Ocho de Mayo Recipes

We threw a late Cinco de Mayo party last night with so many of our wonderful friends from Subic (and Angeles). It was so much fun, despite the fact that I clocked my sweet daughter in the face with our camera. OUCH! Not my proudest mommy moment.

The food was delicious!! And, at the request of a few friends, I'm sharing my two favorite Mexican recipes...

This first recipe was given to me by one of my dearest girlfriends back in Dallas. Her husband and Sammy were friends at TAMUK, then they both got jobs in the DFW area after graduation. Now, they both work at Texas Instruments. His wife, Rocio, and I have been great friends since their move to the Dallas area. And our daughters are now the best of friends. Sydney cannot wait to move back home and see Rebecca again! And, I am excited about spending time with Rocio and her family soon.

Sopa de Tortilla

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, without seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. corn oil
1 16-oz. can of original style stewed tomatoes with onions, celery & green peppers (Del Monte)
3 14 1/2-oz. cans of clear chicken broth
1 10 3/4-oz. can of condensed tomato soup
1 pinch of sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
8 corn tortillas, sliced in strips
1/2 lb. of sharp cheddar cheese
2 large limes
2 or 3 large avocados, cubed

Saute jalapeno, onions and garlic in oil. Add stewed tomatoes, chicken broth and tomato soup. Stir. Add sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Leave 1 1/2 hours on low heat, uncovered. When soup is ready, fry corn tortilla strips lightly.

Preparation: In bowl, sprinkle some cheese, add tortilla chips, spoon in soup, squeeze in lime, then top with avocados and extra cheese, if you wish.

Yield: 4 servings

This second recipe was shared by a lady at our church. I think she made this for a ladies' event & sent the recipe for all of us to have. Although I didn't attend that event & never tasted her salad, the recipe sounded so delicious. I have made it several times since then, but this was my first time to make it in the Philippines. I forgot how wonderful it was!! Enjoy...

Layered Southwestern Salad

1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c. lime juice
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. sour cream
4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large head Romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. purple onion, chopped
1/2 bag (8 oz.) shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend
1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 c. crushed tortilla chips

Process first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Layer lettuce and next 7 ingredients in a 3-quart glass bowl. Pour vinaigrette over salad just before serving, and gently toss. (I didn't layer the salad because it had to be tossed anyway before serving.)

Yield: 8-10 servings