Mojo Marinated Beef Fajitas

When we first moved to North Carolina, we had to spend the first week after our closing in a hotel because our moving company was delayed.The hotel just happened to be across the street from a Chili’s restaurant. So, guess where we ate every night? That’s when Mike developed an insatiable appetite for fajitas. So, once we were settled in our new home, I knew I was going to have to find a “go-to” recipe for beef fajitas, or we’d be eating out every night. Typically, you use a tougher cut of meat for beef fajitas, like skirt or flank steak. So, the right marinade is crucial to success. What makes this Tyler Florence recipe so special is the mojo marinade. Merriam-Webster defines “mojo” as “a power that may seem magical,” and that pretty much describes this marinade to a tee. The flavors are vibrant, bold and aromatic. I don’t usually care for beef fajitas, but the first time I made these, the smell was so enchanting, it won me over. And, unlike some other marinades, the flavors of this one really penetrate the meat. The original recipe calls for marinating the beef for 2 to 4 hours, but I found that you get the best results by tenderizing overnight (or longer), especially if you don’t cut your meat into strips beforehand. I prefer to grill the steak whole, let rest, then slice into strips. The mojo is a mixture of freshly squeezed orange juice, fresh lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chipotle chiles, cilantro, cumin and salt. Then you top it with peppers and onions that have been grilled in a mixture of olive oil and lime juice; and serve on warmed tortillas. These fajitas are so flavorful, you’ll pass on the optional garnishes. 

If you can get your hands on one of these meat tenderizers, it is well worth the investment. I bought this 48-blade Jaccard from Cooking.com. What I love about it is it pierces the meat thoroughly, not only tenderizing, but allowing the marinade to soak into the fibers of the meat. (Plus, it’s completely dishwasher safe, which is always a bonus.) I don’t think I’d ever go back to pounding meat again. This works like a charm. (No, this is not an endorsement, just a helpful tip.)

Juice the orange and 2 limes.

In blender, or food processor, combine all marinade ingredients. Puree until smooth. 

Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag. Add steak. Seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate overnight. (I usually put mine in the refrigerator about 5:00 PM the day before, then grill it the next day around the same time, so it marinates for 24 hours.)

Clean and thinly slice bell peppers and onion(s). Place peppers and onions in large re-sealable plastic bag. Add olive oil and lime juice. Shake to coat.

Transfer peppers and onions to an aluminum (disposable) pan.

Preheat grill. 

Place pan of peppers and onions on the grill. Cook until they just start to wilt (crisp, tender). 

Cover with aluminum foil and place on unheated side of grill (indirect heat), while you cook steaks.

Drain the marinade from the beef. Season steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 135° F. (medium done, which works best for this cut of beef). Let beef rest. 

Meanwhile, place a tortilla on grill and let char 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla to quickly heat other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wrap in foil to keep warm.

Slice beef into strips by cutting against the grain (or at a 45° angle across grain).

To serve: Spread some guacamole on tortilla (if desired), top with a few slices of steak, then peppers and onions. I had to omit the guacamole (as Mike despises it).  :(
Additional garnishes include salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese.

 
MOJO MARINATED BEEF FAJITAS
Source: Tyler Florence, The Food Network
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade (mojo):

• 1 orange, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
• 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Fajitas:

• 2 to 2-1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large, or 2 small green peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (or use 1 red and 1 yellow for more color)
• 1 to 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Flour tortillas

Optional Garnishes:

• Prepared guacamole
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Tenderize beef. In blender, or food processor, combine all marinade ingredients. Puree until smooth.
    Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag. Add steak. Seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Clean and thinly slice bell peppers and onion(s). Place peppers and onions in large re-sealable plastic
    bag. Add olive oil and lime juice. Shake to coat. Transfer peppers and onions to an aluminum
    (disposable) pan.
3. Preheat grill.
4. Place pan of peppers and onions on the grill. Cook until they just start to wilt (crisp, tender). Cover
    with aluminum foil and place on unheated side of grill (indirect heat), while you cook steaks.
5. Drain the marinade from the beef. Season steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over medium-
    high heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 135° F. (medium done,
    which works best for this cut of beef). Let beef rest.
6. Meanwhile, place a tortilla on grill and let char 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tortilla to quickly heat
    other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
7. Slice beef into strips by cutting against the grain (or at a 45° angle across grain).
8. To serve: Spread some guacamole on tortilla (if desired), top with a few slices of steak, then peppers
    and onions. Additional garnishes include salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches

