Make Something Delicious Happen Today!
Try A Restaurant Recipe!

Cinco de Mayo Is Party Time - Ole'

Cinco de Mayo Recipes
For Food And Drink

Welcome everyone! Welcome to another issue of What's Cookin'?"

The reason I started the web site remains the same: To provide quality recipes, information about food, cooking tips and articles you can use and enjoy immediately and forever.

Our mailing list continues to grow. Thanks to those who forwarded the last newsletter to some of your relatives and friends. That's a great help!

IN THIS ISSUE - Cinco de Mayo Food And Drink Ideas Two Special Recipes From National Fisheries Institute - Seafood Lasagna And Shrimp Bruschetta My Cookbook Readers Questionnaire Remember The Site Map Share Your Knowledge, Skill, Interest or Hobby Next Issue - Mother's Day Recipes!

Cinco de Mayo Menu Ideas Cinco De Mayo is recognized as a good reason to have a party in some parts of Mexico and the United States. It was May 5, 1862 when the Mexican militia defeated the French at Puebla, Mexico. This victory eventually led to the unifying of the Mexican people. This is not their day of independence, but rather a successful effort toward driving the French from their country. Mexico's Independence Day is actually September 16. Mexico and the U. S. are forever bound together, just as the U.S. is with our northern neighbor, Canada. Our people mingle, marry, have children, enjoy each others cultural roots, enhance each others knowledge and strengthen each others lives. One of the things I thoroughly appreciate is the Hispanic influence in our culinary pursuits. How could we ever have not had salsas, guacamole and other dips, enchiladas, tacos, chili con queso, tamales, nachos, burritos, fajitas and quesadillas? To not have these as options on our table would be missing a real treat. What we would have missed! The mingling of cultures has led to completely new foods such as the famous and famously delicious "Tex-Mex" foods. I am (not) sorry to admit it, but there are times when nothing else will satisfy but a delicious enchilada or taco. I'm just waiting for the day that medical researchers admit that hot chiles cure cancer - or something! How about you! ? Actually, there are no specific foods associated with celebrating Cinco de Mayo (May 5). But Mexican holidays or celebrations bring a number of delicious foods to our minds. What do people eat in Mexico? The variety of food available in Mexico is huge, with unique dishes for each region as you move from the north to the south, east to west, with many regional styles throughout, just as it is in America and, I suspect, throughout most of the world. There is no real official dish of Mexico. When asked, my hispanic friends just tell me everything is good. :-) The corn tortilla is one food item that may be common throughout Mexico. Corn originates from Mexico and is still a main staple there, even though flour is becoming more and more popular. Everywhere in Mexico are food stands offering a variety of tacos, most using corn tortillas. And corn tortillas are still made fresh daily in stores, bakeries and food stands everywhere in Mexico. So if Mexico did decide to have an official dish, it would probably be a corn tortilla taco. Beef, chicken and pork dishes are popular throughout the Mexico, and of course fish is a main stay near Mexico's long pacific and caribbean coasts. You'll find vegetables of every kind and include the traditional beans, often served with rice. There is also a large variety of salsas and chiles. Pick your favorite recipes to celebrate the occasion from the list below. Each recipe has been a secret restaurant recipe and is certainly a favorite restaurant recipe for all of my restaurant guests, regardless of their national and cultural origin. Some of these Cinco de Mayo Recipes are most requested restaurant recipes all year long even though the drinks and dishes represent the Mexican culture.

Festive Cinco de Mayo Recipes That Easily Move Your Party Into High Gear. These beverages will put everyone in a Cinco de Mayo mood. Tequila Tequila is Mexico's official drink. Here are a some ways to enjoy it on Cinco de Mayo. Classic Margarita Mexican Flag Cocktail - Coctel Bandera Mexicana Prickly Pear Margarita Baja Prickly Pear Margarita Kahlua One of my favorite liqueurs. Kahlua is a Mexican coffee-based liqueur. Black Russian and White Russian Mexican Coffee Sombrero - Kahlua and Cream The Perfect Party Punch Sangria and Sangria Blanco Try A Mexican Beer Corona Beer - a light lager beer and the top selling Mexican beer in America and elsewhere. Negra Modelo - a dark beer, very smooth. Reminds me of some German type beers. Modelo Especial - another lager beer and somewhat of a richer taste than Corona. Victoria - a cross between a light lager and a dark beer. Sol - another light lager beer - Corona's main competitor. Tecate - a light lager beer but a stronger taste than Sol. XX - "Dos Equis" - another light lager beer. Wine On Your Mind? Here are two Cinco de Mayo Recipes using wine as the main ingredient! Enjoy! Sangria and Sangria Blanco Fresh Made Salsa! There's no easier way to add flair to simple dishes than with homemade Salsas. Use these Cinco de Mayo Recipes! Black Bean Salsa Guacamole Dip Pico de Gallo Roasted Salsa Salsa Verde Mexican-Style Soup and Stew as part of the Cinco de Mayo Recipes. Tortilla Soup - With Or Without Chicken Green Chile Beef Stew Mexican Foods - Main Dishes as main Cinco de Mayo Recipes Fish Tacos With Baja Sauce Chicken Fajita Salad Beef Fajitas Dessert as a part of Cinco de Mayo Recipes Strawberry Margarita Pie Enjoy your Cinco de Mayo food and drink and the company of those you share them with!

