International cooking is fun for parties and special occasions. Here are some Mexican recipes that kids can make with a little bit of adult supervision.
Nachos Amigos
Ingredients:
- 2 10-ounce bags of corn tortilla chips
- 2 cans refried beans
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 diced onion
- 2 diced tomatoes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
- Pour each bag of chips on one baking sheet, so that you have two baking sheets piled with chips.
- Evenly add the beans, cheese, and onions on top of the chips. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Add everything else on the top right before you are ready to serve.
Guacamole
Ingredients:
- 4 avocados
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup salsa or picante sauce
- 1-1/2 chopped tomatoes
Directions:
- Mash the avocados in a large mixing bowl with a fork.
- Add all the other ingredients except the tomatoes, and mix well.
- Add tomatoes and stir gently.
- Serve with restaurant style tortilla chips.
Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 of a 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
- 3 tablespoons finely minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
- Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
- Let the salsa sit for about 15 minutes before you serve it to let the flavors combine well.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Bean Burritos
Ingredients:
- 1 cup canned pinto beans
- 1 handful of lettuce
- 2 large flour tortillas
- 1/4 chopped onion
- 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
- 1/4 cup picante sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Drain the beans and tear the lettuce into small pieces.
- Soften the tortillas in the microwave by placing a damp paper towel over them and heat for 1 minute.
- Put a couple of spoonfuls of beans in the middle of each tortilla. Sprinkle with onions.
- Roll the tortilla up and place it on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover with aluminum foil.
- Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted (about 10 minutes). Sprinkle the hot burrito with lettuce and tomato. Service with sour cream and/or picante sauce.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raw pecans, toasted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pecans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 minutes. They should be lightly browned. Let them cool.
- In a medium size bowl, cream the butter, vanilla and almond extracts together. Add the powdered sugar and mix in.
- Add the flour a little at a time until it is fully blended in.
- When the pecans are cool, place them in food processor or chop with a knife until they are fine. Stir in the pecans.
- Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and then shape into 1 inch balls with your fingers. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 1 to 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the bottom. Cool for about 5 minutes.
- Roll the cookies in powdered sugar so they look like snowballs.
Remember that after you have a FIESTA to take a SIESTA!
Copyright Denise Oliveri. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.