Fajitas!

We adore fajitas in my house - chicken, steak, shrimp, mushroom - or a combination of a few things. They're so easy to prepare, and everyone devours them, I make them almost every week. And since I whip them up so often, I've learned something important - there's no need for store-bought fajita marinade. You can quickly and easily create fajita marinades with stuff in your refrigerator door. Plus, when you start from scratch, you can tweak the recipe each time, depending on the day and desire.

Here's all you need for the fajita marinade (assuming you'll use about 1 pound of meat):
1/4 cup soy or tamari sauce
1/4 cup water
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestersire sauce
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite)
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, or more to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid reduces by almost half.

When I make fajitas, I marinate the meat in the above mixture for 12-24 hours BEFORE simmering the marinade. When I'm ready to cook, I pull the meat from the marinade and grill it on a hot stove-top grill pan. I bring the marinade to a boil and reduce it as directed above (it's important to boil the marinade after it's been in contact with raw meat). Just before serving, I combine the grilled meat and sauce and take it to the plate, along with grilled bell peppers, onions, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole.

Enjoy!




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