Best Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce

by Michelle

"Happiness is a kitchen full of family." —Unknown

My nieces frying the corn tortillas and assembling the enchiladas.

   More often than not when my extended family gets together for a meal we prepare Mexican food. Nearly three years ago, we made carnitas for my daughter, Maddie's graduation, along with shredded beef tostados, creamy refried pinto beans, coleslaw, strawberry-infused margaritas, and pineapple-ginger auga fresca. For the past two years we gathered together for festive afternoons of making tamales in early December in early preparation for our Christmas dinner. My sister Linda was known for her Feliz Navidad Fiesta Menu during the holidays, which albondigas soup and cheese enchiladas were key components. It seems as if we can never get enough of a good thing. We all love the spicy food hailing from our neighbors south of the border.

I use a combination of chiles for a more complex flavor. 

   Last month a handful of our larger group were all together again at my house the day before Thanksgiving. The day before turkey day I am energetically baking pies and prepping sides for the feast. If I'm too busy cooking the night before Thanksgiving, which is normally the case, my husband picks up pizzas and a big salad so that I can avoid making dinner. I love the fact that I can be too busy cooking tomorrow's meal to cook tonight's dinner. In my family everyone cooks, and cooks well, so I figured that I would put all that talent to good use and ask everyone to pitch in to help put a homemade dinner on the table instead of bringing-in take-out. Ask and you shall receive.
   My niece, Sonora volunteered to fry the corn tortillas and her sister, Avalon agreed to stuff the enchiladas. In a pre-planning move, I made the enchilada sauce the prior weekend along with a taqueria-style salsa. My sister, Juliette shredded the specialty Menonita cheese (made by Menonites) that she purchased just over the border in Mexico specifically for the enchiladas. Maddie arrived home a little later than expected because traffic was predictably terrible. She was thrilled to have a margarita poured for her shortly after walking in the door, plopping down her bags, and letting out a deep sigh of relief to be safely home for the holiday. No rest for the weary, I promptly tasked Maddie with making the guacamole and the Mexican crème fraîche, which always seems to be her assigned job. I was in charge of making the homemade refried pinto beans that everyone adores. As a group we can forgo the rice but we can't skip the beans. Many hands make light work and within short order we finished prepping the garnishes and made a really delicious dinner together while we chatted, sipped margaritas and laughed. This cherished time together is what memories are made of.

Ready to pop into the oven. 

Best Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Hatch Green Chiles and a New Mexico Road Trip

My Traveling Tales by Michelle

Hatch green chile season begins in August and is over by the end of September.

   About this time last year Linda and I devised a spur of the moment plan take a road trip from Tucson to Santa Fe to visit the Indian Market that is held annually in mid-August. Over the years my sisters and I had talked in broad terms about how much fun it would be to attend the Indian Market, but our conversations did not transcend into actually making a plan. Cancer has a way of expediting a decision making process. We both agreed that there was no time like the present, while Linda was feeling well enough, for us to both mark a mutual item off our bucket lists.
   In July of last year Linda was feeling much better than she had felt earlier in the year after enduring six intense rounds of chemotherapy and ten radiation treatments to combat breast cancer that had metastasized to her lungs and bones. The chemotherapy seemed to bring Linda to the brink of death before she rebounded gradually. After nearly five months of feeling horrible and being mostly confined to a wheelchair, Linda had graduated to a walker and was getting around on her own two feet (much to everyone's elation). She was even smiling again (hallelujah).
   The dates of the market fit quite nicely in between Linda's routinely scheduled bi-weekly doctor's visits. And to everyone's satisfaction there had been no recent changes to her medications and she was tolerating quite well the myriad of pills she took daily. The future looked brighter than it had in a long time.

Yours truly on the left wearing my new Heishi necklace and 
Linda on the right holding a Godfather cocktail.

