This citrus jicama avocado salad has all the textures you want in a salad and the homemade salad dressing is so fresh and flavor packed.

We just made the yummiest salad with leftovers! I wanted a side to go with our carne asada tacos, and I didn’t want to make black beans or spanish rice like we usually do. So I decided to make a fresh salad with some leftover produce in the fridge. I love the crunch of the jicama and the creaminess of the avocados! And the homemade salad dressing is bright and so citrus-y!

I had seen a few similar recipes by simply recipes and Jessica Gavin but didn’t have mango so I decided to wing it with the produce we had. We ate it fresh but found it tasted better at the end of the meal so letting it sit is key!

Ingredients for Jicama Avocado Salad

You’re going to be hitting the produce section hard for this one, and the rest of the ingredients you probably already have at home. Here is what you will need:

For the Salad

• Jicama – slice it thin and then julienne it
• Avocados – sliced thin
• Oranges – remove the peel with a knife and then cut slice it into wedges
• Red Onion – I go back and forth on whether to include this. If you’re an onion lover, then keep it, but if you don’t have one on hand, it’s ok to leave out.
• Cilantro – give it a good chop
• Feta – adds a nice salty taste and really amps up the flavor of the salad

For the Dressing

• Orange Juice – fresh squeezed is preferred
• Lime Juice – fresh is best, of course
• Olive Oil – the base for the dressing
• Apple Cider Vinegar – adds some extra tang and zip
• Salt – boosts the flavor
• Cayenne – adds the tiniest bit of heat

The measurements for each ingredient can be found at the end of this post in the recipe card.

What is Jicama?

Jicama is a bulb shaped root vegetable that is actually in the turnip family. It has a brown papery exterior that usually gets peeled and the interior is starchy and white. It has a similar taste to an apple but is less sweet and it’s texture is super firm and crisp like an uncooked potato.

How to Julienne Jicama

Peel the entire bulb with a vegetable peeler and then cut it in half . Place half of the jicama so it’s flat side down, and then slice it with a very sharp knife into 1/4 inch slices. Then take 2 or 3 slices and slice them the opposite way into 1/4 inch slices so

Sweet, tart, smooth, and creamy, microwave lemon curd really is possible in just minutes!

When I first saw a recipe for microwave lemon curd, I will admit that I was skeptical. I adore lemon curd, but I am such a slacker about making it. I never want to stand by the stove and stir it for the requisite 15 minutes.

Having tried this now, I may never make lemon curd on the stove again. Microwave lemon curd really works!

Microwave Lemon Curd

This recipe is SO simple, the hardest part is juicing the lemons. And if you’re lucky enough to have a kid who thinks juicing citrus is fun, it’s a total win. (Just don’t tell them it’s work, okay?)

Whisk everything together, microwave for a minute, whisk again, and repeat a couple of times. Try to refrain from drinking the warm lemon curd as it cools.

Did I mention that lemon curd is a weakness of mine? Eating it with a spoon is showing self-control in this house.

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This chicken thigh marinade is the perfect blend of mustard (2 kinds!), garlic, maple syrup, brown sugar, vinegar and seasonings. It is so simple and so good, it could be used to marinate socks!

This is one of those marinade recipes that’s wonderful on every single kind of meat you could consume — salmon, steak, pork tenderloin, chicken in all its varieties, etc. I love when when I find a fail-proof marinade recipe like that! We used to make this chicken all the time when the blog first began, but over the years you slowly start to try new things and before you know it, without even meaning to, you’ve forgotten some of the things that you love the most. 

Boy, if that’s not symbolic of life, I don’t know what is!

This chicken thighs marinade recipe is one that is simply whisked together, can easily be adapted if needed (see notes below) and works just as well marinating 30 minutes as it does for hours. But beware, not all meats can handle it the same, so check out the entire post. 

And if you haven’t already, you absolutely must take a second to pin our other marinade recipes like:

• The Best Steak Marinade
• Marinated Chicken Breasts
• Asian Steak Marinade
• Steak Fajitas Marinade
• Marinated Smoked Chicken

Family Dinners

We are about to send our first off to college in a year, another is deep in the waters of Jr High and still our caboose is entering the battlefield of the elementary school playground. If there’s one thing I know for certain it’s that family dinners are an absolute must to stay connected to one another. I would bet that it’s even life-saving for families. But with three kids at three different schools and totally different needs I can easily feel like I’m running around and never slowing down. This recipe is loved by everyone around the dinner table!

Ingredients for Chicken Thigh Marinade

The best marinades have a little salt, a little sweet, a little acid, and a little spice. This marinade recipe checks all the boxes. Here is what you will need:

• Chicken Thighs: boneless, skinless
• Dijon Mustard: pale yellow in color but bold in tangy flavor
• Stone Ground Mustard: adds texture to the marinade and the teeny tiniest bit of heat
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Dark Brown Sugar: light brown can be used, dark brown just has a richer flavor
• Maple Syrup: be sure to use the real stuff, Grade A
• Oregano or Marjoram: I used dried herbs for this recipe, but you can use fresh if you want. You’ll want to half the amount down to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Rice Vinegar: add

The Path To Peace and Harmony... | Shi Heng Yi

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m a wee bit weather obsessed right now. I can’t get enough of the warm sunshine this week. I’ve been trying to get outside, even if it’s just for a short walk, every day.

We have chilly rainy days on the way next week and I’m looking forward to them. I love cozy sweater days and I don’t think we’re going to have many more of them this spring.

ON THE BLOGS this week: These easy, skillet-fried pork chops with balsamic and dijon are an awesome weeknight meal that comes together in under 20 minutes. I serve them with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Oven Roasted Asparagus and there is hardly a bite left over at the end of the meal.

Zucchini, mushrooms, and sausage are tossed with penne in a spicy sauce for an easy dinner win in this simple skillet meal.

Strawberries Romanoff is just about the most delicious thing I’ve made lately. My friend Lynne was here a few weeks ago when I made this to photograph it and we may have eaten the full recipe on our own. I probably shouldn’t admit these things, but yeah, we did that.

Holy, jaw-drop-level, almost unbelievably delicious recipe. I stood at the stove pretty much inhaling this Broccoli Mushroom Casserole after the first taste. (Yeah, I see what I just wrote, but it really is that good!) I started with just a bite of broccoli and then a mushroom. But then, well, I needed to taste the rice too, right?

Have you tasted a Flourless Chocolate Cake? If so, you’ll likely never forget that first bite. Unassuming in appearance and almost ridiculously easy to make, this cake is a fantastic decadent treat. Also, if there is one thing you need to know how to make from scratch, I vote that you know how to make whipped cream. Consider it a life skill.

Lemon Ice Cream is creamy rich ice cream with an unexpected and completely fresh brightness from the lemon. If you still aren’t convinced that you need to try this, my oldest son chose this ice cream over chocolate ice cream two nights in a row and he’s declared it to be one of the best ice creams we’ve ever made.

What I’m CRAVING: It’s almost embarrassing how often we buy frozen chicken taquitos from Costco. (If you haven’t tried them, they’re made with flour tortillas and they’re