My son went to war… and the weapon he carried was a camera.

Even though he wasn’t armed and fighting while in northeastern Afghanistan, as a journalist embedded with U.S. troops, Carlos witnessed the deadly horrors of battle while under fire in one of the country’s most dangerous and hostile valleys.

My son went to war, but I know I’m lucky. He came home.

The riveting documentary of his experience, The Hornet’s Nest, offers a soldier’s-eye view of what it’s really like to wonder, from second to second, if you’re going to die in a remote part of the world far removed from those you love. This is not a scripted movie… this is the real deal with heart-breaking consequences.

When my son announced he was going to Afghanistan with his father (my former husband), I knew I couldn’t stop him. I was his age when I left a comfortable job as a CNN producer in Washington, D.C. to cover the wars in Central America in the 1980s. I guess, in a sense, Carlos joined the family business.

Knowing that Carlos shot the movie’s captivating shaky-cam video while bullets whistled above his head is gut wrenching. I watched the film with him beside me. Some of the families of the soldiers featured in the movie will never be able to do this.

The movie is not all bang-bang. There’s a terrific scene with members of an all-female Medevac team, who risk their lives helping extract wounded soldiers from the battlefield. The story of these women alone is incredibly compelling.

But the movie never lets you forget you are in the middle of hell.

What is it about people who run head-on into dangerous places like war zones? Believers in a cause? Adrenaline junkies? Journalists? Fools? I’m not just talking about people like my son (and me, if I’m playing fair). There are plenty of soldiers you hear from in the movie who go back for a third and fourth deployment… some of whom die doing what they love, leaving sorrow in their wake.

A moving memorial service for six fallen soldiers is, perhaps, the toughest part of the movie. Their surviving colleagues decorate makeshift altars with the only things they can offer… a can of Coca-Cola, a personal name-patch ripped from their uniform, a photograph. A tribute to a friendship forever lost.

The Obama administration announced last week that U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history, will be completely ended no later than 2016.

This haunting movie doesn’t offer any judgment about the war or America’s role in it. Only the ugly reality of combat in real time.

Like I said… I was lucky.

My oldest son came home.

This time.

For information about where the movie, The Hornet’s Nest, is showing in your area, click here.

Ditch the salsa and chips and make something really authentic for your Cinco de Mayo party: Cheesy Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas.

What makes an empanada the real deal? Well, way, way back in the 1500’s when Spain invaded what would much later become Mexico, they planted wheat. Lots of wheat. This was the only grain accepted by the Roman Catholic Church for communion wafers (corn was for the lower classes). With all that wheat on hand, the Spanish began making bread and other favorite foods, like empanadas.

By the way… the word “empanada” comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which means to wrap or coat in bread. Okay. History lesson over.

Climb out of that guacamole rut and try these Cheesy Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas. Best part? There are a lot of shortcuts in this recipe. I used store-bought rotisserie chicken and Goya’s Puff Pastry Dough for Turnovers (you can usually find these in Hispanic markets or larger supermarkets).

There’s a step-by-step tutorial below the recipe. Super easy and super delicious… and muy autentico (that means very authentic!).

Tutorial: Cheesy Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas

1. Gather your ingredients: 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I pulled mine off a store-bought rotisserie chicken); 12 ounces chorizo (Mexican sausage); 8 ounces Chihuahua cheese; 1 package Goya Puff Pastry   Dough for Turnovers, thawed; 1 egg, lightly beaten; chopped cilantro or parsley (optional). (I forgot the egg in this image, but you need an egg).

2. Remove enough meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make 2 cups; set aside.

3. Heat chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up meat with a spoon. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel.

5. Add drained chorizo to chicken and mix.

6. Spray a kitchen grater with anti-stick cooking spray.

7. Grate Chihuahua cheese; set aside. (You can also buy shredded Chihuahua cheese.)

8. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Heat oven to 375°F.

9. Separate thawed dough round on work surface. Roll out each one slightly to make them easier to fold.

10. Spoon meat mixture and cheese evenly onto center of each of the 12 dough rounds.

11. Brush edges of dough with beaten egg.

12. Fold dough into half-moon shape. Press down edges with a fork or twist edges gently to seal. (I tried both.) The fork is easier, the twist is prettier (sometimes).

13. Place empanadas on baking sheets spaced 1-inch apart. Brush tops of empanadas with remaining beaten egg.

14. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is hot. Top with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.