Recipe request

I mentioned the grilled chipotle flank steak tacos in a previous post. Here's the recipe I used, with my modifications.

Take 1 can of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. You can use the whole can (4-5 oz?) as is, or if you want to make it less spicy, take the peppers out and carefully scrape out the seeds and membranes. Put all the peppers and canned sauce in a blender. Add 1-2 Tb. oil (I used olive oil) and 2-3 Tb. water. Blend everything until it is a smooth paste. Spread a few tablespoons of the paste over both sides of the flank steak. Grill the steak. Flank steak usually cooks quickly, sometimes in just 3-4 minutes on each side depending on your grill. Take the steak off, and, if you have time, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. Slice the steak in thin strips across the grain.

In the meantime, slice a large onion and saute it over low heat until carmelized (brown and sweet).

Mix the strips of steak and onion together and serve in warm corn (or flour) tortillas. I diced some avocados and we put that on the tacos. (This is not a Tex-Mex type of taco with cheese and sour cream and stuff--this is the more traditional chopped steak in a corn tortilla taco). This was a very good dinner. We served the tacos with rice, black beans, and salad.

This sauce can also be used on chicken or fish, though I haven't tried it on these.

Dinner recipes

[Just a reminder: My goal is to write something about once a week, so don't get your expectations up hoping there will be new information every day.]

Grilled fish
Fish fillets of your choice (we used catfish)
Butter, melted
Seasoning

Preheat your outdoor gas grill on high. Then turn down the middle burners. You want to keep the temperature about 350 degrees. Take a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and turn up the edges a bit to make a disposable baking sheet. Place the fish on the sheet. Drizzle butter on the fish and sprinkle with your seasoning. For example, I used Cajun on one and Northwoods on the others (Penzey's). Place the "pan" on the grill, put the cover down, and cook for about 10 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Serve with rice and a salad for a complete dinner. The children liked this meal.

Dinner recipes

Here is another recipe we tried this week. It was a bit spicy, but would work well if I hadn't put in all four chipotle peppers.

Beef chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, well rinsed
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 Tb. chili powder (depending on taste)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced (optional)

Brown the beef and sauté the onion. Either add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or put all the ingredients in a greased slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours or so.

Oven fritatta

Here's another dinner recipe, based on a recipe from one of the Moosewood cookbooks.

Oven fritatta

1-2 cups cooked rice or cooked diced potatoes
1 cup sauteed onions
2-4 cups steamed vegetables
1-2 cups shredded cheese
6 eggs
4 oz. cream cheese
1-1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Other spices as desired

Grease or oil a baking dish. Layer the rice or potatoes, onions, vegetables, and cheese. Mix the eggs, cream cheese, milk, salt, and spices in a blender. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cheese and bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. You can improvise with various vegetables you have around the house. I used a head of that funny green cauliflower when I made it last week.