This Cinco de Mayo enjoy your favorite Mexican dishes and drinks and add some new recommendations into the kitchen with recipes from some of HSN’s expert chefs like Lorena Garcia, Ingrid Hoffman, and Eduardo Garcia. They’ll help you set up a spicy and savory spread for your dinner or party plans that will go a step beyond your typical “taco tuesday” menu. With your kitchen strategy taken care of the only thing left to do will be to cue the music, string up the lights, and maybe even let loose with a pinata?
Kick off your fiesta’s flavor with:
- Eduardo Garcia’s Pan Roasted Baby Peppers
- Ingrid Hoffman’s Picadillo-Chile Tamale Pie
- Lorena Garcia’s Pork Tamales
- Nutribullet’s Frozen Lemonade
1. Pan Roasted Baby Peppers with Montana Mex Picante Salt
A side dish that is sweet and spicy! These pan roasted baby peppers may look charred and mean on the outside but on the inside they will be soft and delicious.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Peppers, sweet baby
- 2 Tablespoons Olive/Coconut oil to taste
- Montana Mex Picante salt
Directions
- In a medium size cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet on medium to high heat, add the peppers and let blister till nicely blackened (about 5 minutes) Flip and do the same to the other side.
- Remove the pan from heat and add oil to the pan, coating the peppers evenly
- Transfer peppers to a serving dish and season with Picante salt to taste
2. Picadillo-Chile Tamale Pie
This is an oven to table recipe that you’ll want to make year round after trying it. Using the Pisado Chili mix makes this seemingly in depth meal easy to make in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. oil
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 (4.6-ounce) package Cocina by Ingrid Hoffmann Pisado Chili
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 can (14-ounces) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, halved
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend
- 1 box (8.5-ounces) corn muffin mix
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, then add turkey and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in Pisado Chili Seasoning Blend.
- Add beans and corn packet, chicken broth, tomatoes, raisins, and olives. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Transfer to deep-dish pie plate or baking dish. Top evenly with the cheese.
- Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions. Spoon batter, by heaping tablespoons, over filling. Bake, uncovered, until the topping is puffed and filling is bubbly around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Pork Tamales
If you’d like a more traditional take on a tamale for Cinco de Mayo look no further than this rich and hearty pork tamales recipe.
Ingredients
Mix
- 3 dry corn husks
- 3 chili peppers
- 2 ½ cups of chicken broth, divided 4 cups of instant corn flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon of chili powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cups butter, softened
Filling
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 3 lbs. of pork loin roast (deboned)
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
Directions
Prepare the Dough:
- Cook the chili peppers in the microwave on high temperature inside a glass container with half a cup of broth for two minutes, or until they become tender. Strain them. Take the stems off the peppers. Blend the peppers in a blender or food processor until they are pureed.
- In a big bowl, combine the pepper puree, with the other two cups of broth and the following 5 ingredients: corn flour, baking powder, chili powder, salt and softened butter (the mixture will be coarse).
- With your hands, knead the mixture 3 to 4 times, until you get a soft texture on the dough. Let the dough set.
Prepare the Pork:
- Combine the salt and the following 5 ingredients: salt, dark brown sugar, chili powder, cumin powder, red pepper powder and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly on the pork.
- Place the pork inside a Dutch oven and brown up the pork in hot oil, at medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pre-heat the oven to 300° F. Cover the pot and bake for 3 to 4 hours or until the pork is tender.
- Remove the pork from the pot, and set aside the juices that were released. Let it cool slightly and shred the meat with a fork.
- Cook the pork juice at medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until it has been reduced to half the amount. Add the shredded pork to the juice, mixing it all well.
Make the Tamales:
- Divide the dough evenly into 24 corn leaves. Press each portion on a leaf, forming a small rectangle and leaving a border of at least half an inch in three of the sides and leave a bit more space on the corners.
- With a spoon, spread evenly 1 to 1 and a half tablespoons of pork mixture on one side of the dough. Join the long ends of the leaf, pressing them to close them. Fold the sides of the leaf one on top of the other and tie them up with a strip of corn leaf.
- Place a cup in the center of a metal strainer and cover it with a kitchen towel and place all these inside a Dutch oven. Add enough water to the pot until the base of the strainer is covered. Put the water to boil.
- Place the tamales around the cup and fold the kitchen towel on top of the tamales. Cover the pot and steam from 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.
4. Frozen Lemonade
A mock margarita is delicious and refreshing option to have at the party for those that prefer not to imbibe.This frozen lemonade will still provide that satisfying citrusy pucker that goes so perfectly with hearty and spicy mexican dishes. Garnish the glasses with a rim of salt or sugar.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup water
Directions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat lemon juice and honey for 20 seconds and stir to combine.
- Stir in the water and pour ingredients into an ice cube tray.
- Freeze for at least four hours until solid.
- Add frozen lemonade cubes into the dessert bullet chute and press down through the dispenser into a serving dish.
What will you make for your Cinco De Mayo celebration?