A Kick Butt Marinade That Won’t Kick Your Butt

My lovely followers on Instagram will already know this.
I have pneumonia.
I’ve had an “upper respiratory” something or other for four weeks now.
It has been bad.
Like I was in a depression over the weekend bad.
I ended up in the ER on Saturday night and I hope I am on the road to recovery as I write this.
I tell you this NOT to get sympathy but to marvel in the fact that this has been the hardest summer/break in that I have been sick BUT I have tons of things I want to write about!
It’s like illness is my motivator!
No.
My opus?
No.
What word am I looking for???
I have four blog posts in the hopper, people!
FOUR!
I have no idea where I am pulling all these ideas, words, projects, what have you.
Maybe its the prednisone?
Or the nebulizer treatment?
Maybe its a gift from God wrapped in a mucus filled blanket.
All I know is I am not gon’ question it, just embrace it.
Excuse me while I hack up a lung cookie……..

Since I have been on Weight Watchers for the past five months, I have had to make some serious changes to the recipes I love.
Like quitting pasta.
I know.
It was a messy breakup but I honestly don’t even miss it anymore.
Call me.

One such thing I cannot give up is tacos.
I can’t quit you, tacos.
I want to quit you but I don’t have the strength.
And you saw me naked and now it would be just awkward.

So when I found a recipe for flank steak tacos over winter that was WW friendly (7 points for two tacos!), I was skeptical at first.
But totally tried it because of TACOS.
The marinade that I found was OK but nothing kick butt.

 

Until I came in and changed all that.
I like to call myself the Ina Garten of meat marinade.
It’s a self-imposed title but I think if Ina came to my house for dinner,

SHE would even call me the Ina Garten of meat marinade.
Ina, call me. I have come by this genetically.
My grandmother, God rest her beautiful soul, was the queen of chicken marinade.
People from all over Richland, Morrow and Crawford counties would come with picnic baskets, bowls, trays, and plates to get a taste of Lucille’s famous BBQ chicken.
Maybe that is stretching it a little.
Let’s just say that a family member, who will remain nameless, once ate an entire whole chicken with her famous marinade on it in one sitting.
And apparently, he didn’t even like chicken.
BOOM.
Genetics.
By the way, I still have the marinade recipe.
If you want it, call me.

So I decided to kick the marinade for my steak tacos up a notch.
I have no rhyme or reason.
It’s not scientific at all or even culinary school inspired.
I grew up in the kitchen watching my mom and gramma cook.
So I guess I did go to culinary school, really.
The best culinary school there is.

Here is what you will need for the marinade:

– 2 Tbsp. olive oil (I will say to pay for the good olive oil if you can. It is worth it. Especially if you want to be in the running for the Ina Garten of meat marinades. You are only as good as your olive oil. Sew that on a pillow. )


– 2 tsp. cumin


– 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar


– 1/2 tsp chili powder


– 3 garlic cloves, minced


– salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1 tsp pepper and 2 tsp salt) 

Now blend all the above together and let sit for just a minute.

Here is what you will need for your 7 point taco recipe:

– flank steak (2 lb if possible)


– low-fat flour tortillas (the small size) 


– lettuce


– any other sides you like. I use low-fat sour cream, low-fat shredded cheddar, and red onion but you could choose anything you like.
By the way, adding the sour cream and cheese makes this meal more like 9 points for two tacos which is nothing for a dinner. 

Lay steak in a 9 x 13 pan with sides (so the meat juices don’t leak in your fridge).
Take half the marinade and rub into one side of the steak.
Flip the steak over and repeat on other side.
Cover pan and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Your kitchen will smell so amazing while it is marinading.
Or, according to your teenager, it will smell “OMG Mom what is that smell? Ewwww” which is adult code for OMG THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING.

After six hours, take the steak out of the fridge and let it rest on the kitchen counter for a half hour before grilling.
This, I have found in my personal Ina Garten meat marinade experience, is kind of a big deal.
So let the meat hang out for a little bit before cooking.

Grill as you would, to your favorite doneness.
I know that’s not a word but let’s just say in the marinading world, that it just is.
I wonder if there IS a marinading world and how great of a world that would be.

 

When you take it off the grill, place on a cutting board and let it rest again.
HEY, it had a big day….being rubbed, marinaded and grilled.
Give it a break.
Like a ten minute break.

 

It smells so amazing that you will have a hard time leaving it alone.
In fact, I may or may not have stayed in the kitchen the whole time sniffing.
Then finally broke down and tore a piece off.
Then two pieces.
Three.
Four.
All of a sudden, it was a 12 point meal.

 

How pretty is this??

Marinade, baby.
ALL THE WAY.
Ina would be so proud.
Scratch that.
Gramma would be so proud.
Yes.
Much better.