Holy is His Cross

This Feast Day goes by many names. It is observed in various Christian faiths outside of the Catholic Church, although its roots are purely Catholic.

On September 13, 335 the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was dedicated. The following day, September 14, the cross that Empress Helena had discovered and proclaimed to be the True Cross discovered five years earlier was displayed outside the church so that all could venerate it once more in a solemn ceremony.

The first of what would become many rifts within the first church established by Christ through Peter happened in 381 when the First Council of Constantinople reaffirmed and amended the Nicene Creed. This resulted in the emergence of Eastern Orthodox and Western (Roman) Rites. It wasn’t until The Great Schism of 1054 that the split between Eastern and Western Rites were formalized. The Protestant Reformation would not happen until 1517, another five hundred years after the formal split. Today the number of rites within the Christian Community are as countless as the stars. Yet all can be traced back to one. Just some food for thought on this feast proclaiming that Christ died for us – we are His adopted children in Faith.

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It’s a beautiful Saturday morning. I don’t know how your Saturdays typically go, but here when summer’s blistering heat fade, it’s all about getting outside once again. There are far too many harvest festivals calling us this time of the year. Here’s a complete breakfast you can hold in your hand and eat as you go. It’s got Hash Browns, Bacon and Eggs all in one crisp wrap. Yum!

Breakfast Crunch-Wrap Supreme
Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1/2 Lime Juice
1 tablespoon diced Jalapeños
Pinch Smoked Paprika
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Place sour cream n a small bowl. Cut lime in half, juice half the lime over the sour cream. Add minced jalapeños, and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk, set aside until ready to use.

Crunch-Wrap
4 frozen Hash Brown Patties
4 large Flour Tortillas
Cooking Spray
6 slices Bacon
2 tablespoons Chives, snipped
5 large Eggs
1 tablespoon Milk
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Mexican Cheese Blend
Spicy Olive Oil for pan

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place hash brown patties in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the heated oven until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes, turning half way through.

While the hash brown patties cook, warm the tortillas on a flat pan over medium heat with a little cooking spray. Set aside.

Stack bacon, dice and fry in a skillet until crisp, stirring as needed for even crispness without burning. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon, let drain on paper towels. While the bacon cooks, snip chives and set aside.

Remove hash browns from oven. Finish in skillet with bacon grease for both crispness and extra flavor. Fry each side about 2 or 3 minutes. Return to oven to keep warm. Remove all but about a tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.

In a bowl, whisk eggs with milk. Pour into the empty skillet. Let eggs set slightly, then reduce heat to medium-low. Drag eggs with a wooden spoon to create curds. When the eggs are almost cooked to liking, season with salt and pepper. Fold in chives, remove from heat.

Spread Creamy Jalapeño Sauce down the center of each warmed tortilla. Top sauce with a hash brown patty, scrambled eggs and diced bacon bits. Scatter cheeses over the bacon. Fold tortillas over the center, tucking in the ends. Immediately turn wraps over, seam-side down.

Place a little oil on a flat pan. Working with one or two wraps at a time, fry seam-side down until golden, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to fry. Place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining wraps.

To serve, cut each wrap in half and serve and enjoy an entire breakfast held in your hand.

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Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.