A Nice Table by the Waiter Please

When my kids were small, we played a fun, little game in the summertime...it was called Lunch Counter. The kids would make up menus and pretend the kitchen bar was a lunch counter. They would all clamor around shouting out their orders from atop the bar stools at the counter that overlooked the range in my kitchen. Their "creative" menus listed the typical favorite fare of American 5 and 8-year-olds: grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly and mac 'n cheese.

I loved pretending along with them, taking on interesting restaurant personas. Sometimes, I'd choose that cliche, gum-snapping, "what'll ya have and make it fast" kind of waitress who snapped back at my little customers to hold their horses! Other times, I'd pretend to be quite formal, kitchen towel carefully draped over my left forearm, offering up white or chocolate milk from a good year. They loved it! And, of course, after their order was made, served and eaten, I would present them with an exorbitant bill for my services.

And tip... wow! I never made such dough! Stacks of those gold $500 Monopoly bills.

Truth be told, my kids will tell you that I fantasize about having my own little lunch counter--for real! I would love to have a little spot somewhere in the middle of a ton of office parks; or a tiny cafe in a busy, but laid-back urban area, ideally near small museums, a park and and some cute shops. Lunch is so easily doable to me... specialty pizzas, homemade soup, paninis, salads, wraps and quick lunch specials. Just seems like you could prep at 8 AM, start serving at 11 and be done by 4 PM. Just in time to go home and make dinner!

Ah, it all looks so easy in my head.

Here's a family lunch-time favorite that, whenever I make it, I say this will certainly be found on the menu in my fantasy cafe. I turn to this recipe when I have leftover tri-tip or other steak that was grilled the night previous. I always keep a bag of frozen, sliced peppers on hand, as well as tortilla wraps. Everything else, you'll probably find in your pantry. You don't even have to leave a tip--a comment might be nice, though! Enjoy...

Fajita Wrap
(Two Servings)

1 tbsp. olive oil (or cooking spray)
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup sliced peppers
1 1/2 cups cooked, tri-tip; thinly sliced into 1 inch bites
1 tsp. Mexican seasoning (cumin, garlic, paprika, white pepper, thyme & onion)
2 tbsp. au jus (optional)
salt (as needed)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack
2 tortillas

Use cooking spray or drizzle olive oil into medium skillet set on medium high heat. Add onions and peppers and saute until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the beef and the seasoning and saute until the meat is warmed through. Toss in the au jus (if using) and salt to taste. After about a minute, transfer the meat to a plate and cover with foil. Meanwhile, heat one tortilla in the skillet until it is hot. Quickly turn it over and sprinkle cheese on the cooked side of the tortilla. Place the other tortilla in the pan. While that one heats up, add half of the meat mixture on top of the cheese in the first tortilla and wrap up like a burrito. Prepare the other tortilla in the same way; cut them both in half and serve.