FOOD ART - A MEXICAN FIESTA

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

The "Food Art" part of this blog is all about creating imaginative menus to enjoy with your family and friends.  I always hope to post some easy-to-pull-together meals that are festive enough for entertaining, but simple enough to be a regular weeknight meal for the family.  You can add your own personal flare to these ideas, but the basic organization here will get you started down your own path.    I just like to have a bunch of "go-to" tried and true menus for impromptu occasions.  This is one of the menus I've used a lot over the years that is simple, easy, inexpensive, but very festive.   

A GREAT MEXICAN MENU

Ahead are four great Mexican dishes that combine to make a perfect menu to serve on a day when you are bored with the same old American cuisine!  Put out the chips.  Melt some cheese.  Mix up a large picture of cold margaritas to go with these.  Soon you will have a feast!

 MENU:

MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY LIME DRESSING
TACO PIE
BLACK BEAN AND RICE CASSEROLE

SALSA AND CHIPS
FAKE FRIED ICE CREAM

A simple and elegant meal that invites fun and casual conversations to happen.

MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY LIME DRESSING
1 cup cantaloupe chunks
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup kiwifruit
Red or Green Grapes
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup fresh lime juice
In a large clear bowl, combine 1 cup each: cantaloupe chunks, blueberries, kiwifruit slices, pineapple chunks and red or green grapes. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange zest, ½ cup fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Whisk together with 1/3 cup honey and ¼ cup fresh lime juice; pour over salad and toss to blend. Serve in pretty stemmed dessert glasses, or side bowls. 

GAIL’S TACO PIE

Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls

Taco seasoning mix
Salsa

Corn chips
1 lb. ground beef 
½ cup chopped onion
Shredded lettuce
Tomato, chopped
Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (4oz.)
sour cream, optional

1.      Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a pie shell with the triangles from 8 Pillsbury

Crescent Dinner Rolls.

2.    Brown the onions in a skillet.  Brown the hamburger in the onion.  Mix onions and hamburger together and add taco mix to them in the skillet. 

3.  Crumble corn chips and put in the bottom of the pie shell.

4.  Pour hamburger and onion mix over corn chips. 

5. Pour salsa over this mixture.

6.  Sprinkle the top generously with shredded cheese, any flavor you prefer.

7.  Bake uncovered for 30 – 35 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.

8. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream and a little unmelted cheese.  

9.  Cut into slices and serve with sour cream on the side.

Black Bean and Rice Casserole

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1  small jar of salsa

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½  teaspoon cumin

½  teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 zucchini, chopped
1 can white shoe peg corn kernels
1 cup green or red peppers, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 small can green chilies
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pan over medium heat, cook beans and salsa for 5 minutes  Stir in spices..

2.   Add all of the vegetables to the mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until veggies soften slightly.

3.   Mix in the cooked brown rice.

4.  Place mixture in a large casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes.

5. Crunch up some tortilla chips in the bottom of a clear or decorative bowl and pour the casserole mixture over the chips while hot.  Line the sides of bowl with whole chips and garnish the top with slices of avocado and olives.  Serve sour cream on the side.

 

    

 FAKE FRIED ICE CREAM

“Fried” ice cream with no frying involved. Just like what they serve in some Mexican restaurants.

Ingredients

1 (18oz.) box corn flake cereal

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

 vanilla ice cream 

Any Favorite Toppings

Instructions
1.  Shape ice cream into 3 inch balls and place in a muffin tin to freeze very hard.

2. Place cereal in a food processor and process

until finely crushed (or place cereal in batches in sealable plastic bags and crush with rolling pin). Place crushed cereal in a large mixing bowl and mix in melted butter. Stir in sugar and cinnamon until well blended.
3.  Roll frozen ice cream balls in the crunchy mixture, pressing down to make it all stick and stay on the ice cream.
4.  Place in a pretty serving dish, drizzle with caramel or chocolate, add a dollop of whipped cream if desired, place a cherry on top and serve immediately.