Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With A

Do-It-Yourself Fiesta!

Mexican Fiesta

Create a casual party for six around this make-ahead south-of-the-border menu. Set the mood for your fiesta  by decorating  with sombreros, colorful blankets and maracas. Menu and recipes from the Cooking Light Cookbook 1995, ©1994 by Oxmoor House.

Avocado Dip

Mexican-Spiced Pork Tenderloin

Fiesta Rice

Orange-Jicama Salsa

Frozen Margarita Pie

Still Hungry?

Looking for more recipe ideas? You'll find more than 50 additional recipes for your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta from these  past features:

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With
A New  Attitude!

Southwest
Super Bowl Olé

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     Various regions of Mexico influence the cooking and seasoning style, particularly in the Southwest where California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas all border Mexico. Sonoran style, Sante Fe style, Tex-Mex, and California style are all regional variations in methods of preparation, seasoning, and serving.

     May 5th,  Cinco de Mayo, is the perfect time to have a Mexican Fiesta.  Serve buffet style, decorate with bright colors, and play mariachi music. If you're having a big party, hire a live band. A piñata filled with goodies adds a festive touch.

Source: The Guiltless Gourmet, by Judy Gilliard (a.k.a. Judy á la Carte), ©2001 by Judy Gilliard.

AVOCADO DIP
You can make the chips for this dip a couple of days in advance; then whip up the dip right before guests arrive.

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/3 cup mashed ripe avocado
1/4 cup canned chopped green chiles
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream alternative
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Dash of hot sauce (i.e., Tabasco®)
3/4 cup seeded, chopped tomato
1 Tbsp chopped ripe olives

     Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges, and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Set aside.

     Position knife blade in food processor bowl. Add cottage cheese and next 8 ingredients. Process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl; top with tomato and olives. Serve with baked chips. Yield: 6 Servings.

Per Serving (3 Tbsp Dip and 6 chips): 95 Cal; 3 g Total Fat (<1/2 g Sat Fat); 14 g Carb; 1 mg Cholesterol; 276 mg Sodium; 60 mg Calcium; 5 g Protein 2 g Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Fat.

MEXICAN-SPICED PORK TENDERLOINS
For extra flavor, rub the tenderloins with the spice
mixture and refrigerate a couple of hours before baking.
Prepare the rice while the pork cooks.

2 each (3/4-pound) pork tenderloins
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Vegetable cooking spray

     Trim fat from tenderloins. Combine cumin and next 6 ingredients. Rub spice mixture evenly over tenderloins.

     Place tenderloins on a rack in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of tenderloin, if desired. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160°F.

     Transfer tenderloins to a serving platter. Let stand 10 minutes; slice diagonally across grain into thin slices and serve with Orange-Jicama Salsa. Yield: 6 Servings.

Per Serving: 153 Cal; 5 g Total Fat (1.5 g Sat Fat); <1 g Carb; 83 mg Cholesterol; 163 mg Sodium; 15 mg Calcium; 26 g Protein. Exchanges: 3-1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Fat.

FIESTA RICE
Orange slices and fresh cilantro sprigs make a
colorful garnish for this festive rice dish.

Vegetable cooking spray
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/4 cups no-salt-added chicken broth, undiluted
1/2 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
1/2 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup commercial no-salt-added salsa
1/2 cup drained canned black beans
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
Orange slices (optional)
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

     Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray; add oil. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Add red pepper, onion, and garlic; sauté until crisp-tender. Add broth and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

     Stir in beans, chopped cilantro, and salt. If desired, garnish with orange slices and cilantro sprigs before serving. Yield: 6 Servings (1/2 cup each).

Per (1/2-cup) Serving: 118 Cal; 1 g Total Fat; 23 g Carb;
00 mg Cholesterol; 201 mg Sodium; 28 mg Calcium; 4 g Protein; 2 g Fiber. Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch.

ORANGE-JICAMA SALSA
After removing the husk from the tomatillo, wash
the fruit to remove the sticky residue. This salsa can be kept up to two days in the refrigerator before serving.

3/4 cup chopped fresh orange
1/4 cup peeled, chopped jicama
1/4 cup husked, chopped tomatillo
1/4 cup chopped purple onion
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp unsweetened orange juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt

     Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine orange juice and remaining ingredients, stirring well, pour over orange mixture; toss gently. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Yield: 1-1/2 Cups.

Per (1 Tbsp) Serving: 6 Cal; 00 g Total Fat; 2 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 13 mg Sodium; 5 mg Calcium; Trace Protein; <1/2 g Fiber. Exchanges: FREE  for one 2 to 3 Tablespoon Serving.

FROZEN MARGARITA PIE
Here's a dessert that won't waste away once your guests take a bite of this lime-flavored creation in a pretzel crust. Keep it cool by setting the pie plate in a larger one filled with ice.
This pie can be made up to a week ahead and kept tightly covered in the freezer.

2-1/2 cups small pretzels, finely crushed
1/4 cup reduced-calorie margarine, melted
1 Tbsp sugar
6 cups vanilla nonfat frozen yogurt, softened
1/4 cup tequila*
3 Tbsp frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1 tsp grated fresh lime rind
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Lime slices (optional)
Edible flowers (optional)
Lime rind curls (optional)

*See Diabetes & Cooking With Alcohol  for substitutions for alcohol

     Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Press mixture evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze crust 1 hour.

     Combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients. in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon yogurt mixture into prepared crust. Cover and freeze until firm. Let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before slicing. If desired, garnish with lime slices, edible flowers, and lime rind curls. Yield: 10 Servings.

Per Serving: 198 Cal; 4 g Total Fat (<1 g Sat Fat); 35 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 263 mg Sodium; 163 mg Calcium; 5 g Protein. Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1 Fat.