Steak or Chicken Fajitas

(picture borrowed from ourbestbites.com)

This recipes comes from one of my favorite food blogs ourbestbites.com. I've made it twice and the hubs has raved both times. He said if he closed his eyes he felt like he was eating fajitas at a good restaurant. I think it's especially delicious because you marinade the meat (I used chicken) and vegetables beforehand and then grill them all which adds a lot of yummy flavor. If you are a fan of Mexican food, I would definitely give this recipe a try!

Chicken or Steak Fajitas

Measurements of meat and vegetables are approximate. Adjust depending on your preference and the number of people you’re serving. This will serve about 4-6.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or steak
2-3 bell peppers, stem and membranes removed and peppers quartered
1 large onion (any color/variety) sliced into 1/2″ slices
Marinade:
1/4 C fresh lime juice
1/3 C water
2 T vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
3 t vinegar
2 t soy sauce
1-2 t liquid smoke*
1 t salt
1/2 t chili powder, or chipotle chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/4 t onion powder

*If you’re not familiar with liquid smoke, you can find it near the bbq sauces. Don’t make this without it! It’s definitely one of the key components. It makes things yummy and smoky and super flavorful. And if you’re wondering, it actually is real smoke in liquid form. Interesting, eh?

Place meat in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Place vegetables in another. In a medium bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and whisk well. Reserve 3-4 Tablespoons of marinade for later use. With remaining marinade, add a splash to the vegetables (enough for a light coating) and the remaining to the meat. Marinate for 4-6 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat bbq grill (my preference), indoor grill pan, or large skillet. If you’re using a grill, place everything on at the same time. If using a skillet, slice peppers and onions first. Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side until cooked through and remove from pan. Cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables and cook until crisp tender.

Remove vegetables from cooking surface and slice. Slice meat. Toss with reserved marinade and serve along side any or all of the following:

Flour Tortillas
Black Beans
Lime-Cilantro Rice
Pico de Gallo
Salsa
Diced avocado
Guacamole
Sour Cream (sorry, we just buy that one!)

Easy Oven Beef Stew

This is a great easy recipe you can start in the early afternoon and have ready when everyone gets home for dinner.

Easy Oven Beef Stew

2-lb stew meat (I usually buy a roast and chunk it up)
1 medium onion - chopped
1 stalk celery (I omit this because my family isn't wild about celery)
4 carrots - cut into chunks (I buy the bag of baby carrots and cut them in half)
1 T. sugar (I half this because I don't like it so sweet)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. tomato juice
2 T. minute tapioca

Mix meat, onions, celery, carrots in a large pan. Mix together sugar, salt, tomato juice and tapioca. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover with foil tightly, then a lid. Bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes.

note: When you pour the liquid over the meat and vegetables it appears there will not be enough, but it will make enough gravy to serve with the mashed potatoes. Real mashed potatoes are the best but instant do well in a pinch.