Mexican Christmas Salad / Ensalada de Nochebuena

Traditionally served on Christmas eve with tamales, beans and rice

2 medium-sized limes
1 cup of mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
1 small head of Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 med-sized pineapple, sliced or 1 (20 oz.) can sliced pineapple, drained
3 med-sized oranges, peeled & thinly sliced
3 small bananas, peeled & sliced
2 small Red Delicious apples, cored & cut into thin wedges
1/4 pound jicama or additional red apple
One 16 ounce can of sliced beets, drained
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup of peanuts

Prepare dressing: Grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze 1/4 cup juice from limes. In small bowl, mix lime juice, 2 teaspoons lime peel, mayonnaise, sugar and milk. Sprinkle remaining peel on top of dressing. Place bowl with dressing on large platter. Line platter with sliced lettuce. On lettuce, arrange in separate piles of pineapple, oranges, bananas, apples and beets. Sprinkle peanuts over fruit. Serve salad with dressing.

Tis the Season for Tamales!

Why make tamales when you can buy them? The women in our family still gather in a warm kitchen first thing in the morning in an assembly line, laughing and gossiping, while busily spreading and filling hojas (corn husks). And although invited, the men curiously never materalize until later in the day when it's time to try our tasty creations.

But maybe making tamales is not your thing and you just want to know where to buy them? Here are some of our suggestions. El Azteca Foods primarily sells to restaurants and grocery stores but you can go directly to the factory door and purchase them. Lucy's Tamale Factory are to-go and they do nothing but tamales! But, make sure to purchase them ahead of time because the lines are a block long the week of Christmas. Hot Damn Tamales has a great variety of tamales including 5 meat and 4 vegetarian options. They also ship overnight anywhere in the USA. At Casa Vicky's Cafe you can purchase tamales or sit down to enjoy your meal and don't forget to pick up what I think are the best fresh tortillas in the Bay Area! Note: Tamales available for purchase by the general public must be made in a commercial kitchen.

CasaQ Tortilla Soup Recipe

On cold, rainy days I love cuddling up to a good bowl of soup. What makes this recipe so good is the secret ingredient of chipotle peppers. Don't even think about leaving it out, it just won't taste the same!

24 oz can tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons sugar
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast shredded
4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Toppings
Manchego or Monterey Jack shredded
Avocados sliced or cubed
Thin Strips of Fried Corn Tortillas or Tortilla Chips crumbled
Sour Cream

In a blender combine undrained tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large pot with chicken broth, chicken and chipotle peppers. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Place cheese in bowls pour soup on top, then garnish with tortilla strips, avocados and sour cream. ¡Buen Provecho!

Recipes courtesy of CasaQ - A Culture. A Lifestyle.
CasaQ is dedicated to presenting unique products that reflect our culture and heritage blending modern with traditional, and old with new. CasaQ is dedicated to providing opportunities to our consultants and customers to enrich their family values and lifestyles. CasaQ celebrates life! 408 280-1065, info@casaq.com