A Cinco De Mayo Fiesta

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Saturday, Matt and I had a small get together of friends to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I mean, what other day of the year is it acceptable to drown your baked goods in tequila? And eat tacos for lunch and dinner? Well, okay, in my book, these things are okay every day of the year. But, especially on May 5th.

Margarita Cupcakes [recipe courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker]
Let's go ahead and start with dessert first. There are many versions of a margarita cupcake out there on the Interwebs, and while I was tempted to take the easy road and pick a recipe that used a box mix, I went ahead and did everything from scratch. You know, because I really wanted to practice using my piping bag again. And, I'm a masochist. Anyhow, I really enjoyed these cupcakes. They are super light, with just the right amount of lime flavor. I followed every step of the recipe exactly. However, instead of garnishing the cupcakes with lime zest and a slice of lime, I added two drops of green food coloring and one drop of yellow to the frosting.

Guacamole Salad [recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa]
My friend Lindsay is a huge Ina Garten fan, just like me. She brought this deconstructed guacamole salad to the party, and I loved it. Then I got really angry I had to share it with everyone else.

Jicama-Orange Salad [recipe courtesy of Epicurious]
Lisa picked this incredibly refreshing salad recipe because sometimes you just wanna eat some jicama, you know? It was the perfect balance to all of the rich guacamole, spicy salsa, and salty tortilla chips that we munched on for eleventeen hours.

Restaurant Style Salsa [recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman]
I first made this salsa last summer, and Matt complained that it wasn't spicy enough. So, I used two jalapeños instead of one this time and, whoa baby, it was-uh spicy meatball. I can totally take the heat, but if you're not so hip to the fire tongue, watch your peppers.

Beergaritas
I first tried this drink when Matt and I closed on our house last summer. Lindsay and Seth brought over a pitcher to celebrate, and no one told us to sloooooow down. You've been warned.
-frozen limeade concentrate
-your favorite tequila
-2 beers (we use Tecate or Corona)

1. In a pitcher with ice combine, the limeade concentrate, an empty limeade container's worth of tequila, and two beers.

2. Mix well and enjoy!

Skirt Steak Tacos
-2 lbs. skirt steak
-1/2 teaspoon of cumin
-1/2 a white onion, coarsely chopped
-1 lime, juiced
-1 clove of garlic
-1/4 cup of olive oil
-a big pinch of kosher salt

1. In a food processor, combine the cumin, onion, lime juice, garlic, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.

2. Slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor while it's running to emulsify the marinade.

3. In a plastic bag, pour the marinade over the skirt steak and keep in the fridge overnight.

4. Grill the steak to your preferred level of doneness and let it rest for ten minutes.

5. Cut the steak against the grain and serve in warm tortillas with all the fixins.

Homemade Guacamole

Photo by Katie Guymon

A few summers ago, I decided it was high time that I create a signature guacamole recipe. I mean, who doesn't have one? This process required me thumbing through a ton of other guacamole recipes, picking and choosing the ingredients I liked, and then figuring out the best proportions.

There are obviously a million ways to make The Big Green Condiment, but here is the recipe, after lots of experimenting, I've decided I like the best.

Guacamole

-4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, and diced
-1 lime
-1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
-1 tablespoon garlic, minced (roasted garlic is nice, too)
-1 large tomato, seeded and diced
-1/2 large white or red onion, diced
-1 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
-1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)




How to prep your avocados: 
1. Use a knife to halve the avocado. Twist the two halves of the avocado until the fruit is open.

2. Use the knife to "chop" into the seed with one swift motion. Only go about 1/4 of an inch into the seed. Twist the knife until the seed comes out.

3. Very carefully, use a paper towel to remove the seed from the knife blade.

4. Dice into small pieces.

How to make the guacamole:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, squeeze the juice from both halves of a lime onto the diced avocados. Add the garlic and salt.

2a. For chunkier guacamole, use a fork (or other utensil) to mash the avocados to just above the preferred consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and do a little more mashing.

2b. For a smoother guacamole, add the remaining ingredients and use a Smart Stick or food processor to blend. You can do more rough chops on the ingredients if you go this route. I like the Smart Stick for easier clean up.

3. Wear a sombrero and drink a Corona or five.

4. Also, eat the guacamole with your favorite tortilla chips.