   To proceed with caution we needed to factor in to the sightseeing equation that Linda could not walk long distances and that she might very well tucker out midday, which would necessitate a nap to recover her energy for evening activities. We also suspected that finding parking every day during the market hours would likely be awful and we needed control over that variable. With these contingencies in mind, it made sense for us to stay in the heart of Santa Fe near the action of the market, even though the cost of lodging would increase exponentially. Linda was surprised and pleased to find one available room at the historic La Fonda Hotel, which is conveniently located on the plaza near all the events we planned to attend.
   As with all great road trips, one thing leads to another. It didn't take long for us to figure out how to extend a quick weekend getaway in to what looked more like a mini vacation, or as we like to say, "Sistercation". If we were going to go all the way to Santa Fe, we agreed that we might as well tack on a couple of additional days and travel further north to Taos. If we were going to go to Taos, then Linda wanted to visit Chimayó to make a pilgrimage to the sanctuary. Linda worked the internet like a champ to put together a complete itinerary for sightseeing and dining. She scoured websites, read restaurant reviews and secured reservations for lodging and meals.

Linda and I enjoyed the performance of this fancy dancer champion.
I employed a couple of photo apps to create a painterly effect.

  The week before our trip, Linda's oncologist ordered a MRI of Linda's brain because Linda's tumor score had been increasing but comparative CT scans of the mid section of her body didn't reveal any significant changes. The day before we were to leave for Santa Fe, the oncologist called to give Linda bad news. Much to our dismay, the brain MRI revealed that there was indeed a tumor. If there is good news at such a time, it was that the tumor was small and treatable with radiation. Chemotherapy wasn't an option because it has trouble crossing the blood-brain barrier.
   The oncologist asked Linda if she had experienced any recent headaches or dizziness. Linda confirmed that she was asymptomatic. As a precautionary measure the oncologist prescribed a steroid that we needed to pick-up at the pharmacy in the morning on our way out of town. Linda was directed to take the medication, if needed, to counteract headaches or vertigo, should those symptoms suddenly occur. Linda and I mulled over whether we should cancel the trip. We mutually decided to override our concerns and to move forward with our plans. With the oncologist's blessing we were cleared to travel with the caveat that we needed to stop every 60 to 90 minutes so that Linda could stretch her legs and walk around a bit to get her blood moving.

Our favorite event that we attended was the Indian Market Haute Couture Fashion Show.

  The discovery of the brain tumor was a critical turning point for Linda. We knew that once we returned from the road trip that Linda would be meeting with a radiation oncologist to discuss treatment options. The unknown loomed large as Linda and I headed east the next day on I-10. We agreed that we would do our best not to let the news dampen our excitement for the trip or our enjoyment of our time together in New Mexico. We would be as carefree as possible and would not focus on the gravity of her situation.
   We understood from Linda's diagnosis at UCSF in Feburary that her stage IV breast cancer was treatable but not curable. We also understood that metastasis to the brain is fatal. Doctors will attempt to pacify a patient with statements that invariably start with, "Every patient is different and we do not know how each individual will react to a treatment." The doctor decides upon a course of action and if the treatment doesn't work then the next step is to try something different to see if it works. A treatment plan is just an ongoing experiment punctuated with many questions and few answers.
   What we knew for sure is that cancer spreads quickly in the blood-rich environment of the brain. If there was one brain tumor then there were likely multiple brain tumors that were at this point too tiny to see on the scan.
   We decided to move forward like everyone does by putting one foot in front of the other or, in this particular case, by shifting the car into drive while watching the miles speed by through the windshield of Linda's black Honda Civic Coupe (that she nicknamed Little Blackie after the protagonist's horse in the novel True Grit.)

A photo-worthy dilapidated truck with Taos mountain rests in the background.

   The driving time between Tucson and Santa Fe is about 7-1/2 hours. Roughly the half way point is Hatch, New Mexico where the famous, multi-varietal Hatch chiles are grown. Hatch chile season runs from the beginning of August through the end of September. Living in the southwest it is easy for us to source the coveted Hatch green chiles at our local farmers markets and in grocery stores.
   Last year we purchased about 20 pounds of fresh, flame roasted Hatch chiles at the Rialto Park farmer's market. Linda and I brought the fragrant chiles home, removed much of the charred skins with our fingers and then froze the prepared chiles.
   Some of the chiles I left whole and froze individually on sheet pans. My plans included making chile rellenos, which are roasted green chiles stuffed with a mild white cheese, dipped in batter and fried until golden. Also, a large portion of chiles were diced by hand with the aid of a chef's knife and then frozen in one and two cup portions. I planned to make dishes such as Green Chile and Cheese Soufflé and Green Chile Stew.
   What I particularly like about New Mexican food are the green and red chile sauces. Where many Mexican food eateries in the southwest seem to skate by using canned red sauce for enchiladas and smothered burritos, New Mexico is fanatical about preparing sauces from scratch. Linda and I happily ate New Mexico cuisine for every meal of the day and on several occasions we ordered our entrees Christmas-style, which means a dish is served doused with both red and green chile sauces.

