The G's Are In The House

Tunas/Prickly Pear is a seedy, melon-like,
 sweet, refreshing fruit!

Pan or Mexican sweet pastries are great
with a strong cup of coffee.

A weekend at home with the G's.  We try to get to the Mexican store twice a month to pick up awesome produce and specialty products, such as tunas (prickly pears or cactus fruit), fajitas, pan, the best tortilla chips ever and guacamole.  There are several Mexican grocery stores in the Chicagoland suburbs.  We go to Cermak, on Route 31 and Indian Trial, in Aurora.

I had a lovely conversation
with "the most interesting
man in the world."

We were lucky today, a lady was serving elote con crema.  She gladly allowed me to video tape her making this traditional Mexican dish.  You can make this at home too.  Typical serving size would be about a cup.  Boil frozen corn (1 cup), mayo (1 tsp or Tbsp, to taste), butter (1 tsp or Tbsp, to taste), cotijo cheese (1-2 Tbsp; plastic container in specialty cheeses) and Tajin or Pica de Gallo (rooster on label) seasoning (to taste, find in the Hispanic aisle).  I'm sure it's 50 million, thousand points in Weight Watchers!  It's a very tasty treat!!

After going to the Mexican store, we go to paleta store and buy a sweet, tangy, salty icy treat called mangoneada, which has mango sorbet, chamoy, fresh mango, the juice of half a lime and Tajin seasoning.  I discovered this a few years ago.  I highly recommend it!!  At least get a small one to share with someone else, but don't get too far from the store; because after you taste it, you are going to want one all for yourself!!  Trust me!!  It's really good, try not to eat it too fast because you'll get brain freeze!!

A favorite icy treat called mangoneada!

Purchase arracheras for
making fajitas.  Typically, they
cost $7.99/lb.

Fajitas (Marinate 2-3 days in advance)

I only get my fajitas at the Mexican store because they know how to prepare it.  I took a picture of the butcher's sign at the Mexican store (Cermak), so you would know what to purchase.  As far as how much to purchase, estimate about a half pound per person.  Ask the butcher to trim off the fat, butterfly and run it though the tenderizing machine.


Ingredients needed to make fajitas for four:

• 2-3 pounds of arracheras, cut flanks into lengths of 10-12 inches, easier for grilling.  You can cut into fajita serving sizes after they are done cooking. 
• Adobo seasoning (different flavors, we use the green cap, which has a little more cumin, you can get pepper, lemon, etc...)
• 2-3 limes
• 2 beers (I prefer Tecate, the beer will make a difference in taste)
• 1 large white onion
• 1 large green pepper
• 2-3 packages of El Milagro corn or flour tortillas (I think one dozen tortillas come in a pkg.)

In a super large bowl, sprinkle the bottom with Adobo seasoning
and squeeze the juice of a lime, then lay down a layer or two of meat, then repeat with seasoning and lime and meat until the meat is used up.  Pour beer over the meat.  I lift the layers of meat so the beer is thoroughly mixed throughout.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or press and seal and then store in fridge for at least one day.  The longer it marinates the more flavorful and tender the meat. I usually let it sit in the fridge for two-three days.

The Grill

We have a charcoal grill, so after the coals are ready, but before putting the meat on the grill, we prepare the onion and green pepper for the coals.  We cut the onion into quarters, then wrap it in aluminum foil.  We cut the green pepper into strips, then wrap them in aluminum foil.  We rest the wrapped onion and pepper in the coals, place the grill grate back on the grill and begin grilling the meat.  By the time all of the meat is cooked, the onion and green pepper will be thoroughly cooked.  Do not leave the meat while grilling, because it is cut thin and has marinated, it won't take that long to grill, especially if the coals are plenty and hot.  If you have a gas grill, prepare the onion and green pepper the same way and just rest on the rack while grilling the fajitas.

When coming to the end of the grilling of fajitas, begin warming the tortillas on a dry frying pan or griddle and then keep warm between towels.  You could warm up the tortillas on the grill as well.

Remove the onion and green pepper from the coals, open up the foil and squeeze some lime juice on the onion and green pepper.  We add a little salt to the onion and pepper when making our own fajitas.  It depends on taste.

Total grilling time about one hour for 2-3 pounds of fajitas.

Enjoy!!  Provecho!!

