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Health & Fitness

5-Minute Cinco de Mayo Meal

Enjoy a delicious 5-minute meal for Cinco de Mayo!

 

Are you planning to eat a traditional Cinco de Mayo meal on May 5th? If tacos, burritos, or other “American Mexican” food is on your menu, then the correct answer is “no.”

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Really?

Find out what's happening in Evanstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

Yep.

 

“Cinco de Mayo” means “The Fifth of May” and marks the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. In Mexico, it is mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla, but is recognized to a lesser degree in other areas of that country. The traditional Pueblan dish for this celebration is Chiles en Nogada. It consists of poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo—minced pork, spices, and fruits. A walnut cream sauce covers the peppers and they are topped with pomegranate seeds.

 

The green peppers, white sauce, and red seeds reflect the three colors of the Mexican Flag.

 

While tortillas are a staple of traditional Mexican meals, the word “taco” in Mexico is used as a generic term to cover a variety of snacks, or small bites, and not as we use it here to refer to one specific food.

 

If you’ve got the time this Cinco de Mayo, and you want to stay true to the Pueblan tradition, noted chef, Rick Bayless, created my favorite Chiles en Nogada recipe. Be forewarned: it’s time consuming. So for those on the run it’s easy to keep the spirit of the festival with a simply delicious dish that gives a nod to traditional Mexican cuisine and incorporates the green, white and red of the classic Pueblan fare.

 

Quesadillas from Easy Weekly Meals for Moms on the Go takes about 5 minutes to prepare.

 

  • Simply heat a sauté pan over medium heat and place a soft flour or corn tortilla into the warm pan.
  • Spread a thin layer of cheese over the tortilla.
  • When the cheese melts, use a flipping spatula to lift half of the tortilla up and fold it forward to close it.
  • Let the tortilla bubble up so that the bottom gets golden brown, but not black.
  • Flip the folded tortilla over and let the other side bubble up—about 1 minute. Remove it from the pan and garnish it with chopped tomatoes and avocado for a quick and tasty Cinco de Mayo treat like the one pictured here.

 

 

Enjoy a safe and sated Cinco de Mayo! 

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