Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing

This is one of those semi-convoluted recipes because it's actually a combination of two different ones. I'll try to merge them as well as I can here, but it may look like a lot. Don't freak out. It's got some really good flavors!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Dressing

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp sugar, to taste
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp reserved cilantro lime marinade

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or 2 Roma tomatoes chopped)
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• corn from 2 ears sweet corn, raw
• 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 avocados, chopped
• tortilla chips, slightly crushed

Add all cilantro lime chicken ingredients except chicken, to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scaping down sides several times. Remove and reserve 2 Tbsp: 1 for basting and 1 for dressing. Put remaining marinade in a shallow dish or Ziplock bag and add chicken. Turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-10 hours. When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

While chicken is marinating, make dressing. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Store in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

After chicken is done marinating, remove chicken and pat off excess sauce. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to cutting board and baste with 1 Tbsp reserved marinade. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Assemble salad using remaining ingredients, topped with chicken and dressing. Toss to combine.

NOTES: My dressing was lumpy. It was like the mayo didn't want to blend. I don't know if I didn't try hard enough or what, but it didn't look super appetizing. Also, the recipe doesn't say if the chicken should be skinless, but I made the assumption and updated the ingredients.

Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus marinating and chilling

Total Time: 25 minutes, plus marinating and chilling

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Shrimp Tacos with Sauce

I wouldn't say there's anything particularly special about these tacos; nothing that made me say I'd rush out to make them again tomorrow, but the original called them tacos with the "best shrimp taco sauce." I definitely wouldn't go that far. The store also didn't have smaller shrimp so we actually made these with jumbo and sliced the shrimp into thirds. It worked well. 

Shrimp Prep

• 1 lb medium or large shrimp, raw
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste

Toppings

• 8 white corn or flour tortillas (6" diameter) or hard taco shells
• 1/2 small purple cabbage (2 cups shredded)
• 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 4 oz Cotija cheese (1 cup grated)
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add seasonings and garlic; stir to combine. Place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and add shrimp in a single layer. Sauté 1-2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.

If using corn tortillas, toast over open gas stovetop flame on medium-low heat about 10 seconds per side, until lightly charred. For flour, heat in microwave about 20 seconds.

Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Build tacos with tortillas, shrimp, toppings, and sauce.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe from Natasha's Kitchen

Penne Pasta with Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Like a lot of pasta recipes, this isn't the prettiest one. You can see we added some parsley just to spruce it up a bit. It was so-so. You could definitely add to it with some chicken or even some black pepper. Considering it's easy to make with no super expensive or bizarre ingredients, I might make it again. However, just on taste alone, I don't think I'd be seeking this one out any time soon.

• 16 cups water
• 4 cups penne pasta
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 4 Tbsp flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. Add oil and salt; stir in pasta and boil 10 minutes, stirring often so noodles don't stick to the pot. 

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt butter and sauté garlic. Add the flour and cook until mixture looks like wet sand. Add milk, all at once. Heat slowly, stirring often (it will be lumpy at first). Two minutes before you are ready to serve, add the cheese. Do not overheat or cheese will be stringy. Serve over hot pasta.

Serves 4

Total Time: 20 minutes

Recipe from 30 Minutes or Less recipe book

Corn and Macaroni

So this one is just as described. It tastes like corn and macaroni. Which isn't all that great. We added bacon bits, garlic, and some black pepper which did a lot to help, but didn't tone down the overwhelming corn flavor. Doug even added siracha. 

• 15.5 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 15.5 oz can creamed corn
• 1 cup uncooked macaroni
• 1 cup mild cheese of your choice, shredded
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, cut in pieces
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk

Spray interior of slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cover, cook on high 2 1/2 hours or until macaroni is soft but not mushy. 

For variation, add 1 cup cubed, fully cooked ham to add flavor and substance.

NOTES: You can see our additions listed above. Other suggestions would be to stir in some red onion, or at least top it with sliced green onions when serving. Possibly go with a non-mild cheese? Or a mixture of cheeses?

Serves 3-4

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Recipe from Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

I need you to really listen to the instructions on this one: you really need to space these out on your cookie sheet because they spread out A LOT. Learn from my mistakes.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 8 oz (at least 60% cocoa) dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup coarsely chopped candy canes

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk in salt and set aside.

Beat together butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes, and add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, beating until incorporated, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix. Remove bowl from the mixer, and using a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate and chopped candy canes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in top third and lower third positions. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 oz (2 Tbsp) cookie scoop, evenly scoop 6 dough balls onto each baking sheet 3 inches apart, pushing and exposed pieces of candy cane back into the dough.

Bake until cookies are set in center, rotating pans halfway through baking 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on pans 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

Serves 24

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Recipe from People Magazine

Chocolate Kahlua & Bailey's Pudding Shots

This was very rich and if you don't like Bailey's, you will not like this. Now I'm not a coffee person but this was still good and not overwhelmingly coffee-tasting. 

• 1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1/4 cup Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)
• 1 small box chocolate instant pudding mix 
• 3/4 cup milk
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• sprinkles for garnish

Whisk Baileys, Kahlua, pudding, and milk together in a large bowl. Add Cool Whip a little at a time. Fill cups with mixture. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with sprinkles.

NOTE: You can see we didn't have pretty shot glasses so we just guessed and used wine glasses. Tastes the same!

Serves 8

Total Time: 10 minutes

Recipe from social media post - sorry I can't find it anymore!

Peppermintini

Who doesn't love a good holiday recipe? I made a batch of this for my annual Christmas Girls Night party last year and I've been waiting all year to post about it. Everyone seemed to like it!

• simple syrup to rim cocktail glasses
• crushed candy cane for garnish
• 8 oz vodka
• 8 oz peppermint schnapps
• 12 oz half and half
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Apply simple syrup to rim of a cocktail glass. Gently roll the rim of the glass in crushed candy cane. Mix the vodka, peppermint schnapps, half and half, and vanilla extract in a chilled pitcher. Pour into prepared glasses and serve.

Serves 8

Recipe from The Drink Kings