Drinko de Mayo

WELL, WE MISSED THE BOAT ON "CINCO DE MAYO" BUT WE DID MANAGE TO FIND A WEEKEND IN MAY WHEN ALL OF THE LADIES COULD GET TOGETHER.  HERE ARE THE RECIPES WE MADE, WHICH I THINK ARE PERFECT FOR ANY GET TOGETHER, ALL SUMMER LONG.  ENJOY!

FIRST THINGS FIRST... TEQUILA.  YES, I DID PROMISE.  WISH I COULD SAY WE CREATED SOME FANCY DRINKS BUT ACTUALLY WE JUST DID SHOTS (THIS BEING THE GOOD STUFF) .......PLUS ANOTHER BOTTLE OF CUERVO FOR A VERY NOT-JERSEY-FRESH TGIF "BUCKET-O-MARGARITAS" (PRETTY GOOD, ACTUALLY!)

WHAT IS MEANT BY "THE GOOD STUFF"...OH SO GOOD.  I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT THE CEO OF PATRON PRESENTED AT THIS YEAR'S FORTUNE MAGAZINE GREEN CONFERENCE.  PATRON IS THE ONLY TEQUILA MAKER TO USE HANDBLOWN BOTTLES MADE FROM RECYCLED GLASS.  THEIR FACTORIES ALSO RECYCLE MORE THAN 70% OF THE SILAGE THAT RESULTS FROM TEQUILA PRODUCTION, AND THEY PROVIDE IT TO LOCAL MEXICAN FARMERS TO USE ON THEIR SOIL.  IF YOU'RE SUPER-ECONOMICAL LIKE I AM, YOU CAN UPCYCLE THE BOTTLE FOR USE AS A VASE, JAR, OR WHATEVER.   ALSO, THE COMPANY IS HEADQUARTERED IN LAS VEGAS.  SO...IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PATRIOTIC, ENVIROMENTALLY CONSCIOUS, "GREEN" DRINKERS, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.  SPEAKING OF GREEN...

WE MADE USE OF SOME GREAT SHREDDED LETTUCE IN OUR MEXICAN EGG ROLLS . MANY MARKETS OFFER LETTUCE FOR THE BEST ORGANIC VARIETY AS WELL AS SALAD MIXES, TRY ABMA'S FARM IN WYCKOFF (BERGEN COUNTY).  YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH ADAPT THE EGG ROLL RECIPE TO INCLUDE ANYTHING YOU WANT.  WE USED GROUND BEEF, SHREDDED JACK CHEESE AND LETTUCE. (FULL DISCLOSURE, OUR CAMERA BATTERY DIED ON THIS GO AROUND, PLUS WE WERE TRANSPORTING THE FOOD TO ANOTHER LOCATION SO WE DIDN'T GET PICS OF MOST OF THE FINISHED PRODUCTS.  BUT EVERYTHING TASTED GREAT!)

WE MADE THREE DIFFERENT DIPS FOR MUNCHIES..

1)  MEXICAN LAYER DIP (WE OMITTED THE GUAC LAYER HERE BECAUSE WE MADE OUR OWN SEPARATE GUACAMOLE)

2) GARDEN STATE GUACAMOLE (THIS WILLIAMS-SONOMA VERSION, BUT WE TRIPLED IT FOR A CROWD, ADDED EXTRA TOMATO AND WENT HEAVY ON THE GARLIC.  WE'RE GARLIC PEOPLE, PLUS IT REALLY GIVES IT THAT EXTRA KICK WITHOUT OVERPOWERING THE AVOCADO FLAVOR.  IN MY OPINION IT'S ALSO BETTER CHUNKY.   

3) HOT COWBOY QUESO:
MY OWN RECIPE....

*1 PACKAGE GROUND BEEF

* TWO PACKETS ANY TACO SEASONING
* VELVEETA... ONE 32 OZ REGULAR BLOCK AND ONE 16 OZ BLOCK OF MEXICAN
* 1 TOMATO, DICED
* 1 ONION, DICED

* TABASCO OR ANY OTHER HOT SAUCE TO TASTE. 
* ONE (OR TWO OR THREE) HOT COWBOY(S)...OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED.

COOK UP ONE PACKAGE GROUND BEEF, ADD IN THE TACO SEASONING.  AT THE SAME TIME, MELT BOTH BLOCKS OF VELVEETA ON MEDIUM.  THE VELVEETA IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE NO OTHER CHEESE WILL MELT THIS WAY.  WHEN CHEESE IS COMPLETELY MELTED, ADD IN THE COOKED GROUND BEEF, THEN ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS.  

WARNING:  THIS...IS...ADDICTIVE!

 

THE TOMATOES, ONIONS AND GREEN ONIONS WERE USED IN SEVERAL DISHES. 

 IN ADDITION TO THE EGG ROLLS, WE DID ONE OTHER APPETIZER-  THESE MEXICAN MINI QUICHES .

 
DELI-MADE FRESH CREAM CHEESE...YUM.

 

FOR FRESH ORGANIC  EGGS, TRY HLUBICK FARMS IN CHESTERFIELD, WHICH SELLS ANTIBIOTIC FREE BROWN EGGS.

PEPPERS FROM OUR OWN GARDEN...CAN'T GET MORE LOCAL THAN THAT!