Cinco De Mayo Dinner

Skinny Watermelon Mint Margarita

This makes 2 margaritas, double or triple the recipe for a crowd

2 cups fresh watermelon chunks

9-10 ice cubes

4.5 oz. your favorite good quality Tequila

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup fresh mint

1/4 cup Triple Sec or orange juice

1/4 cup agave syrup

In a blender, crush ice first, them add remaining ingredients and blend until combines. Pour into salt-rimmed glasses. 

Chicken Fajitas With Cilantro Pesto

4 corn or flour tortillas

1 lb. organic chicken breast sliced into strips or pre-cut boneless, skinless chicken tenders

1-2 onions, sliced (depending on how big they are)

1 medium red pepper, sliced

1 medium yellow pepper, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced (you can substitute green pepper)

1/2 cup cilantro pesto (see recipe below)

1/2 cup organic chicken broth or stock

Juice of 2 fresh limes (about 1/4 cup of juice total) 

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbs. olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a shallow baking dish, coat raw chicken pieces in 1/4 cup of the cilantro pesto. Let marinate 20 min to 1 hr (or longer if possible, up to overnight to intensify the flavor).

Heat 2 tbs. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions first and saute 5 minutes or so until they start to get tender. Add peppers and garlic. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute another 5-6 minutes or until veggies are tender. Spread the pepper and onion mixture to the sides of the pan and add the marinated chicken to the middle of the pan. 

Let cook 5-7 minutes, stirring with a spoon frequently so it can cook on all sides. Add chicken stock and fresh lime juice. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Note: If you are re-heating leftover fajita filling later on, add a touch of broth. Top with your favorite Mexican cheese such as Queso Fresco or Cotija and crema or sour cream. Serve inside warmed tortillas - or for a low-carb version, you can serve the filling alone (like I did).

Cilantro Pesto

3 cups fresh cilantro, washed and dried

2-3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp. salt or to taste

A few grinds of fresh ground pepper

1 cup fresh baby arugula (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. This recipe will make more than you'll need for the chicken, but will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for even longer.

These fajitas pair nicely with a side of Roasted Corn with Chipotle Butter and Lime, found in an earlier entry and re-posted below (also slightly altered):

Roasted Corn with Chipotle Butter and Lime

1 bag Trader Joe's defrosted roasted corn niblets OR you can roast fresh corn on the cob until charred, then slice it off (regular frozen sweet corn would work as well, but you'll be missing a flavor layer)

1 poblano pepper, chopped (optional)
2 tbs. chipotle butter (recipe follows)
Juice of one lime
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or more to taste
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cotija cheese for topping

Melt chipotle butter in a saute pan. Add minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds - don't let the garlic get brown. Add defrosted corn and pobalno. Add fresh lime juice and saute 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with fresh cilantro and an extra tsp. of butter before serving if desired. Top with Cotija cheese.

Chipotle Butter

1/2 stick organic butter or Earth Balance Buttery Spread
3-4 drops - about 1/8 tsp. - chipotle chili sauce (or more if you like it spicier)
Pinch of smoked paprika - Pimenton
Additional salt to taste

Cream all ingredients together until smooth. Can be made ahead.

Shortcut Tres Leches Rice Pudding

2 packages frozen organic Jasmine or white rice cooked according to box directions (find these in the frozen section at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods)

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Whole Foods carries an organic version)

14 oz. can light coconut milk

1/2 cup half and half, milk, or soy creamer

1/4 cup rum (optional)

1 whole stick of cinnamon (optional)

1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon 

1-2 grates fresh nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste (a tiny bit of salt helps bring out the sweetness of the dish)

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional - or you can substitute dried cranberries or cherries for a twist)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the three milks, cinnamon, rum, vanilla, raisins, and nutmeg and heat to a simmer. Let simmer 3-4 minutes to infuse the flavors. Remove the cinnamon stick if you used it, add the cooked rice and stir well. Season with a bit of salt to taste and more cinnamon if desired. Let the mixture reduce until slightly thickened but still creamy. For an even creamier pudding, add more coconut milk, regular milk, or half and half. It will thicken as it cools. Can be served warm or cooled.