Seasonal Sundays: Cinco de Mayo at Home

Okay all, grab a cold one and a slice of lime because this week's "Seasonal Seven" recipe collection is 100% focused on simple recipes for family-style Mexican, perfect for Cinco de Mayo that's coming up fast on the fifth of May (duh). So many essentials should or may be prepped well ahead of time, making party day itself easy-breezy. Dos cervezas, por favor!

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

~ PIN This ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Thank you for following Kitchen Parade, for checking in on these Sunday occasional Monday recipe collections. It means the world to be welcomed into your InBox and RSS readers and most of all, your kitchens. So thank you, thank you. And if you like this week's recipes, perhaps you'll share this newsletter with a friend or social circle? If you forward this message, others may subscribe for free right here. Thank you!

First off, sorry for the Monday delivery. Life, right? All good, in fact, all fun.

All the fun has our grand-niece and me comparing party notes. She and her husband are natural party givers, gracious and graceful and their new house, just two miles from us, is extra party friendly including for a book launch family after-party. Her setup has me, for the first time, itching for a bar, maybe inside but probably out, at least for the summer.

But even before then, I was 100% committed to pitching Kitchen Parade readers the idea of celebrating Cinco de Mayo at home. First, ain't it great when a fun holiday falls on the weekend instead of a random Wednesday? I'll let the recipes speak for themselves ...

But first ...

In Praise Of ...

• ... so that book launch after-party had a football theme so I ordered these wonderful six small, soft footballs (affiliate link) for the kids to throw around and sure enough, they did, all night long, including the 18-month old who was thrilled with himself, including the 15-year olds ... how wonderful? I just bought another set for our house


• ... lol I bought this extra-large warming tray (affiliate link) before Thanksgiving in 2019, then didn't use it, then covid, so ... it got its first use this weekend and it was so handy that our grand-niece is buying one of her own and we both know we can borrow the other one. Just one kept pans of brisket and pulled pork just the right temperature without drying out the meat.


• ... because of a delivery mixup, my husband ended up with four of these heavy long-sleeve men's denim shirts (affiliate link) and is glad to have such nice every-day shirts, two in faded blue, two in khaki


• ... who's shopped at Cracker Barrel of all places? On our way back from the eclipse, we ended up in a town where the only thing open at nine at night was a Cracker Barrel. We ate quick suppers, then I wandered the shop area and came home with a really nice white denim jacket, cut like a usual jacket but with a short ruffle around the neck and cuffs, I've worn it five times already!

The Words of Wise Women

• IS THE TIDE TURNING? Are independent voters finally getting it? Are Republican voters seeing Trump's narcissist weakness? Read Heather Cox Richardson, 4/22/24
• There's this long list of the Biden administration's actions on behalf of ordinary citizens. Then there's the ways the GOP/MAGA actions to overturn the rights of individuals.

Democracy Matters

The country needs calm, thoughtful and assertive voices amid the chaos inflicted by a minority hellbent on taking/retaining generational power by strangling democratic principles and equal rights. None of us have to personally change the world. We just have to do our part. Pick one thing for the top of your To Do List this week.

AND YET, LISTEN TO THE WORRY IN THESE VOICES NYT Podcast: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring, especially in light of the Supreme Court's right-wing (two with illegitimate appointments by Trump) justices' apparent view on presidential immunity. Did you hear Trump's lawyer claim that a president should be able to have a political opponent assassinated without prosecution? order the military to perform a coup in order to stay in office? How are we even here???

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Here's the Plan: Meal Prep Your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Planning a party for Cinco de Mayo?

The "downside" is that even a "simple" taco bar takes guacamole, salsa, sour cream, taco fillings, rice and beans , warm tortillas and that doesn't even take into account a salad or two! (The exception? My amazing Twenty-Minute Taco Bar.)

But do not despair.

The "upside" is that almost everything can be prepped ahead of time and be ready to go on party day, leaving you to that (in-your-dreams) bubble bath before family and guests show up. I've got these recipes all laid out for you! You're probably not making everything, just spread it all out.

MAKE ASAP (must or may be made several days ahead)
• Quick Jalapeño Pickles No canning required.
• Spiced Pickled Red Onions A game changer for tacos, salads, eggs and more.
• Slow-Roasted Tomato Salsa Smoky with flavor.

MAKE TWO DAYS BEFORE
• Alice Waters' Coleslaw No mayo, bright with lime and cilantro.
• Mexican Cauliflower "Rice" Turn a head of cauliflower into a healthy, flavorful stand-in for rice.
• Best Quick Tomato Salsa (Red Salsa) For chips, tacos, burritos, eggs & more.
• How to Cook Dried Beans Mexican-Style from Scratch (Slow Cooker or Oven Slow-Cooking) Easy, economical, delicious.

MAKE ONE DAY BEFORE
• Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos So handy to have on hand!
• Quinoa & Black Bean Salad Transport straight back to Deep Mexico!
• Mexican Rice For tacos, fajitas, quesadillas and more.
• Lime Crema A DIY Mexican crema for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more.
• Mexican Salsa Bread Great for loaves or buns, perfect for toast, sandwiches, burgers.

MAKE DAY OF
• My Guacamole Restaurant-style guacamole, our house recipe.
• Savory Cornbread Muffins Cornmeal muffins spiked with chili powder, a little jalapeño and red pepper.

THE SEASONAL SEVEN: Cinco de Mayo at Home

• THE RECIPE My Guacamole Restaurant-style guacamole, our house recipe. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Lime Crema A DIY Mexican crema for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more.

• THE RECIPE Best Quick Tomato Salsa (Red Salsa) For chips, tacos, burritos, eggs & more. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Jicama-Mango Salsa with Chipotle Summer's new salsa, an alluring combination of crunchy jicama and sweet mango.

