Texas Recipe of the Month

Eating "lite"

Eating in a very outstanding dining place the other day, I ordered a dish that was just absolutely knock-out delicious.  And so simple "a cave woman could cook it."

One can now days buy excellent flank steak or chicken for fajitas vacuum sealed and marinated,  all ready to microwave or heat in a skillet.  Cut off what you need, put the rest back in sealed bag and put back into the freezer.  Take some high quality larger size corn tortillas and steam them in damp cloth in a microwave oven for a few seconds.  If they are too soft and want to fall apart, skip the damp cloth and just microwave them.  A good salsa on top of the meat, and it is good to go with some guacamole, sour cream (lite) on top, a little shredded cheese if you like, and beans on the side. Add the other seasonings you personally like with Mexican food.  You are really going to like this as a "lite" meal!  I promise!

Big Bend National Park

Canoeing, hiking, watching wild javelinas, some of Texas finest bird watching, desert landscape and native plants, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets are just some of what this 801,000 acre park has to offer.  There are four campgounds and lots of open space to enjoy travel and unhurried observation of nature.  This is one park you won't have to deal with bumper-to-bumper traffic - just beautiful views of wide-open-spaces.

Big Bend and the Border   "In addition to defining the curve that forms the Big Bend, the Rio Grande also serves as the international boundary between the United States and Mexico. Throughout much of its history the border along the Rio Grande has often been fluid, allowing people of both countries to come and go as needed. However, the border is an artificial boundary imposed on the natural environment, and as such is subject to political and social pressures."  Today the border is becoming more and more an issue with each passing month as Congress, border states, and news stations such as CNN and Lou Dobbs put the spotlight upon issues of Mexican nationals working in America without legal documentation. 

Big Bend National Park

PO Box 129
Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

Phone

A great site to visit for information about what to do, where to go, safety, climate, regulations, etc, is:  http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/roadsidecamps.htm.

Coming and going to Big Bend one can visit:

The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute is located 124 miles north of Big Bend National Park on Hwy. 118. The arboretum features a living collection of trees and shrubs from throughout the region, while the greenhouse houses over 240 species of Chihuahuan Desert cacti and succulents that are propagated for research and exhibition. The Visitors' Center contains exhibits on the natural diversity of the Chihuahuan Desert, as well as the Leapin' Lizard Nature Shop. 

The McDonald Observatory is located 140 miles northwest of Big Bend National Park on Hwy. 118. McDonald Observatory Visitors' Information Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Visitors' Center is the check-in point for all daytime and evening visitor activities. A one-hour guided tour of some of the telescopes is offered at various times. Star parties with night viewing through the telescopes are also offered. (See related article about Davis Mountains )

Happy Traveling.