Cinco de Mayo will be here before u know it

[woohoosue]

In 1862 ...the French being "french" and all bullylike (showing up with more power and twice as many guys) got their butts handed to them by Mexico .....Kinda sad to think with this epidemic happening down there that they may have to cut back on celebrating.

We have been celebrating it too cuz ...well why not... what's not to like... mexican food, dance and song...... woohoo Im there..plus it signifies the last time that an army from another continent invaded the americas. so dust off the maracas....wear something bright and "La La La" with the rest of us......any excuse for tequilla shots is alright with me!


hey dont throw any of the party favors away .......cuz September 16th is Mexico's Independence Day and you can break them out then too!

[woohoosue]

Directions for Mexican Brownies

Prepare your favorite boxed or homemade brownies, adding 3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the batter (for a batch that fits a 9-by-13-inch pan). Top each Mexican brownie with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

[freeringo]

This is the best salsa recipe
Impress your friends

NO substitutes.

20 Roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion
7 Serano peppers (5 peppers if your a wimp)
1 bundle of Cilantro
10 cloves of garlic
1 bundle of green onion
salt to taste
pepper to taste
lemon juice 4 squirts

Now Listen Up.
You can't just blend the ingredients together and expect good results.
If you hand cut everything, your fine.
Combine ingredients and set in fridge.
I use a cheap food processor.
In this order ONLY
Cut peppers in half (long way) and check seeds for a nice white color.
If seeds are dark replace pepper or dig them out and use rest of pepper.
A bad pepper will ruin your salsa.
Add cut peppers, cilantro, and garlic into processor and chop for 5 seconds.
STOP don't over chop
Then cut tomotoes in half long way, then cut across 4 times, put slices in processor.
ADD half tomatoes
IMPORTANT
blend together in short bursts ( 1-2 sec ) don't over blend or tomatoes will foam and yuck
15-25 short bursts and then pour into large bowl
add 2 squirts of lemon
Add rest of tomatoes and onion (pre cut like tomato) to processor
15-25 short bursts on blend
now add chopped green onions
3-5 short bursts
add to bowl
2 lemon squirts
salt pepper
30 min in fridge covered
You are ready.

[taylovesthebeatles]

This is the best salsa recipe
Impress your friends

NO substitutes.

20 Roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion
7 Serano peppers (5 peppers if your a wimp)
1 bundle of Cilantro
10 cloves of garlic
1 bundle of green onion
salt to taste
pepper to taste
lemon juice 4 squirts

Now Listen Up.
You can't just blend the ingredients together and expect good results.
If you hand cut everything, your fine.
Combine ingredients and set in fridge.
I use a cheap food processor.
In this order ONLY
Cut peppers in half (long way) and check seeds for a nice white color.
If seeds are dark replace pepper or dig them out and use rest of pepper.
A bad pepper will ruin your salsa.
Add cut peppers, cilantro, and garlic into processor and chop for 5 seconds.
STOP don't over chop
Then cut tomotoes in half long way, then cut across 4 times, put slices in processor.
ADD half tomatoes
IMPORTANT
blend together in short bursts ( 1-2 sec ) don't over blend or tomatoes will foam and yuck
15-25 short bursts and then pour into large bowl
add 2 squirts of lemon
Add rest of tomatoes and onion (pre cut like tomato) to processor
15-25 short bursts on blend
now add chopped green onions
3-5 short bursts
add to bowl
2 lemon squirts
salt pepper
30 min in fridge covered
You are ready.

Just don't let vickid have any! Of course I'm also a weird freak who hates tomatoes, so I doubt I'll be trying this, but it sounds very good anyway. You should get this moved to my cookbook section!

[KaciBlakely]

I'm not hispanic but tequila for celebrating would be great. If only I didn't have a bun in the oven. Everyone should make sure to drink a shot for me though.

[freeringo]

Here's to both of you.

CHEERS

[taylovesthebeatles]

I'm not hispanic but tequila for celebrating would be great. If only I didn't have a bun in the oven. Everyone should make sure to drink a shot for me though.

I'll definitely drink a shot or two of something for you, and I'll ask klinkman to do the same. He'll probably do rum, is that ok for you? Vodka for me!

