Fajitas!

Happy Nueve de Mayo!

Okay, yeah, I wrote this post and then completely forgot to publish it. It's been that kind of week! So much stuff to do so little time.

Just wait till you have children in elementary school and your entire month of May becomes a hectic schedule of activities that involve "making memories" for your children. Field Day, field trips, recognition ceremonies, teacher appreciation activities, choir concerts, band concerts, orchestra concerts, talent shows, and picnics are all I'm doing. But remember to not offend your family, friends and coworkers by not showing up to their or their children's graduation party, honor ceremony, deployment party, or welcome home gathering.

Oh and baseball and soccer . . . and . . . church . . . we haven't even mentioned church!

Repeat after me. "My name is Mud. My name is Mud. My name is Mud."

Can you really plan and schedule and record "memories?" I have lovely memories from childhood. Like the time my mother knocked her ice tea over and it fell in her purse. We teased her about having ice tea in her purse for 25 years! Seriously, whenever we were out and anybody was thirsty we'd say "Ask Mom, she's got tea in her purse!"

Anyway, lets cook something simple and satisfying today okay? It's a hot week so let's break out the grill and make some steak fajitas! As Speedy Gonzales used to say "Undele! Undele! Arriba! Arriba!"

I love a good steak fajita don't you? I hardly ever make them though unless we're camping.

What? You don't make fajitas when you're camping?

You gotta bring a little civilization into it people!

Besides, you cook everything on the grill for fajitas so it's perfect camping food. Isn't it?

Let's get grilling!

So, sirloin was on sale. It's usually a sort of tough steak but it'll be perfect for our fajitas.

See how the muscle goes across the meat? When I cut up the steak I can cut it across the grain. That will make for tender bites. Flank steak is also wonderful for this but it's so pricey! Save the flank for guests.

Yes, I'm opening up a packet of taco seasoning. You don't expect me to take the spice cabinet camping do you?

You want to mix it with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

The juice of half a lime will help tenderize the meat too! Then stir it all together into a thick paste.

I like to poke the steak with a fork a little first. To help the marinade get in . . . and it breaks up the fibers a little too.

Pour it on and rub it in! Let it sit for 30 minutes or so. This is a good time to light the charcoal!

Now for some vegetables! I like bell pepper. Red is delicious but green will do too!

Green onions are delightful when grilled! Red onion is more traditional though. I say use what you've got!

A little vegetable oil, salt and pepper is all the veggies need. The oil helps them not stick to the grill. It also attracts the flames.

Coals are ready! Let's get the onions going. I tend to do my vegetables first because my family likes them really tender. When they start to get black marks move them to the cooler side of the grill. They'll steam a little over there.

Now for some peppers. I've been throwing some jalapenos on lately. My husband loves the heat! Leave them until they start to get beautiful black marks.

Put the onions on a plate. Move the peppers to the cool side of the grill. Throw the meat on! I don't wipe it off or anything. The spice rub turns delicious on the grill!

Flip them over! How done do you like your steaks? Lean meat like this really prefers medium or medium-rare. I cooked them about 3 minutes a side over some serious heat.

Let the meat rest for 5-6 minutes while you load up the table with sour cream, cheese, some black bean salad etc. Then slice it up. It's perfect! It's a miracle!

With beans and rice you've got a colorful meal.

The meat was so tender and beefy! The spice paste adds that bit of salty, citrusy, cuminy, flavor that makes it latin but lets the steak stand out as the star. The vegetable's have a lovely sweetness and char to them that makes everything complete! It's a fiesta for your mouth!

Steak Fajitas

1 1/2 lb sirloin or flank steak
1 1 oz. packet taco seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
juice from 1/2 a lime
1 bell pepper, quartered and seeds removed
1 big bunch of green onions, roots and tops trimmed
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper

garnish
shredded cheese
salsa
cilantro
sour cream


Mix taco seasoning, lime juice and olive oil to form a paste. Poke steak with a fork and spread spice paste over meat. Let sit for 30-60 minutes. Dress bell pepper and green onion with vegetable oil and salt and pepper to taste. Grill vegetables over high heat until lightly charred. Remove. Grill steak 3-5 minutes per side. Let steak rest 5-6 minutes before slicing across the grain. Serve on warm tortillas.