• THE RECIPE Spiced Pickled Red Onions A game changer for tacos, salads, eggs and more.
• ANOTHER TAKE Quick Jalapeño Pickles No canning required. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Mexican Rice For tacos, fajitas, quesadillas and more. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Mexican Cauliflower "Rice" Turn a head of cauliflower into a healthy, flavorful stand-in for rice.

• THE RECIPE Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos So handy to have on hand!
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Cook Dried Beans Mexican-Style from Scratch (Slow Cooker or Oven Slow-Cooking) Easy, economical, delicious. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Quinoa & Black Bean Salad Transport straight back to Deep Mexico!
• ANOTHER TAKE Alice Waters' Coleslaw No mayo, bright with lime and cilantro. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Easy Margarita Pie Tastes just like a good margarita!
• ANOTHER TAKE Mexican Mango Trifle (Ante de Mango) Layers of bread and mango pudding, studded with sherry-soaked raisins.

• THE COLLECTION Cinco de Mayo Mexican-style recipes for spring celebrations with a latin flair.
• AND ANOTHER Deep Mexico: Ingredient-Driven Mexican Meal Prep A concentrated effort to combine food shopping, meal planning and meal prep techniques into good eats and good fun. (PIN This)

What's Brand-Spankin' New?!

Wondering about a recipe from the last while? Check Recent Recipes from Kitchen Parade and Recent Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture.

• THE RECIPE Honey-Sweet Cornbread Sweetened with honey, a "northern" take on cornbread that's moist and tender, a total treat. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Skillet Cornbread My first and still-beloved cornbread, stays moist for days. (PIN This)

Compliments!

Much work goes into these recipes, tips, photos and posts so I'm allllllllways glad to hear from readers via comments and email. Truth is, I miss the back 'n' forth with readers from those early days of blogging when there were maybe a few hundred of us. Of course, it's not your job to buff a food blogger's ego but -- there's always a but, right? -- it helps me keep motivated and inspired and some times to laugh out loud or turn a little teary. It's a solitary life, this, and when my only source of feedback comes from Google Almighty, well, I miss "seeing" your faces and your kitchens and tables.

• POPPED UP ON FACEBOOK "omg 😍😍😍 😍😍😍😍"~ Lynne W.
• THE RECIPE Rustic Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Carrots A happy marriage of sweet potatoes and carrots. (PIN This)

April: Reader Favorites

• THE RECIPE Rainbow Chicken Chicken (no browning required) and vegetables baked in the oven. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE One-Pot Chicken with Beans & Vegetables A healthy stew, packed with cooked beans and vegetables. (PIN This)

April: Lost Recipes

• THE RECIPE Marinated Tofu Stir-Fry Just add frozen stir-fy vegetables for a quick supper.
• ANOTHER TAKE Ugly But Delicous Tofu A between-meal, protein-packed pick-me-up.

The Kitchen Parade Almanac: Looking Ahead ...

• May 1 (Wednesday) - May Day (Vappu in Finland)
• May 4 (Saturday) - Derby Day
• May 5 (Sunday) - Cinco de Mayo
• May 12 - Mother's Day & Wear the Hat, Dammit: A Mother's Day Essay
• May 27 - Memorial Day
• June 1 - Alanna's Unofficial First Day of Summer

Looking Back ...

THIS WEEK, YEARS PAST
• 2020 Late April (Week 18), once again a 2020 time capsule, "And maybe it's just me but is all this all beginning to seem a little too ... normal? In our homes, our individual bubbles, our jobs ... if we still have jobs :-( ... we've figured out how to make this all work, imperfectly perhaps, but yeah it works. We've got this. When we wake up in the morning, we know it's going to look a lot like yesterday."
• 2021 the week we lost our dad
• 2022 Late April (Week 18)
• 2023 Mexican Meal Prep (Week 18) (PIN This)

RECENT WEEKS
• Plant-Based Recipes for Earth Day (Week 17) (PIN This)
• Cooking for One or Two During Spring (Week 16) (PIN This)
• Easy Dinners for a Busy Week (Week 13) (PIN This)
• Easter Eggs (Week 12) (PIN This)
• Spring Forward ... Slooowly (Week 11) (PIN This)
• Spring Suppers (Week 9) (PIN This)
• Shrimp Fest! (Week 8) (PIN This)

Soups & Salads When It Feels Like Spring But ...

April is such a frustrating month, vegetable-wise! Many days are so warm and almost summer-like but of course, gardens may not even be planted yet, let alone producing food for the table. That's why I spent a year gathering all of A Veggie Venture's best soup and salad recipes into easy-to-scan month-by-month collections. Here's a sample.

• THE RECIPE Sweet Potato Salad with Roasted Poblano, Roasted Corn & Chipotle A sweet potato salad for summer, a colorful and mouth-watering blend.
• ANOTHER TAKE Simple Sweet Potato "Potato" Salad with Hardly Any Mayonnaise Great crunch with a touch of cranberry sweetness.

Good to Know!

• THE INFO Never Buy Fresh Herbs Again How to grow a few favorite fresh herbs at home, the soil, the planting, everything you need to know.
• AND WHEN IT GOES WELL? DIY Dried Herbs (How to Dry Fresh Herbs in the Microwave)

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail (my current address is in the FAQs), dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, tuck a question into a plastic Easter egg, whatever.

• Any advice for Seasonal Sundays? Just one thing that would make it more useful for you? Share away!
• How is it possible that May is three days away? Unbelievable.
• Anything else? Chime in, chat away.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. When you make my recipes, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below or better still, on the specific recipe's page.

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2024