Making Mexican Fiesta

When I was in high school, the girls that I played basketball with started coming over weekly to eat Mexican food at my house. At first there were just about ten of us then it started growing, and growing, and growing....and now when we have Mexican Fiesta anywhere up to thirty people might show up to my house. My parents take care of the meat and then everyone else brings the rest of what we need (chips, avocados, limes, ect). Every time I go home to see my parents we try and have Mexican Fiesta. We all eat dinner then play some sort of game. My brothers and their friends always show up and it's pretty much an anyone who wants to come can type of shindig.

I received a tweet from a few of the girls who have always come to Mexican Fiesta asking me for my recipes so that they could have one of their own at school. I laughed because I've never been a kid that cooks with recipes...it's just not my style. I did tell them that I would try and lay out how to have a good Mexican Fiesta with some directions in a blog post though. So if you are looking for a fun night of food here is how to do it.

Flautas

This is usually the main course and crowd favorite. I definitely put a gringo spin on it but, whatever.

What you need:

Chicken
Egg roll wrappers
Limes

First boil the chicken (I usually season it with taco seasoning while its boiling) then let it cool and shred it. When you shred it put more taco seasoning in it and squeeze some lime juice in it. Take your egg roll wrapper and lay it in diamond shape. Then put water on you fingers and run them around the edges of the wraps. Next put the chicken in the middle and fold your two side corners in and then roll it up. Now fry it until its golden brown and you are done!

Hot sauce

My friends in Austin get on to me for calling this hot sauce...apparently the right name is salsa--obviously they don't know.

What you need:

1 big can of whole peeled tomoatoes
1 can of rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (get mild)
1 onion
cilantro
salt
pepper
garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce
sugar

First put the tomatoes in a blender with the onion and blend. Then put it in a bowl and stir in the rotel (this will make the hot sauce more chunky). Chop the cilantro and put it in and then add about a teaspoon (give or take) of each of the seasonings.

Guac

What you need:

Avocados
Garlic powder
limes
cilantro
tomatoes
salt
Mango (optional)

Pretty simple but just mash it all together and put about a teaspoon of garlic powder and salt in. The tomatoes go on last because you don't want them mashed into the avocados. I always put mango in mine to make it sweeter and give it a better taste but that's really up to you.

And that's it! You want to find someone who is willing to clean up the mess because you will make one. :-) However, it will be worth it. I hope this helps you out girls! Wish I could be there.

Meanwhile in Austin

Hello all, yes--I am still alive. I have been wondering for the past two months when I will be able to write something that I think is worthwhile again. I have been working for a magazine and writing articles for them. I have also recently finished my internship for my hometown newspaper (which was so fun). However, I haven't written anything in a while where I just read it and know that it is my writing and that it is good. I have been told at least five times in the past month that I should write a book--ha, where do you even start with something like that. I appreciate those of you who have stuck with me, I hope I don't disappoint you too often in my musings. I'm sure every writer hits this kind of writing block--I know that I have experienced it before. I do have a book in the works and I haven't told many people about it, mainly because I don't want any pressure to finish it. However, I guess it's about time that I really get to work. I have been asking myself what's next just about every moment of every day since I have been back from Chile, and maybe that is what's next--a book. Now, if I can just find a good place to start then everything will work out nicely because a portion of the middle is roughly written. I guess there is just so much to consider: who I am writing it for, finding a publisher, what to write about, just so much. I'm sure it will come...I'm just going to be patient.

Meanwhile, in other news...

I started school which has been hard, just as expected. I am living with two of my best friends which is wonderful. We had a housewarming party/ 21st birthday party this past weekend and it was all sorts of fun:

As for this week, I'm just trying to get back into the school groove and keep up with work...speaking of which I have to head out to work at the moment. Hopefully my blogging won't continue with the dry-spell I've seemed to have been under as of late.

Thanks for holding out.