“It’s not easy” he said to me with quivering trepidation. I wasn’t sure if the quiver was purposeful or the byproduct of sitting halfway submerged in a hot tub and halfway whipped in the face with mid February wind.
“I’ve been climbing this mountain for so long.”
The mountain, it seems, gets higher, and slippery-r. Lost my footing. Night creeps in. Head lamp batteries flicker. Head ache, head strong…but I too, flicker. Tired.
Don’t falter. One wrong step. “Watch your footing!”
It’s icy now. Darkness creeps in. Dropped my pick. “Watch the line.” I said, “watch your footing.” One wrong move.
Move up. Pull up. Keep pressing. Pulling. It’s not easy. Moving mountains. “I’m not trying to move it. I’m just trying to climb.” Tired.
I can’t see. Pitch black creeps in. “Am I alone?” A black out. On a mountain. How can I watch my footing? I can’t feel my feet. Palpitations. Trepidation is back. I can feel it. The beat is too strong. Too fast. One wrong move.
Breathe. Even to breathe, it’s not easy.
Ascendance. Altitude. Elevation. Turbulence. Watch your step.
Haunting. This frigid cold. The black. My feet. Myself. Alone. On a mountain.
This is your mountain. Close your eyes. Guard your step.
This is your climb. The move is yours. I won’t let you falter. Open your eyes. Just watch. It’s easy.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Sometimes sarcastic intonation moves aside and words of implication come out. I wrote that above narrative because sometimes in life; shit gets us down. It’s best if some things are difficult. But not everything has to be so hard.
You wanna know what’s easy? Fast Food.
We could easily go to Taco Bell or Del Taco…but, let’s choose no. We can make something from home, too. And even alone and in the dark, it’s delicious.
Takes 30 min; Feeds you and few easy going friends, also makes a good hot tub snack
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef
- 2 tsp ground chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground garlic
- 2 tsp onion flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 2 tsp dried and ground arbol chili seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tin mushrooms (drained)
- 2 kumatoes or other sweet tomatoes, diced
- 1 head romaine, washed and chopped small
- 4 burrito tortillas (flour)
- 4 taco tortillas (flour)
- 4 taco tortillas (corn or you can use corn chips like I did – about 1 cup)
- 4 slices muenster cheese
- 1 and 1/2 cups white (or yellow) sharp cheddar, shredded
- 2 tbsp white onion, small dice
- 2 avocados
- Juice of 1 lime, plus more for garnish
- Avocado oil, salt & pepper
- Extras; sour cream or greek yogurt, cilantro, jalapeños, salsa
Method
Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sauté beef or turkey with all ground spices and herbs with salt and pepper, mixing often over medium heat (about 10 min). Add mushrooms and taste to adjust seasoning.
While meat is cooking, place muenster slices on a greased piece of foil. I used canola spray.
Place muenster in oven for 5-6 minutes until the edges are blackened and the cheese is bubbling. Remove and let cool.
Turn oven down to 350F and assemble your station.
Heat the burritos in the oven for about 1 min each, so they are warm and pliable.
Assemble as follows: tortilla topped with meat, cheddar, chips or corn tortilla, muenster slice, onion, romaine and tomatoes.
Top this mixture with the flour taco shell and press down gently.
Fold burrito edges inward tightly creating a spiral-like look and immediately place seam side down in a heated sauté pan.
Cook for 4-5 min per side, until golden. Serve with avocados mashed with lime and cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, salsa, etc.
How easy was that?
Seriously though, when life feels oppressive…I recommend sitting in hot tub (or bath tub) with a good bottle of corona and hashing out the nonsense. It might not be painless, but it will be pertinent. Elevate yourself.
No excuses. Go climb your mountain.
Wanna know what else tastes delicious on a mountain?
