Recipes for a Mexican Fiesta Cookout

Summer has arrived!.  Long, lazy days and fun in the sun; the perfect time for a cookout.  But cookouts are so common, what can you do to make yours different and special?  Make it a Mexican fiesta!  Everyone loves Mexican food, but instead of doing the same old tired taco/burrito menu, make traditional cookout food but with a Mexican flair!  Here's some great recipes to make your fiesta cookout the most memorable ever!

First and most important, are the burgers.  You have to have burgers at a cookout!  These burgers are definitely fiest-ive!  If you would like more heat in these patties, mince a jalapeno and add it in with the onion!
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​Mexican Bacon Burgers

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces canned chopped green chilies, drained (save liquid)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup salsa, pureed
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (learn to make it HERE)
• 3/4 cup finely crushed corn chips (not tortilla chips)
• 1 pound of thick cut bacon

This is the list of toppings I recommend, though you can serve whatever toppings you like.

Toppings:

• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped ripe olives
• Shredded mexican cheese or pepper jack cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Pickled pepper rings (hot or mild)
• Salsa
• Sour cream

Directions:

Beef Patties:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine green chilies, beaten eggs, salsa, chopped onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, taco seasoning and Worcestershire sauce (learn to make it here:  How to Make Wocestershire Sauce From Scratch)
2. When well combined, add ground beef and crushed corn chips and mix well
3. Shape into patties and grill in the normal manner

Bacon:

1. Place strips of bacon on the grill 
2. When they start to brown, brush with the juice from the green chilies
3. Continue to brush until cooked to your desired crispness

Cooking Brush

After the burgers are cooked, you can either serve them on hamburger buns, or you can toss tortillas on the grill and serve them warm so the burgers can be wrapped.  With all the delicious toppings to choose from, there is something for everyone. 

What sides should be served at your Mexican Fiesta Cookout?  There are so many,  I cannot even list them all.  Tortilla chips and salsa are a given.  Another perfect accompaniment is cold corn salad.  I love any kind of corn salad, but this one has a spicy flavor with the perfect amount of heat.  It's delicious, and perfect for a fiesta cookout!
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​Mexican Corn Salad

• 2 16 ounce of cans of corn or thawed frozen corn
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1⁄2 cup diced red onion
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 large minced and seeded jalapeno
• 1 cup finely shredded or crumbled cheese (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin (fresh or dried)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon taco seasoning (more or less to taste)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Additional ingredients that were in the original recipe, but I don't like   :)

• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black olives

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well
2. Cover and chill overnight
3. Stir well and sprinkle cheese and fresh parsley on top before serving.

Corn salad, like any other cold salad, is pretty flexible on what you put in it.  As long as you add the olive oil, lime juice, herbs, taco seasoning and corn, the other things you put in it basically rests on what you like.  My husband and I are not a fan of raw tomatoes, so we omit them.  If you like them, toss them in!

Another great side for a Fiesta Cookout is Mexican pasta salad.  Like the Corn Salad, it should be made the day before and chilled overnight.
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​Mexican Pasta Salad

​Ingredients:

• 1 box of colored curly pasta noodles
• 1 can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, diced
• 1 can of black beans, drained
• 1 can olives, drained and sliced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Dressing:
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• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. Mix the dressing and put in the refrigerator to chill
2. Cook the pasta in the normal manner, drain and set aside to cool
3. In a large bowl mix the cooled pasta (do NOT try to mix this with hot pasta!), Rotel, beans, olives, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion and 1/2 of the cilantro
4. Pour the chilled dressing over the pasta mixture and stir gently till combined
5. Refrigerate overnight
6. Top with the feta cheese and the other half of the cilantro and serve 

​I almost always serve fruit for dessert at my cookouts.  I was happy to find this delicious recipe for chili lime seasoning that goes on fruit salad.  It gives plain fruit salad a flavorful twist that I really love.  I sprinkle it sparingly on the fruit and put a shaker of it on the table in case anyone wants more.  It has been a hit and really gives the fruit salad some zip!
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​Mexican Fruit Salad
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Ingredients:

• 2 cups of pineapple chunks
• 2 cups of 1 x 1 inch watermelon chunks
• 2 cups halved strawberries
• 1 cup grapes (whatever color you prefer)
• 1 cup of 1 x 1 inch mango chunks
• 1 cup of 1 x 1 inch papaya chunks
• Juice of 1 lime
• Chili lime seasoning to taste​

Instructions:
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1. Place fruit in a shallow layer in a large bowl and sprinkle lime juice and a small amount of chili lime seasoning
2. Place another shallow layer on top and repeat till all fruit is in the bowl
3. Stir gently to mix, cover and chill in refrigerator overnight

I have included an recipe for chili lime seasoning.  This seasoning is not just good for fruit salad, it is also great on tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, or basically any Mexican dish.  I really like it on refried beans.  If you don't feel like making this seasoning from scratch, Trader Joes's makes a tasty blend you can buy from Amazon.

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Chili Lime Seasoning

​Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon lime zest 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar

Chili Lime Seasoning

The last recipe I wanted to share with you may be the most important!  What is a fiesta without a delicious adult beverage?  And the most delicious delicious Mexican drink that I know of is Sangria!  

Now you can make Sangria in red or white and both are delicious.  I decided on white for the fiesta cookout because it is lighter and more able to be flavored by summer fruit.  Here is my favorite recipe:

Fiesta Sangria

Ingredients:
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• ​3 cups of 1 x 1 inch watermelon cubes, frozen
• 2 cups of green seedless grapes, frozen
• 1 cup of 1/2 x 1/2 inch cantaloupe
• 1 cup of 1/2 x 1/2 inch honeydew melon
• 1 whole lime sliced thin in half rounds

• 2 cups dry white port wine
• 1 full bottle of Moscato
• 4 cups lime seltzer water

Directions:

1. Freeze grapes and watermelon cubes until completely hard
2. Chill the seltzer and Moscato until completely cold
3. Soak the cantaloupe and honeydew in a bowl of the port wine in the refrigerator for at least an hour (do not let them get mushy)
4. In a punch bowl pour the seltzer and Moscato
5. Remove the cantaloupe and honeydew from the port and put in the punch bowl (discard port)
6. Add lime slices and stir with a wooden spoon to mix 
7. Right before serving add frozen grapes and watermelon
8. If you want your sangria to be sweeter, you can add some simple syrup (learn how to make it here:  How to Make Simple Syrup​

There are many other things that you can have at your Mexican fiesta cookout, these recipes I have shared are only a few.  Have fun with it!

Have a great Memorial Weekend!

Jade    :)

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This is my favorite punch bowl for two reasons.  First, it is plastic and cannot be broken and second, it does not come with cups, which I never use  (too small!)

2 Gallon Punch Bowl
with Ladle

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Image Credits:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gabrielsaldana/4458186045/sizes/m/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27129991@N03/35539942263/sizes/c/
​https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikaela_d/4332686579/sizes/o/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hooverdust/2488672906/sizes/o/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mosespreciado/6945746509/sizes/l