Recipe: Fajitas-on-a-Stick and Mexican Rice Excelente

Fajitas-on-a-Stick
Servings: 4

This recipe is a delicious twist on traditional fajitas, try them grilled on a stick!

1 1/4 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
1/3 cup prepared Italian dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 medium green or red bell peppers, each cut lengthwise into quarters
2 medium onions, each cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
8 medium flour tortillas, warmed
Prepared salsa or Pico de Gallo

Soak eight 9-inch bamboo skewers in enough water to cover for 10 minutes; drain.

Trim fat from beef steak. Cut steak crosswise into 1/2-inch thick strips. Thread an equal amount of beef, weaving back and forth, onto each skewer.

In small bowl, combine dressing and lime juice, mixing well; brush onto beef, pepper and onions.

Place vegetables on grill grid over medium ash-covered coals; grill peppers uncovered 12 to 15 minutes and onions 15 to 20 minutes or until tender, turning both twice.

Approximately 10 minutes before vegetables are done, move vegetables to outer edge of grid. Place beef in center of grid; grill 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.

Season beef with salt, as desired; remove beef from skewers. Serve beef and vegetables in tortillas with salsa.

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MEXICAN RICE EXCELENTE
(repost of one of my recipes)

Olive oil
1 cup uncooked rice your choice
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 cups cold water
Coarsely chopped small roma tomato, chopped into about 4 pieces
Hot pepper of your choice, sliced lengthwise
Tomato sauce (I'd say a little less that 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp comino seeds (cumin) ground into powder
Salt, to taste

Put a little olive oil (Tbsp or so) into a medium-sized pot and heat to a medium temperature, add the rice, uncooked, and brown in the oil. Make sure all the rice is lightly coated with the oil. You do not have to stir the rice around very much at first, while browning, but as the rice becomes browner you want to be stirring it around to make sure it all browns evenly and doesn't burn. It will turn brown, but it's not burning unless it's turning dark/black.

Towards the end of the browning, add the garlic so that it is sort of sauteed/browned.

Next, dump the water on the rice (it will steam up loudly) and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well and cover (with a small air escape).

Reduce heat to medium-low to medium, and let cook for 20-30 minutes. (Cooking time and temperature varies with your stove. Check after 20 minutes to make sure you don't burn.)

The essential rule of this recipe is "Do Not Peek" while the rice is cooking. When it is ready, all the water will be absorbed, the rice will fluff, and each grain will be "split open" because of the browning. It should be dry, not saucy.

You can adjust the spices/peppers to your taste. The recipe can be changed by keeping with the 1 cup rice/2 cups water ratio, and adjusting remaining ingredients.