Cinco De Mayo: A Full Day's Menu!

Wow! It's almost May! And here in Texas,I am starting to see Cinco De Mayo decorations at the stores and preparations for huge meals! This is such a fun holiday to celebrate because who doesn't love Mexican food and margarita's right? But with all the cheese and alcohol, the calories can sure add up! But not with this meal!! Enjoy to your heart's desire and have a LOW CAL NO FAT margarita on me! :)

Cinco De Mayo Feast

Appetizer: Seven Layer Dip
Grocery List:
Bean Layer:
2 cans (16 oz each) lowfat refried black beans
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄2 tsp freshly grated lime peel
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic

Guacamole layer:
2 large, ripe Hass avocados
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp minced red onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp hot-pepper sauce

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 cup preshredded Monterey Jack cheese blend
2 cups purchased refrigerated salsa

Garnish: cilantro sprigs and lime wedges
Serve with: baked tortilla chips

How to make it:
1. Bean Layer: Mix ingredients in a medium bowl. With a rubber spatula, mound in center of a 12-in. or larger square serving plate. Shape into a flat 9-in. square.

2. Guacamole Layer: Halve and seed avocados; scoop flesh into a medium bowl. Add lime juice, red onion, salt and hot sauce and mash until dip consistency with some small avocado chunks visible. Mound in center of bean layer; spread into a flat 8-in. square, letting some bean layer show around edges. Sprinkle guacamole with chopped cilantro.

3. Top with sour cream, letting some guacamole show, then sprinkle with cheese, letting some sour cream show.

4. To serve: Drain salsa in a strainer to remove excess juice; spoon 3 diagonal rows over cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Surround dip with chips.
**Planning Tip: Can be made through Step 3 up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Nutritional Information:
(makes 12 servings)
203cal
12g fat
4g fiber
4 WW points

Entree: Corn-Stuffed Pablano Chiles
Grocery List:
6 poblano chiles
2 tsp each stick butter and oil
1/2 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
2 tsp minced garlic
3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup farmer cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

How to make it:
1. Heat broiler. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet and a 2-qt shallow baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Put chiles on baking sheet. Broil about 5 in. from heat source 15 to 20 minutes, turning chiles often so they char evenly. Transfer to a saucepan, cover and let cool about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 1 to 2 minutes to wilt scallions. Add corn; sauté 2 to 3 minutes then add cilantro. Remove from heat and stir in farmer cheese and salt.

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Carefully peel skin off peppers. Cut in half lengthwise; remove core and seeds. Arrange chile halves in baking dish in 1 layer. Mound about 1/2 cup corn mixture on each half.

5. Bake 10 minutes, top with Cheddar cheese and bake 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Nutritional Information:
(makes 6 servings)
185cal
9g fat
3g fiber
4 WW points

Dessert: Margarita Fruit Cocktails
Grocery List:
4 cups assorted fruit, chilled (1 cup each blueberries, cubed honeydew melon, cubed pineapple and halved strawberries)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp tequila or water
1 tsp grated lime zest
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 lime wedge
Garnish: coarse decorating sugar

How to make it:
1. Mix fruit in large bowl. Stir sugar and tequila with lime zest and juice in small bowl. Toss with fruit, cover and chill.

2. Rub lime wedge around rim of 4 margarita glasses; dip glasses in sugar. Fill each glass with fruit cocktail.

Nutritional Information:
107cal
0g fat
0g fiber
2 WW points