Worth the Effort

Tracey F - May 3, 2007 03:07:25 PM PST

I grew up cooking and baking, so giving something a low rating based on items you have to chop seems absurd. If you want easy, they make TV dinners you should try. The more ingredients the more flavor! If you think it looks too complicated, save it for making on a day you have the time, make it a fun family activity. Socializing and cooking in the kitchen can be fun family time.

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Do not waste time reading (and commenting) on these recipes

mark a - September 17, 2007 03:15:07 PM PST

This recipe was VERY, VERY, VERY Easy!!!!! If you like to cook, I am not sure how to make this any easier. There are three components 1)Guacomole 2) Salsa 3)Steak. The first 2 are quick dice and do not need to be cooked. They require 8 very easy to find ingredients each, and are easily combined. I agree with some readers that they should have categorized the recipe this way (although because the ingredients are in order, it was still very easy to follow).

If you want to make it easier, buy already made guacomole and salsa. That would be quicker and easier, but then that takes away half of the point of cooking, and all the freshness and flavors of doing it from your own ingredients (prepared guac is usually pretty bad, salsas can be very good!). Also doing this yourself allows you to adjust seasonings, etc... to your and your families tastes (ie spicier/milder, salt substitute if on a low sodium diet, lower fat meats with less oil for lower cal, etc...)

Seriously guys, most of you that complained about this recipe could have saved your time reading it, and writing about it, used the time to drive down to Taco Bell, and your family could have been eating by the time you were done complaining about this simple recipe.

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Good Food

emh1231%40sbcglobal.net - January 23, 2007 09:48:22 AM PST

I haven\'t tried this recipe, but it sounds like the way I would fix Fajitas. There is nothing ever easy about them, if you want easy fo out to eat ! And futhermore all the ingrediants can be found at your local grocery store. Geez Wheez people!

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You all are lazy

smrick925 - May 3, 2007 06:29:30 PM PST

For those of you complaining that this is not quick and easy, I did not see Yahoo say this is quick an easy. And as far as the calories, and fat and carbs. That is assuming that people eat 4. Which is way more than what the average person should eat. I actually took the time and calculated the ingredients on a online recipe calculator and for 2, which is what you get at a restaurant, it is only 672 calories, 28 fat, and 65 carbs. Assuming that this is your meal, that is not bad. Consider that if you put on the avocados those are good fats. There are no oils and/or frying, and you can always change the meat for chicken. People are so obsessed with numbers they fail to recognize good carbs and bad carbs, good fats and bad fats. They see a high number and don\'t care whether or not it is good for them, they choose the lower calorie option even if it is unhealthy. That is way so many diets fail. This is a balanced meal, carbs, fats and protein with veggies. You can always change flour tortillas for wheat. I for one will try this recipe, it sounds good and good for you.

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Over simple and not so quick afterall

FaeryDame - May 3, 2007 02:18:15 PM PST

Easy, but probably not quick if you want to make everything. Luckily, fajitas usually serve more than one person, so have the other eater lend a hand in the prep! However, I do think this receipe is way too simple. I mean, who doesn\'t know how to make guac or grill up some veggies and meat for fajitas? I do like the chunky guac idea, as most people make theirs very smooth. If I try a new receipe, I do like it to have something novel in it. Maybe not something complex, but something beyond common sense and the basic foods everyone knows how to make. Or am I wrong here? Do Americans not know how to grill meat and smash avocadoes? :) If you are concerned about the calories & such, then get low fat, low0carb fajitas, don\'t use cheese, don\'t eat tons of guac, don\'t use sour cream, don\'t cook these in tons of oil, go tortilla-less or use smaller tortillas & have smaller portions. There are common sense ways of cutting back the heaftiness of this common sense meal.

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Classic Fajitas, the real way to prepare

Jerry Tubbs - May 4, 2007 12:39:38 PM PST

There one problem with this recipe. Flank steak is not fajita meat. True fajita meat is called "Skirt Steak". For years this meat was ground into hamburger because it was considered to be trash meat. The term "Fajita" has lost its true meaning and has caused confussion for most home cooks.
To cook true Skirt Steak you must first remove all the sinew from the meat. Marinate it overnight with you favorite marinade and flash cook it over a bed of hot coals. Let rest for ten minutes and then slice across the grain in thin slices. Serve with the rest of this recipe and enjoy.

