Add Spice to Cinco de Mayo

(ARA) – Each year, Cinco de Mayo festivities take center stage in town squares across Mexico.  But you don’t have to be south of the border to join in the fun. Follow the lead of area restaurants and consider throwing a little fiesta of your own!

Traditional Cinco de Mayo gatherings are abuzz with music, laughter and vibrant colors -- and of course, no Cinco de Mayo celebration is complete without great food. To lessen the stress of party planning, be on the lookout for easy ways to add the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine to your party fare. New Sargento Chipotle Cheddar cheese is the perfect ingredient to add a little kick to your recipes with a smoky twist on a familiar flavor.

Corporate chef for Sargento Foods Inc., Guy Beardsmore, offers a tip for making your Cinco de Mayo celebration a hit with your guests. “Keep it simple when you’re entertaining,” says Beardsmore. “For Cinco de Mayo celebrations, something like a build-your-own taco bar is a really easy way to serve up something fun that your guests can enjoy.”  

Always a crowd pleaser, chips with cheese and bean dip are especially appropriate for Cinco de Mayo. Sargento Chipotle Cheddar bolsters the flavor in our version of Mexican Fiesta Dip, and brings authenticity to your bash. For a genuine taste of Mexico, try your hand at Chili Rellenos. This traditional dish is sure to impress your guests, and add plenty of spice to your party line-up.

As the big day nears, keep an eye out for fun and creative ways to enliven your fiesta. Add to the enjoyment with a few of these tips for bringing the warmth and spirit of Mexico to your get-together:

Prepare a fun mix of salsa music to play in the background

Use red, white and green décor to celebrate the colors of Mexico

Create a fun-filled piñata for children -- and maybe a separate one with goodies for adult guests as well!

Here’s a tasty recipe you may want to try:  

Chili Rellenos
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
6 whole green Anaheim or Poblano chile peppers
6 slices Sargento Deli Style Sliced Chipotle Cheddar Cheese
3 tablespoons flour
6 eggs, separated
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup salsa

Directions:

1. Place peppers under broiler, about 4 inches from heat. Broil just until skins blister. Let cool in a food storage bag or paper bag for a few minutes. Peel; remove stems. Cut slit in side of each pepper to remove seeds. Stuff each pepper with 1 slice of cheese, folded to fit; roll in flour.

2. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. In another bowl, beat flour and salt with egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water until thick and lemon colored. Fold beaten yolk mixture into the egg whites.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. For each rellenos, spoon about 1/2 cup egg batter into the hot skillet. Spread egg mixture out slightly to make an oval mound. As egg begins to set, place a filled pepper on top of the egg mixture. Cover each with 1/2 cup more of the egg mixture. Continue cooking until bottom is browned. Turn carefully and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with salsa.

Tip: Sargento Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Snacks can be substituted for the Sargento Deli Style Sliced Chipotle Cheddar Cheese. Substitute 6 cheese sticks for the 6 slices of cheese. Courtesy of ARAcontent

History of Cinco de Mayo

(the fifth of May) is often thought to be Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday officially falls on September 16. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the battle of Puebla in 1862, when a rag-tag, ill-equipped, and outnumbered Mexican army defeated a force of invading French soldiers.  It was glorious victory and is still a cause for celebration in Mexico and in areas with Hispanic populations.

Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo with mariachi bands, fold dancing, and lots of food and drink.  Some communities stage reenactments of the battle, and fairs with game sand rides are often set up near the town square.

Large Cinco de Mayo festivals are held in many cities and states along the U.S. - Mexican border, as well as in Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Kansas City, and other cities with significant Hispanic populations. Hundreds of thousands participate, and many consumer researchers say that Cinco de Mayo is becoming as popular as St. Patrick's Day.

For years, the celebration focused on Mexican foods and drink.  But recently the Latino and Latinas for Health Justice has begun advocating for alcohol-free festivities that focus more on parades, art exhibits, and speeches about the important role that Mexican-Americans have played in shaping the United States.