The garden at the Fechin House, Linda wearing her new Heishi necklace, and Mexican sunflowers.

   The Indian Market is amazing and worth visiting if you are interested in Native American culture and in particular silversmithing and hand-crafted items, including jewelry, shoes, hats, drums and paintings. The market was so vast, with over a thousand booths, that Linda and I did not have the opportunity to visit every artist. We both purchased necklaces made of turquoise Heishi beads. Heishi beads were first made by the Navajo of the Kewa Pueblo (formerly known as the Santo Domingo Pueblo), located about 25 miles southwest of Santa Fe, which seemed like appropriate and special keepsakes to remember our trip.
   The visitors to the market were clearly turquoise aficionados and stacks of bracelets—easily worth thousands upon thousands of dollars—covered the arms of women and men alike. Linda adored the ostentatious fashion statement and proceeded to boldly wear every bracelet she brought with her for the rest of the trip. She continued to do so after we returned to Tucson, too. More is more, and more is better—clearly better—in Santa Fe. People watching is definitely a part of  the spectacle during the Indian Market.
   Beyond visiting and talking directly with the artists there is much to do and see in Santa Fe during the Indian Market. There are dance exhibitions, a film festival, music performances, art exhibitions, and other activities taking place in the parks, galleries, hotels, museums and civic center. Our favorite event, where we just so happened to snag front row seats by arriving early, was the Indian Market Haute Couture Fashion Show. I took about a thousand photos (I kid you not) of the models who strutted their stuff down the runway wearing gorgeous fashion statements created by Native designers.

El Santuario de Chimayó is a Catholic church and pilgrimage site for seekers of  miraculous healing.

   After experiencing the bustle of the Indian Market, Taos definitely felt calm and relaxing to us during our stay at El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa, even though we packed in a full two days of sightseeing by visiting the the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, the Rio Grande Gorge, the Millicent Rogers Museum, The Harwood Museum of Art to view the art collection of Mable Dodge Luhan, and last but not least, the ancient Taos Pueblo. Instead of being tired by all the activity, Linda was invigorated.
   On a whim as we drove back to the resort after our first day of sightseeing in Taos, we stopped by a grocery store and purchased Scotch Whisky and Disarrano Amaretto to make impromptu cocktails for happy hour back at our well appointed room before enjoying dinner at the hotel's fine dining restaurant.
   The base recipe for a Godfather cocktail is a 50-50 mix of whisky and amaretto poured over ice. No special equipment is required. The ice machine was down the hall and there were two glass tumblers in the room. The ratios of whisky to amaretto can be adjusted according to taste whether one prefers a stiff drink on the drier or sweeter side. We sat on the deck in comfortable wood chairs, sipped our cocktails and enjoyed watching a storm move in that brought a sweet sprinkling of rain and lowered the temperature to the point that we both had to put on a warm sweater and coat.

A panoramic shot of a multi-storied, multi-tenant adobe building located on the Taos Pueblo. 

