rewind: cinco de may'all!

Hola amigos! The promised Cinco de Mayo post has finally arrived. Simply put, the motivation for this party all began as a way to trick my Mexican-food-loathing husband into indulging me in a night of southwestern goodies. While that alone would have made me happy, it was also another great excuse to do a little party-planning and spend an evening with friends!

Things kicked off with an awesome gift certificate to Shutterfly, where I basically got these Erin Condren Fiesta Invitations for next to nothing. Love Shutterfly!

Using my invitations as inspiration, I enlisted Candace to help with some printables: a banner, guest nametags, and food tents. She did a fabulous job, and Kinkos helped me bring her design to life.

My first project: Fiesta Flowers! I used this tutorial.

Next, I tackled some party flag banners. I used this tutorial and this tutorial.

I had a few wedding flashbacks as I spent some time browsing Etsy...until I stumbled upon these mustache straw-huggers. Amanda was a great seller to work with- check out her store.

Used some of my favorite wrapping paper as a table runner (idea from here). Strung up my "Fiesta" banner and since we still have no drapes in the dining room, I fashioned a cheapo tablecloth as a colorful window treament.

::MeNu::
Homemade margaritas
Mexican beer varieties: Corona Light, Dos Equis, Tecate, and Modelo Especial
Fresh salsa and fresh guacamole with tortilla chips
Chicken Enchilada Dip
Veggie Sticks with Southwestern Ranch
Taco Wonton Cups
Mexican Casserole
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Rollups
Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
Glazed Margarita Cake
Mexican Chipotle Brownies
Sopapilla Cheesecake Squares

Below are some more photos of our fiesta fun!

The Margarita and Dessert Table

All guests had to use the nametags below to display their Spanish names for the evening.

One of the beer coolers - pick your poison!

The pinata was stuffed with some adult treats. It was a fun late-night-hit!

Our sweet guests were very gracious and kind, but since I seemed to get the most compliments on two particular dishes, I wanted to share those recipes.

::cHiCkEn eNcHiLaDa DiP::
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breats (cooked and seasoned with fajita seasoning, then shredded)
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (I added two because I like a little more spice)

In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, mayonnaise, shredded cheese, green chiles, and jalapeno pepper.
Transfer the chicken mixture to a medium baking dish.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Source

::sPiCy cHiCkEn tOrTiLLa RoLL-uPs::
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and seasoned with about a 1/2 tsp of cumin and 1 tsp of chili powder, then shredded)
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, drained
12 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
6-8 large tortillas

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, spices, and garlic. Mix until well blended. Add cooled chicken and stir together.
Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each.
Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean.
Roll each tortilla tightly, but do not fold in the ends like a burrito.
Cut the rolls into 1" slices, discarding end pieces if needed.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Source

Thanks to all our friends who came out to celebrate!