Countdown to Cinco De mayo!!

Taken from http://www.bakersroyale.com

Strawberry Margarita Popsicles ~ Summer entertaining doesn’t get much easier than these fun Strawberry Margarita Popsicles. Remember these Strawberry Margarita Jello Shooters from last year? Well, since I’m on a popsicle run, I had to re-style the Strawberry Margarita into a frozen treat to be served along side these beer pops for my friend’s annual Cinco de Mayo party.

Strawberry Margarita Popsicles

Seldom do I roll anything out here on the blog without a test run, but I’m betting that based on the Corona Beer Pops, these Strawberry Margarita Pops will be just as big of a hit with my friends. Now everyone knows my love for cute food, couple that with my group of friends who love a good drink, well what you see here is the result of their latest challenge.
The challenge given to me was to serve a drink in something other than a glass or can. If you are regular reader you may have seen a few of my other creations that fit this bill like my: Chocolatini Pudding Shooters, Appletini Cupcakes, Lemon Drop Jello Shooters, Rock Candy Midori Jello Shooters.
The funny thing is, I’m not really a drinker, but what my friends know about me is I love a good challenge. So this time around it had to be so easy, that even my most “kitchen lazy” friend could re-create this without too much whining and too much fuss for her summer opening pool party that always coincides with Cinco de Mayo.
. . .
A few notes:

• No recipe, just an easy entertaining idea that requires some Dixie cups, popsicles sticks and Mike’s Hard Lemonade Strawberry Margarita. As a side note, the traditional margarita made with Tequila needs a much colder temperature to freeze than the tradtional home unit allows, so that’s why something like these Mike’s Hard Lemonade is better suited for making these popsicles.
• To assemble: Pour and freeze the Strawberry Margarita for two hours then insert the popsicle sticks in the middle. Freeze for another two hours or until the Strawberry Margarita Popsicles solidify. Garnish with a lime and serve.
• Small note, do not rim with salt until serving time as the salt will melt the pops. Alternatively, you can rim the Strawberry Margarita Pops with chunky crystal sugar for an aesethetic effect without worrying about the melting factor.
• To keep popsicles chilled as long as possible, place the serving tray in the freezer and then top the tray with a layer of crushed iced.

Fix it and Forget it Friday: Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas, quartered
• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 (12 ounce) jar chunky salsa
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

1. Crumble the ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add taco seasoning and water; simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the salsa, cream of mushroom soup and cream of chicken soup. Mix in most of the cheese, reserving 3/4 cup for later.
3. Place a layer of tortillas covering the bottom of a slow cooker. Scoop a layer of the ground beef over that, and then spoon a layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers until you run out of stuff, ending with a layer of tortillas on the top. Top with remaining cheese.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Countdown to Cinco De Mayo: Guacamole

Ingredients

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Countdown to Cinco De Mayo.. One of my fave dishes..

Shrimp tacos:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 pound small shrimp, peeled and devined, tails removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lime
A handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, your choice ( I use a little of both)
For the shrimp filling, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO. Add the garlic, jalapenos, then shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are pink and firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, lime zest and juice, and chopped parsley or cilantro.

I use soft taco shells, shredded cheese, sometimes avocado slices or sour cream on ours. But you could add your other fave taco toppings too.

Countdown To Cinco De Mayo: Salsa

Ingredients

• 4 jalapeno chile peppers
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place jalapeno chile peppers on a medium baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes, or until roasted. Remove from heat and chop off stems.
3. Place jalapeno chile peppers, garlic, onion, white sugar, salt, ground cumin and diced tomatoes with green chile peppers in a blender or food processor. Chop using the pulse setting for a few seconds. Mix in whole peeled tomatoes. Chop using the pulse setting to attain desired consistency. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.