    On the return drive home, we were still on the road about an hour outside of Tucson, when we watched the sun make a slow descent towards the horizon. The sky burnt pink and orange and puffy gray clouds heavy with rain dotted the luminous sky. Linda, thinking out loud in a low voice, said that she'd like to attend the Indian Market again the following year... if at all possible. Her voice trailed off and I sensed that she was mulling over the possible ramifications of the brain tumor.
   Pushing angst and what-if scenarios aside, we agreed that we'd make plans to return in twelve months and we hoped that our sister Juliette could join us. Juliette is a talented artist who has a deep appreciation for Native American design and craftsmanship and she also has a penchant for intricate bead-work.
   Linda and I wanted something to look forward to, something that we could hope for, to discuss and make plans for, even though the future seemed more unsure and foreboding than ever before during the course of her illness. After Linda passed away at the end of March, I did not cancel the hotel reservation at La Fonda for this year's Indian Market. I held on to some sliver of hope that perhaps Juliette and I might make the trip together.
   As the event looms nearer, I have come to accept that Linda is indeed gone and that this is not the year for Juliette and I to go on a road trip together to New Mexico. With a sigh passing through my lips, I must acknowledge that this particular situation is what it is. Linda's gone and I'm not going to Santa Fe in two weeks. A few minutes ago, with sadness and resignation, I cancelled the reservation. My husband said to me gently, "There's always next year." But that's not always a true statement, is it? There's only now. You must do things while you are able, before it's too late, like taking mini vacations with your loved ones and buying Hatch chiles while they're still in season.

Preparing Hatch Chiles

A Southwest Tradition: Tamales for Christmas

by Michelle

   About this time every year I go into full holiday planning mode. I'm usually on the hook to host multiple family dinners at my home between Winter Solstice through New Year's Eve. In recent years—after a string of increasingly stressful holiday dinners, an unjoyful attitude (just call me #grinchy) and trying to overcome nightly aching, throbbing feet—I decided to simplify my life as much as possible by creating menus where a key part of each meal can be made ahead and frozen.  
   Not to be too cliché, but I do fall into planning menus that are influenced by countries that I have visited and whose cuisines I enjoy the most, such as France, Italy and Mexico. Go ahead, I dare you: try advising my family that (surprise!) we're having Scandinavian or Moroccan for Christmas dinner this year and see the range of "ew" faces develop like Polaroid pictures in front of your eyes. Just like a Thanksgiving meal, a Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner is no time to break new culinary ground. Save that for the doldrums of January.
   A couple of years ago after finally reading Julia Child's first groundbreaking cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I opted to prepare a triple recipe of crowd pleasing Beef Bourguignon in November. I let the hearty stew with the fancy name sit in the refrigerator to rest for 24 hours. Then, the next day, I divided the big batch of goodness into portions that would serve about 6 people. Into the freezer went the portioned packages, and I gratefully checked one more item off my to-do list.
   I collect a final headcount for each holiday dinner about a week in advance. Two days before the special dinner, I transfer the number of frozen packages to the refrigerator to defrost. All that I need to do to finish dinner is to whip up some mashed potatoes, make a friendly veg (#nobrusselsprouts), gently reheat the Beef Bourguignon and open a couple of bottles of wine. I produce a rustic, but elegant dinner with hardly any fuss on the day of the gathering.

From Left to Right: Beef Bourguignon, Pasta Bolognese, Joan's Leafy Green Salad and Carnitas.

   The same strategy applies to Pasta Bolognese, which only needs to be paired with shaved parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you're feeling extravagant) and an excellent salad of leafy greens. If you want to make just about everyone extra happy, broil a loaf or two of crusty garlic bread and serve hot from the oven. If anyone is Paleo in your group, it's really easy to serve the Bolognese over zoodles or spaghetti squash. For more traditional eaters, the Bolognese sauce also pairs well with regular or gluten-free pasta. My go to brand for gluten-free pasta, which is available in a variety of shapes, is Bionatureæ®. 
   My other most requested holiday menu hails from south of the Arizona border: Carnitas and an assortment of Tamales from Mexico. To round out the menu, I prepare homemade pinto beans and Mexican Rice. Garnishes include Guacamole, Mexican Crème Fraîche, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. Normally I make the carnitas ahead (and freeze), and buy the tamales from a local purveyor. But last year my sister Juliette proposed that we gather a group of family and friends to make the tamales together down in her home turf of Bisbee. If you aren't familiar with the tiny historical town of Bisbee, you can read all about it's eccentricities here and here.

A view of downtown Bisbee, Arizona from the second floor of Roka, the best restaurant in town.

After the tamale making session, Maddie and I took a quick tour around Bisbee to take photos.

