Cinco De Mayo Menu, Anyone?

[browneye]

Hey, hey, it's the Fifth of May, coming to us on Saturday http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

I'm actually celebrating Cinco de Mayo on Thursday, and have this planned so far:

Chicken -Chipotle Enchiladas
Mexican Rice
Jicama Salad (found a link on an earlier post on this BB from Food TV)

I am stumped on the rest, any good ideas for a dessert?
Oh- also Margaritas. Virgin ones for the youth.
I know there was a good thread on making Margaritas, however, the search function doesn't seem to be working at all today. Your favorite recipes would be appreciated!

Oh- there the search function works again, I found the Margarita thread!..YUM.

[This message has been edited by browneye (edited 05-01-2001).]

[olive101]

I am having a Cinco de Mayo party for about 30 people. My menu is not too fancy and definitely not light. For starters I am making the famous layered taco dip, cream cheese roll ups, black bean cups (found the recipe on another web site-I can post if you want), cheese quesadillas and spinach & artichoke quesadillas. Then I am making chicken fajitas with Spanish rice and corn salad for the main course. For dessert I am making lemon bars, Kahlua Cake and Margarita Pie. For drinks I am making margaritas (the recipe somone posted w/beer and Sprite-very good) and we are serving Coronas. I think these things are going to be crowd pleasers.

[Mandy]

olive101-
Your menu looks wonderful! May I come?

[ebobbitt]

There's some recipes for the holiday on the Southern Living web site that you might want to check out.

[BosunsWife]

Good topic. We are having a Cinco de Mayo block party on Saturday. Keep the ideas coming.

[LaraW]

Our CL group is having a Cinco de Mayo party, actually on Friday night (Cuatro de Mayo?)

We are having chicken enchiladas as a main dish. I am taking dessert - I thought I would try the Flan recipe that was posted here last week.

DH is making sangria. I can hardly wait!

[browneye]

I found a Margarita Cheesecake posted on the Cheesecake Anyone? thread... I plan to make that today, and eat it tomorrow... I will let you all know how it is!!Sangria sounds great...hmmm.
Any interesting bean ideas? How about a really great corn salad recipe, anyone?
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SusanL]

Olive101- could you, if you have time, post the black bean cups? I am sure that Phoebe would like the recipe also... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[S]

Olive101, the spinach and artichoke quesadillas sound great. Do you have a recipe? If so could you please post it? Thank you.

[olive101]

The original recipe was found on "allrecipes.com" and it is called "Antojitos Minis". I have modified it, so here is what I do:

Cut flour torillas with a biscuit cutter so you get 24 circles. I usually get 4 circles out of each tortilla. Place the circles into muffin tin cups and fill with the following mixture:

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped finely
1 can of black beans, drained
1 red pepper, chopped finely
2-3 scallions, chopped
few tablespoons of salsa
1 jalapeano, chopped finely
several shakes of chili powder

Spoon about 1T of the mixture into each cup so that it is distributed evenly. Top with shedded cheese. Bake @425F for about 10min until the cheese is bubbly. I top with low fat sour cream. I use a butter knife to pop the cups out of the muffin tin. As I am re-reading the orginal recipe, it says to grease the muffin tins first. That would probably help. These are really fantastic.

[olive101]

The original recipe was found on "allrecipes.com" and it is called "Antojitos Minis". I have modified it, so here is what I do:

Cut flour torillas with a biscuit cutter so you get 24 circles. I usually get 4 circles out of each tortilla. Place the circles into muffin tin cups and fill with the following mixture:

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped finely
1 can of black beans, drained
1 red pepper, chopped finely
2-3 scallions, chopped
few tablespoons of salsa
1 jalapeano, chopped finely
several shakes of chili powder

Spoon about 1T of the mixture into each cup so that it is distributed evenly. Top with shedded cheese. Bake @425F for about 10min until the cheese is bubbly. I top with low fat sour cream. I use a butter knife to pop the cups out of the muffin tin. As I am re-reading the orginal recipe, it says to grease the muffin tins first. That would probably help. These are really fantastic.

[olive101]

If I am double posting-sorry.

Black Bean Cups: The original recipe can be found on allrecipes and it is called "Antojitos Minis". I have changed it slightly, so here is what I do:

Use a biscuit cutter to cut 24 circles out of flour tortillas. I usualy get 4 circles out of each tortilla. Place these circles into muffin tin cups. The original recipe calls for greasing the cups, which I have never done, but it would probably be easier to get them out. Fill the cups with this mixture:

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped finely
1 red pepper, chopped finely
2-3 scallions chopped
1 can black beans, drained
few tablespoons of salsa
1 jalapeano chopped
several shakes of chili powder

Place about 1T of this mixture into each cup so that it is evenly distributed over the 24 circles/cups. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 425F for about 10 min until cheese is bubbly. I top w/ low-fat sour cream. I use a butter knife to get theme out of the muffin tin.

These are great!

