Some Non-Traditional Festive Foods from Mexico for Cinco de Mayo

Everyone eats tacos, fajitas, salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole for Cinco de Mayo, and I love and eat all of those all the time.   But I thought I would do something a little different, while still sticking with a Mexican theme, in honor of the American version of the Cinco de Mayo celebrations.  We are going over to some friends’ house for dinner, and we both made parts of the meal.  She is making the main dishes, and I made the side dishes.  We both love to cook and experiment with different foods and recipes, so no matter what, it will be a very festive, delicious meal.  The dishes I am bringing are Mexican rice with black beans and corn, yams con mole dulce (or yams in a sweet, rich chocolate sauce), pumpkin biscuits and some polvorones de canele (Mexican cinnamon cookies).

 

Mexican Rice with Black Beans and Corn

3 TBSP olive oil

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 onion, chopped small

4 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 TBSP chipotle chilies with adobo sauce, chopped fine

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground corriander

1 tsp oregano

salt & pepper to taste

1 can black beans, rinsed

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup rice

12 oz cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

6 green onions, chopped fine

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

1 TBSP lime juice

 

Saute the corn, garlic, and the onions all together in olive oil, cooking until they are tender and translucent.  Add the black beans, rice, spices and chicken broth.  Mix everything together well.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.  Combine the green onions, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice, mixing well, then add to the rice mixture.

Yams con Mole Dulce

2 lbs yams, cut into large chumks

1 stick butter

1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup

2 TBSP cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/3 cup Grand Marnier

1/3 cup chopped pecans

 

Brown the yams in butter and salt.  Mix all the other ingredients together except the nuts, and pour over yams, coating them well.  Add the chopped pecans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

 

Polvorones de Canele (Mexican cinnamon cookies)

For the cookie dough

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

The topping to roll the dough in

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

 

Preheat the oven to 350*F or 175* C.  Spray your cookie sheets with cooking spray.

Cream together the butter and powdered sugar.  Then add the vanilla.  Once those are all combined, incorporate the flour and cinnamon, 1/2 at a time and mix until just blended.  You want a stiff dough.  Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in size.  Once your dough balls are rolled, then rolled them all in the powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.