Two years ago, Mike and I went to Mexico for a vacation. It was such a great trip: the weather, the beaches, the scuba diving! But the best part was the food. The resort that we stayed at was the Grand Palladium Riviera Resort and Spa. Everything about this resort was amazing from the rooms, to the pool and nightlife. Of course, the food was out of this world. There were 9 different restaurants, each with a different type of cuisine including Teppanyaki Japanese, Brazilian Steakhouse and Chinese. Our favourite, of course, was the traditional Mexican restaurant.
Of all the trips I had taken around the world, I had never eaten as good as I did in Mexico. Everyday I was stuffing my face with fresh pico de gaillo, piping hot tamales and some of the juiciest fruit I’ve ever had. Not to mention a few mojitos. So, when Cinco de Mayo came around, I figured I had to celebrate with an ode to that trip.
To start our celebration the right way, I busted out my Mexican blanket that I often use in my yoga practice when I need a little extra cushioning as well as the hot pink sombrero I bought when I was 15 on a family trip to Puerto Vallarta. Of course no Cinco de Mayo would be complete without the tequila. I haven’t been much of a tequila drinker since my 19th birthday, but Mike appreciates a nice sipping tequila. A few weeks prior, his parents picked us up a bottle of Patron for a couple of reasons. The first was because they knew Mike liked trying different types of liquor and they knew I loved bees, so this lovely bottle was perfect.
When preparing Mexican food, there are so many different dishes to have: burritos, tacos, chimichangas… the list goes on, but for me, my all-time favourite is FAJITAS! I remember being a kid and almost always ordering fajitas if they were on the menu at a restaurant. Maybe it was because I got to play around and make each bite suit my taste, or it could have been the alluring sizzle sound that accompanied the dish on its way from the kitchen. Whatever it was, I loved it. So, tonight’s menu featured Chicken Fajitas with sauteed peppers and onions and all the fixings. I make my own fajita seasoning because I prefer knowing exactly what is in the food I’m eating. Plus, you can easily tweak the recipe to make it as spicy or mild as you like. Here’s the recipe I use:
Fajita Seasoning
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika (Smoked Paprika is also great for a more smokey taste)
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
To make the evening feel like even more of a party, we set up everything in our basement living room for a casual night. Here are a few pictures of our fiesta. I hope you had a wonderful Cinco de Mayo and enjoy the start of this wonderful season!
Ole!
-KQ
The Bliss List 