Spicing up Another Tuesday

Hard to believe it’s already the last day of April. It’s a bitch to get this old – the days just fly by – racing ahead to the inevitable conclusion of life. Wow, that sounds like a bummer. I just remember when I was a kid, summers seemed to last a lifetime. In some ways they did. Rarely was I the same person at the end of summer as I was at the start.

When you are little, you grow, and that’s a change. When you get to be a teenager, life changes in other ways. You learn to drive and experience your first serious kiss. (I say “serious” because the first time I kissed a boy, I was five and liked the back of his head. Don’t ask). Somewhere along the line in the journey to adulthood you break some hearts or get your heart broken. I was coming of age in the time of Viet Nam. Boys I knew from school didn’t come home. Or if they did, they were never the same carefree boys again. War steals away your innocense. Yet when you’re young, you seem to be in such an all-fired hurry to grow up. By the time I was just thirteen I thought I was ready to see the world beyone my own back yard. I stuck out my thumb, and it was Big Sur or Haight-Ashbury or even LA here I come. (Which is another reason I watched my own children like a hawk). I once made it all the way from California to the banks of the Mississippi in Saint Louis. Now that was an adventure! Don’t tell anyone, but I was scared the whole time!

I can remember one summer hitchhiking up and down the California coast, from San Francisco to LA and back again. Somewhere along the way I had picked up a golden lab puppy. She was a pain, all feet; into everything while barking at passing cars. I didn’t want to give her a name right away, I wanted her name to fit her personality. So in the meantime, whenever I scolded her I said “Damn-it! Get out of there” or “Damn-it come here.” You guessed it, she only answered to Damn-it. When I got arrested in Berkley at an anti-war demonstration, they took Damn-it off to the pound and I never saw her again. Wow, that was a memory that came out of nowhere. See what happens when you get old?

Getting old doesn’t mean we don’t have things to look forward to or get excited about. Even if sometimes those things may seem sad. Next month, we’re holding a Celebration of Life for my sister, Ann, at the family farm while we still have a farm. (A subject for another day).

Ann lost her life to a misdiagnosed lung disease last October. For those still living, her passing is very sad. But not for Ann. She isn’t struggling for every breath anymore. She is at peace.

Close to 40 of our childhood friends and extended family will gather to remember her. While the farm is our venue, the food will be prepared by me. Lord knows, it’s going to be a project preparing Filipino food for all those people. I’ll let you know how it goes.

The last day of April is also a Tuesday. Time for some spice and Top Shelf Margaritas. Seems that lately I’ve been making lots of burritos. Guess I’m getting my wrapping technique fine tuned for all the Lumpia in my future. Anyway, these burritos were awesome. If you can get your hands on fresh peppers like Jalapenos, Serrano and such, freeze them. When peppers are frozen, the oils (which is where the heat lives) concentrates in the ice crystals inside the peppers. Chop them still frozen, then roast them in a dry skillet. Put those peppers is anything you want to really elevate. Salsas, Refried Beans, Nacho Cheese Sauce – whatever you might put dried peppers into, use these instead. Wow.

I almost didn’t share this recipe – thought I had done that a while ago. Maybe I did, but I couldn’t find it on my blog. If this is a repeat, oh well. And if not, hope you enjoy!

Ro-Tel Spicy Beef and Bean Burritos
2 Jalapeno Peppers
2 Cayenne Peppers
2 Serrano Peppers
1 lb Ground Beef
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can Jalapeno Refried Beans
3 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
2 tablespoons Masa Flour
8 medium Flour Tortillas
Cooking Spray as needed
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mexican Cheese Blend

Finely dice all the peppers. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers, dry roast until the peppers begin to char just a little.

Crumble ground beef in the skillet over the peppers. As the meat browns, break into small pieces and blend with the peppers. Drain off any excess fat. Add fire roasted tomatoes with juices and refried beans. Season with taco seasoning. Stir well, sprinkle with Masa Flour to thicken filling.

Warm tortillas with a little cooking spray. Working with one tortilla at a time, spread a little sour cream over the tortilla. Run a mound of meat filling down the center of the tortilla, top with cheese. Tuck in the ends, then roll tortilla into a tight burrito. Set aside and repeat until all the burritos are made.

On a griddle, grill burritos until golden. Flip and continue to grill. If all the burritos won’t fit, grill in batches. Serve with margaritas and enjoy.

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Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.