Fiesta Invitations
Please Come to a Party! Invite your guests to a red hot party with our confetti filled chili pepper invitations.

Noisemakers

Neon Maracas
Best Selling Maraca! Neon plastic maracas have a great sound, and glow in black light. They come in four colors. Assorted neon maracas with tinsel streamers are great for any party and will liven up your video with dazzling colors.

3" Wood Maracas Champagne Maracas Solid Neon Maracas Large Neon Maracas Neon Fringed Maracas Neon Plastic Maracas Jewel Tone Maracas Mini Maracas White Maraca Jewel Tone Tambourines Tambourines	Genuine Maracas Gold Maracas Gold Tinsel Maracas Gold Maracas Metallic Maracas Silver Maracas Silver Tambourines Smile Maracas Mardi Gras Maraca Purple Tinsel Maracas White Tinsel Maracas Green Tinsel Maracas Red Tinsel Maracas Blue Tinsel Maracas Silver Tinsel Neon Tinsel Maracas
Metallic Maracas

Latin Works for authentic Mexican Decorations

Celebrate with a Fiesta or Fiesta Wedding! 
Southwest Theme Wedding

Item #... or keyword(s)

Spanish Gaucho Hat	Spanish Hat with Poms
Sombreros	Child Size Sombreros

Mexican Decorations and Party Shop

Fiesta Party Items
Fiesta Paper Goods

Fiesta Decorations
Cinco de Mayo Banners

Mexican Party Supplies

Fiesta	Mexican Cuisine
Serape	Solid Colors
Mexican Flag Bandana	Flashing Mexican Flag
Fiesta Bandanas	Fiesta Centerpiece
Sombrero Pinata	Western Mural
Fiesta Mariachi Band	Fiesta Signs

Fiesta Door & Windows	5' Fiesta Cactus
Spanish Cutouts Mexico Flag Food Picks	Mexico Flags 4 in. x 6 in. Mexico Flags
Serape	Dancin' Peppers

This Mexican tradition can bring your next party or celebration alive with excitement.

Kiss Me  I'm Mexican Button
Spanish Have A Good Day Button	Kiss Me  I'm Spanish Button
Latin Fiesta Music CD Songs include Un Dos Tres, I Like it Like That, La Copa De La Vida, Hot! Hot! Hot!, Conga, Oye Samba De Janeiro, Cuba, Macarena, El Baile Del Perrito, Tic Tic Tac, Lambada, La Bamba, Latinos, Bomboleo, Oye Como Va, Guantanamera	Fiesta Party CD Red Hot Party! All the great Fiesta Party Music is on one CD. Have a party that is Hot! Hot! Hot!
Glow Margarita Cup	Margarita 101

Mexican Hat Dance! Genuine Sombrero comes in assorted colors and lots of fun at your party.

Neon Sombreros
Our Very Own Design! Our neon rimmed sombrero with chin strap gives a new look to this Mexican hat and great color to the dance floor.

Child Size Sombreros
Mexican Hat Dance! Our most popular hat now sized for children.

Neon Cowboy Hat
Bright Colors! Add bright colors to your hayride or western set, when give out our colorful cowboy hats. All of our straw hats are hand made in Mexico.

Decorating / Party Kits
Fiesta Decorating Kit
South of the Border! Make your party Hot, Hot, Hot with this 24 piece colorful kit.

Western Mural
Cactus for the Wild West! Our 8' high by 14' wide Western Mural comes as 8 panels for easy handling. Make a beautiful backdrop for your party and a perfect spot for pictures that fit your Wild West theme.

Glow / Lite-Ups

Blinking Fiesta Beads
Fiesta Beads! Light up your party and keep it red hot with our Chili Pepper beads.

Electric Cactus Lights
Boots and Cactus! Add a flair of the Southwest to your party decor with our 14' Boots and Cactus combo. Lights include 10 covers.

14' Fiesta Party Lights

See other Fiesta Posters...

How Hot is Your Chile
Mark Miller
Buy This Art Print At AllPosters.com

Native American or Southwest prints.