   We had so much fun making the tamales last year that we are going to do it all over again this year. Our group talked and laughed and got caught up with each other while assembling tamale after tamale. We listened to music and sipped a variety of beverages. The team made a ton of tamales over the course of an afternoon. For contributing their labor, everyone took tamales home with them to eat that night or freeze for a future, very delicious, make-ahead meal.

   The really great thing about preparing your own tamales is that you have control over the ingredients and you are only limited by your imagination. You can successfully make vegetarian tamales by simply swapping the lard for corn oil or your oil of choice. I personally prefer lard. I have found good sources for lard at my local farmers' markets. We weren't planning on breaking any new ground flavor-wise, it is the holidays after all, so we prepared three fillings: shredded pork, shredded turkey, and vegetable with black beans.

Everybody had her job to do. Juliette tied the tamales with her nimble fingers.

   An unlikely discovery that we have made over the years is that the meat inside a tamale tastes very similar regardless of whether it is filled with pork, turkey and beef. Strange, I know, but true. So when choosing a filling, it really comes down to your eating preferences. You don't need to make multiple fillings unless you feel compelled to. Even then, it can be difficult to tell which tamale your selecting from the steamer pot unless the tamales are marked in some way, such as a different wrapping style, or tying with different colored strings to indicate the various flavors.

Sonora quickly gets the hang of wrapping tamales. Making tamales can be a messy venture.

Green olives and
smoked Gouda.

   Traditional tamales will often have one green olive tucked in the filling. Eating these tamales can be kind of dicey, a variation of Russian roulette, because often the green olive will contain a seed. We really appreciate green olives so we tend to add three to the filling, but we use pitted green olives to avoid the risk of losing a tooth while trying to enjoy a holiday dinner in a darkened dining room lit by candles. We're never quite sure what's in any particular bite. Not naming names, but one sister would lament if there was only one green olive in her tamale while another sister, who also randomly selected a tamale from the steamer pot, would gloat that she chose a tamale that had three green olives. My husband thinks we're ridiculous for creating such a stir over green olives, but he should know by now it is what we do.
   An additional discovery is that adding a thick strip of smoked mozzarella to each tamale was a huge hit. Everyone dug it, the young and old alike. Finally, everyone agreed that adding strips of potato and jalapeño to each tamale was also the way to go. At least we can all agree on something. (And here I have to remark that once again this year for Thanksgiving my family had to stubbornly debate whether to stuff or not stuff the turkey. I chose against stuffing the turkey this year and it almost started a riot before dinner time between we three sisters and our mother.)
   Place tamales, grouped by filling, into freezer safe Ziplock bags. Freeze the tamales. The tamales can be steamed directly from the frozen state. Easy! Be forewarned that frozen tamales take about two hours to cook, so plan appropriately. Be careful that the simmering water does not completely boil off or your pan will be scorched. Continue to add water to the steamer to maintain the water level, if needed.

On one of two assembly lines, Avalon, Maddie and Sonora make tamales together.

   By the way, if you find that you've steamed a couple of extra tamales and you have leftovers, we have found that tamales are great in scrambled eggs. Simply dice a tamale into bite size pieces. Pan fry the pieces in a bit of butter for a few minutes, then add scrambled eggs along with some salt and pepper. Add some shredded cheese if you like. Serve with salsa.

Foreground: tamales wrapped in corn husks. Background: tamales wrapped in banana leaves.

Jump in to my belly.

Tamales: Pork, Turkey or Vegetarian

Celebrating El Día De Los Muertos (The Day of The Dead) in Southern Arizona and Banana Salsa

by Michelle

"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

                                                                                                     —J.K. Rowling

Our sister, Juliette's beautiful daughters, Avalon and Sonora at Tucson's All Souls Procession.

Top Row: Juliette's son, Paul and Sonora. Bottom Row: Avalon and Juliette
We all met for dinner in downtown Tucson before attending the Procession.

