‘we’re havin’ a heat wave …’

I love the shift from summer to fall. You leave the house in the morning and there’s that nip in the air. You go out for lunch and, despite the bright sun, the temperature is just right … as if the entire earth is heaving a great sigh of relief … the broiling and baking behind it for a few months. Then Wham! Here in the Midwest we usually get one last blast, some call it Indian Summer, but I’m not certain of the technicalities for that definition.

Record temperatures (It was 94! Twenty degrees above normal.) are forcing me off my October plan. The baseball playoffs have started. Football is in full swing. Nascar’s down to it’s final races. It’s chili season for pity sake! But there was no way you were going to get me to eat anything hot yesterday. So I called an audible, the kind I call in August when we’ve been at the pool all afternoon and I decide whatever was planned will be too much work. So wraps it was.

We had a nice chat: Second-grade kickball games have been put on hiatus by the teachers … Kindergarteners moved desks and sit with new kids … One boy's book report on China brought fortune cookies to the third-grade class.

Little things mean a lot.

I’ve got several variations on the wrap theme (turkey, ham, chicken) because up to now the kids didn’t eat roast beef. This original recipe came from The Very Best Baby magazine several years ago. (Click on the green type for the link to their recipe finder.) Needless to say, I served it cold yesterday with a bag of chips, a bowl of grapes, and a glass of milk. Hot or cold, enjoy!

Southwestern Bundles
¼ cup ranch salad dressing
4 (8- to 10-inch) flavored flour tortillas (such as vegetable, tomato basil, spinach, etc.)
½ cup salsa
1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
¼ cup sliced black olives (optional)
6 ounces thinly sliced roast beef

Spread dressing evenly over tortillas. Top with salsa. Sprinkle with cheese and olives. Top with roast beef. Fold in sides, then roll up to form bundles. Place 2 bundles on microwave-safe plate. Microwave on HIGH power for 1½ minutes or until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining two bundles. Makes 4 servings.

Notes: Use plain flour tortillas or whole wheat for kids.
Cheddar and cheddar-jack blend also work.
Letting the kids build their own wraps keeps arguments to minimum. You might have to roll them, though. The littlest might prefer a set of ingredients on their plates ... nothing touching, of course!