Two Interesting Seafood Recipes Submitted By Folks At The National Fisheries Institute In Virginia Thanks Casey and Cherie. These recipes look like something I'll try at the restaurant and I'm sure the other newsletter subscribers will be interested in trying them at home as well. Seafood Lasagna Preparation time: 15 minutes. Serves 6. Ingredients: 4 ounces lasagna noodles One 28 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce or homemade recipe) 6 ounces cooked salad shrimp (bay shrimp), thawed and drained 4 ounces Surimi seafood, thawed and thinly sliced (Note: Surimi and the similar KAMABOKO have been made for centuries by the Japanese. Most surimi found in North America is made from Alaska Pollock, a fish with a lean, firm flesh that has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. Pacific WHITING is also beginning to be used for surimi. To become surimi, fish is skinned, boned, and repeatedly rinsed to eliminate any fishiness and pigment and ground into a paste. This odorless white paste is then mixed with a flavor concentrate made from real shellfish, the solution from boiled shells or artificial flavorings. The paste is then formed, cooked and cut into the various shapes of the seafood it's imitating, which in the United States is usually crab legs, lobster chunks, shrimp and scallops.) 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 2/3 cup low-fat Mozzarella cheese Instructions: Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F Prepare lasagna according to package directions Empty spaghetti sauce (or pasta sauce) into a sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened and then reduce (cook more) until you have about 3 cups Stir in shrimp and Surimi In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper Assemble lasagna dish Place half the noodles in an 8 X 8 inch casserole dish Top with half of the sauce and spread half of the ricotta-Parmesan mixture by small teaspoons full on top of the sauce Sprinkle with half of the shredded Mozzarella cheese Repeat layers Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve Again, thank you, Cherie at the National Fisheries Institute Shrimp Bruschetta Preparation time: 20 minutes. Serves 6. Ingredients: 8 ounces cooked small or salad size shrimp (bay shrimp) 4 ripe tomatoes, diced 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped basil 1 loaf Italian bread (or your favorite artisan bread) Instructions: Preheat oven broiler Rinse and drain shrimp in colander In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, basil and lemon juice (mix well) Slice bread 1/4 inch thick and brush with olive oil, then toast bread until the broiler until lightly brown Remove from oven Spoon shrimp mixture on top of toasted bread and serve immediately and ...Enjoy Thanks, Casey! (Visit the National Fisheries Institute Website)

My first large electronic cookbook, "Real Restaurant Recipes: Food That Built a Business - Volume One." The e-cookbook contains over 200 restaurant recipes (all categories and meals). Subscribers to "What's Cookin'?" can purchase the electronic cookbook using the link Real Restaurant Recipes Volume One. You can cook with confidence and style. Purchase the cookbook and save it to your computer. Use the recipes throughout the year. You, your family and your guests will all be pleased! To see a copy of the Table of Contents, click on Table of Contents.

Reader's Survey - Special thanks to those subscribers who took a few minutes to respond to the questionnaire. Special thanks to Stephanie and Mary and Bob for detailed answers and some suggestions. Of the eight responses in the past two weeks - more, more, more recipes (I'm working at it :-) ) and quick and easy recipes (yes, I have many to share) and finally - inexpensive ingredients and unusual ingredients. Please remember friends, by answering the questionnaire, I will be able to provide you with the information and recipes you want most. Click on Take The Survey to help. Thanks!

Reminder: Don't forget that you have easy access to all the pages on my website by visiting the Site Map.

Reminder: Special Edition of What's Cookin'?" comes out soon with Mother's Day Brunch and Dinner Menu Ideas with the needed recipes!

I am building this website (sharing my interests) without any technical knowledge and I love it. The all-in-one program that allows me to do this is called "Site Build It!" If you have a few minutes, watch the video called SBI Video Tour. Want proof? Just click on Content Is King. Go ahead, take a video tour of the program and its components? Here is your link to do so: Video Tour. It's a recipe for success. Thanks for subscribing to the newsletter and helping to support my efforts to bring you quality recipes and information. Please email this newsletter to your friends. - THANKS! ”See” you soon! Be happy and stay safe. Donna Copyright © 2007