[Dallas12]

History

In 1861, Mexico ceased making interest payments to its main creditors. In response, in late 1861, France (and other European countries) attacked Mexico to try to force payment of this debt. France decided that it would try to take over and occupy Mexico. France was successful at first in its invasion; however, on May 5, 1862, at the city of Puebla, Mexican forces were able to defeat an attack by the larger French army. In this Battle of Puebla, the Mexicans were led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. Although the Mexican army was victorious over the French at Puebla, the victory only delayed the French invasion on Mexico City; a year later, the French occupied Mexico. The French occupying forces placed Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico. The French, under U.S. pressure, eventually withdrew in 1866-1867. Maximilian was executed by President Benito Juarez, five years after the Battle of Puebla.

[Dallas12]

Herbs, chiles, chayotes, tomatillos, and zucchini enrich Mexican chicken with pumpkinseed sauce. If you do not like spicy foods, cut back on the chiles or use milder chiles to suit your tastes.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours,
Ingredients:
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (halves), about 3-3/4 pounds total
1 small white onion, sliced, divided use
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved, divided use
1/2 teaspoon each dried marjoram and thyme
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste
1-1/4 cups (about 6 ounces) hulled, untoasted pumpkinseeds (pepitas), see note below
8 ounces (5-6 medium) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and roughly chopped
2 large romaine lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed, roughly chopped
Leaves from a small sprig of epazote, plus an additional sprig for garnish
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1-1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
2 medium chayotes, peeled if you wish, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Preparation:
Poach chicken:
Into 6- to 8-quart pot, place 10 cups water. Add half onion, half garlic, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, and about 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to boil. Add chicken breasts and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer uncovered over medium heat 10 minutes (increase simmering time to 13 to 14 minutes if chicken breasts are large). Cover pot and let stand off heat 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pot. Strain broth and skim off fat that rises to top (can be done 1 day ahead).

Prepare sauce:
In heavy 4-quart saucepan, Dutch oven or cazuela (a traditional Mexican earthenware casserole with a lid), dry-toast pumpkinseeds. Set pot over medium heat, add pumpkinseeds and, when the first seed pops, stir constantly until all have popped from flat to round, about 5 minutes. Don't let them darken past golden (usually caused by too high heat or not enough stirring) or the sauce will be brownish and slightly bitter. Cool. Set aside 3 tablespoons for garnish and transfer rest to blender. Add remaining onion and garlic to blender, along with tomatillos, lettuce, chiles, epazote leaves and chopped cilantro. Pour in 1 cup of strained broth; cover and blend to smooth puree (can be done 1 day ahead).

In pumpkinseed-toasting pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot enough to make a drop of puree sizzle sharply, add it all at once. Stir as mixture darkens slightly and thickens considerably, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 more cups broth, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 20 minutes for flavors to mellow and sauce to thicken to medium consistency (it should coat spoon).

While sauce is simmering, steam chayote in vegetable steamer 3 minutes. Add zucchini and steam 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring everything several times to ensure even cooking. Or, if you find it easier you can blanch vegetables in salted boiling water, cooking chayote about 3 minutes, then adding zucchini for 1 minute. Drain and spread vegetables on plate to stop cooking.

When sauce has simmered 20 minutes, it will likely look coarse. Smooth it to a velvety texture by reblending it in small batches (loosely covered to avoid blender explosions). Return sauce to pan, taste and season with salt, if needed, about 3/4 teaspoon. If sauce has thickened beyond a light cream-sauce consistency, thin it with a little remaining broth. Remove skin from cooked chicken, if desired, and slip chicken breasts into sauce, then add cooked vegetables. Simmer over medium heat just long enough to heat everything, about 5 minutes, then spoon chicken, vegetables and sauce out onto warm serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved pumpkinseeds (you may want to crush them), decorate with sprigs of epazote and cilantro. Serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Per serving: 481 calories, 39 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 93 mg cholesterol, 148 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 57 percent.

Note: If untoasted pumpkinseeds are hard to locate, look in the grocery store's snack aisle for toasted, salted ones; they will work (skip the step for toasting, of course).

[Pokerkitty6]

A Presidente Margarita from Chili's would go fabulous with this dish. Chips and Salsa on the side. Sounds good to me.