Cinco de Mayo | Recipes and Ideas
Cinco de Mayo is a festive holiday celebrated in Mexico and the United States on May 5th. It commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While the holiday is not a major national holiday in Mexico, it has become a popular celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in the United States.
One of the best ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo is by cooking up some delicious Mexican-inspired dishes. Here are three recipes that are sure to satisfy your cravings:
Supreme Nachos with Beans
What you will need:
- 1 bag of tortilla chips
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup of diced red onion
- 1/4 cup of diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup of sliced jalapeños
- 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado, diced
- Lime Juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the black beans evenly over the tortilla chips.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the beans and tortilla chips.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- While the nachos are baking, prepare the toppings.
- In a small bowl, mix together the diced red onion, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and chopped cilantro.
- In another small bowl, toss the diced avocado with the lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- When the nachos are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a minute.
- Sprinkle the onion, tomato, and jalapeño mixture over the melted cheese.
- Top with the diced avocado and chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious bean and cheese nachos!
Taco Salad
What you will need:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 package of taco seasoning
- 1 head of lettuce, chopped
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of corn
- 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup of sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup of diced red onion
- 1/4 cup of sour cream
- 1/4 cup of salsa
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks.
- Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the taco seasoning to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Cook the ground beef according to the package directions.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, black beans, corn kernels, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, and diced red onion.
- Add the cooked ground beef to the bowl and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and salsa to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Serve the taco salad with tortilla chips on the side.
Enjoy your delicious and flavorful taco salad!
Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Shrimp and Nacho Cheese
If you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make meal that's packed with flavor, look no further than these spicy black bean tacos with shrimp and nacho cheese. These tacos are perfect for a weeknight dinner or for serving at a party, and they're sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
What you would need:
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup nacho cheese sauce
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the black beans to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in the oven or on the stovetop.
- To assemble the tacos, place a spoonful of the black bean and shrimp mixture on each tortilla. Top with a drizzle of nacho cheese sauce and a sprinkle of cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Enjoy your delicious and easy-to-make spicy black bean tacos with shrimp and nacho cheese!
Shrimp Fajitas with a Side of Rice and Beans
What you will need:
- 1 lb. of shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 package of fajita seasoning
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Flour or corn tortillas for serving
- 1 Package of yellow rice
- 1 can of refried beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, toss the shrimp, sliced red bell pepper, sliced green bell pepper, and sliced yellow onion with the fajita seasoning, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp and vegetable mixture to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave or on a skillet.
- In a separate pot, cook rice according to the packet instructions
- Serve the shrimp fajitas with warm tortillas and the rice and beans on the side.
Enjoy your delicious shrimp fajitas with a flavorful side of rice and beans!
Strawberry Margarita
What You Will Need:
- 2 oz. tequila
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 oz. triple sec or Cointreau
- 3-4 fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- Salt for rimming the glass (optional)
- Ice
Instructions:
- Begin by preparing your glass. Rim a chilled cocktail glass with salt by rubbing the rim with a lime wedge and dipping it into a shallow dish of salt (optional).
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the chopped strawberries and sugar until the strawberries are mashed and juicy.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Add the tequila, lime juice, and triple sec to the shaker.
- Shake the ingredients vigorously for 10-15 seconds to combine and chill.
- Strain the Strawberry Margarita into your salt-rimmed glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a fresh strawberry or lime wedge.
Enjoy your delicious Strawberry Margarita!
Tres Leches Authentic Mexican Cake
Ingredients: For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the three milk mixtures:
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 2 cups whipped cream
- Cinnamon powder for dusting
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter and flour it lightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the three milk mixtures by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
- Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- While the cake is still warm, use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Pour the three milk mixtures evenly over the cake, making sure to cover the entire surface.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
- Before serving, spread whipped cream over the top of the cake and sprinkle cinnamon powder on top.
- Cut into squares and serve.
Enjoy your delicious Tres Leches Cake, a classic Mexican dessert!
Now you are ready to host your very own Cinco de Mayo Themed gathering as you have gathered ideas and recipes for appetizers, main courses, drinks, and even deserts.