UPDATE: 8/30/11

And the winner is. . . . . .

Ashlee:

I don’t consider myself a lucky person.
And, I don’t consider myself a griller.

But this week I won a mad crazy package of athletic gear from my fashionista friend, North On Harper  AND I totally rocked the grill while barbecuing with my buddy Lisa Stauber for a campaign with The Motherhood . 

So I think it’s completely safe to say that I might be the luckiest grilling person in my house.

This is a title that I will cherish always, since I have bestowed it upon myself. However, I’m setting my sites EVEN higher.

Today I am officially announcing that  I WANT TO BE (Along with my other 5 teammates – see below) CHAMPION OF THE LAWRY’S SUMMERTIME RECIPE CAMPAIGN.

Our mission is create and blog about original Lawry’s inspired recipes for large gatherings. There are  9 blogger groups around the country, all with different themes, who are competing to see which group will be the ULTIMATE RULERS OF THE LAWRY’S UNIVERSE, or winners, for people who like boring titles.

The following dishes are my groups TEX-MEX entries. These recipes will blow the socks off your End of the Summer Gathering. Fast. Easy. Crowd Pleasing. Budget Friendly.

Appetizers:
Black Bean and Mango Pico (Crystal – Simply Being Mommy)
Roasted Pepper Pico de Gallo with Black Beans and Mango (Rachel Lacy – Following In My Shoes)

Sides:
Cold Bean Tex Mex Salad (Stacy Nerdin – Tree, Root, And Twig)
Spicy Cold Bean Tex Mex Salad (Shannon Stillwell – Potamus Prefers)

At which point you would say, “STOP YELLING AT ME.”
At which point I would say, “SORRY! I wasn’t yelling I was using ALL CAPS to signify my excitement about this extraordinary opportunity to win a summer cooking contest in which the main dish is grilled,  since I’m not a griller. And that I was overcome with joy, at you agreeing to help me by entering my giveaway. . . . . . so that you might help me realize my dreams. Because I do that for you all the time. Or at least,  I would do that for you all the time if you just asked me to.”

AND. . . . . .

You might say, “A giveaway? For Lawry’s? Why didn’t you just say that? That’s easy peasy. That’s a cherry on my sundae. A Seasoned Salt on my steak.”

And I would say. “See that’s why I love you. Thanks for your support.

Here’s what your Lawry’s Prize Package will include:

·        Seasoned Salt Marinade

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

Answer the following question in the comments section below.
“What’s your favorite summertime food?”

Eligibility and End Date:

Open to US residents. Giveaway will close August 22, 2011 at midnight CST. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 23, 2011. Winner will be drawn randomly. Winners will be given 48 hours to contact me and claim their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen randomly.

Here’s to adding more spice into your life!

And now for the Main Dish portion of our TEX MEX recipes,  brought to you by Lawry’s, my partner Lisa Stauber of Milehimama, and myself.

Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Carne Asada Torta

Ingredients:

*3-4 lb. Lean Boneless  Steak,  1” thick (or any boneless lean steak, i.e. sirloin tip, flank, or skirt)
6 oz. Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade 
1 Lime, juiced
1 Orange, juiced
Fresh Summer Vegetables (Zucchini, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Onions, Bell Peppers.)
Olive Oil
Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper and Salt, to taste
Deli Rolls, French Rolls, Bolillos (small Mexican baguette)
Favorite Condiments for dressing (steak sauce, mayo, or try our Garlic Chipotle Mayonnaise featured in the Grilled Veggie version below)

*Want to save even more money? But a Sirloin Tip Roast, and cut into steaks yourself. You’ll save considerably on the price per pound of already cut meat.

Directions:

1.)  Cut Sirloin Tip Roast into 1″ thick steaks.

2.)  Place steaks into a gallon sized resealable bag with 6 oz. of Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade, the juice of 1 lime and 1 orange. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Before grilling, set the steaks out on the counter, and let them come to room temperature.

3.) Chop up your summer vegetables. Long and thin if you like them soft, or thick and chunky if you like a little bite! Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper. Set aside.

4.) Prepare grill.  The grill should be oiled and hot, reaching a temperature of 350 F. Grill steaks for 5 minutes on each side for Medium Steaks. (4 minutes per side for rare, and 6 minutes for well done.  All grills are different, so gently press into the center of the steak to check its doneness. If it’s super soft, it’s rare. If it gives a little, it’s medium, and if it’s firm, you’ve got a well done steak!) Once the steaks are done, remove them from the grill and allow them to rest for 5 minutes, covered loosely with aluminum foil. After the meat has rested, slice into thin strips.

5.) While the meat is resting, place your summer vegetables on a grill pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until the desired doneness is achieved.

6.) To assemble the Torta’s:
Cut French rolls in half, and spread the inner sides of the bread with your favorite condiments. On the bottom half, place Meat and Grilled Veggies. Place the top half of the roll on top, and press down firmly. Devour! Serve warm or at room temperature.

OR  You Could Try Our Veggie Only Version. Trust Us, You won’t miss the meat!

Easy Grilled Vegetarian Party Po’Boy with a Garlic Chipotle Mayonnaise
You don’t need to have a party to make this Po’Boy. Believe me; you’ll want to keep it all to yourself. But don’t worry, it’s super easy to make more!

Serves 8-10 hungry guests.

Ingredients:

For the Sandwich:
Fresh Summer Vegetables (Zucchini, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Onions, Bell Peppers)
Olive Oil
Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper and Salt, to taste
1 1/2 cups Colby Jack Cheese, grated (or your fave!)
One French bread Loaf

For Garlic Chipotle Mayonnaise:
4 TB Mayo
1 tsp Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade
1 lime, juice only
2 cloves garlic, diced

1. Make Garlic Chipotle Mayonnaise:
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade, lime juice, and diced garlic. Stir well. Set in refrigerator, for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

2. Prepare the grill. Oil and preheat to 350 F.

3. Chop the summer vegetables. Long and thin if you like them softer, or thick and chunky if you like a little bite! Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper.

4. Place veggies on a grill pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until the desired doneness is achieved. Remove from grill and set aside.

5. Cut French loaf in half lengthwise. Brush with olive oil. Place face down on grill, and allow to cook until grill marks area achieved. Remove.

6. To assemble the Sub Sandwich: Cut loaf in half lengthwise. Slather the inside with Garlic Chipotle Mayonnaise. Top with warm grilled summer vegetables, and top with cheese. Return bottom half to grill, and allow to cook (with grill top on) until cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill.  Place the other half of French loaf on top, and press down firmly. Cut into individual servings. Serve warm or at room temperature.