By September 2027. The season is 2-0 and the house has two kids in it instead of four and the kitchen is cooking for four instead of six and all of these adjustments are manageable because they're the adjustments of successful parenting rather than loss. The children left because they were ready. I helped them get ready. The kitchen is quieter because I raised people who had places to go. I'll take this version of quiet over any alternative.
Marco started football at Eldorado Prep. He's a seventh-grader at the middle school — not under my direct coaching, which is intentional, which I established as policy before he enrolled. He plays on the middle school team with his own coaches and his own development path. He came home from his first game and reported the result (they won 18-6) and then asked if I wanted to watch the film on his phone. He had filmed his own position group on his phone from a low angle during the game. I watched the six-minute video. I said nothing for a while. He asked what I was thinking. I told him his gap recognition on the third play was early. He said he'd noticed that too. He was twelve. He was right.
Diego played his second NFL game on Sunday. He caught two passes and rushed for thirty-seven yards. He called me after and said the scheme was different from anything he'd seen at the college level and he was still calibrating. I told him calibration was week three and four work; survive week two first. He said he'd survived. He sounded good. He sounded like Diego in a new environment: focused, present, learning at full speed.
Carne asada to mark the opening month. The tradition is older than this house now. I serve it on the back porch in the September air. The mountains are clear this time of year. Everything is in its right place.
Carne asada has always been the marker — the way I punctuate the seasons that matter. But this September, cooking for four instead of six, I wanted something that held that same fire and intention without the full production of a grill spread. Chicken with Creamy Jalapéno Sauce carries the heat and the depth I needed: bold enough to feel like a ceremony, simple enough to make on a Tuesday after Marco walks in from practice and Diego’s voice is still in my ear from a Sunday phone call. It’s the right dish for a house that’s quieter but not smaller.
Chicken with Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (leave seeds in for more heat)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Juice of 1 lime
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Combine cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning evenly over all sides of the chicken.
- Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Build the sauce base. Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add jalapeños and garlic. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Add liquid and cream. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Add cream cheese cubes and stir until fully melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Finish the sauce. Stir in sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and lime juice. Cook on low heat for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is creamy and cohesive. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve. Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each breast, and warm through for 1–2 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over rice or with warm tortillas.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 45g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 530mg