Recipes for a Mexican Dinner

Here's a menu that is easy on both you and your guests. Don't forget the Corona and Patron.

Meatballs with Dip
This appetizer is a real winner. Mix half pound lean ground beef, half pound ground pork, 1 tsp salt, 1 egg, 1 chopped large jalapeno pepper, 2 chopped garlic cloves, quarter cup chopped cilantro and quarter cup dried breadcrumbs in a bowl and shape into small balls. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, place meatballs and bake for 20 minutes. For the dip, combine 1 cup mayo with 1 clove garlic and 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pico De Gallo
Chop and combine 1 tomato, half onion, quarter cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno pepper, half tsp salt and a quarter cup Kraft Italian Dressing in a bowl and mix well. Serve with chips as a second appetizer.

Beef or Chicken Tacos
Cook 1 lb lean ground beef in a vessel and mix in chopped olives and medium taco seasoning. To assemble tacos, warm up flour tortillas in your microwave, place cooked beef mix, shredded lettuce, hot taco sauce, sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded mexican four cheese in the tortilla. Wrap the tortilla and seal the deal with some sour cream. Add tabasco sauce for some zing. Replace with taco shells for hard tacos. Beef may be replaced with chicken cubes for chicken tacos.

Chicken Fajitas
Cut 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts into thin strips. Cook the chicken in oil for about 5 minutes, add in Fajita seasoning, a little water, 1 cut green pepper and 1 sliced onion and cook another 10 minutes. Warm tortillas in your microwave, place chicken mixture in the tortilla and wrap it up for a tasty chicken fajita.

Flan for Dessert
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Caramelise 1 cup sugar and pour 2-3 tablespoons of caramel in each of 6 bowls, tilting the bowls to spread the caramel around the sides. In a mixer, blend 6 large eggs together. Mix in 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk , 2 13 oz cans evaporated milk then mix in half cup of sugar, then 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Pour the custard into the caramel lined bowls and place the bowls in a large baking dish filled with 2 inches of hot water. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Invert bowls onto small plates and let the caramel sauce flow over the custard. Garnish with whipped cream, raspberries and mint leaves.