Steak Fajita Bowls

  Steak Fajita Bowls

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oil, olive, extra virgin
• 2 cup(s) pepper(s), green, bell, chopped
• 1 cup(s) onion(s), red, chopped
• 2 pounds beef, tenderloin steaks, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 tablespoon cheese, cheddar, shredded
• 4 tablespoon salsa, fresh
• 2 cup(s) mushrooms, fresh, sliced

Preparation

1. Add oil to large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add peppers, onions, and mushrooms and sautée, stirring frequently until onions become translucent (about 5 minutes).

2. Chop beef into bite-size pieces and add to peppers and onions. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until beef is cooked through (about 5 minutes).

3. Transfer to bowls, top with cheese, and serve with salsa.

 

Comments

For years, I have tried time and again to get the *perfect* marinade for fajitas.  Who knew that the mixture of steak, bell peppers and mushrooms without a marinade creates the flavor I've been after all this time!!

Delicious and satisfying (although I could have killed for a tortilla)!

Disclaimer

None of these new recipes belong to me.  I am following the "Sexy Forever" diet by Suzanne Somers.  The recipes and the credit go to her!

Arroz Con Pollo

Arroz Con Pollo

1.5 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, diced
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 Yellow or Green Pepper, diced
1 med. Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, pressed
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 packet Goya Sazon seasoning
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 can Diced Tomatoes
2 cups Rice
2 cups Chicken Broth

Heat 2 TB oil in a large pot - add diced chicken, sprinkle with Adobo and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pot, add remaining oil and onions, peppers and garlic. Cook until soft (approx. 5 min). Return chicken to pot with onions and peppers, add tomatoes, rice and sazon - cook for 5 min. Add chicken broth and paprika, bring to a boil for 1 min. Reduce heat to med. low and cook 20 min. or until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is done. Enjoy!


Note: I also made black beans and served them with this meal.


Oh my Heavens - this was delicious!!

Pecan Bars

As most of you know, I am addicted to Pecan Pie. So when a friend gave me this recipe I was really excited to try it out!

Pecan Bars

Crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter, softened



Filling
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Karo syrup
2 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x15" baking dish. Beat together crust ingredients until the mix is fine crumbs. Press into the bottom of the dish and bake 20-30 min. or until light brown. Meanwhile, beat together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in pecans and pour over hot crust. Bake an additional 30 minutes.

Verrrrrrry tasty!

Grammy's Chicken & Noodles

Poor Cody is sick this week - we had him tested for the flu and he is in the clear, but he still feels really under the weather. So tonight I made a feel-good favorite to warm him up from the inside out - his Grammy's Chicken & Noodles.

Grammy's Chicken & Noodles

4 Chicken Breasts with skin & bones
Egg Noodles
1/2 cup Peas (optional)
1 carrot, sliced (optional)
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

Boil chicken breasts in just enough water to cover them for approx. 45 min. Once done boiling, take chicken out of the water and add the egg noodles, carrots and peas, adding a little more water if necessary to cover the pasta. Meanwhile, take the chicken off the bone and discard the skin. Shred the chicken and add back into the mixture once noodles are tender. Remove from heat and add 2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup - mix well. Serve hot.

Yum.

Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Yes, I am Italian. Yes, I have some kick-butt family recipes. No - I can't take credit for either of these!

It may sound funny, but my completely un-Italian husband brought both of these recipes home for me to try. The first he found on the internet during a slow day at work, and it has been a favorite of ours ever since. The second comes from a German co-worker of his, and it is very close to the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted.

First of all, here is the final product combining the two recipes:

Mmmmmm.... :)

Rugar's Pasta Sauce (Rugar is the name of Cody's German Co-worker)

5-6 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 shallots
2 small/med. red onions
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 carrot, diced
2 cans whole tomatoes w/juice
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
3-4 oz. white wine
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (optional - this will mellow it a bit)

Saute garlic until golden, set aside.

Saute shallots, onions, oregano and basil until carmelized, set aside.

Yes, I know it's a ton of onions, but if you can suffer through the tears, it gives the sauce an amazing flavor!

Once the garlic and onion mixture have been set aside, saute the carrot 3-4 minutes before adding the whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and white wine. Be sure to mash the whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Let simmer approx. 30 min. Add heavy cream and add the onions and garlic back into the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and let simmer 10 more minutes. Enjoy!


Next up:

Chicken Parmesan

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 large pinch Italian Seasoning
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into "nugget" sized pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine garlic with melted butter. In separate bowl, mix bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, garlic salt, parsley, Italian seasoning and pepper. Dip chicken in garlic butter then crumb mixture. Drizzle remaining garlic butter over chicken and bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Yum!



These recipes, as implied earlier, receive two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Beef Stew

This recipe is very near and dear to my heart - it's one that my mom and I perfected over several years together and has been our family favorite for a long time. Now it has passed on to my family, and Cody and I (and Jack Ethan :) get to enjoy it together too! Here is the recipe from our families to yours.

Beef Stew

2 lbs. beef, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 can tomato sauce
4-5 cups water (depending on how much you like broth)
1 cube beef bullion
4 potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 cup green beans OR 1 cup frozen peas

Saute meat in 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Add garlic, onion and mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, green beans, parsley, oregano, and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add beef bullion cube, tomato sauce, water and potatoes. Let simmer until potatoes are tender.



Sometimes for a little extra flavor, I add a splash of marsala or red cooking wine. We hope you enjoy - we certainly did!

Minestrone Soup

Well, I'm on a roll with all this food - it could have something to do with the fact that work didn't schedule me this week so cooking is currently the only thing keeping me from going stir-crazy!

Tonight, the project was homemade minestrone soup. Those who know him know that Cody used to be crazy about the canned Progresso Minestrone, so I have been looking around for a good homemade recipe for quite sometime. I FOUND IT!!!

This recipe takes a bit of prep work and lots of chopping, but the end result is DELICIOUS AWESOMENESS!!! And yes, Cody loves it!

Italian Minestrone

1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 med. onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup winter squash, cubed
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup (packed down) spinach
1 - 16 oz. can cannelini beans **
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes w/ juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup pasta spirals, cooked
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 cup green beans, ends removed
3-4 sliced basil leaves (optional)

**It could just be the Commissary's lack of selection, but I can't find "cannelini beans" anywhere - I substituted with "Great Northern Beans" and think it turned out great!

In large saucepan, saute onion, garlic, carrots, winter squash and celery for 3 minutes. Add spinach, cannelini beans, diced tomatoes, parsley and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a small saucepan. Add zucchini, green beans and cooked pasta. Cook until all vegetables are soft. Stir sliced basil leaves into the soup at the last minute for garnish and extra flavor.




As I said before, Cody and I love the way this recipe turned out - I have made it once before and frozen it with great success - if anything, the flavors seem to meld together more when it's served as a leftover dish!

This soup is just perfect for those cold, rainy days that German winters are known for. Be sure to try it out!