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Who wrote these directions??!!

Heather "Feather" - May 4, 2007 05:52:19 AM PST

The recipe LOOKS good, but the instructions are ridiculous! The ingredients should be separated by guac, salsa, and meat preparation. It\'s very difficult to tell what ingredients go into the Salsa. You want a recipe to be easy to read and follow while you\'re cooking.

Seeing as the recipe is for "Classic Fajitas", shouldn\'t the instructions START with how to make the Fajitas, and then provide the Guac and Salsa as \'great additions\'?

And honestly....who needs to include directions on how to light a grill?! You can get that off the bag of charcol!

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Easy but time consuming...

jewelsfaye82 - June 16, 2009 03:54:28 PM PST

This recipe is easy... however with all of the ingredients it becomes time consuming and somewhat expensive. So if you are a busy mom trying to get dinner on the table in a snap you can take a few simple short cuts. For example: my grocery store sells fajita meat all sliced and ready to go in the meat department. You can also buy Fajita seasoning to save on all the spices listed... it\\'s the same thing but all put together for you in a neat little envelope. The wonderful thing about recipes and cooking is everything is adjustable (well just about everything) to suit your budget, time frame and taste! Cheers!

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Am I seeing double?

jeffmckenna - June 16, 2009 12:42:21 PM PST

Is is just me or do they repeat the ingredients for this recipe over and over again? What is the correct amount of lime juice!?!?!?!?!?

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Not into it

neveragaincenter - May 8, 2009 12:54:59 PM PST

The family and I don\\'t care for Mexican or Tex-Mex food. I tried it and persisted that they would eat it. Again, I ended up taking it to the guys at work.
Old fashioned food for us I guess.

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Calorie information is correct

Jamie - September 24, 2008 11:11:18 AM PST

The person who wrote that they were calculating for each person eating four fajitas was incorrect. The recipe states that it makes enough for 8 and you are supposed to use 16 tortillas. Last time I checked, 16 divided by 8 equals two tortillas per person. That is a lot of calories for one meal but you can compensate by eating lighter the rest of the day. Fajitas are always good and actually VERY easy to make.

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Directions not very clear

justBrowsing - May 4, 2007 08:22:21 AM PST

I am experienced home cook, and found the directions unclear and cryptic. For example, the directions for the Salsa said something like \'put all ingredients in a bowl\'. What ingredients? If I did not already know the components of salsa, I\'d be lost. I expected more clarity from \'Cook Illustrated\' --- love the bi-monthly magazine.

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looks good

rufusrules33 - May 4, 2007 06:55:42 AM PST

trust me, it will be better if you cook the steak a day before and warm it up. Even better, tear up a rotisserie chicken, toss it in a fry pan with the onions and peppers and seasonings. I have a non-beef eating child and she loves this. Or use cooked frozen shrimp that you\'ve defrosted under water. This has fast become my mid-week go-to dinner because it gets put together fast and everyone likes it.

OR use the same ingredients, more cheese and fold the tortilla up and press on a George Forman and you quesadillas. The possibilities are endless.

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you are crazy

badkitty1116 - August 16, 2007 08:15:09 PM PST

Flank steak is excellent for fajitas and cilantro rules!

0 of 1 found this review helpful.

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Cook's Illustrated is the best

Christine - May 5, 2007 10:35:39 AM PST

It\'s the best mag for recipes...every one is tested extensively and you can taste the difference. These fajitas were awesome.

0 of 1 found this review helpful.

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KCAL

nielscaminada - May 5, 2007 04:36:17 AM PST

Sounds very nice but with 907 kcal per serving ? is this for real ? that\'s about half of your daily intake. Hmmmm

0 of 1 found this review helpful.

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she was impressed

rudy l - May 4, 2007 02:41:25 PM PST

Met a mexican girl at work that is gorgeous. I cooked this for her and that was the best thing I ever done, now if only she liked me.

0 of 1 found this review helpful.

