Beef Fajitas

Because I love yummy food. And this is easy, too! When you are cutting the steak, after it has rested, be sure to reserve the juices for serving.

Ingredients
1 flank steak (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (do not separate into rings)
1 green bell pepper, prepared as below
1 red bell pepper, prepared as below
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, prepared as below
1 lime, halved (one have juiced and one half cut into wedges and reserved for serving)
salt and pepper

Accompaniments:
Tortillas
Crema Agria (or traditional sour cream)
Salsa
Guacamole (or chopped avocado)

1. Preheat gas grill on high for 15 minutes.

2. Generously sprinkle both sides of steak with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Grill steak, covered, until well seared and dark brown on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; continue grilling until interior of meat is slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it, 2 to 5 minutes more for rare or medium-rare (depending on thickness of steak).

3. Transfer meat to cutting board; cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

4. While meat rests, turn burners to medium. Grill onions and peppers, covered, turning occasionally, until onions are lightly charred, about 6 minutes, and peppers are streaked with dark grill marks, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from grill and cut into long, thin strips; set aside.

5. Slice steak very thin on bias against grain; adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper. Arrange sliced meat and vegetables on large platter; serve immediately with tortillas, passing salsa, guacamole and sour cream separately.


STEP BY STEP: Cutting Peppers For the Grill


Remove and discard a thin slice from the top and bottom of each pepper. Pull out the seeds. Slice down one side of the pepper, then lay it flat, skin side down. Slide a sharp knife along the inside of the pepper to remove the ribs.

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Icing

Because it is so good. And because I already blogged about it. I cut and pasted from Cooks Illustrated. Awesome snack cake for after school or just because.

Do not use old-fashioned or instant oats for this recipe. Be sure to use a metal baking dish; glass pans are not recommended when broiling. If you have a drawer-style broiler (underneath the oven), position the rack as far as possible from the broiler element and monitor the icing carefully as it cooks in step 5. A vertical sawing motion with a serrated knife works best for cutting through the crunchy icing and tender crumb.

See Illustrations Below: Double-Foil Sling

INGREDIENTS
Cake
1 cup (3 ounces) quick-cooking oats (see note)
3/4 cup water , room temperature
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , softened
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
1 large egg , room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Broiled Icing
1/4 cup packed (1 3/4 ounces) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) pecans , chopped

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut two 16-inch lengths aluminum foil and fold both lengthwise to 5-inch widths. Spray 8- by 8-inch metal baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Following illustration 1 below, fit foil pieces into baking dish, one overlapping the other, pushing them into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine oats and water in medium bowl and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
3. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until combined and mixture has consistency of damp sand, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula halfway through mixing. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in 2 additions and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add soaked oats and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.
4. Give batter final stir with rubber spatula to make sure thoroughly combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan and lightly tap against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles; smooth surface with spatula. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool slightly in pan, at least 10 minutes.
5. FOR THE BROILED ICING: While cake cools, adjust oven rack about 9 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. In medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, melted butter, and milk together; stir in coconut and pecans. Spread mixture evenly over warm cake. Broil until topping is bubbling and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Let cake cool in pan 1 hour. Following illustration 2, transfer cake to serving platter, then discard foil. Cut cake into squares and serve.

STEP BY STEP: Double-Foil Sling

1. To transfer our exceptionally tender cake to a platter without it crumbling, we devised a novel solution. Cut two 16-inch pieces aluminum foil and fold into 5-inch widths. Press one piece of foil into pan. Repeat with second piece, overlapping pieces by about 1 inch.

2. Once cake has cooled, pick up overhanging edges of foil and transfer cake to flat surface or platter. Gently push side of cake with knife and remove foil, one piece at a time.

Peach Cobbler (dutch oven)

by Rob Goulding
2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar ½ tsp baking soda
1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt ½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
Put 12-15 briquettes under the oven and 12 - 15 on the lid to preheat the oven
Combine in a large mixing bowl and cut in a ½ cup Crisco.
Drain the juice from three quarts peaches (Save the juice)
Line the 14" dutch oven with tin foil and pour in the peaches
Pour 1 ½ cups of the juice over the peaches
Cover the peaches with the mixture
Pour a cup or so Sprite or 7-Up over the mixture.
Sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans on evenly
Dribble 1 cube melted butter over the mixture.
Cook for about 45 minutes or until browned.

Carrot Cake and Icing

by: Rob Goulding
4 eggs 1 ½ tsp soda
2 cups sugar 1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ cups vegetable oil ½ - 1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla 2 cups grated carrots
3 cups flour 1 cup chopped nuts
2 T grated orange or lemon rind 1 cup pureed pineapple
2 tsp cinnamon
Combine eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, orange rind, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt. Add grated carrots, nuts, and pineapple. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes -- until done.
Frosting:
1 stick margarine
1 package cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla (or maple flavoring - ½ tsp)
about three cups powdered sugar (add to attain the proper consistency)
Blend the ingredients
Ice cake and top with ½ cup chopped walnuts.

Mr. Z's Apple Pie Crust and Filling Pastry

Sift ¾ cup flour and ½ tsp salt
Using a pastry blender, cut ¾ cup Crisco shortening into flour
and salt (mixture should resemble small peas)
Add 2 ½ Tbs cold water (by teaspoonful) tossing with a fork
Until dry ingredients are barely damp
Knead ball of pastry 3 or 4 times.
Roll out on lightly floured board to a circle 2 ½ times larger than the pie pan.
Pat into pan, folding excess into a built-up edge, then flute.
Filling
Core and peel 3 or 4 green apples (Granny Smith)
Slice the apples and sprinkle with 1/3 cup brown sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon
Place in pastry shell and add topping:
Sift together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 6 Tbs. Flour
Cut in 2 ½ Tbs butter
Spread the mixture over apples in pie shell.
Bake at 425° for 45 to 50 minutes until apples are soft and crumbs a golden brown

Extra Special Cookies for VIPs

by: Rob Goulding
(Makes enough for four hungry teen-aged boys - about 100)
2 cups margarine
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
24 oz. Chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ginger
1 - 8 oz Hershey chocolate bar, grated
4 cups flour
3 cups chopped nuts
5 cups oatmeal - blend to a powder
Directions
Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, ginger and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350°.

Strawberry Cream Cheesecake

Crust
3 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 18)
¾ cup melted butter
Filling
3 tablespoons raspberry-flavored (or strawberry) Jello
1/3 cup water
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup (4 oz) shaved Hershey candy bar
Garnish
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry flavored syrup
¼ cup fresh strawberries (halved) or raspberries
1. Heat oven to 350°
2. Crust: In a large bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of 9 inch pie pan.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on wire rack and cool.
4. Filling: In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over the water. Let stand until the gelatin is softened. Heat over a medium heat until gelatin is melted and liquid is clear. Let cool slightly.
5. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add condensed milk and beat until smooth. On low speed, drizzle in the gelatin mixture. Increase to medium high speed and beat for two minutes or until smooth.
6. In medium-sized bowl, beat the ¾ cup heavy cream on medium speed until foamy. Increase to medium high speed until peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream and shaved chocolate into cream cheese. Spoon the mixture into crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
7. Garnish: In medium-size bowl, beat together the ½ cup heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Drizzle in the syrup. Beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream onto the pie or fill a pastry bag and decorate the pie…