Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Three layers—cajeta, flan, and chocolate cake—make up this incredible dessert.

A refreshing variation on a classic frozen margarita.

One word of warning: Make twice as much as you think you are going to need. This stuff is seriously addictive.

Who would believe that beer would be the perfect solution to eradicating fluorescent green margaritas? Well, it is! Best to use not-so-micro brews to avoid an overpowering beer flavor. Use the limeade can to measure the ingredients, and adjust with extra water if the mixture seems too sweet. Straining the pulp is always a good idea, unless, of course, you like pulp!

Horchata de arroz is easy to make at home with these top-rated recipes.

This is a part dry, part moist Mexican cake made with three types of milk. It is a sweet and delicious treat!

This makes a huge meal-sized tray of nachos with lots of good stuff! You can adjust ingredient quantities to suit your preference. Serve with extra chips if required. Great for game day.

One of my favorite local Mexican restaurants serves a dish with jalapeno cream cheese and shredded chicken that is to die for. I had been experimenting with dishes that contained those two ingredients and came up with this!! It is absolutely to die for and I get nothing but rave reviews from people who try it! Give it a whirl... I promise your taste buds won't regret it. :-)

Tender pork carnitas pressure-cooked with onion, garlic, orange, and spice.

Easy recipe for a sweet, creamy drink made with rice, cinnamon, and milk.

Lime juice and fresh cucumber add refreshing flair to sweetened water.

I came up with this recipe when I couldn't find good directions for grilled fish tacos. I liked the chipotle-lime combination in a dip I once tried so I imitated it here. Choose toppings to suit your taste, or include typical accompaniments such as salsa fresca, cabbage, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped cilantro.

The secret is in the seasonings! I whipped these up on my own using stuff I had on hand. Shredding the chicken is the most time-consuming step, but it's worth it in the end. Give these babies a try! Serve with sour cream and a side of Spanish rice.

This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who is from Durango, Mexico. I had to beg her for years to give this recipe to me. Finally, she gave it to me for Christmas. I added orange zest, but the original recipe calls for just pure vanilla. You can use almond extract as well.

If you are looking for a real Mexican cocktail, you just found it! This drink combines, in one glass, the best of Mexico: tequila and sangrita (Mexican's favorite tequila chaser). Don't look for cheap tequila; if you like the good stuff, don't be afraid to mix it.

I learned this recipe from an amazing cook from Puebla. I've been perfecting it for over 15 years and realized that it was time to share it when my foodie friends tried to drink the sauce out of the saucepan. I use the roasted or baked chicken from the grocery store. I did it once only to save time, but found that they are tastier. Be conservative with the cream and the cheese. Do not use sour cream!

This traditional South America and Caribbean side dish adds a nice sweetness to any meal. Use plantains with heavy black spotting to a fully black skin. Try these bananas in place of potatoes with your meal, you'll like it!

Fresh fruit waters, or Aguas de Frutas, made with crushed or blended fruit are a common and popular drink all over Mexico. This recipe is extremely flavorful and refreshing, especially when fresh strawberries are in season.

This is a Texas recipe I've developed and refined over many years. It's very fast, easy, and I usually have everything on hand. I often give it as gifts to my family back East.

This is the non-frozen version of my watermelon margaritas. These are so amazing and refreshing on hot summer days. To make a virgin version, omit the tequila and use a lemon-lime soda.

This iced hibiscus tea is an agua fresca served throughout Mexico. Made with hibiscus flowers, the flavor of agua de jamaica is tart and refreshing.

My ex's mom had the best hand-chopped salsa fresca I have ever tasted back in college. Over the years, I have tweaked it to something my friends and family rave about. The trick for this salsa is marinating the onions and jalapenos in lime juice for about 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes and cilantro. There are two tricks to this recipe: 1. Hand-chop everything. It takes a while, but it is worth it. 2. The marinating is what makes this salsa special. Hope you enjoy.

Chicken- and cheese-filled corn tortillas baked under a creamy sauce infused with hot green chiles. Adjust the amount of chopped chiles to suit your taste!

Spicy grilled fish are cooled down with a fresh crunchy veggie salsa featuring fresh corn. Your guests will swim back for seconds!