A Great Way to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Home

Looking for a reason to have a party? Cinco De Mayo is coming up on Sunday, May 5th. Here's a couple of ways you can celebrate with some delicious food.

I always love to start by thinking about dessert first.

Easy Caramel Flan

1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
10 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t.lemon juice

For the caramel sauce:
1 c. water
1 c. brown sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350

For the caramel:
In a medium sauce pan, mix water and sugar stir until dissolved and no lumps.
Heat to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer
Simmer the mixture becomes thick
Cool slightly and transfer to a large 9x9 pan or into individual pans

In a medium bowl mix the egg yolks, condensed milk and evaporated. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix.
Pour mixture into pan(s) over the caramel about 3/4 of the way.
Cover the pan with foil and place pan(s) into an larger pan and fill it half way with water (water bath)

Bake for 1 hour

Cool and then place in the fridge.

When ready to serve run a knife around the edge of the pan(s) and then transfer to your serving dish.

Here's a few easy appetizers:

Easy Hot Sauce

Lori's Hot Sauce

My friend Jessica taught me how to make this quick and easy hot sauce. Want a green sauce? Use tomatillos instead of tomatoes.

7-Layer Dip

1 can of refried beans
1 pint or bigger of sour cream (depends on your love for it)
1 small package or bigger of colby jack cheese or mexican blend shredded cheese
1 pkg of Wholly Guacamole or homemade guacamole
1 bunch of green onions chopped
2 c. chopped tomatoes
1 can of chopped green olives or sliced

Take a 9x9 pan and layer each of the ingredients in order. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Serve with Tortilla or corn chips

Plus, you can't go wrong with Queso

Now for the main course.

You could make fajitas.

Or enchiladas

Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb chicken shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 package 8-inch flour tortillas, softened

2 cups grated monterey jack cheese or 2 cups Mexican blend cheese, divided

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cans green enchilada sauce

1 pint sour cream

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

DIRECTIONS:

In sauce pan, cook onion in oil until clear, add the chicken and one can enchilada sauce. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce until thoroughly heated.

Divide chicken evenly between the tortillas; add 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.

Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9×13″ baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in the other can of enchilada sauce then bring to boiling, stirring frequently. It will turn into a gravy

Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chiles; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.

Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese and bake at 400° for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.