5 de Mayo

Today is Cinco de Mayo and I couldn't let the day go by without doing a post to this special day. For those who don't know about this holiday, here is a quick rundown of what it is and why we are celebrating it:

It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French army at "The Battle of Puebla" in 1862 which is known as "Batalla de Puebla". Although the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be known as simply "5 de Mayo". Many people tend to equate it with Mexican Independence which was on September 16, 1810. Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become very popular and surprisingly, it is celebrated on a much larger scale here in the United States that it is in Mexico. People of Mexican decent celebrate this day by having parades, mariachi music, folklorico dancing and other types of activities.

Of course Cinco de Mayo is not complete without a taste of Mexican cuisine...which is my favorite! Traditional foods such as quesadillas, fajitas and rice and beans are popular during the celebration. In honor of this special day for our Mexican friends, I have a few appetizer recipes to share. Keep in mind, that you dont have to make these today. Mexican food can be enjoyed any time you have a craving for that south of the border flavor.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Peace.
lb

CINCO DE MAYO RECIPES
~Black Bean & Corn Salsa~
~Salsa Verde~
~Homemade Tortilla Chips~

Black Bean & Corn Salsa
This is a simple recipe, takes only 15 min to prepare and can be used in a variety of ways!

2 cans Black Beans
1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 can Corn
1 small Lime, juiced
1-2 Jalapeno peppers, diced
1 small White Onion diced
1 Garlic Clove diced
1/8 cup fresh Cilantro
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
salt & pepper (to taste)


Drain the canned tomatoes, black beans and corn and combine into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add fresh lime juice, chopped peppers, onion garlic, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix and let sit for 1 hour so the ingredients can set.

Serving options:
You can serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer, or you can use it as topping for nachos, burritos and tacos. Want a salad instead? Serve it on top of shredded romaine lettuce, add grilled chicken if you chosse, and drizzle with Salsa Verde (see recipe below) as a dressing.

Jalapeno Pepper Meter:
1 = mild, 2= medium, 3= hot


Salsa Verde

"Verde" means green in Spanish, so instead of using red tomatoes, this recipe is made with a Mexican relative of a tomato, the Tomatillo (pronoounced "toe-mah-TEE-yo), which looks like a little green tomato covered with a husk.

1/2 lb. Tomatillos
1/2 cup white onions chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
3 tbs. fresh lime juice
2 jalapeno or cerano peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
salt (to taste)

Add onions, jalepeno and tomatillos into a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until desired consistency. Salsa verde can be served immediately, but is better when it sits in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors meld.

Homemade Tortilla Chips

This recipe came up as a fluke. I made this one day after realizing that I ran out of tortilla chips and have been hooked ever since! You can make these two ways, baked or fried. I prefer baked...gotta keep my girlish figure ;). I tried them both ways and they are delicious!

1 pack of soft Corn Tortillas
Vegetable Oil Spray (Pam for baking),
or 1/4 cup Vegetable oil (for frying)
kosher salt

Cut tortillas into 8 triangles each. Spread out in single layer on baking sheet. Spray lightly with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Serve with salsa or guacomole dip