Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

This is a clone of that fabulous Ranch-style dressing they have at places such as Cafe Rio and Bajio. Pair it with tortilla chips, romaine lettuce, canned corn, canned black beans, chopped tomatoes, and chicken for a delicious salad. My rating: 5 out of 5.

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

1 packet Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 lime
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup La Costena green salsa

Put dressing mix, mayonnaise, and buttermilk in the blender. Juice the lime into the blender. Peel the garlic cloves and then grate them using the small end of a cheese grater. Add to the blender. Add cilantro and green salsa.

Blend until everything is well-combined and then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

The Ultimate Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is a simple food that unfortunately gets messed with a lot. I've seen chicken salad with all sorts of unappetizing spices and fruits added in. Blech. Here's a basic chicken salad recipe that is my favorite--it has a perfect flavor and just the right amount of crunch. My rating: 5 out of 5.

Chicken Salad

6 chicken breasts
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup diced celery
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Lighthouse ranch dressing
3/4 cup slivered almonds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add chicken breasts and cook for 30 minutes or until done. Dice or shred chicken into small pieces.

Add drained pineapple, celery, onions, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Add mayonniase and Lighthouse ranch dressing (yes, Lighthouse really is the best choice here). Stir well.

Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Stir in almonds just before serving.