Recipe: Los Barrios Make-Me-Crazy Grill Marinade (citrus-based, for chicken, fish or shrimp)

LOS BARRIOS MAKE-ME-CRAZY GRILL MARINADE

"This is a great marinade for chicken fajitas, fish, or shrimp. I seal everything in a Ziploc bag, place it in the refrigerator, and marinate for 2 to 4 hours, to ensure that the flavor soaks in. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling."

1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Los Barrios Salsa (recipe follows) or your favorite store-bought brand
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

LOS BARRIOS SALSA
Makes 4 cups

"This salsa is great with Tortilla Chips. The only problem is that it quickly becomes habit-forming - you just can't stop eating it. We serve a bowl of this salsa and a basket of warm tortilla chips to every table in our restaurant, and people always ask for more. I have even seen customers eating it with a spoon, like soup. It goes with everything, from breakfast to dinner, and it accompanies every meal at Los Barrios."

1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can jalapeno chiles*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the tomatoes, chiles, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend to a chunky puree; do not blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.

It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

*You can make this hotter by increasing the amount of chiles.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- Stir this salsa into individual servings of soup, or use it to top quesadillas or as an accompaniment to fajitas.

Source: Los Barrios Family Cookbook by Diana Barrios Trevino