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Mexican Dinner for a Crowd

© Jerri Brooker

I never tire of Mexican food and I love to serve it to my guests. I'm providing a great menu for Cinco de Mayo, so keep it in mind as you plan for that fiesta next month.

Join me, won't you for an American Mexican feast, a Mexican Dinner for a Crowd?

Let's start with Enchiladas.

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Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 cup diced green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. butter
1 medium can stewed tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can green chilies, diced
½ tsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. oregano
¾ tsp. dried basil
12 corn or flour tortillas (your favorite)
1 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded cheese (Monterey and cheddar, mixed)
1 small can black olives, diced

Cook onion and garlic in butter in fry pan. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies, sugar, basil and seasonings. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.

Dip each tortilla, one at a time, in sauce and top with a dollop of sour cream, chicken and cheese in proportionate amounts. Roll each and place in a 13x9 glass dish, seam side down. Repeat until you have used up all the tortillas, chicken, cheese and sour cream.

When you are done there should be ½ cup of sour cream left. Add it to the remaining sauce and pour over the enchiladas. Sprinkle a little more cheese and the olive slices over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Serve with salsa.

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I like to get mango salsa at Costco - it's really yummy, but you can serve your favorite salsa. I often buy bottled salsa and add fresh tomatoes and onions to it.

What next?

Well, I think a Mexican meal is not complete without Bean Burritos. They are best if made with pinto beans - I cook the beans a day ahead, refrigerate and use them the second day - they just have a better flavor, I think. But you can use them right away if that's what you want to do.

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Bean Burritos

½ small bag of pinto beans
2 T. bacon grease if you have it; shortening is fine if you don't
Water to cover
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour tortillas
Sour cream
Grated cheddar cheese

Cover dried, rinsed beans with water and bring to a boil. Add grease and cook until done, which is about three hours. Check often to add more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper when done.

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