If you have no time to cook, lunch brunch or dinner–take your choice–the following Mexican themed menu is for you. It is so easy to fix and delicious to eat.  You can invite friends over at the last minute, pile everything in the middle of the table (a round one is best) and let each guest, or family member, do their own thing. Last night our friend couldn’t stop saying, “This is delicious!”  It was!  The guacamole recipe was inspired by one from James Beard in a cookbook of his I have had more years than I am willing to admit, and everyone loves it–it is a purist’s guacamole.  The Better Than Sangria drink was inspired by one from Bon Appetit.  I have included the link to the original recipe just in case you might like the real thing better than my adulterated version.

Mexican-Style Cheese and Sausage for Soft Tacos

My Favorite Guacamole

Sliced Campari Tomatoes

Shredded Lettuce

Purchased Salsa

Better than Sangria

Mexican-Style Cheese and Sausage for Soft Tacos

Serves 4

• 1 pound package breakfast sausage roll, i.e., Owen’s Country Style
• 1 4-ounce can chopped Hatch chilies, undrained
• 1 8-ounce package Kraft Finely Shredded Mexican Style Cheddar Jack Cheese
• 4 ounces coarsely grated cheddar cheese
• 2 whole green onions
• 1 dozen 6-inch-diameter flour tortillas
• Shredded iceberg lettuce as an accompaniment
• Sliced Campari tomatoes, as an accompaniment
• My Favorite Guacamole as an accompaniment

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sauté sausage in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown, breaking up clumps with a potato masher or the back of spoon. Remove from heat and stir in Hatch chilies and the package of Mexican cheese blend. Stir to combine. Transfer sausage mixture to an 8” square glass baking dish. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top and bake casserole 15-20 minutes or till bubbly.

Warm tortillas in an insulated cloth tortilla warmer in the microwave on high for 45-60 seconds (available at Sur la Table or Amazon), or wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Place in oven to heat through alongside sausage casserole during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

While casserole cooks, thinly slice green onions. Sprinkle onions on top of casserole before serving.

My Favorite Guacamole

Serves 4

• 4 ripe medium sized avocados
• 6 green onions sliced thin
• Juice from 1 lime
• Salt to taste

Peel, seed and mash avocados with green onions and lime juice.  Salt to taste.

 

Better than Sangria

8 Servings

• ½ cup brown sugar, or to taste
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups brewed unsweetened black tea
• ½ bottle Becker Provencal Rosé
• 1 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 lemon slices

Stir sugar with ½ cup hot water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved; transfer to a blender. Add blueberries to blender along with brewed tea and purée. Set a strainer over a large pitcher. Strain blueberry mixture, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Add rosé, bourbon, and lemon juice to pitcher.  Chill.

Fill glasses with ice.  Pour Sangria mixture over ice. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Note:  This does not taste like an alcoholic drink–the lemon juice thoroughly disguises the bourbon.  Don’t overdo.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ros-bourbon-and-blue