Recipes From A Mexican Food Fanatic: My Cinco De Mayo Top 5

Cinco De Mayo is tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited. Wait, take that back. I could be more excited. If the margarita clinging and taco saluting day of deliciousness was falling on a Friday instead, and if I actually had a shindig to attend. Womp, womp, womp. That's okay though. Lucky for me, I know of a gal who has a special talent in the area of Mexican gastronomy. Yeah, from what I've heard, her taco creations are drool-worthy and her Mexican breakfasts can't be beat.

There I go again. Tooting my own horn. That one was for you, Megan. But in all seriousness, (since Cinco De Mayo is a very serious matter) I do happen to love tackling a new Mexican dish now and again. Putting my own little spin on the classics. I find that the tortilla dominant cuisine provides lots of fun in the kitchen and often times comes with one spectacular reward. 

Since I've made a wide selection of Mexican dishes in my day, I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. Whether you're in need of something to bring to a party or you'd just like to prepare a festive meal for your loved ones at home, any one of these recipes will impress....and quite possibly, bring on some drool.

Breakfast For Dinner: Chilaquiles

If you haven’t heard of this cheesy and saucy mess of a dish, then you my friend, are really missing out. Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-KEE-lehs) is a traditional Mexican meal that’s so special, it’s served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I can only guess that if you haven’t been privilege to the glorious feast you’re probably wondering what the fuss is all about.

Chilaquiles is like a twist between nachos and enchiladas. And if it’s served for breakfast, you can bet some scrambled eggs are in the mix or an over-easy fried egg is thrown on top. It’s not necessarily the prettiest plate of breakfast fare, but it is knock your socks off, tasty

Score my Simple Chilaquiles recipe here!

The Ultimate Party Snack: Crab, Mango, & Cotija Guacamole

This is no ordinary guacamole; though you can also find my traditional guacamole recipe here. This one is subtly sweet, boasts a sharp bite, and almost transports you to a tropical island. My Crab, Mango, and Cotija Cheese Guacamole is pretty damn special. Make it, and you will share my sentiment. I promise.

Get the recipe here!

The Easy Weeknight Dinner: Slow Cooker Citrus Habanero Carnitas Tacos

Carnitas. Oh yes, the fall-apart pork that tastes amazing on its own and even better stuffed into a corn tortilla. Carnitas are without question one of my favorite Mexican meats. The hints of citrus, the crusty exterior of melt-in-your-mouth, succulent meat. It's just divine.

These tacos take delicious carnitas to a whole new level. With pickled cabbage, a sprinkling of cotija cheese, and a dollop of homemade guacamole, this recipe serves up carnitas tacos on crack. I must mention, this is one crazy easy weeknight meal too, as your always dependable slow cooker will do most of the work for you.

Snatch the fool-proof recipe

The Margarita with a New-Age Twist: Spicy Strawberry & Cilantro Margarita

A certified heat-seeker, I often crave cocktails that boast some spicy flair. I also love some muddled herbs in my libations. And since margarita mix is about as nasty as it gets, I'm all about making scratch-made margaritas...with all the bells and whistles. My deepest apologies cilantro haters, you may substitute with basil. Enter: Spicy Strawberry and Cilantro Margarita.

Get the recipe here!

The Land & Sea Cheesy Indulgence: Shrimp, Grilled Corn, & Chorizo Quesadillas with Cotija

Perfect for a Cinco De Mayo party, these Shrimp, Corn, and Chorizo Quesadillas combine some traditional Mexican ingredients into one seriously memorable dish. The sweetness from the shrimp and grilled corn contrasts beautifully with the salty chorizo and sprinkling of sharp cotija cheese.

The Monterey Jack rounds it all out and provides that ooey gooey cheese decadence, a quesadilla quality that we all know and love. Make it in less than 20 minutes and you'll most definitely have a brag-worthy dish for any Cinco De Mayo fiesta. 

Get the recipe here!