Even though Canada and the USA are neighbors, there a tons of differences between the two countries. For example, in Canada you eat tacos for supper and in the US you eat tacos for dinner. In Canada you give someone a drive to the party and in the US you give someone a ride to the party. In Canada Thanksgiving is in October and in the US it is in November. In the US Cinco de Mayo is a legitimate celebration and in Canada it doesn't exist.
In my never-ending quest to bring my American traditions to my friends in Canada, I bought a bunch of tequila last year, dug up sombreros and invited all my friends over.
This year we had a dear friend in town this weekend so it seemed like a good reason to throw together some Mexican food and cut up some limes. I didn't force margaritas on anyone this year, but they did manage to happily drink a batch or two of sangria and even wore sombreros.
Oh, and it wasn't Cinco de Mayo. It was Cuatro de Mayo because we celebrated it on Saturday. Not that anyone knows the difference. Do you know how many times I was asked when Cinco de Mayo was?
I love 'em anyway. They took tequila shots like they've been celebrating Mexican heritage their whole life.
Last year I got carried away with the fiesta. This year was pretty simple - a veggie tray that looks like a Mexican flag, a frozen Cantina box from Costco (delicious!), Connie's spicy cheese dip and my mom's Mexican Layer dip.
The Mexican Layer dip is so easy and fabulous:
In a 10 inch round dish layer the following:
1st - 1 can of refried beans
2nd - 2 avacados, smashed with a 1/2 lemon fresh juice
3rd - mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayo with a package of taco seasoning
4th - 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
5th - 2 tomatoes, diced
6th - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Serve with chips
Connie's Spicy Cheese Dip that is good for ALL occasions:
1 pound of Velveeta, 1 pound cooked spicy sausage, 1 pound cooked ground beef and 1 can of Rotel.
Melt the cheese in a sauce pan or crockpot. Add in the cooked meat and Rotel. Serve with chips and prepare to have everyone think you are awesome.
That's what I like about Cinco de Mayo: Mexican food! We celebrate this yearly but, just like you, we did it on the fourth. Haha! Anyway, I made 3 spicy dips to fill in our Mexican food cravings this year. Let's exchange recipes next time!
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