A Feast Fit For A Fiesta

Have you ever thought about hosting a fiesta but felt like you never knew where to start? I like to think there’s nothing that can put you in the mood for a party like the right food. So before you pack your pad full of decorations and guests, consider these perfect menu ideas for a homemade south-of-the-border feast.
 

Drinks
What’s a better welcome than handing your guests a tall, chilled drink? Before, during or after the meal, these easy-to-create drinks are sure to please.

Watermelon Agua Fresca
What you need:
4 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste
4 slices lime
24 fresh mint leaves
Ice

How to make:
1) Puree the watermelon and water in a blender until smooth, adding sugar to taste.

2) Cut the lime slices in half. Place a half lime slice and 3 mint leaves into each glass. Crush lime and mint leaves with cocktail muddler, then fill each glass with ice.

3) Pour in the watermelon and water mixture. Stir before serving.

Rum-Spiked Horchata
What you need:
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 quarts warm water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups milk
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup rum, or to taste (optional)
16 cubes ice

How to make:
1) In a bowl, combine the rice and warm water. Let stand for 30 minutes.

2) Strain water into another bowl and place the rice in a blender or food processor. Add cinnamon and blend until paste forms. Combine the rice paste with water from before. Let stand a minimum of 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Water will turn milky white.

3) Strain the rice through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Stir in the milk, condensed milk, and vanilla (and rum, if desired) until blended. Refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours. Serve over ice.


Appetizers
Now that you’ve whetted your guests’ thirst, why not tease them with tastes of the feast to come with these delicious appetizers? Don’t forget the chips!

Refried Beans
What you need:
1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
5 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin, optional
9 cups water

How to make:
1) Place onion, pinto beans, jalapeño, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Combine with the water and stir. Cook on for 8 hours on “high,” adding more water as needed.

2) Once the beans have cooked, strain them; saving the liquid. Mash the beans, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
What you need:
Salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 oz. raspberries
1 lb. strawberries
2 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. fruit preserves, any flavor

Cinnamon Chips:
10 (10”) flour tortillas
Butter-flavored cooking spray
2 tbsp. cinnamon sugar

How to make:
Salsa:
1) In a large bowl, mix kiwis, diced apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator a minimum of 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Chips:
1) Preheat oven to 350º. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

2) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven (350º). Set out to cool. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.


Main Course
Finally, the feast that everyone’s been waiting for! Get your guests talking with these tasty dishes that’ll round out your table without rounding out your waistline.

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)
What you need:
2 lbs. beef shank, with bone
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
2 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 potato, quartered (optional)
2 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
2 chayotes, quartered (optional)
1 medium head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
 
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges
4 radishes, quartered

How to make:
1) Cut the meat into 1/2” pieces, leaving some on the bones.
 
2) Heat a heavy soup pot until very hot. Add the oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Next, thoroughly brown meat and bones and season with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally.

3) Add 1 onion and cook until lightly brown. Stir in the tomatoes and broth until liquid covers the bones by 1/2”. Add water to compensate. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour with the lid loosely placed until meat is tender. Pour in the water, and return to a simmer.

4) Add the carrot and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook for 10 minutes. Then stir in the potato, corn and chayote. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cabbage wedges and cook for 10 more minutes.

5) Ladle soup into large bowls, including meat vegetables and bones. Garnish with jalapenos, minced onion, and additional cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over all, and serve with radishes.

Enchiladas Suizas
What you need:
2 tbsp. butter
2/3 cup chopped Spanish onion
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped green chile peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
A dash of ground cumin
 
12 (8”) corn tortillas
Canola oil for frying
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1 pint cherry tomatoes

How to make:
Salsa Verde:
1) Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft. Stir in the flour. Add the broth, chiles, garlic, salt, and cumin. Simmer about 15 minutes to blend flavors, then set aside.

Enchiladas:
1) Preheat oven to 350º. Using a skillet, lightly fry tortillas in shallow oil, careful not to make them too crisp to roll. Combine cheeses, keeping 1/2 cup aside for topping. Dip both sides of each tortilla in salsa verde. Place 2 tbsp. chicken and about 2 tbsp. cheese down the center of each; roll and place seam side down in a shallow dish.

2) Spoon additional salsa verde over them and then cover evenly with heavy cream. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture, and with the green onions.

3) Bake uncovered in preheated oven (350º) for 20 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with the olives, cherry tomatoes and additional salsa on the side.


Dessert
A fiesta is no time for a siesta! Keep the energy level high with these sweet treats that are sure to close out the night with an authentic touch.

Flan Mexicano (Mexican Flan)
What you need:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs w/ yolks
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream

How to make:
1) Place sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a golden amber color. Carefully pour the melted sugar syrup into a flan mold. Let cool.

2) Preheat oven to 350º.

3) Combine whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla extract and cornstarch into a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the cream and pulse blender to mix. Pour the mixture over the cooled caramel syrup in the flan mold.

4) Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the mold on the towel, inside roasting pan and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

5) Bake in the preheated oven (350º) for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the center of the flan is set but still slightly jiggly when moved.

6) Remove from oven to let cool and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

7) To serve, run a sharp paring knife around the inside of the mold to release the flan. Invert a plate on the mold, flip the mold over, and gently remove the mold to unmold the flan and reveal the syrupy caramel topping.

Tres Leches (Milk Cake)
What you need:
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
5 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:
2 cups whole milk
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fl. oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

How to make:
Cake:
1) Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour one 9” x 13” baking pan.

2) Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.

3) Cream butter (or margarine) and the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4) Bake in preheated oven (350º) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork and let cool.

5) Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.

Frosting:
1) Whip whipping cream, sugar and vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake.

These tasty dishes will disappear quickly, but your event can last forever through unforgettable photos. Learn how to create keepsake party photos you and your guests will never forget.