A delicioso taco bar, mucho dips and traditional desserts and drinks make lunch special. When is MARGARITA time?
Guacamole
Ingredients
• 4 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 2 T lemon juice
• Juice of one lime
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Hot sauce to taste
Directions
Place scooped avocado pulp in a large bowl, coat with lemon juice and mash with potato
masher. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.
Jalapeno Cactus Cheese Dip
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) container dairy sour cream
1/2 cup jalapeno or French onion sour cream dip
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Asadero cheese
1/4 cup diced canned jalapenos, drained
2 tablespoons diced canned cactus
1-1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Instructions
Combine all ingredients; mix well. Chill several hours.
Serve with chips.
Chorizo Queso Dip
Ingredients
• 1 chorizo sausage, a 4- ounce link
• 1 (8 ounce) packages shredded Mexican blend cheese, about 2 cups
• 1 (8 ounce) packages chive & onion cream cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded and diced
Instructions
Remove casing from chorizo. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble chorizo into skillet;
cook, stirring frequently and using a spoon to break up lumps, until sausage is well-browned,
about 5 minutes. Remove sausage to paper towels to drain.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine Mexican cheese, cream cheese and milk. Microwave at
Medium (50% power) stirring.
every minute until melted and hot, 6 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can prepare in the top of a
double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly, but melting time may differ.
Stir in chorizo, tomato, green onion and jalapeno. Place in fondue pot or slow cooker to keep
warm. Serve with tortilla chips.
Crock Pot White Queso Dip
Ingredients
• 2 lbs Velveeta queso blanco cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 4 oz can diced green chilies, undrained
• 2 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
• ½ tsp taco seasoning
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Cut cheese into cubes and place into a mini slow cooker. Pour in milk & add butter. Pour in can
of undrained, diced green chilies. Finely chop jalapeno peppers & add to slow cooker. Add in
taco seasoning & garlic powder. Stir, cover and turn on low for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
Cilantro-Lime Mahi Mahi for Taco Bar
Ingredients
• 1 ½ to 2 lbs wild caught Mahi Mahi
• 1 lg. can Rotel, drained (I used 2)
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbsp dried cilantro or 1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• salt to taste
Instructions
Place frozen tilapia fillets in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover with Rotel, garlic, cilantro, lime
juice, and salt.
Cook on low for 3 hours or until fish is no longer transparent and flakes easily. Flake the fish with
a fork into medium sized pieces mix well with the other ingredients and serve.
Shrimp for Taco Bar
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 45 shrimp)
Instructions
In microwave-safe large bowl, combine oil and spices; microwave on High 2 minutes.
Add shrimp; cover and marinate for 20 minutes. Microwave 3 to 4 minutes longer or just until
shrimp turn opaque throughout. (1 minute if using pre-cooked shrimp)
Slow Cooker Chicken for Taco Bar
Ingredients
• 1 Cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp taco seasoning mix (1 pkg Old El Paso)
• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Instructions
Combine chicken broth and taco seasoning mix in a bowl. Place chicken in a slow cooker
and pour broth mixture over chicken. Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours. Shred chicken. (TIP: Put
chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the beater to shred it.)
Shredded Beef (Carne Deshebrado) for Taco Bar (Slow Cooker Method)
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups beer (full bodied lager or ale is preferred)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 oz dried ancho chiles ((4-6) stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
6 Cloves garlic (lightly crushed and peeled)
3 bay leaves
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
2 Teaspoons dried oregano
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Large onion (sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds)
3 lbs. boneless beef short ribs (trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes)
Instructions
Combine the beer, vinegar, anchos, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, oregano,
salt, pepper, cloves and cinnamon. Arrange the onion rounds in a single layer on bottom
of the pot. Place the beef on top of onion rounds, in a single layer. Pour beer mixture over
beef. Cover and cook 8 hours on low.
Transfer beef to a large bowl. Strain the leftover liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a
2-cup liquid measuring cup (do not wash the pot). Discard the onion rounds and bay
leaves. Transfer the remaining solids to a blender. Add the water as needed to equal 1
cup. Pour this liquid in blender with reserved solids and blend until smooth, about 2
minutes. Shred beef into bite-size pieces. Transfer sauce back to crockpot and set on
low. Add the shredded beef and stir and coat. Season with salt to taste.
Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Press 1 can of crescent rolls into bottom of 9 X 13- inch pan. Mix cream
cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over rolls in pan. Cover with the other can
of rolls. Melt butter and stir in rest of sugar and cinnamon. Pour over top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Can be served warm or room temperature. (go really decadent and add vanilla ice cream and
top with the Caramel Sauce below!!)
Mexican Banana Dip with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
• 1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 ripe medium bananas, peeled
• 8 ounces store bought caramel sauce for ice cream
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 4 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
Beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and bananas, continue to beat until
smooth.
In a small saucepan, warm caramel sauce over low heat and season with cayenne pepper and ½
teaspoon of cinnamon.
Cut tortillas in wedges and place on a cookie sheet and brush liberally with melted butter.
Sprinkle each wedge with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and bake until crispy and sugar has
melted on the tortillas, 5 minutes.
Serve caramel in small fondue pot, banana mixture and tortillas separately for dipping or
spreading in any combination.
Coconut Flan
Ingredients
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 Cup cajeta (found in Mexican grocery stores) or caramel sauce, at room temperature
• 3 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ Cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 10-cup Bundt or tube pan with vegetable oil cooking
spray. Drizzle cajeta into the prepared pan, turning to coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the milk, eggs, vanilla extract and salt. Pour the mixture into the
pan. Place the pan inside a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough water to
come halfway up the sides. Cover the pan with foil.
Bake until the center jiggles slightly when the pan is moved, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate,
covered, for 3 hours or overnight.
Turn the flan out onto a platter. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve.
Agua de Fresca
Ingredients
• 3 C coarsely chopped strawberries
• 6 – 8 C water
• .5 – .75 C sugar
• .25 C lime juice (optional)
Instructions
Add the fruit and 2 to 3 cups of the water to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a
sieve into a large pitcher.
Add the rest of water, 1/2 of sugar and lime juice if using. Stir well and add more water and
sugar as needed. Serve well chilled.
Note: We discovered that Agua Fresca de Pepino with a little agave nectar and tequila is more
refreshing than a margarita.
Agua Fresca de Pepino
Ingredients
• 3 C peeled, seeded cucumbers
• 6 – 8 C water
• .75 C lime juice
• .5 (or less) C sugar