 

I’ve been a big fan of Guy Fieri ever since he competed to win the Next Food Network Star. So, of course, when his first cookbook debuted, I was first in line to purchase one. His food is hearty, packed with heat, and there’s nothing stingy about the portions. However, one thing I discovered about his recipes is, instead of getting layers of flavor, one or more ingredients tend to overpower the others. For this reason, I usually modify his recipes to some extent. These Snake Bite sandwiches are from his book, Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It. At first, I couldn’t figure out why he would name a shrimp sandwich a Snake Bite. After one taste, it was obvious. These babies are potentially lethal. No complaints here, though. I love a good sandwich that bites back. Even though these are packed with spicy heat, all the different layers of flavor did shine through. Shrimp, bacon, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and a perfect combination of spices piled high on ciabatta rolls toasted with garlic butter. Everything about this Snake Bite sandwich is dramatically bold and beautiful! For me, this was a double header. Not only did I find an incredibly delicious shrimp recipe, but I also discovered a mouthwatering garlic butter recipe. Normally, I wouldn’t fuss and would just add minced garlic to softened butter; but Guy’s recipe sounded too tempting not to try. (You may want to “pin” this to revisit later, because once you sample this garlic butter, you won’t settle for any other spread.) 
 

To prepare garlic butter:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the tops off the garlic head. Place cut side up on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Enclose the garlic completely in the aluminum foil. Roast for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until soft. Set aside to cool.
 

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in medium-size bowl. Add the softened butter, mayonnaise, pinch of paprika, Italian seasoning, parsley, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. 

Blend well with hand mixer. Refrigerate until ready to use.
 

To prepare Snake Bites:

Dice onions. Mince garlic. Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp. Thinly slice green onions. Chop cilantro.

 
In large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving drippings, and set aside to cool. When cool, chop into small pieces.

In same pan, saute onion in reserved bacon drippings until it just starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup of wine. Stir to remove any bits from bottom of pan.

Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Continue to simmer while you cook shrimp.

In large re-sealable plastic bag, combine cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, black pepper, paprika, thyme and sea salt. Add shrimp to bag and shake to coat.

In a separate skillet (on separate burner), over medium heat, heat the oil and 2 Tablespoons butter. (Be careful not to burn the butter.) Add the shrimp (reserving any extra spice mix.) Cook about 3 minutes, or until shrimp are slightly pink, but not fully cooked. Transfer shrimp to plate.
 

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add the green onion, reserving 2 to 3 Tablespoons for garnish. Add the cream and remaining spice mix. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by another third.

Meanwhile, spread the ciabatta rolls with garlic butter and toast them.
 

Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and stir in reduced cream, chopped bacon and cilantro. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon butter. Garnish with reserved green onions. 

 

 

Pile a generous portion of shrimp and sauce on each of the split roll bottoms. Place top bun offset. Serve immediately.

You will need a fork to eat the overflow, but, after that, the sandwich is sturdy enough to pick up and take a bite out of. However, if it bites back, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

SHRIMP SNAKE BITE SANDWICHES
Source: Adapted from Guy Fieri Cookbook: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Garlic Butter:

• 1 head garlic, preferably elephant garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, softened (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• Pinch paprika
• 1/2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches:

• 6 ounces (1/2 of a 12-ounce package) bacon
• 2 small yellow onions, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine, divided
• 1 can (28-ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or, reduce amount for less heat)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 ciabatta rolls, split
• Garlic Butter (ingredients listed above), or substitute garlic spread if pressed for time

DIRECTIONS:

Directions for garlic butter:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the tops off the garlic head. Place cut side up on a piece
    of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Enclose the garlic completely.
    Roast for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until soft. Set aside to cool.
2. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in medium-size bowl. Add the softened butter,
    mayonnaise, pinch of paprika, Italian seasoning, parsley, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes and
    Parmesan cheese. Blend well with hand mixer.

