Steak Tacos

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12-ounce strip of skirt steak
1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1 in squares
1 can Rotel
1/3 cup halved drained pimiento-stuffed green olives
1 tbsp brine from olives
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
8 corn tortillas
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped tomatoes
Sour Cream



Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; saute 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to plate.

Add bell pepper to skillet. Saute 2 minutes. Add Rotel, olives, tomato paste, cumin, and allspice. Simmer until sauce is thick, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and olive brine.

Cut steak into 1/3-inch-thick slices on diagonal across grain. Add steak and any juices to sauce in skillet; toss to blend.


Char tortillas over gas flame or in broiler until blackened in spots, 15 to 20 seconds per side. Divide filling among tortillas. Sprinkle with cilantro, tomatoes and sour cream.

Cilantro-Lime Pork Chops

Juice of one large lime

zest from one lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced

     (spilt in 1/2)

4 large bone-in pork chops
         (1 in thick)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients as well as half the serrano pepper. Set aside 1 tablespoon of marinade.  Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag.  Pat each side of the pork chops with a paper towel.  Salt and pepper the chops then add the pork chops to the bag.  Seal the bag, turn to coat and put bag in a bowl to prevent spillage.  Refrigerate for 2 hours. 

In a stockpot add the marinade, stock, orange juice, honey and extra serrano pepper in a small stockpot. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cilantro.


Heat coals to medium-high heat on a grill. 

Drain and discard the marinade from the pork.  Grill on each side for about 8 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. 

Serve the sauce over the pork chops.

Sweet and Savory Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

1 bone in pork shoulder roast (5 pounds)
2 tbsp plus 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
4 tsp paprika, divided 
2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
2 tsps crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 can (12 ounces) Coke
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cut the roast in half.  Coming 2 tbsps brown sugar, 2 tsps paprika, chili powder, cayenne, pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper; rub over meat.  Place in 4-qt slow cooker.  Add the cola, broth and garlic.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Set meat aside until cool enough to handle.  Remove meat from bones, discard bones.  Shred meat with two forks.  Skim fat from cooking juices and return meat to slow cooker.  Stir in remaining brown sugar and paprika.  Cover and cook on low for 1 hour or until heated through.  Serve.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Jalapeno-Corn Couscous

This is my take on the April 2011 Food Network Magazine Spice-Rubbed pork tenderloin with quinoa. 

1 small pork tenderloin (1 1/2 pds) cut in thirds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh cracker pepper
olive oil
1 cup couscous
2 tbsp salted butter
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 jalapeno cored and sliced into rings
Jarred salsa verde

Rub pork pieces with olive oil.  Mix spices together and coat on pork.  Grill on indirect heat for about 20 minutes or until pork is at 140 degrees. 

Meanwhile bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in saucepan.  Add a tbsp of salt and a tbsp of olive oil to the water add 1 couscous and stir.  Simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes. 

Heat butter on medium heat in pan.  Add corn and jalapenos.  Salt if neccesary.  Add cooked couscous into pan with corn.  Stir and cook on medium for about 5 minutes. 

When pork is done, let rest for 5 minutes and then slice and drizzle with olive oil and salsa verde.  Serve with couscous.

Jalepeno Cream Cheese Burgers

1 pound 73% ground beef

2 tbsp. green chilies

Spicy Steak Seasoning

1/2 cup Cream Cheese

2 tbsp. diced jalapenos(pickled)

Crispy Jalapeno pieces

Hamburger buns

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking. (I put oil on paper towel and rub the grill with the paper towel.)

Mix beef and green chilies together. Divide into four patties and season with steak seasoning.

Grill hamburgers for 7-8 minutes per side.

While hamburgers are grilling mix the cream cheese and diced jalapenos together.

When burgers are close to being done put buns on the grill for a minute.

Take burgers off the grill, top with cream cheese mixture and crispy jalapeno pieces.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Fried Green Beans

So tonight's supper was pretty quick and easy. Also really really tasty. I used a three ingredient recipe from my Real Simple magazine. The recipe is as follows.


Easy Grilled Pork Tenderloin

1 pound pork tenderloin
Paula Dean's House Blend (Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder)
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar


Mix Worcestershire sauce with brown sugar.
Season tenderloin with spice blend.
Grill pork on Medium-High heat until it reaches 150 degrees. (about 20 minutes)
Last five minutes of grilling slather on the sauce mix.
Let stand at least five minutes.


This recipe was quick and simple, but not the most flavorful. Could have used another dimension to it, but overall not bad.

Fried Green Beans (serves 2)
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup beer
Sunflower Oil (for frying)

Heat oil in pan. Mix flour, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper together in small bowl. Add beer and mix. In batches, dredge green beans in beer mixture. Fry battered Green beans for about 3 minutes a piece. Put on paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain.

Chili dipping sauce
2 Tbsp. mayo
1 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
1 tsp. Siracha sauce

Mix three ingredients together. Salt to taste

These green beans are definitely addicting. Could have eaten a lot more. I think I will use the beer batter to fry more food (I'm thinking pickles!).