Cinco de Mayo, May 5 celebrates the victory of Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It's not
the Mexican Independence Day and not celebrated much in Mexico, but it's a favorite Hispanic
American holiday. Here are Mexican recipes for Cinco de Mayo. Whip up these healthy, budget 4
ingredient, Latino-inspired foods to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. These Mexican dishes serve hungry
folks economically.
Cinco de Mayo Burritos (serves 4-6)
32-oz package frozen burritos or chimichangas (chicken and rice work well)
24 oz. jar of salsa (Walmart is cheapest)
8 oz. shredded cheese
head of leaf or romaine lettuce
Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange frozen burritos in single layer. Season with ground
cumin and hot pepper. Pour salsa over burritos. Rinse jar and add half of rinse water. Cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with cheese and bake until cheese is melted. Top with
lettuce, sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime wedges and black olives if desired.
Speedy Gonzales Spanish Rice
6 cups cooked rice (1 cup dry equals three cups cooked)
25-oz jar of mango pineapple salsa
chicken broth or cooked chicken with broth
4 Cheese Mexican shredded cheese
Cook rice in broth. Blend salsa, rice and cheese. Top with more shredded cheese.
Tortilla Soup (serves 4-6)
baked tortilla chips or corn tortillas
canned or cooked chicken breast (12 oz. can or two chicken breasts)
16-oz jar lime cilantro
shredded cheese
Optional: green or black olives, can of corn, fresh chopped colored peppers, onions)
Combine cooked chicken, salsa (rinse water from jar and add to soup), any of the optional items and
simmer until heated. Season with cumin and garlic. Crumble chips in bowl; pour soup over top and
sprinkle shredded cheese over the top. Top with fresh tomatoes or cilantro if desired.
Chili Verde (serves 4-6)
one can chopped green chilies
1 cup salsa or canned tomatoes with onions and celery
chicken broth
can of cheese soup or shredded cheese and cream cheese.
Optional: cooked chicken
Combine all ingredients (rinsing all jars and cans and adding water). Simmer until blended and
heated. Top with sour cream if desired.
Mexican vegetarian 7-layer dip
Layer in glass baking dish: crushed tortilla chips, refried beans, chopped lettuce, guacamole,
chopped tomatoes and onions, shredded cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream. Top with black
olives. Serve with chips.
Fiesta Stuffed Avocados
Whole avocado
Chili powder, cumin and garlic
Mango salsa
Low fat cream cheese or cottage cheese
Slice avocado lengthwise. Use spoon to carefully remove pit. Blend last three ingredients until
smooth. Scoop filling into center of avocado. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Citrus Cinco de Mayo Slush
Oranges, limes, lemons and limes are native to Mexico. Celebrate with this refreshing punch. Blend
one can lemonade (plus one can water), one can limeade (plus one can water), one can orange juice
(plus one can water), soda water or Squirt and ice made of soda. Partially freeze to slush. Serve from
ice bucket or cooler to stay slushy. Layer with sliced oranges, lemons and limes. Garnish with
maraschino cherries.
!Bienvenidoes! Happy Cinco de Mayo!
