To appropriately prepare this meal…you need to plan 4 hours in advance for marinating the meat

It’s the night before the two-day holiday cooking marathon. I didn’t want to go out to eat tonight but wanted something tasty and easy to make.

Fajita night!

I found this recipe a few weeks ago and am so digging the flavors that I can’t stop making it and experimenting with it. The original recipe came from Cooking Light (now there’s a surprise) and I adapted the recipe for dinner for the two of us with enough left over for the hubby’s lunch tomorrow.

Marinating is the key and the flavors of the marinate enhance the meat and veggies give a subtle sweetness.

Start with a fresh lime. Mmmm…hold it under your nose for a minute and think Margarita or gin and tonic…

Oh wait. Stop. I thought it was Friday night.

We’re talking fajitas here on a Wednesday night.

Okay…start with a fresh lime and grate a 1 tsp. of rind. (personally I grate more…for I LOVE limes!)

Take those little babies and squeeze the juice out of them. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 tbsp. juice – I say ‘take as much juice as that lime will give you’!

And now we begin with the beautiful marinate…

In a bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, the lime rind and juice, 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tsp. cumin (or more like I do), 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. oregano, 2 cloves minced garlic (I use the pre-minced garlic), 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper….

and 1 (14.25 oz) can of low-sodium beef broth…

Mix it up and let it wait while you prep the meat and veggies…

For dinner for the two of us with a healthy lunch tomorrow, I use 1/2 lb. of beef round steak and 1/2 lb. of boneless chicken breast.

Slice them up in strips and throw in a plastic bag with 1 1/2 cups of the yummy lime marinate.

Squish it all up so the meat starts to absorb the flavors.

Prep your veggies.

Sometimes I do 2 red peppers, 1 green pepper and 1 sweet onion.

Sometimes I do 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 sweet onion and mushrooms.

Sometimes I do 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 sweet onion and chopped broccoli.

You get the message…pick your veggies and have at it. Slice them chop them and put them in the bag…

Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups of marinate over them. Squish it around and refrigerate for at least 4 hours – at best, overnight!

Time to sizzle! Heat a griddle on high spray with cooking spray.

Remove steak and chicken and vegetables from bag; discard marinade. Place steak, chicken, and vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.