Tag Archives: easy Mexican dinner

Steak Fajitas and Margaritas!

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It was Cinco de Mayo yesterday, which totally trumps Meatless Mondays.

I mean, we had to have a Mexican inspired dinner.

Yes, we had to. Absolutely imperative.

And yea, I kind of wanted to make margaritas.

Christopher was slightly skeptical when I said I was going to make margaritas.

He’s not the first person to feel this way. And let me let you in on a little secret. Most people who wrinkle their noses at margaritas do so because of a bad experience with that sickeningly sweet sour mix we’ve all had in bars at some point in college.

Put down the sour mix. And don’t even think about buying margarita mix.

I’m about to change your life.

To make an absolutely delicious margarita, you just need to make your own simple syrup.

Which, as the name implies, is super simple.

One cup of water and one cup of sugar go in a pot.

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The heat goes to medium and you stir until the sugar is dissolved into the water

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That goes in the fridge and is the base for your margarita.

When it cools down, fill a glass with ice and add one ounce of tequila, the juice from two limes and 2 ounces of sour mix.

You can salt your rim or not, as you prefer. The guacamole, however, is not optional.

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Okay, onto the fajitas. Because as amazing as margaritas and guacamole are, it’d get a sloppy in here without some real food.

I was on drink duty, so Christopher cooked.

Drizzle some olive oil in a pan and toss in 1 white onion and 3 red bell peppers, julienned. Season with salt and pepper and let them cook down.

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Meanwhile, slice hangar steak into bite-sized chunks and toss onto your grill pan. Season with vegetable oil, salt and pepper. The steak cooks fast. Only a few minutes on each side.

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When the steak’s don, toss it in with the peppers and onion.

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Assemble your fajita. Guacamole, shredded cabbage and the steak mixture was our combo of choice.

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Fajitas and margaritas.

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Life is good.

Two Ingredient Black Bean Soup

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Hello City!

Hello city kitchen!

A week away at the beach, relaxing in the sun and enjoying dinners out every night was a wonderful break from the every day drudgery of alarm clocks and subways and desk jobs. But it’s always good to be back home.

As crazy as the city gets (and as bad as it can smell in the summer) it’s home and I love it dearly.

We got back pretty late last night so I only got the essentials at the store – milk, half and half and orange juice – so we could have breakfast.

I was excited to get back to cooking, but the first day back at the office is always brutal. So by the time I got home, I really had no energy for dinner.

And if you’re vacations are like ours, you come home with your wallet and your waistline a little bit angry with you.

Ice cream every night, boardwalk fries and heaping plates of fish tacos had done a number on my tummy.

So tonight would be light. And cheap. And super easy.

So easy that I’m embarrassed to post this as my first post in a week.

I’m kind f inclined to not even call it a recipe.

For this dish you will need two things:

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Yup. A jar of salsa and a can of black beans.

Think about black bean soup. It’s got beans, obviously, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and some spices. Now read the ingredients on the jar of salsa. Yup. Same thing.

If you’re in a bind, why not?

Dump the jar of salsa and the can of rinsed and drained black beans into a pot.

Add 1 salsa jar of water to the pot (precise measurements, no?) You could use chicken or vegetable broth too, but the salsa has so much flavor that I usually stick with water.

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Stir and let simmer over medium heat for a few minutes until warmed through.

Top with some taco cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream. Add a side salad dressed with a squeeze of lime to keep the Mexican flavors and you , and you have dinner on the table in ten minutes and for like seven bucks.

Your tummy and your wallet will thank you.

Chipotle Craving – Deconstructed Taco Salad

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I had a massive craving today.

And you know me and my cravings- when I want it, nothing else will do.

Today, I was actually sitting at my desk and daydreaming about a Chipotle salad.

Yes, yes, I know. Still on the salad kick.

But a Chipotle salad is so much more than a salad. It’s – it’s a deconstructed taco!

And if you’ve been reading, you know how much I love to make deconstructed things! (See here for deconstructed spicy tuna roll salad.)

I just read that back. Make deconstructed things. Can one make something that is deconstructed? Isn’t the thing which is deconstructed inherently unmade?

Pardon my philosophical ramblings. Chalk it up to the hunger!

So what was it exactly about a Chipotle salad that I was craving? Breaking it down to its parts, it’s the crisp and crunchy lettuce with the creamy black beans and the fatty avocado. And the sour cream. And the tomatoes. And the citrus.

I got this.

Ready?

We’re going to make a deconstructed taco salad.

You will need

  • corn (fresh or from the can)
  • black beans (I used from the can, rinsed and drained)
  • scallions
  • tomatoes
  • avocado
  • romaine lettuce
  • chorizo
  • olive oil
  • juice from one lime
  • salt
  • pepper

In a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil and squeeze in the lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and the chopped scallions. Whisk.

Now add in the corn, the black beans, and the tomatoes.

I actually, in all honesty, threw it all in a Tupperware, so instead of mixing, I put the lid on and shook it all up. But that’s our little secret.

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Make a bed of romaine in each bowl.

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Top with the veggie mix.

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Next, dice up the avocado and add to the top.

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I don’t put the avocado in with the other veggies because it is delicate and you don’t want it to bruise or get all broken up.

Pop the salads in the fridge for a bit.

Meanwhile, chop up the chorizo and toss it in a frying pan. Cook over medium until nice and warm and slightly crispy.

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When the chorizo is done, remove the salads from the fridge and top them with the warm chorizo. Warm and cold gives you the making of the perfect salad.

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For an extra flourish top with Greek yogurt mixed with some lime juice. You can use sour cream, but this is a healthier option.

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You can also grate some moneterey jack cheese over top and let the heat of the chorizo melt it slightly.

On the side, what Mexican salad would be complete without nachos?

The cheater’s way?

Pile some chips on a microwave safe plate.

Top with grated cheese.

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Microwave on high for 10-15 seconds.

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And Ole!

A deconstructed taco salad with a side of nachos.

Not quite Chipotle, but good enough to satisfy the craving.