South of the Border

"Pedro says".... If you have ever have driven U.S. Route 95 anywhere near the vicinity of the North/ South Carolina border, you certainly know this saying. What I am refering to is that way-way-way over hyped up rest stop found just 'south of the border' between those two states. The billboards must advertise your approach from either direction for at least 100 miles and as a kid driving over winter break to Florida with my family, my brother and I took delight in seeing them and then pestering our parents to stop at this most classic of American rest stops. Sometimes we did, sometimes not, but once inside, it just never seemed to live up to the hype as promised.

These days, as most weeks find me at some sort of workplace or another pretty much 7 days a weeks and somewhere in the neighborhood of 65 to 75 hours, the available time to think about, plan, purchase groceries and prepare nice meals with intent is small. In doing so, I try to be inventive, variable and fun in finding recipes that can spur conversation, ones that we both would enjoy, ones to open up our world to a larger one with foods and cooking styles we might not be familiar with, or even to take treasured favorites and make them into something new and different and unexpected. It is a 'extra' task with my work schedule, but is just part of the things you sometimes have to do to keep good food on the table, along with a shelter over my family, clothes on our backs, etc...etc... you get the picture. This is a difficult time. Even within what I have asked myself to do (make a nice dinner for Hayden and I to have a personal meal time together) it is all very much worth the effort it takes. It is not just some empty hype as Pedro would extoll. Sometimes though, on some days, it just needs to be easier.

This meal is in that vein, is a much simpler one of Mexican heritage, but one that was good, non the less for the pallet. Simply a burrito, made with some good steak (thanks Charles for your gift), salsa (which I did make), sour cream, refried bean and cilantro. I added in a side dish of some mexican rice, which is not pictured here, but he and I both enjoyed our time together, him sharing his discovery a new phone game, 'Clash of Clans' in the process. It's an interesting game and we had fun, engaging in strategic fashioning of our little 'clan', in sharing this task together....and in being a part of building my tiny online town! Small things to enjoy with him. I miss playing these small games with friends and the little moments of connection during the day. All good things to share in addition to this good food for which we are thankful... all of which is important.