Ingredients
One Margarita
- 1 1/2 oz tequila
- 1 1/2 oz sweet and sour
- 3/4 oz triple sec
Pitcher of Margaritas (6 margaritas)
- 1 1/4 cup tequila
- 1 1/4 cup sweet and sour mix
- 1/2 cup trip sec
Sweet and Sour Mix (makes 3 1/2 cups, enough for two pitchers)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice about 7 small limes
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 medium lemons
Method
- Simmer 2 cups of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar over medium heat until it is fully dissolved. Pour it into a jar and let it come to room temperature. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup lime juice. Store it in a sealed container for a week or for up to a month in the freezer.
- To make a pitcher combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and serve over ice.
- To make a single cocktail, pour the ingredients over ice and stir gently.
- 3 avocados (ripe)
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 3 tbsp, fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Method
- Slice the avocados in half, removed the pit and skin and place in a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork and make it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
Ingredients
- 4-6 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, chopped
- small splash white wine vinegar
- ½ lime, juice only
- ½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Method
Combine the tomatoes, red onion, garlic, white wine vinegar, lime juice and coriander in a bowl.
Stir then refrigerate until ready to be served.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup mild salsa (medium if you like spicy)
- 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tsp EACH ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder,
- 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dry oregano, pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
- (optional for more heat)
- 1 teaspoons liquid smoke
- Hot sauce to taste
Method
- Rub chicken breasts with oil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the hot sauce. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (there will be liquid remaining). Return shredded chicken and let cook on low for an additional 20 minutes to absorb some of the liquid/juices. Drain all excess liquid. Taste and add hot sauce to taste if desired.
Top Tips for Hosting the Best Mexican Theme Party
Hola! You have decided on a Mexican theme for your party, and it is a great idea! You can serve tasty food and drink, that is easy to make and you can keep it as casual as you like. Here is our guide to planning the best Mexican theme party.
As we said in our guide to organising a house party, you need to plan ahead and get everything ready for the night. This way everything will have been taken care of, so you and your guests can have the best time possible.
The main things to think about are:
- Guests
- Food
- Drink
- Ambiance
1. Guests
Your guests are the most important part. You need to have a good think about who you want to come to your Mexican theme party. The amount of people you invite will depend on the size of your house and how much you want to cook. You should probably invite your neighbours too, especially if your friends are a rowdy bunch.
These days, the best way to invite people to a party is via a Facebook or WhatsApp group. They can respond quickly and there will usually be a conversation about what they should bring with them.
If you can get people to bring food, drink and decorations it will be a huge help and reduce the cost to you. Besides, people like getting involved in stuff like this. Likewise, if you can rope some people in to helping you set up the party, you will be thankful for it.
2. Food
We have put some suggestions for food in the tabs at the top of this page. These should get you started, but you may want to elaborate and go the full hog and put on a Mexican banquet. From tacos to tortillas, there is a huge variety of dishes you can serve to your friends.
A great way of preparing food for your guests is in a slow cooker. You can cook a lot of food at once, with minimal effort.
Check out the BBC Good Food website for lots of ideas for Mexican food.
Remember, not everyone likes spicy food. Therefore, you may want to make something for those that like their food a bit milder. At least get lots of creme Fraiche too cool it down a bit.
3. Drink
You can’t have a party without some decent booze. A Mexican theme party is a great way to indulge in some quality alcohol. There are a few great Mexican beers and you can serve to your friends, for example:
- Corona
- Modello
- Sol
- Pacifico
Put them in an ice bucket and let everyone help themselves.
When it comes to cocktails, you are going to be able to spoil your your guests. Other than the Margarita recipe in the tab at the top of this page, great examples of cocktails for your Mexican theme party are:
Paloma
INGREDIENTS
- Salt
- 1 grapefruit wedge
- ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup mescal or tequila
- ¼ cup club soda
METHOD
Pour some salt on a plate. Rub half of rim of a glass with grapefruit wedge; dip rim of glass in salt. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar in glass; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in mescal, add ice, and top off with club soda. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Michelada
INGREDIENTS
- Clamato juice
- lime juice
- worcestershire sauce
- soy sauce
- hot sauce
- Mexican lager beer
METHOD
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip in coarse sea salt and chili powder. Fill beer glass with ice cubes.
- Add Clamato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce and a dash of chili powder.
- Top with your favorite Mexican beer. Stir and enjoy immediately.
Chavela
INGREDIENTS
- Lemon wedge
- Tajin, for rimming the glass
- 3 ounces tomato juice
- 6 dashes Tabasco
- 12 oz. bottle light-bodied Mexican beer, like Modelo
- 1 1⁄2 ounces tequila (optional)
METHOD
- Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of a glass; reserve the lemon wedge. Pour some Tajin out onto a plate, and rub the rim of the glass in the salt to coat.
- Fill the glass with ice, tomato juice, hot sauce, and beer to fill. Drop in the lemon wedge.
- Serve with a shot of tequila, if you like.
Ponche con piquette
INGREDIENTS
- 16 cups (1 gallon) water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 whole cloves
- 5 long tamarind pods, husks removed, and seeded
- 8 ounces whole tejocotes or crab apples
- 6 large guavas, peeled and diced
- 2 medium red apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 (4-inch) sugar cane sticks, peeled and diced
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1medium orange, sliced
- 8 ounces chopped piloncillo, or 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
Brandy or tequila (1 ounce per cup of punch, optional)
METHOD
Place the water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, tamarind pods, and tejocotes or crab apples in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tejocotes are soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove the tejocotes or crab apples from the pot with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel, trim the ends, halve, and remove the seeds. Return the apple halves to the pot.
Add the guavas, apples, pear, sugarcane, prunes, raisins, orange, and piloncillo. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
To serve, ladle the punch into coffee cups or mugs, making sure each cup gets some chunks of fruit. If desired, add 1 ounce of brandy or tequila to each cup.
4. Ambiance
Setting the ambiance at your Mexican theme party is essential. This is done in with music and decorations.
There are lots of cheap party decorations available on the internet. Examples are:
- Maracas
- Sombreros
- Lights
- Costumes
- Inflatables
- Bunting
You can’t have a party without music. You may not want to listen to mariachi music all night, but starting the night with some Mexican music sets the scene. Especially, as people walk in smelling the food you have cooked.
The basics of a Mexican Theme Party
Now you have the basics for hosting a great Mexican theme party. Let us know how you get on and send us some pics.
