Monday, July 29, 2013

BEEF FAJITA CASSEROLE - OMG GOOD

I have come to the point where I am just using recipes to get ideas but really don't go by them at all.  Yesterday I was looking for a recipe to use some steak I HAD to use by yesterday or it would be inedible, but I didn't want to grill it.  I also had some corn tortillas that MUST be used, so I decided on some kind of fajita casserole.  I went on the hunt of a good fajita marinade that wouldn't take over night but could become fully marinated by the time I got through canning some tomatoes (which I have become addicted to).  I came across this recipe found here: http://www.hispanickitchen.com/profiles/blogs/flank-steak-tacos .  Of course, I only used it as a "guide".  It called for flank steak...I had ribeye.  It called for jalepeno pepper and chiles de arbol...I used jalepeno and fresh cayenne pepper (I had the chiles but needed to use the cayenne).  I also did not use the cumin seeds and peppercorns but cumin powder and fresh ground pepper since really that's what it turned out to be for her after she used her morter and pestle and ground them up.  I let them marinate just like she said.  instead of broiling the meat after it was through marinating, I grilled it on my George forman.  The rest of the casserole I made up as I went along and here is what I came up with:

Marinade:
2 medium size ribeyes
6 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
1 cayenne pepper finely diced
1 tbsp. oregano (didn't have Mexican oregano so I added a little paprika...don't ask me why..lol)
fresh ground pepper (about 30 turns on the grinder)
1 tbsp. chili powder


I also made a tomatillo sauce but slightly different than her recipe...here it is:

5 tomatillos (pretty big)
1 Anaheim pepper
lots and lots of cilantro (fresh)
juice of 1 lime

I also used the following in the actual casserole body:
18 corn tortillas (you could use flour but I have found that flour tortillas turn a little slimy in casseroles)
about 3 or 4 cups of cheddar and pepper jack cheese mixture
1/2 cup salsa (I used my own salsa)
2 tbsp. sour cream (mix with the salsa)
1 onion
1 bell pepper

after the meat has marinated 3 hours in the fridge and then taken out and let sit for 30 minutes, add it to a preheated grill (discard remaining marinade).  While that is grilling, prepare a casserole dish (I used a 9x13 glass dish) with cooking spray and then put 9 tortillas across the bottom.  Add the salsa mixture, then some cheese (how much ever you like).  Put the grilled steak next, then a little sprinkle of more cheese (I love cheese).  Add the remaining tortillas and then top with the tomatillo sauce.  Bake for about 20 minutes then add the remaining cheese and bake for another 10 minutes (or until cheese is melted).  My ENTIRE family loved this and that is saying something to me because my oldest daughter HATES steak...any form of it is gross to her.  Very easy meal to prepare when your canning everything under the sun.  I went crazy at the market this weekend!!
I hope you enjoy!

No comments:

Post a Comment