Menú: Joy's Cinco de Mayo Celebración
California-inspired, Midwest-approved: the complete feast Mom packed in her suitcase to bring Mexican flavors to the heartland
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. We celebrate the food and drink!!!
Joy Ann Baker Blair. My momma. Born May 8, 1942. Daughter of John and Mary Jane. Granddaughter to Mom and Pop Baker and Mom and Pop Carnes. Sister to Linda, Kathy, Eric, and Steve. Married James Philip Blair on November 28, 1964. Mom to Jennifer, Julie, and Jackie. Grandma to Olivia, Ian, Quincy, and Hope.
Renowned for her kindness, social work, ‘back it up’ dance moves, and the Mexican food she cooked for my dad and her family in the Midwest using supplies she packed and carried in suitcases from California to Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin!
That’s right, folks. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, there weren’t many Mexican restaurants, produce, or pantry items in the Midwest to make her many Mexican-inspired recipes. So when she visited family, she took all the goods she could find in California grocery stores with her to the Midwest. Luckily, she was never stopped by TSA officers nor arrested for bringing ‘Mexican food contraband’ past the border!
This Cinco de Mayo Menu shares her California-inspired, Midwest-approved recipes.
Menú: Cinco De Mayo Celebración
Cheese Enchiladas
Makes 12
Kitchen Tools
Plate or sheet pan
Paper towels
Ingredients
12 tortillas
8 oz. aged cheddar, shredded
8 oz. Monterey Jack, shredded
1/2 cup avocado oil
1 small white onion, diced
4 green onions, diced
Enchilada sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a sauté pan.
Combine cheddar and Monterey Jack; reserve a third for the topping.
Place tortilla in hot oil until soft, about 2 to 3 seconds per side. Using tongs, flip to soften the other side. Remove from the pan and place on a paper-lined plate/sheet. Repeat until all tortillas are softened; place a paper towel between each tortilla.
Dip one tortilla at a time into the enchilada sauce; don’t soak or it may tear. Place the tortilla on a plate, add a handful of cheese down the center, and sprinkle white onion on top. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in your baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are dipped, cheese and onion are added, the seam side is down, and they are added to your dish.
Cover with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle the reserved cheese and cover with foil.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove the foil, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Garnish with green onions, then serve.
Notes:
Avocado oil: mild-flavored and high-smoke-point, allowing you to sauté or fry without burning.
White onion: pick up a large or two small white onions and chop them for use in the enchiladas, sauce, and guacamole.
Enchilada Sauce
Makes enough sauce for 12 enchiladas
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
3 tbsp. avocado oil
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup California red chili powder
2 cups beef broth
15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. dried, crushed oregano leaf
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Heat oil in a saucepan.
Add flour and stir for 1 minute.
Add chili pepper and stir.
Add beef broth, tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir.
Add a pinch of salt.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Cover and keep warm for use in enchiladas.
Salsa
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 cup cilantro, washed and chopped
2 tsp. jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2-3 limes
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Instructions
Add tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper to a bowl and stir.
Squeeze lime juice into the bowl.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Adjust juice, seasonings, and heat to taste.
Guacamole
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
4 Haas avocados
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1/4 white onion chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tsp. jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2 limes
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
Add tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper to the molcajete. Use the pestle to grind and release the juices.
Remove the flesh and seed from the avocado; use a pestle to smash and combine.
Squeeze juice into the bowl, then add the salt and pepper.
Adjust juice and seasonings to taste.
Note:
Avocado seeds: If you’re making guacamole a couple of hours in advance, add the seeds and cover tightly; this will help reduce oxidation and browning.
Chips
Kitchen Tools
Plate or sheet pan
Paper towels
Ingredients
Corn tortillas, package of 20
Avocado oil
Kosher salt
Instructions
Stack 10 tortillas on top of one another, then cut them in half, then in half again, so you have 4 wedges from each tortilla; repeat with the other 10 tortillas.
Cover a plate or baking sheet with paper towels to soak up the oil.
Fill your pan with 1/2 inch of oil. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temp should be 350 ºF. If not, drop a wedge into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is ready.
Add enough wedges to your pan so they don't overlap. Use your tongs to flip the wedges until golden brown. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove chips from the pan and place on a paper-lined plate/sheet; sprinkle with salt while still warm.
Repeat until all wedges are chips; add more oil as needed.
Margaritas
Kitchen Tools
Jigger or shot glass
Ingredients
Blanco (silver/plata) tequila
Fresh squeezed lime juice (12 limes)
Fresh squeezed lemon juice (6 lemons)
Fresh-squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
Jalapeno-infused simple syrup (2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1 jalapeno)
Limes cut into quarters
Ice
Kosher salt
Tajin
Instructions
Juice lemons and limes; combine in one mason jar.
Juice oranges; add to a separate mason jar.
Add 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Remove the stem from the jalapeno and toss it into the pan. Heat at a low temperature, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and cover. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Remove the jalapeno. Store jalapeño-infused simple syrup in a mason jar.
Add salt, sugar, or Tajin to your rimmer.
Run a lime wedge around the rim of your margarita glass, then dip it into the rimmer to coat with salt, sugar, or Tajin.
Add ice to your margarita glass.
To your shaker, add 2 cups of ice, 2 shots of tequila, 2 shots of lemon/lime juice, 3/4 shot of simple syrup, and 1/2 shot of orange juice. Shake then pour into your glass.
Repeat. Drink. Enjoy. Salud!
Wowee! The photos of your Mexican feast are tantalizingly beautiful! As are the photos of your Mom. Her willingness to undertake the extra effort of cooking Mexican food in the Midwest looks to be living on thru you. Thank you for taking the time to prepare & then share these recipes! If I start today, I might be able to get a Mexican dinner on the table by next Cinco de Mayo!🇲🇽🌮🇲🇽
What a great story and fantastic sounding recipes. I wish I had the time and energy to make them. At least now I understand why my enchiladas never came out very good. I never thought to quick fry them first. That’s for putting this story and recipes together. Must have taken a lot of time.