Guacamole (Easy, I think; you let me know, okay?)  Makes about a one and a half cups

I have never been very good about picking out avocados, but lately I've been okay.  I buy them when they are green and firm.  Wrap them in newspaper for a day or two and then they are perfect.  I am not very good at picking out ripe avocados at the store.  You might want to google the avocado masters on how to find the "just right" avocado.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium to large avocados, diced
• 1 small white onion, finely diced (Use half, add more for taste)
• 1 medium Roma tomato, diced (I use Romas because they are firm.  Start with one, you can always add more if you like)
• cilantro, chopped (Start with about a Tbsp, always easier to add more)
• salt, diced, just kidding (to taste)
• 1 lemon or lime (Start with about a Tbsp, add more to taste)

Dice the avocado, finely dice the white onion, dice the tomato(es), chop the cilantro and add some lime juice.  A bowl would be nice for mixing these things together, ay?!  Add more of any of the above ingredients. Ours is always a little chunky, semi-smooth.  If you want a little kick, but I wouldn't do it, add a little finely diced jalapeno, go easy, like I said you can always add more.

Warning:  Guac consumption can vary!!  If you love guac or are surrounded by guac lovers, then I might purchase (double it?) more avocados and tomatoes and then use the entire onion.

Cabin Fever? Try Starved Rock State Park

Our family treks to Starved Rock all the time, but believe it or not, the time that we frequent there the most is in the winter.  

About twenty years ago, my husband and I stumbled across Starved Rock’s most celebrated Eagle Days in January.  As we turned down the drive that follows along the Illinois River, we spotted several eagles perched on the trees on an island in the middle of the river.  The eagles flock here because the lock and dam does not allow the river to freeze over in winter, so the eagles can fish open water.  It is awesome to see an eagle lift off from the tree branches with just a few beats of its massive wings and then it skim the river’s surface looking for a fish.  Really exciting when you see them catch a fish! We typically go to the lock and dam station located across from Starved Rock and the advantage in doing so is that you are closer to the eagles so when they soar the sunlight hits their white head and tail feathers, which really contrasts against the bluffs of Starved Rock.  It is absolutely beautiful.  Many people flock to the rock with their big telephoto lenses and binoculars to take pictures and catch a glimpse of these majestic birds.  At the Starved Rock Lodge they have lecturers come in to speak about the eagles and they have hands-on exhibits.

In the cold, frosty air of winter, nothing warms you like the smell of a fire from the fireplace at Starved Rock Lodge.  We will go to the lodge to warm up after hiking the frozen waterfalls.   That’s really fun to do on a sunshiny day in winter.  All you can hear when hiking in the woods is the muffled silence of winter and the snow crunching under your boots.  Little surprises pop up in the woods like wild turkey or deer.  It’s pretty cool.  Also near the welcome center, the Starved Rock staff keeps bird feeders full to take care of the songbirds in winter.  It’s fun to sit on a bench and watch the birds bustle about.  It’s a very busy place.  Inside the welcome center they have exhibits on the history of Starved Rock.

In March, over spring break, our family stayed a few nights in one of the cabins at Starved Rock.  It was really fun!  In the morning, when we woke up there was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground and cardinals were perched on snow-covered branches nearby.  We went for morning swims in the indoor pool and then ate a mid-morning breakfast at the restaurant.   During the late winter days, we would hike up to the top of Starved Rock and what a treat it was to see a flock of white American Pelicans soaring high above our heads and then dropping into the Illinois River.  Apparently, Starved Rock is part of the migratory path for the pelicans.  It was really weird to see pelicans in the Midwest in winter.  I had no idea they passed through there.  In the evening, because there was no T. V. in our cabin, our family had fun playing cards until 10:00 every night by the fireplace at the lodge.  Great family memories!!  They still remind me of my excellent card playing skills!!

We want to venture Starved Rock’s satellite parking lots which have unique bluff formations and cavern-like structures. Waterfalls and bluffs are easily accessible. Trust me we are not serious hikers, so the fact that I was able to get these beautiful photographs wasn't hard. That's the cool thing about Starved Rock. There are trails for die-hard hikers too. It's worth the hour and half drive from the Chicagoland area, especially when you need to get outside!! It just doesn't seem like you would find this geographical find in Illinois!!