Now the 9th Day of Christmas

My True Love gave to me Nine Ladies Dancing. Dancing for joy. Dancing for gratitude and the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit. God so loved the world, that He gave us His only begotten son. And the Son so loved the world that He gave us the Holy Spirit.

We are never alone. Christ is with us and in us through the Holy Spirit. While the fruits are mentioned throughout scripture; Saint Paul does it best when he outlines the fruits of the Holy Spirit. He places an emphasize on the contrast between those who are led by the Holy Spirit, and those who are led by the wants of the flesh.

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.
Galatians 5:22-23

Saint Paul not only lists the fruits of accepting the Holy Spirit, but points out that in doing so, there is no conflict in Jewish law, thus allowing a conversion. Saint John goes on to explain that the fruits cannot reach their potential within us until we are willing to die to our former selves. This is a struggle even for the best of us, in that selfishness and temptation are a constant battle. But when you look at the rewards, both in this life and the next, the struggle to do right is worth it. Sharing the fruits of the Holy Spirit only enriches the world around us. And that is the point of everything.

Today is also Tijuana Tuesday. To give those Nine Ladies Dancing even more to dance about; I’ve made an amazingly delicious Tequila infused supper. Enjoy and have a very blessed day.

Roasted Tequila Game Hens
2 Game Hens
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/3 cup Tequila
1/3 cup Lime Juice
1/2 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1-1/2 cups Chicken Stock, divided
Cilantro for garnish
Flour Tortillas, for serving

Butterfly game hens by removing the backbone with scissors, then press on the breastbone to flatten as mush as possible. Place hens in a non-reactive glass casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a bowl, stir Tequila, and lime juice with a half a cup of chicken stock. Whisk in the garlic powder and taco seasoning until well blended. Pour marinade over the hens. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning meat-side down midway through for even flavoring.

Heat oven to 425-degrees. Place hens on a rack inside a roasting pan. Brush with marinade, discard any remaining.

Roast hens in the heated oven skin-side down for 20 to 25 minutes, or until just cooked through. Turn hens skin side up. Add remaining cup of Chicken Stock to the roasting pan to keep the meat moist. Increase oven from bake to a High Broil. Broil until the skin is nicely browned and crisp, about 5 minutes or so. Remove birds from the oven.

Spicy Mexican Rice with Black Beans and Corn
1/2 White Onion
1 mini Yellow Bell Pepper
1 mini Orange Bell Pepper
2 small Jalapeno Peppers
2 Red Serrano Peppers
2 Garlic Cloves
1 (16 oz) can Corn
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans
1 tablespoon Spicy Olive Oil
1 cup Jasmine Rice
1 (10 oz) can Hot Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Chilies
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1-1/2 cups Water
1 teaspoon New Mexican Red Chili Powder
Salt to taste

Peel and dice onion, set aside. Stem, core, seed and dice bell peppers, set aside. Stem and dice hot peppers, set aside. Finely mince garlic, set aside. Drain corn, set aside. Rinse and drain black beans.

In a Dutch Oven or other heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and all the peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and the onions translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice, sauté for about 2 or 3 minutes to lightly “toast” the rice.

Add black beans, corn and diced tomatoes. Stir to blend. Add chicken stock and water. Season with Red chili powder and a pinch of salt.

Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes or so.

On a platter, spread out a bed of Mexican Rice. Place hens on the rice. Garnish as desired with sprigs of cilantro. Present at the table. When ready to serve, separate white meat from dark meat and split each breast in half. Serve with some rice and warm tortillas.

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 All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God