Directions for Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches:
1. In large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving drippings,
    and set aside to cool. When cool, chop into small pieces.
2. In same pan, saute onion in reserved bacon dripping until it just starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add
    the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup of wine. Stir to remove any bits from
    bottom of pan.
3. Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,
    until thickened. Continue to simmer while you cook shrimp.
4. In large bowl (or large re-sealable plastic bag) combine cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, dried
    basil, dried oregano, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and sea salt. Add the shrimp. Toss to coat.
5. In a separate skillet (on separate burner), over medium heat, heat the oil and 2 Tablespoons butter.
    (Be careful not to burn the butter.) Add the shrimp (reserving any extra spice mix). Cook about 3
    minutes, or until shrimp are slightly pink (they won’t be fully cooked). Transfer shrimp to plate.
6. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add
    the green onion, reserving 2 to 3 Tablespoons for garnish. Add the cream and remaining spice mix.
    Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by another third.
7. Meanwhile, spread the ciabatta rolls with garlic butter and toast them.
8. Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and stir in reduced cream, chopped bacon and cilantro. Simmer
    for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Stir in the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter. Garnish with
    reserved green onions. Pile a generous portion of shrimp and sauce on each of the split roll bottoms,
    place top bun offset. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Butterscotch Swirl Jello Pudding Pops

After a long day, I enjoy kicking back, tuning out, and catching up on a little prime time TV. But, along with that bad behavioral habit comes other pitfalls. Inevitably, you get the snacking urge. While there’s nothing better than scooping out a dish of ice cream, that’s a regretful choice with devastating consequences. So, I started thinking about alternative “guilt-free” options. What about pudding pops? Instead of just combining pudding with milk, what if I added some Cool Whip to the mixture to make it even creamier (you know, like faux ice cream)? Mike was excited about the idea and volunteered to run to the store to pick up some pudding mixes. Well, I guess he had a hard time deciding on a flavor, because he came home with a box of chocolate and a box of butterscotch. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions. Rather than make separate batches of each flavor, I decided to try a more fun approach. I swirled the two flavors into one pop. So, with every bite, you get a taste of chocolate, as well as a taste of butterscotch. Home run! This is a perfect ice cream substitute and it’s real easy to lighten it up by using sugar-free pudding, low fat milk and even Cool Whip Lite. (Of course, I didn’t go to those extremes, but I did use sugar-free pudding.) Refreshingly light, flavorful and a perfect way to satisfy those boob tube munchies. And, what an ideal frozen treat to always have on-hand for the little ones (that is, if you don’t beat them to it.) 

In small bowl, combine butterscotch pudding with 2 cups cold milk. Whisk 2 minutes. (I still use a hand mixer for this, as my wrists don’t hold up well to 2 minutes of hand whisking.) Fold in 1/2 of an 8-ounce container of Cool Whip. Combine thoroughly, so there are no white specks remaining.

In another small bowl, combine chocolate pudding with 2 cups cold milk. Whisk 2 minutes. Fold in the remaining 1/2 tub of Cool Whip, until thoroughly combined, with no white specks remaining.

Cover and refrigerate both puddings for a minimum of 1 hour, to thicken.

Place large dollops of each pudding into a large re-sealable plastic bag, alternating between chocolate and butterscotch, until all of the pudding is in the bag. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the puddings together lightly, without mixing them completely.

Cut 1/2-inch off corner of bag. Pinch top opening closed, so pudding doesn’t run out of bag while filling pop molds. Squeeze swirled pudding into pop molds. Tap the mold a few times on counter top to release any air bubbles. If you don’t have pop molds, substitute paper or plastic cups and insert wooden pop sticks or plastic spoons in the center of each. I filled 12 pop molds and still had some leftover pudding in the bag. If filling small paper cups, you would need double the cups, or more.

Freeze upright 5 hours, or until firm. If using mold, run it under warm water for a few seconds to loosen the pop before serving. If using paper cups, peel off paper cups before serving. 

 Have fun experimenting with other flavor combinations as well!