[Vanessa]

Well I think I am going to go with margaritas and chicken fajitas with peppers and onions. Also flour and corn tortillas then the xtras (sour cream, cilantro etc) I think the lemon flan might be a good idea too!
CHICKEN AND BELL PEPPER FAJITAS
Bon Appetit

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
I will add a bit of cumin and maybe a dash of paprika for color

8 6-inch diameter flour tortillas & corn tortillas


1 large red onion, sliced (I use regular onion)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
1 large yellow or green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
Sour Cream, cilantro, shredded lettuce, salsa

Using meat mallet, lightly pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to thickness of 1/2 inch. Mix 2 tablespoons oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper in large glass baking dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour(I leave it most of the day) plus I add some tequila http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Turn oven off. Leave tortillas in oven.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté until vegetables are tender-crisp, about
4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer vegetables to large bowl and tent with foil to keep warm. Do not clean skillet.

Heat 1 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Cut chicken into 1-inch-wide strips. Combine with vegetables. Divide vegetable and chicken mixture among plates. Serve passing tortillas, Chipotle Pico de Gallo and sour cream separately.
I have a few fajita skillets which I will use. I cut the chicken in strips before cooking and I cook the chicken first then the veggies and then integrate them in fajita skillet. Actually using a wok is a good idea too (less kitchen clean up)


Serves 4.








[This message has been edited by Vanessa (edited 05-03-2001).]

[Wendy w]

Hi Browneye and everyone! After a few grueling (you have no idea) days of jury duty, I am happy to be back and have lots of catching up to do-both here and at work!

I have posted this before but it is a favorite! This is a great recipe but it may be a little redundant with the margaritas but I thought I'd share again!

From Epicurious:

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE

Made with reduced-fat cream cheese and light sour cream, this cheesecake is irresistible - just like its namesake cocktail.

CRUST
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted


FILLING
3 8-ounce "bricks" Neufchâtel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese),
room temperature
1 1/4 cups light sour cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange liqueur
2 1/2 tablespoons tequila
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 large eggs


TOPPING
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar


Very thin lime slices, cut in half
Very thin lime peel strips

FOR CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with vegetable oil spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate crust.


FOR FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice. Beat in eggs.

Pour filling into crust. Bake until outside 2 inches are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; turn off oven.


FOR TOPPING: Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend. Spread evenly over cheesecake. Return cheesecake to hot oven. Let stand 45 minutes or less (Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.) Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.

Run knife around pan sides. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.

Serves 10 to 12.

*Made with reduced-fat cream cheese

Bon Appétit
June 1995

[heidibowman]

Everyone's recipes and menus sound great!

I'm also having a Cinco party and am stumped on a veggie to serve with dinner. I'm serving tequila-orange marinated chicken fajitas (May issue), a DIY taco bar, enchiladas, and possibly some pork green chile (depending on how ambitious I'm feeling). I'm going to serve borracho beans as a side but I need a veggie. I was thinking corn-on-the-cob but it seems too unweildy to make for such a large crowd (20).

Any suggestions?

To begin the party, I'm having chips with salsa & guac. (of course), a veggie tray with ranch dip, and crackers with cream cheese-jalepeno jelly spread. We're having margaritas, sangria, Dos XX, and punch for the kids. (Does anyone have a virgin margarita-like punch recipe for the kiddos?) To finish the party I'm making the Tres Leches cake from the April issue (anyone made this yet?) and I was going to pick up some Mexican cookies from a local Mexican supermarket but now I'm thinking about that yummy margarita cheesecake posted.

(I tend to go a bit overboard on parties, huh?)

[mightyh]

All your menus sound great... I LOVE Mexican and am so envious!

Here's a link to an old thread that had some great ideas for Mexican sides... I like the corn salad ideas.
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000002/HTML/20010301-1-000706.html

[browneye]

Well, we did our Cinco De Mayo last night!

THAT MARGARITA CHEESECAKE IS OUTSTANDING!
My oh my, it was good. It was nice and creamy, smooth, melt in your mouth. I used Tequila and Cointreau (in place of the Triple Sec). Neither flavors were overpowering at all, in fact, DH remarked he couldn't taste the liquor at all. We loved this very lovely cheesecake. I made it the day before so it had a full day to refrigerate. Next time, I might reduce the Cointreau and increase the lime juice a little.
I baked it in the water "bath" as recommended on another thread, and it turned out beautiful - no cracks.
Thanks Wendy for posting the recipe.

It was the perfect finish to the Chicken Enchiladas, etc. I didn't make the Jicama Salad as planned-just too many things going on.
Happy Cinco De Mayo!

[Kristen Lee]

My SO and I are having a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday for about 15 people. Since we live in an apartment space is definitely an issue. I'm planning to make a bunch of food and set it up on the table for people to munch when they please. All the recipes I'm making are from CL and they are as follow; Hot Bean and Cheese Dip, Mexican Lasagna, Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas, and Three Pepper Quesadillas. I can't wait for Saturday to get here.

[beckms]

Hi--

I'm planning to use the Margarita Cheesecake recipe for a Mexican-themed dinner party next week. I've never cooked a cheesecake before, so I'm a little nervous.

1) how do I use a water bath? It seems to be the method of choice.

2) this instructions for this recipe say to return the cheesecake to the overn for 45 minutes or less...I assume the oven is still hot from baking before, but what am I supposed to be looking for? How will I know when to take it out?

thanks!

[beckms]

just bumping this up to a weekday...

[luv2cook]

They have a fun Cinco day. AND you get to bring home your glass. My mom and I have got, I think, 3 or 4 years' worth of them and they're great to use at home. Caution: Do NOT drop on tile. Will chip the floor.

Been there, done that.