Mildly Sweet Whiskey Chicken

   Ingredients
2 pounds chicken thighs
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey or more to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons butter or to taste
2 large mushrooms, sliced

 1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
 2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
 3. Cook the chicken thighs until no longer pink in the center and somewhat charred on the outside, about 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
 4. Let chicken cool until able to handle easily, cut into strips and put into a large glass bowl.
 5. Stir pineapple juice, bourbon whiskey, soy sauce, garlic cloves, brown sugar and black pepper together in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
 6. While the sauce simmers, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms in hot butter until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir into the simmering sauce.
 7. Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken strips and toss to coat.

Shredded Beef Chimichangas

   Ingredients
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 (8 inch) flour tortilla
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

 1. Place beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Pour in water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove cover and cook until liquid has evaporated and beef is well browned, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, red wine vinegar, chili powder and cumin. Pour over beef. Cover and cook until meat is very tender and pulls apart easily, about 2 hours. Allow to cool, then shred and mix with pan juices.
 2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
 3. Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. Spoon shredded beef filling down center of each tortilla. Fold ends over filling, then fold sides to center to make a packet. Place chimichangas, seam side down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
 4. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa.

Herb Roasted Pork

   Ingredients
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
 2. In a bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack.
 3. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), depending upon your desired doneness.
 4. Meanwhile, place sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze 3 or 4 times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast and serve.

Delicious Black Bean Burritos

   Ingredients
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

 1. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
 2. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
 3. Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
 4. Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up.

Easy Barbeque Beef Tenderloin Steak

   Ingredients
2 (2 inch thick) steaks beef tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon meat tenderizer

 1. Rub meat with olive oil and crushed garlic. Sprinkle with tenderizer. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 2. Preheat grill for medium high heat.
 3. Brush grate with oil, and place steaks on the grill. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side or until done.

Pickled Citrus Shrimp

    Ingredients
  Marinade
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4  teaspoon white pepper
2 small Spanish (yellow) onions, cut into thin rings
2 lemons, cut into very thin circles (be sure to remove the seeds)
  Remaining ingredients
2 tablespoons old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds fresh medium-sized shrimp (16-20 count with tails on), peeled and deveined olive oil
6 large bay leaves or 12 small ones
3 arbol chilies (dried red chili or you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or a large pinch of cayenne)

  1. In a dry pan, lightly toast the seeds. Let cool. In a large glass heatproof bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and all of the seeds. Add the onion and the lemon slices. Toss gently to coat. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper. Place the shrimp in one layer on a sheet pan. Do not overlap. You will need to do several batches. Drizzle the shrimp with olive oil. Toss well. Sprinkle with the Old Bay mixture. Roast for 7 or 8 minutes for the medium 16-20 count shrimp. You may need a longer or shorter cooking time depending on the size of your shrimp but do not overcook - they will be tough. When they curl up and turn pink, they are done. Remove immediately and transfer the hot shrimp and the juice on the pan into the bowl with the marinade. Toss to coat. Add bay leaves and red chilies. Allow the mixture to cool and then refrigerate for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before serving.
        Remove the chilies. Check the seasoning. You can add a dash or two of Tabasco if you like. Serve in a large chilled glass bowl. The shrimp are delicious served at room temperature in colder weather but on a hot day, serve chilled.

Sizzling Fajitas

   Ingredients
 Marinade
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, or more to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds beef skirt steak, cut across the grain into
1/4-inch strips
6 whole wheat tortillas, or as needed
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 large onion, cut into slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

   1. Grind garlic with kosher salt with a mortar and pestle until a paste forms. Whisk garlic paste, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, chili powder, sugar, paprika, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl; pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add skirt steak strips, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, 2 hours to overnight.
   2. Remove steak from marinade and shake off excess; discard remaining marinade.
   3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Wrap tortillas tightly in aluminum foil to form a packet and place packet on a baking sheet.
   4. Bake in the preheated oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
   5. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large skillet over high heat until oil begins to smoke. Saute onion and bell pepper in hot oil until browned and almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer onion and pepper to a plate.
   6. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in the same skillet over high heat until oil starts to smoke. Cook 1/2 of the steak in hot oil until browned on all sides but still pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer cooked steak to the plate with onion and pepper.
   7. Heat remaining canola oil in the same skillet. Cook remaining steak in hot oil until browned on all sides but still pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir cooked steak, onion, bell pepper, and any accumulated juices back into the skillet. Add minced garlic and salt; cook and stir until fragrant and heated through. Remove from heat. Divide steak mixture between warm tortillas.

Spicy Beef Fajitas

   Ingredients
1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 anaheim chile peppers, thinly sliced
1 (1.27 ounce) packet spicy fajita seasoning
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, crushed

   1. Combine beef strips, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, onion, anaheim chile peppers, fajita seasoning, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
   2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the beef and vegetable mixture in hot skillet until beef is no longer pink in the center and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.