i love martha

Martha Stewart has an application for the iPhone! Seriously! I used it to make a yummy dinner the other night and just had to share the recipes. They were SO yummy.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup long-grain white rice
Coarse salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove

Directions
1.In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

**NOTES**
My main complaint with most cilantro lime recipes is the fact that I have to chop up a ton of cilantro AND that I always end up with big pieces of the stuff and then it reheats all wilted. Blech. Using a blender or food processor eliminates annoying chopping, which is perfect if you are lazy like me. It also really adds a nice fresh flavor to the whole rice dish and allows for a really really great lime and cilantro flavor through the whole dish. Yum. If you are worried about the cilantro or lime being too overwhelming you can just make more rice. I used 1 1/2 cups of rice and it was perfect.

I served it with my favorite black beans which I make almost all the time.

Mandy's Black Beans (which are better than Martha's)

1 tsp Cumin
1 clove minced or crushed garlic
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
1 can Goya Black Beans (drained)
1 packet Sazon Goya Achiote y Culantro seasoning
1/2 can water
salt to taste

In a pan heat the olive oil on low heat. Add the cumin and garlic and stir until fragrant, but DO NOT BURN (I've burned my garlic before, it ain't pretty). So after not burning the garlic and cumin, add the drained black beans and about 1/2 a can of water. Then stir in the packet of seasoning and a little salt. Heat over medium/low heat and let boil for a little bit. Taste, marvel at the wonderfulness of the Sazon Goya, then add enough salt to suit your tastebuds. Serve over rice. Yum.

**NOTES**
This has become my comfort food since my mission. White rice and black beans. Happiness. And trust me on the Sazon Goya. It is seriously really really good.

Martha's Lime Marinated Skirt Steak

Ingredients

1/3 cup (about 4 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions (about 1/3 cup), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Vegetable oil, for grates
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Directions
1.In a resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red-pepper flakes. Add steak, and seal bag (place in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, up to 1 hour.
2.Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and black pepper. Place on grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat reaches desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

**NOTES**
This is a yummy marinade and leaves the steak tender and very well seasoned without being overpoweringly lime-y or ginger-y. Just really really good. It did have to cook mine a lot longer, but I used a grill pan and didn't cover it. I imagine you could do this on a george foreman or bbq or whatever you happen to have on hand. I personally am in love with my new grill pan so I used that. It worked great and Christian could have his piece still moo-ing and I could have mine with only a tiny bit of pink. And yes, I am correcting Martha's recipe. I hope she doesn't smite me or hunt me down for this. I love you Martha!