One night a week my husband loves to have Mexican food.
with times the way they are, we no longer go out to eat for our Mexican night. I have found low budget ways to make a great Mexican dinner at home!
Sangria cocktails
the bottle of sparkling wine is not cheap but can be used to make several different types of drinks for this one you will only use a small portion of the bottle.
to make the sangria cocktails you will need the following.
1 bottle of Sangria drink (you can find this in your Mexican food isle at your local grocery store. it comes in a green glass bottle.)
1 bottle of your favorite sparkling wine.
( I recommend the Sparkling GOLDEN SPUMANTE from the stone hill winery in Branson Missouri.)
in a chilled Champaign flute pour half a glass of sangria and half a glass of the Golden Spumante. to keep chilled drop in a couple frozen grapes ( i like the small purple)
appetizer
Spicy Spinach dip
1 can Rotel Tomatoes ( I use the HOT, you can use whatever you like.)
1 Cup frozen spinach thawed and drained
1/2 lb velveeta cheese
with this recipe you can throw everything together in a small crock pot and let it work together while you work on dinner.
Main Entree
Chicken Chalupas
I like to use the can chicken mean…or you can use one of the pre-cooked chickens you can pick up at your local deli.
Preheat over to 350degrees
you will need about 2 cups of chicken meat
1 cup sour cream
1/2 lb velveeta cheese crumbled (keep some of the cheese to top the dish)
1 can rotel ( I use hot)
1 package of flour
heat chicken in a non stick skillet, add the rotel, cheese and sour cream heat through.
spray a 2 qt baking dish with cooking spray. fill shells with chicken mixture and roll like a burrito. place the burritos into the pan, you should have a little of the chicken mixture left over. once you have the burritos in the pan spoon the mixture down the center then sprinkle with cheese. place in the oven and bake until cheese is golden brown.
server with sliced tomatoes, Lettuce, Avocado, and corn salsa. you can also serve with extra sour cream.
Desert
cinnamon crisps & ice cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
4 flour tortilla shells
Butter
Cinnamon 2 teaspoons
sugar 1/4 Cup
Apple pie filling
Your favorite Vanilla ice cream
Redi whip
spread butter on the flour shells. Mix together sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. sprinkle the shells with the sugar mixture. bake in the oven until crispy.
remove from the oven and let cool. Heat in a microwave safe bole the apple mixture until warm but not hot.
place a shell on plate and add a scoop of apple pie filling. top with ice cream and redi whip.
my husband also likes to add a little Carmel ice cream topping.
Enjoy your Mexican dinner…with this dinner, the velveeta is in the appetizer and the main meal. you also use the flour shells in the main meal and the desert.
you can buy a big package of the shells and even use them toasted in the oven or fried to eat with your spinach dip.
if you are on a tight budget you can make only the main meal and desert and the dinner will still be great! for a family, this is also a great dinner you can chose to use just diced tomatoes rather than the rotel. you may need to add seasonings to the chicken mixture so its not bland. Children love the desert, this could be one where you allow the kids to make their own.
With your spouse or with your family, enjoy one another and enjoy the food!
