or flat pan before using a round cutter to slice petite layers.

Meanwhile, make Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting.

Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting
3-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Lemon
1-1/2 cups Butter, softened
3/4 cup Lemon Curd

Sift sugar, set aside. Juice lemon to extract 2 tablespoons of fresh juice, set aside.

Cube softened butter into a medium sized mixing bowl. Beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Sift sugar, add 1/2 cup at a time, ensuring the sides are scraped clean until the butter and sugar are fully mixed together. Add lemon juice and beat until frosting is smooth.

Beat the lemon curd into the buttercream 1/4 at a time, blending fully until all curd has been incorporated. The frosting should be thick and peaks should form. Add to a piping bag and cool briefly in the refrigerator, no more than 5 minutes.

Garnish
4 Lemons
1 basket Blackberries

Cut tips from lemons. Slice remaining lemons into rounds, cut rounds into wedges for garnish. Rinse blackberries and pat dry, set aside.

Lay out cake rounds out in rows, three rounds per cake. Once the frosting has chilled, pipe a layer of frosting onto the bottom layers, stack next cake round, pipe frosting and stack top round. Pipe buttercream frosting on the final round decoratively, then adore with a petite lemon wedge, and a blackberry.

Chill tea cakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.