Many people believe Cinco de Mayo is Mexican
Independence Day. Nope, that is actually September 16. May 5 celebrates the
Battle of Puebla which was Mexico’s victory over France in 1862. Another
interesting fact – Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo more than the people in
Mexico.
I met a wonderful lady in the Hispanic
aisle when I was shopping for these ingredients. Lydia literally took me by the
hand and taught me a great deal in just a few minutes especially about
tortillas and refried beans which I’m sharing with you. I am thankful for Lydia
and the time she spent with me.
Tortilla Chips
and Onion
Corona, Dos Equis, Modelo, Tecate
Guacamole
This
dish can be made hours in advance of your dinner and stored in the fridge.
lg. ripe avocados
tbsp. (15ml) onion, chopped fine
drops Tabasco sauce
med. tomato, peeled and chopped
tsp. (.60ml) cumin
tsp. (.60ml) garlic powder
ground pepper to taste
Cut
avocados in half. Lift out pits and save. Scoop out avocado from shell and
place into a glass bowl. Mash with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Taste
for seasoning and adjust to suit you.
Place
guacamole into a serving dish. Bury at least one pit into the dip. This helps
keep the avocado from turning black. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate
until ready to serve.
Serve
with tortilla chips.
Tacos
med. onion, chopped
cup (250ml) canned tomato sauce
tsp. (10ml) chili powder
tsp. (2.5ml) dried oregano
tsp. (2.5ml) paprika
tsp. (2.5ml) ground cumin
tsp. (2.5ml) cayenne
ground pepper to taste
Preheat
oven to 220° F (100°C).
Brown
beef in a large skillet set over medium heat. Be sure to stir and break up
clumps. Stir in onion and cook 3 – 4 minutes.
Pour
tomato sauce over meat mixture. Sprinkle on spices. Stir well. Cook 5 – 8
minutes longer, stirring often.
Pour
into an ovenproof dish. Set in oven until ready to serve.
Tortillas
package store bought flour tortillas
When
you return home open the package, separate tortillas and lay directly onto your
kitchen counter for 10 – 15 minutes. Restack tortillas, wrap lightly in a paper
towel. Replace them in their original package, seal, and refrigerate until
ready to use.
Heat
a flat skillet over medium heat. Lay in a tortilla and warm for a minute or so.
Turn. Fold tortilla in half. You now have a perfect taco shell.
Lay
shells on a plate and serve.
with Tomatoes and Onion
cup (60ml) olive oil
med. onion, sliced thin
cups (200g) rice, not instant
cups (450ml) chicken stock, not broth
cups (450ml) water
oz. (411g) can diced tomatoes
Heat
oil in a large saucepan set over moderate heat. Swirl oil to coat pan bottom.
Add onion. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until onion is
transparent but not brown.
Pour
in rice. Stir well for 2 – 3 minutes to coat all the grains. Do not let the
rice brown or the dish will be bitter.
Stir
in stock, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to a
simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until rice absorbs all the liquid.
If
need be, keep rice warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve.
Beans
can refried beans*
strips bacon
Scoop
beans into a microwaveable bowl.
Fry
bacon until crisp. You want to render as much fat out as possible. Eat the
bacon (no joke) and then stir the rendered fat into the beans.
Depending
on how powerful your microwave is, heat for 1 – 2 minutes before serving.
*
Buying canned beans is much easier than using dried pinto beans for this dish
and probably better tasting. Be sure the can reads Authentic Refried Beans. La
Preferida is the brand Lydia recommended. She was right. It was delicious as it
has bits of bean in it instead of just being a heavy paste.
May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!
Sloane
Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning author with a second passion in her life. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.
Taylor’s cookbooks, Date Night Dinners, Summer Sizzle, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.
Excerpts from her books and free reads can be found on her website, blog, and her Amazon Author Page. Connect with Taylor on Facebook and Twitter.
