Some easy weekend cooking

Yesterday afternoon I sent John and Mari to the store for a few things to make Saturday evening dinner and Sunday brunch. Some chicken, bell peppers, flour tortillas, avocados, a fresh jalapeno, and a bag of tortilla chips. I had the rest of the ingredients on hand, in the pantry and freezer. First, I turned a can of tomatoes, two onions, the jalapeno, and some garlic cloves into a salsa cruda, using the food processor. I added kosher salt and a splash of apple cider vinegar, tasting it several times until I got it right. That went into the refrigerator to chill and bring the flavors together. Next, I sliced an onion into thick rings and sliced the bell peppers into large planks....easier to grill without falling through. Some canola oil, orange juice, and a packet of sazon seasoning went into a plastic container, with the prepped veggies and four boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Put the lid on and shake a bit....turn it over every so often for another quick shake if you think about it. Next up, some guacamole. I made the kid's version and served them, then added a few big tablespoons of the salsa cruda for dad's version.

We 'chipped and dipped' for a while, and enjoyed a few margaritas, then John got the grill ready and put the chicken and veggies on.

Five minutes on one side, maybe three minutes on the other, then a few minutes on a plate under foil to let the juices redistribute. I sliced everything up on a big cutting board for make-your-own fajitas, using the flour tortillas and some more of the salsa cruda. Quite good! Easy clean up, too. Everything back in the refrigerator (I used the foil I covered the plate with to wrap up the leftover meat and veggies).

This morning, I preheated the oven to 375. The girls had some Cheerios, while John and I enjoyed coffee and read the Sunday papers. I chopped up some of the leftovers from last night's grilling (I still have one whole chicken breast and some peppers left) and placed them in a frozen deep-dish pie crust.

Top this with about 1 cup of shredded cheese. I used cheddar but any kind will do, including a mix of cheeses. In a bowl, whisk together three eggs, about 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, salt, pepper and a dash of hot sauce. Pour over top, allowing it to settle before adding more. I always bake quiche on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling over, which it tends to do. In about 1/2 hour we will have Fajita Quiche! Quiche needs to sit for ten minutes or so before slicing, so it doesn't fall apart. The leftovers will be eaten up for breakfast this week. Quiche also makes a nice dinner with a green salad. Enjoy. :)