Print Menu

Mexican Summer Party Menu

Format:
Print Options
  • Print

  • Include these items

Print
MyRecipes
Community Recipe
from []

Mexican Summer Party Menu

Chile and Lime Steak Tortas

A four-bite version of the classic Mexican sandwich. We used flap meat, a thin steak that marinates and grills quickly.

Chile and Lime Steak Tortas Photo by: Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Ingredients

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound flap meat* or skirt steak, cut into 3- to 4-in.-wide strips if needed
  • 8 small dinner rolls, split
  • 1 cup shredded jack cheese
  • 1 avocado, sliced thinly
  • 2 cans (4 oz. each) sliced jalapeños, drained
  • About 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream

Preparation

1. Mix lime juice, chile powder, oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Add steak, turning to coat evenly with marinade. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

2. Heat grill to high (450° to 550°). Cook steak, covered, turning once, until grill marks appear and steak is slightly pink in the center, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes, then slice thinly to fit in rolls.

3. Open rolls and sprinkle each with about 2 tbsp. cheese. Grill rolls, cut sides up and covered, until crisp and cheese starts to melt, about 1 minute.

4. Fill rolls with steak, avocado, half the jalapeños, and a drizzle of crema. Serve with remaining jalapeños on the side.

*Available at most Latino markets.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per sandwich.

Sunset AUGUST 2010

Smoky Five-Pepper Cheese Dip

A nod to nacho cheese dip, but with fresh chiles and a bold chipotle flavor.

Smoky Five-Pepper Cheese Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
  • 1 Fresno or red jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) shredded jack cheese
  • 2 canned chipotle chiles, chopped, plus 1 tbsp. sauce from can
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Tortilla chips

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, bell peppers, and fresh chiles, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir until peppers are coated and flour is yellow, about 1 minute.

2. Add milk, stirring constantly until incorporated, then add 3/4 cup water, stirring constantly until thickened and hot (the mixture will look pasty at first).

3. Sprinkle in half the cheeses, stirring until melted and smooth. Repeat with remaining cheeses. Add chipotle chiles and their sauce and salt and mix until blended. Serve with tortilla chips.

Make ahead: Up to 2 days, chilled. Bake at 400°, covered, stirring once, until warm and smooth, about 20 minutes.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/4-cup serving.

Sunset AUGUST 2010

Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas

Who needs the deep fryer when you can bake a flaky crust?

Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas Photo by: Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 poblano chile, halved, seeded, and sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • 1 cup cubed nopales*
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup shredded jack or pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 flour tortillas (8 in.), warmed slightly
  • Salsa and guacamole

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Mix 1 tbsp. oil with melted butter, and brush some onto a baking sheet. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; add chile, onion, nopales, and salt; and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and start to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Put 2 tbsp. each cheese and beans and about 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture onto center of a tortilla. Fold in sides and roll up like a burrito. Set chimichanga onto greased baking sheet, seam side down. Fill remaining tortillas and space about 2 in. apart on pan. Brush remaining butter mixture over chimichangas.

3. Bake, turning halfway through, until browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cut chimichangas in half diagonally and serve with salsa and guacamole.

*Buy cut and cleaned nopales (cactus pads) at a Latino market.

Make ahead: Through step 2 up to 5 hours, chilled; bake about 5 minutes longer.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 2-piece serving.

Sunset AUGUST 2010

Fruit Cocktail with Margarita Dressing

Instead of chopping fruit, we cut it into long, easy-to-pick-up pieces. Serve the extra fruit as a side salad or save for breakfast the next day.

Fruit Cocktail with Margarita Dressing Photo by: Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Ingredients

  • 16 watermelon sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 2-lb. seedless watermelon, peeled
  • 16 pineapple sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 3-lb. pineapple, peeled and cored
  • 8 jicama sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 1-lb. jicama, peeled
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 8 wedges
  • 8 large strawberries, halved
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tablespoons silver tequila or pineapple juice
  • 3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

Preparation

1. Arrange 2 watermelon and pineapple sticks in a glass; add 1 jicama and 1 mango piece, then 2 strawberry halves. Repeat with 7 more glasses.

2. Mix lime zest and juice, tequila, and agave nectar and spoon about 1 tbsp. over each glass of fruit.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Sunset AUGUST 2010

Tequila Sunset

A twist on the classic tequila sunrise, with bright purple, subtly floral, and plum-flavored prickly pear syrup in place of grenadine.

Tequila Sunset

Ingredients

  • 1 cup silver tequila
  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • About 1/3 cup prickly pear cactus syrup*

Preparation

1. Mix tequila and juices in a large pitcher.

2. Pour about 2/3 cup tequila mixture into a glass filled with ice. Drizzle in 2 tsp. syrup, stirring slightly to blend. Repeat with remaining glasses.

*Available at well-stocked beverage stores or through desertusa.com

Make ahead: Through step 1, 2 hours, chilled.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Sunset AUGUST 2010

Formal Menu Top Mexican Summer Party Menu

Chile and Lime Steak Tortas

Smoky Five-Pepper Cheese Dip

Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas

Fruit Cocktail with Margarita Dressing

Tequila Sunset

Sunset

Formal Menu Bottom

Shopping List for Mexican Summer Party Menu

The ultimate Mexican summer party—no knife or fork needed.

Shopping List:

Baking

  • 2 tablespoons flour

Dairy

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Meat

  • 1 pound flap meat* or skirt steak, cut into 3- to 4-in.-wide strips if needed

Other

  • 1 cup silver tequila
  • 2 cups pineapple juice

Produce

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
  • 1 Fresno or red jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
  • 1 poblano chile, halved, seeded, and sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • 16 watermelon sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 2-lb. seedless watermelon, peeled
  • 16 pineapple sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 3-lb. pineapple, peeled and cored
  • 8 jicama sticks (about 3 in. by 1/2 in.) from a 1-lb. jicama, peeled
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 8 wedges

Special

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
  • 1 cup cubed nopales*

Spices

  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Recipe List

Chile and Lime Steak Tortas

Smoky Five-Pepper Cheese Dip

Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas

Fruit Cocktail with Margarita Dressing

Tequila Sunset

Back To

Mexican Summer Party Menu
Copyright © 2013 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (Your California Privacy Rights). Ad Choices
advertisement