I haven’t been on much lately. I’ve poked my head up a handful of times on twitter, but mostly I’ve been in my own world doing my own things. I wish that I could say I’ve been hyperfocused on my writing and that Once Upon a Time in Iowa is finished and ready for editing or, even better, publishing. Sadly, this is not the case. Although I have been working on Jesse and Mary’s story, it has not received my undivided attention.

One of the other exciting projects I’ve been working on is a rerelease of Child Eater. With just a few minor updates, Child Eater is now published under my own name instead of a pen name. In the coming days, I will tell you more about it.

But, you’re not here for updates. You’re here because I promised you a recipe for the best darned beef fajitas you’ll ever make.

It all started with a sale at my local grocery store. Buy one get one free chuck roast. I love pot roast. It’s delicious and tender and makes a great dinner served alongside some mashed potatoes and carrots. Plus, it gives me a great opportunity to make my homemade gravy.

However, I didn’t want to make two pot roasts in one week. When I’ve done that in the past, the second roast always seems to be a disappointment no matter how good it is. I got an idea to try something a little different with the second chuck roast. I decided to make fajitas.

Saturday brought with it our first snow storm of the season. With the snow came a bitter chill and some incredibly strong winds. At times, I thought that perhaps it was trying to blow us to Oz, but we managed to stay put in Michigan.

It was also my husband’s fortieth birthday. I wanted to make him a dinner he’d love. I wanted to spend the day with him, not glued to the kitchen. This was a perfect opportunity to give my new idea a test run. We were not disappointed.

Dutch Oven Beef Fajitas

AKA: the Best darned beef fajitas we’ve ever eaten

The Ingredients:

• Beef chuck roast (mine was about 2.25 lbs)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 12 oz bag frozen pepper and onion blend (you can use fresh if you desire)
• fajita seasoning (1 packet per pound of meat)
• reserved pan juices in place of water required on fajita seasoning packet (mine had 2 tablespoons more than I needed, so I just used it all)

The Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200*F. Rub the lemon juice over the chuck roast and allow to rest five minutes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place in a dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Allow to rest another five minutes.

Slow cook the roast at 200* for two and a half (2.5) hours per pound. Do not add liquid. Do not sneak a peek, no matter how tempting. Just pop it in the oven and forget about it.

After the roast is finished, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for twenty (20) minutes. Continue to resist the urge to peek.

After the resting, carefully transfer the roast to a large bowl. It will be fall apart tender. Use two wide spatulas to lift it from the pan. Reserve the juices for later (you can strain it through a sieve if you like).

Remove as much of the fat as possible from the meat (it will be hot and slimy). Using two forks, shred the beef and set it aside.

Place the dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions. There should be enough grease left behind that you won’t need to add any oil. Just stir the veggies to coat. Cook, stirring occassionally, until vegetables are no longer frozen.

Pour in reserved pan juices. Stir in fajita seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return beef to pan. Stir to coat. Continue stirring and simmering until meat is heated through and sauce is desired consistency.

Remove from heat. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa (or your favorite fajita toppings). Enjoy.