Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s independence day… It actually commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 during the French-Mexican War. The victory at Puebla represented a great moral victory for Mexico. France withdrew six years later.
These days, Cinco de Mayo has become a day to celebrate Mexican culture, especially the food! But instead of heading to a Mexican restaurant this year, why not celebrate at home with your own Cinco de Mayo party? These recipes are easy to prepare, delicious, and healthier than what you would order in a restaurant. Margaritas, dips, and classic Mexican dishes – these are must haves for any Cinco de Mayo celebration!
Frozen Margaritas
Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
6 fluid ounces tequila
2 fluid ounces triple sec
Directions: Fill blender with crushed ice. Pour in limeade concentrate, tequila and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. For a fruity twist, add frozen fruit along with the ice!
Mexicali Beer Margaritas
Ingredients:
1 (12 fluid ounce) can limeade concentrate
1 1/2 cups gold tequila
3 (12 fluid ounce) cans Mexican beer
1 whole lime, cut into 6 wedges
Directions: Pour the limeade, tequila, and beer into a pitcher; stir. Fill tall glasses with ice and pour mixture into the glasses; squeeze a lime wedge into each drink.
Margarita On The Rocks
Ingredients:
salt for rimming glasses (optional)
ice cubes
1/2 cup silver tequila
1/4 cup sweetened lime juice
1/4 cup triple sec
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda, or to taste (use diet for lower calorie count)
Directions: Rim 2 margarita glasses with salt if desired, and fill with ice. Pour the tequila, sweetened lime juice, triple sec, and lemon-lime soda into a shaker filled with ice, hold your hand firmly over over the top of the shaker so the top doesn’t pop off from the carbonated soda, and shake vigorously. Pour into prepared margarita glasses, and serve.
Chipotle Guacomole
Ingredients:
2 avocados, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup salsa, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chilies, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Mix together cubed avocado, lime juice, sour cream, salsa, and adobo sauce in a bowl until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Avocado Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
1 avocado – peeled, pitted and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 mango – peeled, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste
Directions: Place the avocado in a serving bowl, and mix with the lime juice. Mix in the mango, onion, habanero pepper, cilantro and salt.
Spicy Bean Salsa
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions: In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and garlic salt; mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.
Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
garlic salt to taste
18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn in half
1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish. Season chicken with garlic salt. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, shred, and set aside.
2. With metal tongs, char each tortilla half over the open flame of a gas stove burner for about 1 minute, until lightly puffed.
3. Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish, and arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer. Top with 1/2 the chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce. Repeat. Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with remaining enchilada sauce, and arrange on top of the layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top with any remaining enchilada sauce
4. Cover, and bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly before serving.
Tex-Mex Beef Tacos
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground sirloin
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 to 3 drained canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
10 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Directions: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, and beef; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble beef. Stir in corn and next 6 ingredients (corn through chiles). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture into each tortilla. Top with salsa and fat free sour cream!
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salad oil
1 can (29 oz.) red enchilada sauce
Salt
12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat jack cheese (8 oz.)
Chopped fresh cilantro
Directions: 1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.
2. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit. Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.
3. Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
References: allrecipes.com and myrecipes.com