Taqueria Style Tacos -- Carne Asada

Ingredients

• 3 pounds flank steak
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
•  
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
•  
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 dried New Mexico chile pods
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
•  
• 1 (32 ounce) package corn tortillas
• 2 cups grated cotija cheese (optional)
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Lay the flank steak in a large glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, juice of two limes, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then pour over the steak in the dish. Turn over once to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for 1 to 8 hours.
2. In a small bowl, stir together 1 chopped white onion, cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Set aside to use as a relish for the tacos.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toast chile pods in the skillet for a few minutes, then remove to a bowl of water to soak for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
4. Place the tomatoes, 1 onion, jalapenos, and 4 cloves of garlic onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until toasted but not burnt. Place the roasted vegetables, and soaked chile pods into a blender or food processor, along with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Warm the tortillas in a skillet for about a minute on each side to make them pliable. Tortillas may also be warmed in a microwave oven. Arrange two or three tortillas on a plate, and lay a generous amount of beef over them. Top with a sprinkle of the onion relish and a large spoonful of the pureed salsa. Add as much cheese as you like. Garnish with lime wedges, and serve.

TAKK's Fajitas & Salsa

recipe from my SIL, Tami
Fajita Meat and Peppers
1 lime
salt
handfull of chopped cilantro
pepper
Chicken - package of around 3-4 pnds boneless skinless. or use skirt steak.
 
Directions:
1. slice each piece of meat in half (but leave connected at the seam) and then in half again (but connected at the seam) so that you have a long thin piece of meat.
2. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on each of the thinly sliced chicken pieces, sprinkle some salt (I like sea salt), some cilantro, and pepper on each.  
3. Roll each piece up, put them in a bowl or plastic bag and marinate in fridge at least 1hr. 
4. Unroll chicken, and Grill on grill to preference
 
Peppers: 
2 cloves garlic minced
3 large bell peppers, red, green, orange or yellow (whatever you prefer) sliced lengthwise
1 onion, slice long wise in wedges and separated
salt to taste
peper to taste 
tomatoes are optional, I also like to added zuchinni chopped like the peppers
Directions:
saute onions and garlic, salt and pepper for a couple of minutes, add peppers, add zuchinni a couple minutes later , salt and pepper to taste, add tomatoes at the end (these only need to cook 1 minute or so)saute until slightly translucent, but don't overcook. 
 
Salsa: serves 6-8 people?
Ingrediants:
2 cans 10 z chopped tomatoes ( could use 3 or 4 fresh tomatoes or 6-8 romas)
1/4 can of diced tomatoes and green chilies (aldi sells this, its very spicey/hot)
1/4 or 1/2 white or red onion or sweet onion (depends on preference)
handfull or two of cilantro
 
Directions:  In blender add ingrediants except  seasoning and lime
Pulse until ingrediants are at the desired size/smoothness (leave chunky or blend smooth)
season with desired ammount of garlic powder and salt (to taste)  I usually add 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1 or 1.5 teaspoons salt (that's a guess)
add lime juice just before serving or at least the same day you plan on eating it 
 
stores in fridge for 1/2 a week as long as you don't add the fresh lime juice