Hot Rum Punch

This is the the traditional punch served during the Posadas with bunuelos or pan dulce. If you would like to make this punch but can’t find or don't like some of the ingredients (perhaps, prunes) use substitutes. For instance, tamarind pods are a primary flavor in this ponche. If you can’t find tamarind pods, substitute apple cider. It won’t be the same, but it'll still be good!

Ingredients:
2 gallons water
4 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
4-inch cinnamon stick
2 lbs. piloncillo (or brown sugar)
3 green apples, cut into eighths
1/2 cup raisins
10 prunes
10 tamarind pods, peeled (or apple cider)
6 preserved guavas
10 preserved manzanitas/tejocotes (wild apples or crab apples)
Rum or Brandy to taste (optional)
1 3-gallon pot
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Place the above in crock pot and heat well. Serve with 1 jigger of rum added when serving. Can leave on all day. Can refrigerate leftovers for another day. This recipe for Hot Rum Punch serves/makes 3 quart

Vaga Enchilada

So I was going to give you a big, long complicated recipe for making enchiladas from scratch but who really wants to cook the day after Thanksgiving?

 
Sautee in large frying pan:
1 med onion chopped
½ med red/green pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt

Add and mix:
3 cups cooked turkey, shredded

Slice and dip:
Slice 12 (10 inch) corn tortillas into strips and lightly dip tortillas in 1/3 cup hot oil until soft and drain.

Mix together:
2 cups Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
2 cups shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese

Layer in a casserole pan in alternating layers like lasagna:
2 Cans store-bought green Enchilada sauce
Cheese mixture
Turkey mixture

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let set 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Mexican crema or sour cream, sprinkle with Cotija cheese and slices of avocado.

Ice Mexican Coffee

 

Truthfully, I am not a big fan of coffee (unless of course it has Kahlua or chocolate in it) so I absolutely love this Iced Mexican Coffee.

3/4 cup Coffee Beans, ground
2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
6 cup Water
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Chocolate Syrup
2 tbls. light Brown Sugar
1 tsp. pure Vanilla Extract
Garnish: Whipped Cream and Ground Cinnamon

Place coffee and cinnamon in filter basket of coffee maker. Add water to coffee maker and brew as directed. In a saucepan, blend milk, chocolate syrup and sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Combine milk mixture and brewed coffee. Stir in vanilla. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon. May be served hot or cold. For iced coffee pour mixture over glass filled with ice. Makes 6 cups.

Sangria de Naranja

Sangria is a red or white wine punch originating from Spain. There are many different versions but this is my absolute favorite! As with every recipe feel free to switch out juices or liquors to suit your taste but, watch out for this easy to drink recipe it'll sneak up on you!

 

Sangria Recipe:
1 medium size Orange
1/2 cup Sugar
2 cups Orange Juice
1 bottle Red Wine
1/2 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
Ice

Mix all ingredients into a large pitcher and chill. Slice oranges and place in pitcher and/or use as garnish on glasses. Makes 6 cups.

Paella

 

You will need:

• 12 ounces Linguisa (Portuguese), firm Chorizo, or other cooked sausages
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Onion (8 oz.), peeled and chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (8 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and diced (¼ in.)
• 2 tablespoons minced Garlic
• 2 cups Arborio or other short-grain White Rice
• 1 cup dry White Wine
• 1 quart fat-skimmed Chicken Broth
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground dried Turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon Saffron threads, crumbled
• Salt and Pepper
• 8 ounces boned, skinned firm white-fleshed fish, such as Halibut
• 1 pound shelled, deveined Shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), tails left on
• 8 ounces Mussels in shells
• ¼ cup slivered Green Onions (including green tops)
• Lemon wedges

Directions:
In a 15 inch paella pan or 12-inch frying pan (with at least 2¼-inch tall sides) over high heat, turn sausages occasionally until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes total. With tongs, transfer to a board.

Reduce heat to medium-high and add olive oil to pan; when hot, add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and stir often until onion is limp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until it begins to turn opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in wine, chicken broth, paprika, turmeric, and saffron. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring once or twice, until rice is almost tender to bite, 15 to 18 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, rinse and drain fish and shrimp; cut fish into 1 inch pieces. Pull beards off mussels and scrub mussels; discard any gaping ones that don't close when you tap their shells. Cut sausages diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.

Gently stir fish, shrimp, and sausages into rice mixture; arrange mussels on top. Cover pan with foil or lid and cook until rice is tender to bite, fish and shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), and mussel shells have popped open, 7 to 8 minutes.

Sprinkle evenly with green onions. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve from pan, adding juice from lemon wedges and more salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe courtesy of Sunset Magazine.

Piña Colada

The Piña Colada is known as the Official Beverage of Puerto Rico. If you refrain from adding the rum it results in a Virgin Piña Colada, but what's the point in that? Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of Rum...

1½ oz Light Rum
2 oz Coconut Cream
2 oz Pineapple Juice
2 cups of crushed ice


Put all ingredients into an electric blender with 2 cups of crushed ice. Blend at a high speed for a short length of time. Strain into a collins glass, top with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry or umbrella and serve with a straw.

The Perfect Margarita (for a crowd)

In this margarita, the better the tequila, the better the drink. Try Herradura, El Tesoro, El Viejito, Patron, or any of the 100% agave tequilas that are available in the market.

1 750ml bottle Silver Tequila
1 to 2 cups Triple Sec or Cointreau
1 cup freshly squeezed Lime Juice, plus several tablespoons extra for rimming the glasses
Coarse (kosher-type) Salt, for rimming the glasses
About a gallon of Ice Cubes

Just before serving, in a half-gallon pitcher combine the tequila, the minimum amount of triple sec or Cointreau, and the lime juice. Taste and add more of the orange liqueur if you think your margaritas need more sweet oranginess to balance the other flavors. Remember, you're tasting it warm and undiluted: when chilled and diluted, the flavors will be mellower and the lime's tartness will be more compelling (tangy, warm champagne is not nearly as inviting as ice-cold).

I personally don't like salt on my margarita but if you must...Pour several tablespoons of lime juice onto one small plate, several tablespoons coarse salt onto another. Have margarita glasses at hand (for an extra special touch, you can chill them). As you serve your guests, invert a glass into the plate with the lime juice to moisten the rim, then lightly dip into the plate with the salt.

For each drink measure 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of the margarita mixture into a cocktail shaker I can do 3 drinks at a time comfortably in mine. If you have a 2-ounce ladle that you can Add ice cubes (I put in 5 cubes for 1, 8 for 2, and 10 for 3). Secure the lid and top and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into the salt-crusted glasses and hand off to the lucky recipients.