tacos

I couldn't face a whole cow head ... so I made this with cheeks. The marinade turns into a thick, rich almost mole-like sauce ... delicious! —aargersi

I love the taste of banh mi sandwiches, and I'm always looking for new ways to serve the components, especially since the pickled vegetables last for several weeks. I had some tortillas and the dish turned out great. I often use store-bought teriyaki sauce in a pinch, but feel free to make your own with this recipe (minus the salmon). —Leith Devine

This simple and delicious dish is my go-to summer recipe. The tastes and textures play well off of each other. The chicken can be grilled or baked, and all of the ingredients are perfectly fresh—the two together make one great taco. —Linda Burkhart

I make these late and often; this is my back-pocket 10-minute meal after a very long day. They're fast, good food you can eat with your hands. And because tacos often spill at random, you’re allowed to be slightly animalistic about the whole affair—a very good perk, because no one has the energy for manners in the middle of the night. I felt odd making these in a well-lit kitchen and styling them for a camera—they are at their best when cooked by dim, early morning kitchen light, and hastily)—but you’ll rectify that for me tonight, won’t you? —Kenzi Wilbur

Like many stews, this meat is great right from the pot but even better the next day. The lamb retains its flavor but its gaminess is muted by the achiote marinade, and the slow braise in a chipotle broth gives it a nice tender texture, as well as heat, smoke, and chili flavor. I've used store-bought achiote paste in the past when making similar dishes, but this time all I could get was ground annato seed, so I made my own. You can use a store-bought paste if you can find one. The broth reduces in the last half hour of cooking, and the resulting taco is a warm corn tortilla filled with tender lamb in a rich red chile sauce, the subtle briny flavor of chopped olives, a kick of freshness from the lime juice, and a sweet and sour element from the reduced balsamic-soaked raisins. With cool sour cream to top it off, it's a succulent, delectable taco. —clintonhillbilly

These tacos were inspired by my husband's love of Hawaiian food and my hankering for flavorful tacos. They combine pan-seared mahi mahi, sweet mango and cilantro salsa, soft avocado slices, crunchy red onion and radicchio, and a drizzle of spicy-tangy mayo. We love the mixture of color, texture, and flavors here, especially on a warm summer evening with a fruity drink or cerveza. Enjoy! —laura

This fall I discovered boiled apple cider and I cannot believe I lived this long without it. Boiled apple cider is fresh cider boiled down into a naturally sweet, viscous syrup. The magic is reduction.

As this recipe feeds a crowd, you are likely to have leftover carnitas, which taste just as good the next day at the beach, packed into a sandwich or atop greens. —Sarah Waldman

Original Choco Tacos are filled with fudge-swirled vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate and peanuts. But it’s your taco party and you can do what you want: Use any kind of ice cream and top with any kind of nuts, sprinkles, or other toppings your taco-loving heart desires. —molly yeh

I love using my slow cooker to create tasty meals such as this one. These tacos can also be turned into burgers, salad or mini burgers, whatever you can dream up. I enjoy this dish because you can start in before you leave for work and your meat will be ready when you get home. The slaw takes minutes to assemble so you'll have dinner in no time! —Erin Powell