Cinco de Mayo is more than a day to drink margaritas and indulge in street tacos. Historically, it celebrates the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over the French, in the battle of Puebla, ending the Franco-Mexican War. Today, the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Mexico are in Puebla, with a parade and a battle reenactment. In the U.S., it’s a day we celebrate Mexican-American culture, food and drink, similar to celebrating Irish culture on St. Patrick’s Day.
After sheltering in place for nearly two months, I could use a margarita, and I welcome the opportunity to have a fiesta – a six-foot fiesta.
I’ll gather my amigos and amigas on zoom, perhaps a 6-foot social distancing block party, or a simple party on the deck or patio with my housemates. Just pick the place and decide if you want to cook or carry out.
With many restaurants still suffering from the COVID-19 closures, consider ordering a takeout fiesta. Mission Taco Joint is offering three unique kits perfect for a home fiesta. A Grill-It-Yourself or the Heat-It-Yourself taco kits. Each offers a choice of meats, sides, tortillas, toppings, salsa and chips. There’s also a Mash-It-Yourself Guacamole with Chips, which sounds fun – like batting a piñata.
California Pizza Kitchen has a taco kit, featuring flap steak, mahi/ono or chicken options. The kit includes black beans and all the taco trimmings, from fresh cilantro and Mexican cheese to Serrano peppers and limes. Fresh agave lime margaritas is another add-on option.
Chevy’s Fresh Mex Fiesta Fajita Kit paired with a pitcher of either house or Cadillac margaritas, is a stand-out takeout for Cinco de Mayo. Pick your favorite fajitas – chicken, carnitas or steak. Chevy’s packs it up with the all the essentials: tortillas, grilled veggies, beans, rice, guacamole, chips, salsa, and its signature sweet corn tamalito.
Perhaps you prefer to cook your own fiesta feast. Local grocers have stocked a bounty of Mexican ingredients. Straub’s has reported filling its shelves with a variety of Mexican ingredients, ranging from Mexican-style cheeses to small-batch tequilas. Straub’s also offers to-go taco trays. All are available for curbside pickup.
Since the 1970s, when tacos became mainstream American fare, groceries and markets have expanded their Mexican food product line. Once hard-to-find products, such as traditional Mexican cheeses, like Cotija and Queso Fresco, artisan-made tortillas, salsas and canned chiles are now easily found.
Canned chiles, the base of countless Mexican dishes, were the first product Emilo Ortega packaged in 1890. Ortega was the founder of what became Ortega Mexican Foods, considered the oldest Mexican convenience food company in the U.S. Ortega based his packaged products on his mother’s authentic recipes that date to the time of the Battle of Puebla, over 150 years ago.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo and Ortega, the company he founded has shared a few recipes, perfect for a patio fiesta where one can successfully toast the day 6 feet apart.
Taco Casserole
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 bottle (8 ounces) Ortega Taco Sauce
3/4 cup water
1 can (4 ounces) Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles
1 packet (1.25 ounces) Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix
1 package (12-count) Ortega Whole Grain Corn Taco Shells, broken, divided
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Queso Blanco cheese or cheddar cheese, divided
Chopped tomatoes, chopped green bell pepper, sour cream
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Cook beef and onion in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned. Drain and discard excess fat. Stir in taco sauce, water, chiles and seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Layer half of broken taco shells on bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with half of meat mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with desired toppings.
Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad with Cilantro Dressing
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Dressing
1 can (4 ounces) Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Combine chiles, cilantro, oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Salad
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in half
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in half
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into thin slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into thin slices
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 pound pasta shells or penne, cooked
1 jar (16 ounces) Ortega Garden Vegetable Salsa
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil, cut into thin strips
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 15 minutes. Lightly brush grill grid with vegetable oil. Grill bell peppers, zucchini, squash and onion 3 to 5 minutes per side or until fork-tender. Remove vegetables from grill: cut into bite-size pieces. Toss cooked pasta, salsa, sliced vegetables and basil in large bowl or serving platter. Serve with dressing on lettuce leaves, if desired.
Frozen Margarita Pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Start to Finish: 4 hours
Servings: 8
Crust
10 Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Filling
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup frozen limeade, thawed
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 drop green food coloring
1 cup whipping cream
Lime curls (optional)
Place taco shells in food processor and pulse until evenly ground. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in taco crumbs and sugar until well blended. Press firmly over bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer until firm. Combine sweetened condensed milk, limeade, orange juice and food coloring in large mixing bowl. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream gently into condensed milk mixture until blended. Pour onto prepared crust. Freeze uncovered, 4 hours or until firm. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime curls, if desired.
Tip: To crush taco shells without a food processor, place them in a resealable plastic food storage bag and run a rolling pin over the shells until they’re evenly crushed.
