Margs! Guac! Tacos! Food and drink recipes for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta

By Lesley Kennedy

Looking for ways to spice up your Cinco de Mayo fiesta May 5? We’ve got ideas for drinks, apps and entrees that will help make your party a hit.

DRINKS

Mexican Margarita
Ingredients:

• Handful of frozen grapes
• Skinnygirl Sweet ‘n Tart Grapefruit Margarita
• Sugar or Splenda for rim
• Lime garnish (optional)

Preparation:

• Coat the rim of a margarita glass with sugar
• Pour Skinnygirl Sweet ‘n Tart Grapefruit Margarita over frozen grapes
• Garnish with a lime (optional)

Señorita Sangria
Ingredients (makes 6 servings):

• 1 bottle Skinnygirl Sangria
• 5 apple wedges
• 5 orange wedges, unpeeled

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher with plenty of ice
• Chill for an hour to set or serve immediately and enjoy!

Lemon Limearita

• 2 oz. ACTIVATE Charged Lemon Lime
• 2 oz. Tequila of choice
• 1/5 oz. Floater of orange liquor (Grand Marnier). Serve on the rocks

Bohemia Chipotle

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh lime wedges, cut in half
• Chipotle rimming salt, see recipe below
• 1 tablespoon Frontera Chipotle Hot Sauce or 1 teaspoon pureed canned chipotles en adobo
•  Ice
•  6 ounces chilled Bohemia beer
• 1 slice cucumber, for garnish

Directions:

• Use a piece of the lime wedge to wet the rim of a tall glass with lime. Dip the rim of the glass into the chipotle rimming salt.
• Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime pieces into the glass and then add the lime pieces. Stir in the chipotle hot sauce or pureed chipotles in adobo. Fill the glass with ice.
• Pour in the Bohemia beer. Mix gently.  Garnish glass rim with a cucumber slice. Serve.

Chipotle rimming salt: Thoroughly mix 2 tablespoons coarse (kosher) salt and 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile powder in a small bowl. Pour out onto a small plate to use for rimming beer glasses.

FOOD

Mock-A-Mole

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 cup cooked green peas
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

 Directions:

• Combine all of the ingredients into a large molcajete and blend until smooth.
• Garnish with cilantro.
• Serve with low sodium tortilla chips, whole grain crackers, and raw vegetables.

Quick tip: Save the avocado pit and toss into the guacamole at the end to keep leftovers fresher longer (Recipe courtesy Skinnygirl)

Serving tip: Serve your guac in a molcajete — a Mexican tool, consisting of a mortar and pestle, used to crush and grind spices and prepare salsas and guacamole. We like the IMUSA Granite Molcajete (it’s big enough to mix up and serve in the same bowl) and it’s just $19.99 at Target.

Taco Tapas

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean ground turkey (or your preferred meat alternative)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 whole wheat crunchy taco shells
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup light sour cream (optional)
• 1 cup low-fat shredded cheese (optional)

 Directions:

• Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and put over medium heat. Place protein of choice in pan. Add all the other ingredients, sauté to warm and combine flavors.
• Stir and break up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the meat is browned. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, bake the tortilla shells as directed in the oven
• To serve, put the meat, tortillas and toppings on the table and pass the plates. Everyone can enjoy assembling his or her own taco.

(Recipe courtesy Skinnygirl)

Photos courtesy Skinnygirl, ACTIVATE, Bohemia, Target

Need some last-minute groceries for Cinco De Mayo? Get free grocery coupons from ShopAtHome.com.

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