I tried it so you could know about it (Plated meal 1, steak fajitas with roasted tomato salsa)

My sweet friend Jamie from Law School sent me a free week of Plated for my blog testing purposes. I decided to do it the week before Hogs for the Cause because between work, my personal life and stressing over logistics of camping out and watching the smoker with the forecast calling for rain, I needed a break!  Well it really wasn't a break from cooking, you still cook, it is just all set out for you and the instructions tell you exactly what to do with pictures...kind of like this blog!

I was so excited to see the box on my front stoop when I got home from my nieces' birthday party.  I brought it in and set out to get cooking!  I am just going to go step by step here, it is just easier.

As an ad major, I am kind of a nerd for fonts.  I love theirs' so much!
Natural light when you live in a basement apartment is so hard to capture! Looking tasty!
Made me think of Hollygrove Market...What's in the box?
I decided to make the Steak Fajitas first.
The instructions called for two different kinds of cuts, thin and thick.
If you know me, you know I do not think this is enough garlic!
Marinade the steak, I decided to be green and reuse the packaging!
The tomato gets chopped and will roast with the onions that was cut thick
Wrap up the tortillas and place in the oven to warm.
Mmm, roasted.
The meat comes out the marinade. And then you cook the marinade.
Maybe I am a germaphobe, but I usually throw the marinade away, how about you?
Let's make some salsa!
All you do is chop!
And here is our repurposed marinade.
Sear the steak on both sides for a few minutes
And let it rest so the juices can rest too.
Look at that, cooked perfectly!
Looking Good!
Didn't taste half bad either!
Super easy too!
So here's my deal. I like to make my own rules in the kitchen and I like what I like. This was enjoyable enough, but I thought some things needed tweaking for my personal tastes. I should have just done that but I wanted to make sure I did it exactly like they instructed so you would get a proper review. The salsa in this recipe really surprised me in how much flavor it had.

If you are not someone who likes to meal plan or are not confident about your skills in the kitchen this is for you! Everything is so easy, foolproof and the ingredients are all natural and for the most part, sustainably sourced. This was not a recipe I would find out of the ordinary, but my other one is and that makes it more fun! That will get a post next week.  Have you tried Plated? What did you think? Recipe below.

Classic Steak Fajitas (Courtesy of Plated)

Ingredients in box:
2 cloves garlic
1 red onion, divided
1 lime
1 yellow bell pepper
4 ounces plum tomatoes
10 ounces inside round steak
6 flour tortillas
1 tablespoon ground cumin, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Cholula hot sauce

YOU’LL NEED
2½ tablespoons canola oil
kosher salt
black pepper
aluminum foil
baking sheet
large resealable plastic bag (optional)
12″ large pan

Preheat oven to 425 F. Using the flat side of a knife, smash garlic. Peel onion, halve, and thinly slice ½; halve remainder. Halve lime. Rinse bell pepper and halve lengthwise, discarding seeds. Cut lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. Rinse tomatoes and quarter. Pat steak dry with paper towel. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil. On a baking sheet, toss onion wedges and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon canola oil, ½ of cumin, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper as desired. Arrange in a single layer, transfer to oven, and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. While onion and tomatoes roast, add as much hot sauce as desired, garlic, sliced onion, juice of 1 lime, bell pepper, remaining cumin, and ½ tablespoon canola oil to a large shallow bowl or resealable plastic bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place tortillas in oven to warm until ready to use. Heat ½ tablespoon canola oil in a large pan over high heat. When oil is shimmering, remove sliced onion and bell pepper from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Add to pan. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper as desired. Cook, stirring, until lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes (see Recipe Tip). Transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe pan from vegetables clean and add ½ tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade, discarding garlic. Season all over with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper as desired. When oil is shimmering, add steak and sear until browned on outside and medium rare, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes. Finely chop roasted onion and tomatoes, transfer to a medium bowl, and stir to combine to make salsa. Cut steak against the grain into ¼-inch slices. Top tortillas with steak and vegetables. Add salsa and enjoy.

Happy Cooking!

Missy

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