 
CHOCOLATE BUTTERSCOTCH SWIRL JELL-O PUDDING POPS
Source: Adapted from Kraft
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package Jell-o Butterscotch Instant Pudding, regular or sugar-free
• 1 package Jell-o Chocolate Instant Pudding, regular or sugar-free
• 4 cups cold milk, regular or 2%, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, regular or Lite, divided
• 1 large re-sealable plastic bag
• 12 Pop molds, or substitute paper cups with sticks (or plastic spoons)

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. In small bowl, combine butterscotch pudding with 2 cups cold milk. Whisk 2 minutes. Fold in 1/2 of an
    8-ounce tub of Cool Whip, until thoroughly combined, with no white specks remaining.
2. In another small bowl, combine chocolate pudding with 2 cups cold milk. Whisk 2 minutes. Fold in
    remaining 1/2 container of Cool Whip. Combine thoroughly, so there are no white specks remaining.
3. Cover and refrigerate both puddings for a minimum of 1 hour, to thicken.
4. Place large dollops of each pudding into a large re-sealable plastic bag, alternating between chocolate
    and butterscotch, until all of the pudding is in the bag. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the
    puddings together lightly, without mixing them completely.
5. Cut 1/2-inch off corner of bag. Pinch top opening closed, so pudding doesn’t run out of bag while
    filling pop molds. Squeeze swirled pudding into pop molds. Tap the mold a few times on counter top
    to release any air bubbles. If you don’t have pop molds, substitute paper or plastic cups and insert
    wooden pop sticks or plastic spoons in the center of each.
6. Freeze upright 5 hours, or until firm. If using mold, run it under warm water for a few seconds to loosen the pop
    before serving. If using paper cups, peel off paper cups before serving. 


Yields: 12 pops (if using pop molds)

Vodka Rigatoni with Hot Sausage

If you’ve only experienced vodka sauce out of a jar, you don’t know what you are missing. The alcohol in vodka enhances the flavor of tomatoes. This prize winning recipe for Vodka Rigatoni with Hot Sausage (a Tuttorosso recipe contest runner up) is even more unique, because in addition to the vodka, red wine is also used. The final result is a very rich, velvety, full-bodied sauce that has intense warming flavors and is thick with sausage. Although it’s easy to make, it does require 2 hours cooking time, in order to burn off all the alcohol. But, it so worth the time and effort. This dish will elevate your palate to a magical place of incomparable culinary pleasure.

I had grabbed a can of tomato paste before realizing it wasn't needed in this recipe, so I put an "x" over it.

Mince garlic. Chop onion. Chop basil. 

The original recipe called for “basil” flavored crushed tomatoes. Since the tomatoes I used were not basil flavored, I added about a teaspoon of dried basil to pump up the basil flavor (in addition to adding fresh basil). I also put the crushed tomatoes in a blender to get a smooth puree, as Mike is not a big fan of tomato chunks in his sauce.

Although I wanted to use all “hot” sausages, I ended up using half mild and half hot, because that’s all the store had available that day. So, I added a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and some fennel seed to add that extra heat factor that would be missing.

In large pot (or Dutch oven), heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, sausage and onion for 10 minutes, breaking up meat constantly. 

Add crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, salt, black pepper, wine and 1 cup shredded cheese. Cook on medium heat for 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 5 minutes (to keep sauce and cheese from scorching). I know, it’s a pain, to have to be so attentive to the sauce, but, trust me, it is so worth the effort. 

Add the half & half and vodka. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for additional 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse and drain thoroughly.

Serve sauce over pasta and top with remaining cheese.

VODKA RIGATONI WITH HOT SAUSAGE
Source: Tuttorosso Italian Recipe Contest, 1st Runner Up
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds hot Italian sausage, casings removed (or substitute spicy turkey sausage)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, preferably with basil added (if not add 1 teaspoon dried basil)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 Tablespoons vodka
• 1 (16-ounce) package rigatoni pasta (or pasta of your choice)

DIRECTIONS:

1. If desired, puree crushed tomatoes in blender.
2. In large pot (or Dutch oven), heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, sausage and onion for 10
    minutes, breaking up meat constantly.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, fresh basil, salt, black pepper, wine and 1 cup shredded cheese. Cook on
    medium heat for 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 5 minutes (to keep sauce and cheese from scorching).
4. Add the half & half and vodka. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for additional 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
6. Serve sauce over pasta and top with remaining cheese.