We had company for dinner this weekend, and the preparation was a nightmare for various reasons but mostly because of indecision. One result of our indecision was a flank steak sitting unloved in the refrigerator. With Ash Wednesday tomorrow and the start of Lent and meatless Fridays, I needed to use it and some of the other leftovers in the fridge. I found this recipe for Beef and Avocado Fajitas. The recipe was simple and allowed me to use some leftover tortilla shells and queso fresco. The preparation was super easy - chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper on the steak and cooked in a cast-iron skillet (I don't have a grill pan) for 10ish minutes until medium-rare. I had some guacamole from Whole Foods that I used instead of avocados, and we improvised the rest of the so-called fajitas with purchased tomatillo salsa, Old El Paso refried beans (which were really good!), queso fresco (which didn't add much to the taste) and shredded Romaine. I didn't bother with the cilantro the recipe recommended. The meat was spicy but very tender, and the guacamole was a great contrast in flavor.
I love recipes like this one. It's simple and adaptable to whatever you have on hand and whatever you're in the mood for. For me, that always means cheese. My teenager spread his taco wings beyond tortilla and meat to include refried beans and tomatillo. As for my husband, he pronounced that he never wants to have plain tacos again (until I make plain tacos, I'm sure). If I had time and/or inclination, I would have made my own tomatillo salsa and refried beans, but I'm not sure it would make a big enough difference for the effort it would take. For a Monday dinner, it was perfect the way it was.
Bonus! For Fat Tuesday lunch, the leftover meat was delicious on Italian bread with melted provolone, Romaine, and mayo (I wish I had some tomatoes) for a Cheesesteak-kind of sandwich. The spice on the meat made me think I never wanted to have another plain cheesesteak again.
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