   Last year, I celebrated El Día De Los Muertos over the course of a couple of events, beginning with a weekend in Bisbee to attend and photograph an art and altarpiece juried exhibition managed by my sister Juliette and concluding with the All Souls Procession in downtown Tucson.
   The art event was held at Central School Project which is housed in a historical building (and a retired high school) situated just above the downtown area. The former classrooms have wood floors and beautiful casement windows that open to let the fresh air circulate around the high ceilings that are embellished with crown molding.
   The gallery space is not too small and not too big and is flanked by staircases that give the room an air of openness like an Escher drawing. Juliette encouraged me to contribute artwork to the show, and with some nudging, I made canvases from photographs that I captured during the All Soul's Procession of 2012 and 2013 as well as photographs of my visit to Tumacácori. The community altar was decorated with paper flowers made by a small group of women, including my sister, Juliette. I traveled down to Bisbee to photograph the event and to document how the paper flowers are made.

This is one of the images (and my favorite) that I contributed to the Art and Altar
Piece Juried Exhibition hosted by the Central School Project in Bisbee, Arizona. 

   For the last few years our family has made an event of attending the All Soul's Procession. We eat dinner early and then we stay together as a loosely knit group. We stake a claim to territory on the sidewalk where we hope to maintain an unencumbered view of the Procession as the reflective participants meander by in honor of loved ones that have died. Because I choose to shoot the Procession handheld (no tripod) and without a flash, every year I seek to find an area to stand where the road is flooded with light from overhead street lamps. So, depending upon how long dinner lasted, and how thick the crowds have become, we have not yet had the opportunity to stand in the same place twice from year-to-year.
   The 'tarot of photography' is the way I'd describe capturing images at the All Soul's Procession. No two photographers standing side-by-side will produce the same photographs. A bit of luck and skill and perhaps even chutzpah come together for one to quickly capture with the click of a shutter, the fleeting personal moments that rapidly appear and just as quickly disappear. The strolling crowd is constantly moving forward, and past where I am standing. My camera is held at the ready, just below my chin, while my eyes scan the crowds for interesting subjects and compositions. I never really know what I have picture-wise until I download the photos to my laptop and begin scrolling through the images. I cringe at the "just missed" shots, which are usually too blurry. And, I rejoice at the clean captures. That's life... sometimes you just don't know what you're going to get. It's a bit of a game. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.

All Souls Procession 2014

Art and Altarpiece Juried Exhibition at Central School Project 2014

My sister, Juliette and friend, Carolyn did an amazing job organizing the community event.

The larger-than-life Joker was contributed by Tucson artist, Hank Tusinski.
The textile birds are handmade by Renata González. 

   This year our extended family was thrilled that Juliette's sugar skull was featured on the cover of Edible Baja Magazine. Juliette has been making intricately decorated sugar skulls adorned with brightly hued fondant frosting for a decade. Her festive designs never fail to delight us and we look forward to seeing her new creations in August and September, which are made in advance preparation for numerous celebrations held in mid and late October leading up to November 1st, when Día De Los Muertos is observed.
   To learn more about making sugar skulls, read our blog post how to make sugar skulls at home and then throw the ultimate sugar skull decorating party. And, if you are going to host a sugar skull decorating party, there is no better time to make and serve Juliette's famous Pumpkin Soup. For dessert, what could be better this time of year then baking Dead Man's Party Cookies? Nada!

My daughter Maddie is proud of her Auntie Juliette for making
 the sugar skull featured on the cover of Edible Baja Magazine.

Our sister Juliette built this shrine in the bar area at Cafe Roka in Bisbee. 
Juliette made the skeleton "Sprite" and the loaf of sourdough fougasse-style 
bread shaped like a skull (featured on the left). 

Banana Salsa

   Make this salsa ahead of time by simply mixing all the ingredients together except the banana. When ready to serve, peel and dice the banana and add it to the mix. Double the recipe if needed, but be forewarned that leftovers of this salsa do not keep well.
   Whip up a quick meal of tacos or steamed tamales and top with a large spoonful of Banana Salsa for a burst of fruity, tangy flavor. The salsa is also beautiful and tasty served over steak type fish such as Halibut, or pan fried chicken breasts.

Ingredients:
1 large, ripe, firm banana, peeled and diced
½ red or yellow bell pepper (or half and half), seeded and diced
2 Tbsps chopped fresh mint, cilantro or Italian parsley
1 scallion, trimmed and finely chopped or 2 small shallots, minced
1½ Tbsps fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 Tbsp jalapeño, seeded and minced
1½ tsps minced peeled ginger root
1½ tsps olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients; toss lightly to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve within one hour. Makes 1½ cups.