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Nice, but no cigar

pogle1952 - January 22, 2007 01:09:50 PM PST

It would be nice if each part of the recipe, guacamole, salsa, etc. be labeled as to what goes in it, if the lime juice is used as a marinade, etc. Looks good, but I would not want to try it without knowing more.

3 of 8 found this review helpful.

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Get real!

lycaon1 - May 4, 2007 02:14:24 PM PST

If taste is the problem, it\'s because you are trying to ruin it by using flank steak. If you want fajitas, use fajitas (or skirt steak)! The flavor is much better. Don\'t settle for less. Trim the sinew and most of the fat off and season it w/ salt, lemon pepper, paprika and valley lemons (or just lemons). Let it sit about 20 min but better overnight. A little more oomph - add a little cayenne pepper to taste. Other than that, you can cook it as described. We have been eating fajitas in South Texas for years before it became fashionable to eat them and now to change change the main ingredient.

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Flank Steak!

texasconservativeag - May 4, 2007 12:51:52 PM PST

Come on Folks--Flank Steak!. Skirt Steak is much more flavorful when prepared to a medium rare state. Fajitas are a Texas creation and specifically south Texas. Let not try to west coast this recipe. Further--who the heck needs a recipe for fajitas--Please!

0 of 2 found this review helpful.

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Not Bad

CRAIG H - January 22, 2007 04:14:37 PM PST

I think people are getting to into the prep for the Guacamole and the salsa. Fajitas are quite easy to fix and take a small amount of prep time. This is a long recipe but the majority of it really isn\'t necessary if you just want some meat, peppers, onions and some tortillas. As for the salsa....it is all in the blender, baby!!! Don\'t overcomplicate it and enjoy!!!

0 of 2 found this review helpful.

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fajitas

yayasolete - January 22, 2007 02:04:55 PM PST

them fajitas they was good

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Neither easy nor quick and no way healthy

Bee - January 22, 2007 01:40:47 PM PST

Too much effort to put for a dish with too much calorie and carb.

0 of 2 found this review helpful.

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Too much trouble

SpiderMan79x - January 22, 2007 01:34:06 PM PST

This looks way too complicated to be "quick and easy." What happened to just cutting up steak and grilling it with diced onions, peppers and a little mexican seasoning? Add tortillas, cheese and whatever else you would like on your fajita, 5 minutes prep time, 20 minutes cook time and your eating.

0 of 2 found this review helpful.

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Definitely not the real item

sarahsodatx - September 24, 2007 08:12:04 PM PST

Sorry, I like Cooks Illustrated, but this is not how you make fajitas. As others have said, fajitas are made with skirt steak, not flank steak. And while you can put anything you like on your fajitas, they\'re usually served with pico de gallo, not salsa... and there is a difference!

Sorry, Cooks, but you need to visit Texas once in awhile. Seems you don\'t get out much in Vermont, is it? :-)

Sarah in Houston

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noway

beatrixapple - January 22, 2007 04:15:04 PM PST

900 calories, are you kidding me?

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Easy Fajitas

sjsplus1@sbcglobal.net - November 26, 2007 01:31:13 PM PST

1/2 c - 1 cup of cut up beef, chicken or any other meat (You can buy it already cut up) or more, depending on family size

1 pkg of frozen bell peppers (CW brand or other)
Slice an onion or two

Brown meat, add seasoning like salt, pepper or pkg fajita mix
Add vegetables and cover until they are done to your preference.

Microwave flour tortillas to warm This so easy and taste sooooo.. good!

0 of 3 found this review helpful.

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Must not be from Texas

elmerfudd68 - May 4, 2007 01:11:22 PM PST

This recipe is wrong. Must be from California or New York. This is not how you make Fajitas the correct way. Wrong meat, wrong seasoning wrong everything!!

0 of 3 found this review helpful.

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Bizzaro Recipe's

Macdad07 - January 22, 2007 02:00:32 PM PST

Not at all "Quick and Easy", try "Long and Hard"

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Where's the quick and easy part?

Susann - January 22, 2007 02:40:28 PM PST

All that slicing, dicing and mincing takes a lot of time! My husband and I have a rule: the more ingredients and preparation time required, the less the outcome seems worth all the effort.

3 of 10 found this review helpful.

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