When in doubt, add more cilantro.

Every once in awhile I get this overwhelming feeling like I'm not being creative enough. Like I owe the world my amazing watercolor skills or something. Right. Anyway, I get kind of panicky thinking I need so much more time so that I can caccoon myself in the perfect environment that will just pull brilliance out of me. Right (again). Can you sense the sarcasm?

I was thinking about all this again tonight as I was making my homemade pico de gallo. I'm realizing that even when I do have time, I don't do all those things I think I need to do to satisfy this thing in me. It doesn't come naturally for me to sit down and draw, or paint, or write. I have to work hard at it. And occasionally something will accidentally be decent. And I love that. But it doesn't just happen, even if I give myself the time.

But what I do, when I have time, and sometimes when I don't, and without even thinking about it, is make food that I really like. I love a great meal, especially when it comes from my own refrigerator. It satisfies that thing in me to make something beautiful, but you get to eat it!!! How amazing is that? And other people get to enjoy it!!! It's absolutely SO fulfilling to me to serve up a chorizo + arugula taco with lime + cilantro yogurt sauce, and papaya salsa, and watch my husband translated to the 5th heaven as he takes his first bite.

My neighbor downstairs, Lucy, dropped off a beautiful pineapple upside down cake for us last night. It was a fun, sweet suprise to get that from her. And it's DELICIOUS. She wasn't joking when she told me she was a cook. Like, a real live person who bakes. (I don't bake. I have a love/hate relationship with our oven.) But this was really something.

I'm probably speaking to the choir here, but her doing that for us proves my point. Which is this: you can make a good meal for someone by putting your heart and creativity into it and communicate so much care and beauty and joy, without saying a word.

Pico! Tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, serrano chiles, lime juice, salt + pepper, all to taste

The beginnings of tomato basil soup - thanks Bep.

Taco. Arugula, chorizo, papaya, avocado, lime + cilantro yogurt sauce, onions, more lime, and more cilantro

Thanks for listening to my rant and revelation. My stomache is full, and my breath smells like onions, and life is good. Could somebody just remind me of this post when years down the road I'm cooking for our huge family of and run of out ideas and energy? Thanks.

Love you all.

Adventure isn't missing.

xoxo