Carnitas — Pulled Pork Mexican-Style

by Michelle

"Life without Mexican food is like no life at all."

                                                                                                  — Unknown

Toppings Bar de Casa: shredded cabbage, shredded cheddar, 
salsa, guacamole, Mexican crème fraîche and sliced olives.
What's missing? Mango salsa... the best accompaniment with carnitas!

   Mexican food is my go-to menu for serving a large crowd. The cuisine incorporates the best flavor combinations of spicy, sweet and sour. It's budget friendly, too. Recipes can easily be tripled and quadrupled. Prepared pork and beef dishes such as carnitas and machaca keep well in crock pots for hours without overcooking or becoming dry. Even tamales are happy for extended periods of time when steamed (just make sure to continue to add water to the pot— if the water boils completely away, the pot will be very angry and scorch). 
  What's also great about Mexican food is that it can accommodate everyone's preferred diets from Paleo, to gluten-free, to vegetarian and vegan. What I like to do is make all the side dishes vegetarian and the meat dishes gluten-free. For example, one simple ingredient change in this carnitas recipe makes it edible for gluten-free folk, and that's substituting wheat-free Tamari for soy sauce. Same thing for the Machaca, make your own enchilada sauce, or carefully read the label on the can to verify that no weird wheat-based thickening agents were used in the commercial preparation.

Chunks of pork butt get seared on the grill.

   My other rule of thumb for Mexican-inspired parties is to never underestimate how much carnivores and vegetarians alike love green corn tamales. For Maddie's graduation party I steamed two dozen tamales from Tucson Tamale Company and at the end of the night there was only one tamal left (any Highlander fans out there?). The next morning, I cut up the lone tamal—even though "there can only be one"—and added it to scrambled eggs along with crumbled corn chips and shredded cheddar (with salsa on the side) for an impromptu chilaquiles breakfast for the fam-damily. Delish! Juliette enjoyed leftover Horchata as her beverage of choice with the morning meal.
   For the party, Maddie asked if I could make Mexican rice. Much to her disappointment I said no. Yeah, that's right, I put the kibosh on rice. I'm such a party pooper. In my own defense, a woman has got to know her limitations (that's right, I'm looking at you Clint Eastwood). I didn't want to be in the middle of making rice during the party and have guests arriving at the same time. As a consolation prize, because I'm not such a bad mother after-all, rice was ultimately added to the menu as a salad.
   In the weeks leading up to the main event, I telephoned Linda to have a brainstorming session. Let's be honest, most prepared rice salads are bland and unexciting. It was Linda who came up with the idea to dress the rice salad with the frickin' fantastic chimichurri dressing from The Old Stone Church restaurant in Castle Rock, Colorado. We sisters also agreed that the choice of rice for this type of salad is a key consideration. We both came to the same conclusion that parboiled rice would be the best choice because when cooked, each grain maintains its own individual identity, and the overall texture is fluffy, not mushy. #nosuckyricesalads

Top: Rice Salad tossed with Chimichurri Dressing
Bottom: Super Special Spicy Pickled Shrimp, Creamy Pinto Beans and Mango Salsa

Left: We made Linda's Not Too Girly Strawberry Margaritas and returned the prepared
 beverage to the tequila bottles for easy pouring. Right: Watermelon Agua Fresca

   Even though Maddie and I worked cohesively in the kitchen a day ahead of the party preparing most of the meal in advance, I was still scrambling the next day to finish the mango salsa and the rice salad and a few other items. Thankfully, this is the type of menu that guests will feel comfortable jumping in and assisting with the slicing and dicing of fruits and vegetables. A rotating group of jovial friends and family with varying levels of kitchen skills participated in completing the meal. Many hands made light work. And, my dear friend, Sara jumped in and washed dishes all throughout the party. When I protested, Sara assured me that she finds washing dishes relaxing. I wish I had a similar feeling about washing dishes, it would make clean-up time meaningful for me. As the Southern saying goes, "Bless her heart." May everyone be blessed with good friends and good cheer.

Carnitas: Pulled Pork Mexican Style