3 Taco recipes for Super Bowl 2012

If you're looking for a fun way to serve your guests at this year's Super Bowl party, look no further. Pull out all the stops with this self-serve taco bar with all the fixings.

This taco bar menu will score big points

These taco recipes are sure to score a touchdown with your guests. Suggest a trio of tacos and try each of the shrimp, chicken and beef fillings.

Orange-cumin shrimp taco filling recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and tails removed

Directions: 

1. Whisk together first seven ingredients.
2. Add shrimp and marinate for one hour.
3. Remove shrimp from marinade and pour marinade into a large pan. Heat marinade to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium.
4. Simmer for five minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Add shrimp into pan and cook, turning occasionally, for about five to seven minutes until cooked through.
6. Remove from heat.

Serving suggestion: Make fruit salsa by combining equal parts of diced pineapple and papaya. Add chopped jalapeno, green onion and lime juice to taste.

Tequila-lime chicken taco filling recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon tequila
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into large chunks

Directions:

1. Whisk together first six ingredients.
2. Add chicken and marinate for three to four hours.
3. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.
4. In a large pan, coat with canola oil and heat on medium-high. Add chicken to the hot pan and cook for about seven to nine minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
5. Remove chicken from pan.
6. Chop into small pieces.

Serving suggestion: Make chipotle sour cream by adding pureed chipotle in adobo to sour cream. Stir in white vinegar, cumin and salt to taste.

Chipotle beef taco filling recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-4 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo

Directions:

1. In a large pan, brown beef and sauté onions.
2. When beef is almost cooked through, add remaining ingredients.
3. Combine well with meat and continue cooking until beef and onions are completely cooked.

Serving suggestion: Make avocado-lime sour cream by mashing a whole avocado and combining with about 1/4 cup of sour cream. Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

To round out your taco bar and taco recipes, make sure you have plenty of taco shells, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, pico de gallo and shredded cheese. Guests can assemble their own tacos with the toppings of their choice.

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