Like a Fiesta in My Mouth!

Last week I was looking for a way to jazz up my grilling and searched for a good marinade. I was hoping to have something to pair with my black bean soup, so I thought a lime-cilantro combo would be just the ticket. After looking at a bunch of options, I decided to try one from RecipeZaar because of its simplicity and rave reviews. {Although, I JUST realized that I left out the olive oil! And it was absolutely fine without it. :-)}

Here's the original, though you know I ended up changing it:

Ingredients

Juice from 2 limes
1/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil

1 clove garlic 

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro 

1/2 teaspoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

2 teaspoons sugar 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

salt and pepper

Directions

Toss all the ingredients into a mini food processor and pulse until combined.
Marinate meat for 1/2 hour.
Grill.
Eat.

First of all, the changes. I didn't have fresh limes and wanted to use up my bottle of lime juice, so that's what I did. I really just guessed at the amount I needed- probably 3-4 Tbsp. Like I already said, I didn't copy the recipe right and left out the olive oil, which was fine, I think. I also used less pepper flakes the first time I made it, but used the full amount (or slightly more) the second time I did it. I like a lil' spice. I also used dried cilantro and ended up increasing the amount too. I love cilantro.

I made this twice- once with a steak and once with chicken breast (which I cooked in a pan on the stove, rather than the grill). Both were great, but I really prefer the chicken overall. I let the meat marinate a little longer than 30 minutes each time, but I almost wish I would've let the beef sit even longer. In both cases, the meat was moist and had a nice balance of tang and spice, though you can absolutely adjust things to suit your taste.

The recipe is quick and easy, using ingredients you probably already have on hand. It's also versatile and can be paired with so many things- a nice salad, black bean soup, fajitas, the list could go on. I know this is a recipe that I'll use often. 

Do you have any go-to marinades you like to use?