Our ever popular Taco class featuring tacos great for parties or anytime had to be moved to Tuesday, March 5 instead of Thursday, March 7.  Tacos are so much fun to make and the best are made with freshly made or toasted tortillas.

Tacos originated in Mexico as a snack and are now made lots of fun ways with fillings of whatever your taste dictates or your kitchen has on hand. 

One of my favorites is freshly toasted corn tortillas loaded with spicy Carne Adobado topped with grated cheese and chopped onion.  Pulled pork is great this way too and is part of our forthcoming class.  But, they do not necessarily have to be made with meat--seared veggies are yummy as is any kind of seafood.  Dessert tacos are fun too.  Toast the tortilla, then top with a scoop or two of ice cream and lace with chocolate or cajeta or caramel sauce.

Here's the fun Fiesta menu--

PERFECT GUACAMOLE

ROAST PORK TACO PARTY PLATTER

GRILLED CHICKEN and ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER TACOS

FISH TACOS with NINE DAY COLE SLAW

CARNE ASADA SOFT TACOS, MEXICAN STYLE

SALSAS GALORE--

SALSA VERDE

MANGO AND ROASTED CORN SALSA

SALSA ROJO

PERFECT MARGARITAS

This menu would be perfect for a spring patio party! 

Perfect Pies is our next class set for March 21 followed by our Finger Lickin' Barbecue class set for April 4--more to come soon.

The next weekend class will be May 17 - 19 and the next week long school will be April 15 - 19.

And...be sure to sign up for Oaxaca soon.  We are already taking registrations. Our boutique hotel is quite nice and very convenient.  The trip will be June 11 - 18 and will include lots of really great classes, tours and dinners. 

Here are two party recipes--one is my Perfect Margaritas, which we will be making during the taco class.

               Perfect Margaritas

When we first lived in Albuquerque, NM, nearly every Friday evening our neighbors and friends gathered at our house for drinks, a potluck of whatever they wished to bring and lots of conversation and good times. These soirees continued for years until we moved away.

One of our very fun neighbors started calling my margaritas “crawl home” when they were made as directed below. (He had literally almost crawled home one Friday night.) Afterward, if we made them half strength of the tequila, we started calling them “walk home” margaritas and the name stuck among our friends.

Interestingly enough, for our full participation weekend and week long classes, we make them and the students without exception always vote for the Perfect or “crawl home” margaritas.

These are so much better than the margaritas the average American bar serves. They are definitely the best when made with freshly squeezed lime juice and good-quality silver tequila and Triple Sec or Cointreau. These margaritas are strong, so be careful!

Yield: 2 to 3 drinks

Coarse or kosher salt (optional)

2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, approximately 2 to 3 limes, save halves after juicing

6 ounces tequila

2 ounces Triple Sec

1 teaspoon raw egg white, lightly whipped, optional*

Ice cubes

1. About an hour before serving, squeeze limes. If salted rims are desired, place salt in a small, dry saucer. Gently rub rind of lime that has been squeezed on the edge of the glass, then lightly crunch into the salt and place glasses in the freezer so they will be frosty.

2. Combine lime juice, tequila, Triple Sec, about 1/2 teaspoon egg white if using and about 8 to 10 ice cubes in a blender or cocktail shaker. Blend or shake well. Taste and add more lime juice or Triple Sec, if desired. Pour into the frosted goblets and serve.

*The egg white sustains a foam on top of each margarita, which is very attractive.

VARIATIONS:

Combine fresh lemon juice and lime juice for a delicious, if unconventional, margarita

Imperfect or “walk home” Margaritas: For less strong margaritas, reduce tequila to 3 ounces.

Frozen Margaritas: Keep adding ice and blending until mixture is somewhat firm or to desired consistency.

CHILE SPICED PEANUTS WITH ROASTED GARLIC

These spicy nuts make a zesty addition to snack assortments, and are great served with icy cold beer or Margaritas. In the Southwest, you can purchase these already prepared; however, those you make are almost always the best. Even commercial chile nuts are improved by heating just before serving.

Yield: 2 ½ cups or about 10 to 12 servings

2 cups skin-on salted, skinless peanuts

¼ cup small dried red arbol chiles

¼ cup small cloves garlic (about 10 small cloves), unpeeled

2 teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil

Salt, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 

2. Place the peanuts in a single layer on an ungreased rimmed baking sheet. with sides. Scatter the arbol chiles and garlic over the peanuts. Then drizzle them with the oil. Bake for 10 minutes and then stir. Continue baking until the peanuts are toasty brown and crisp, about 3 minutes more. Be careful not to overcook the peanuts or they will burn.
3. When the peanuts are done, stir them well and taste to see if more salt is needed. (Optional, discard the chiles and the garlic .)

Note: The peanuts will keep up to 3 to 4 months, stored in a well sealed jar at room temperature.

Reprinted with permission from Jane Butel’s Chile Madness, 2^nd edition