I recently published a post on hosting an Asian Dinner Party, one that my daughter loves to do every Christmas. Another really fun dinner party is Mexican because the food is so amazing (at least we think so), and there are so many types of dishes you can make, from appetizers to dips and sides. Even drinks.

Even if you aren’t having a bunch of people over, you can put this together for you and your partner for a festive and tasty weekend lunch or dinner. I make a lot of things that are not difficult, but kind of time-consuming. You can make many things ahead of time too, so it’s up to you. If you have time, by all means try them whenever! 

Dips.

I always put out a chip tray with several dips when I have a Mexican get-together. I love both making and eating guacamole, and my husband tells me mine is the best!

Here’s how I make it:

• Mash three large, ripe avocados with a fork.
• Add the juice of a lime,
• Two cloves of garlic (use a garlic press- see my kitchen tools post),
• Half of a red onion finely chopped, and
• Salsa, until it’s the consistency and flavor you want.
• Salt and pepper to taste

I also love a good black bean dip. I am not a fan of any kind of lentils personally, but I actually like black beans in a soup or dip. When you add flavors like green onion, cilantro, garlic, etc- the bean flavor works really well. And a queso dip of course! I don’t ordinarily make it since it’s everywhere in the stores, but when I do, I just melt some Velveeta cheese with diced tomatoes with chilies. So simple! Our favorite chips are Tostitos with a hint of lime. Yum.

Mains.

Did you ever hear the bit by Jim Gaffigan (my favorite comedian) about the American asking a waiter in a Mexican restaurant what the different dishes were- like tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc.? The answer every time is meat, tortilla, and vegetables. Ha! Most of them are just variations of these ingredients, which is kind of funny and true.

My favorites are tacos and fajitas. What I like about these in particular, is that you can make them very basic. Then people can add their own toppings, of course in a self-serve station.

Make some ground meat (turkey is nice and lean) with taco seasoning, and have that ready to fill hard or soft tacos, guest’s choice. Note, in the photo in the Sides section below, you’ll see I actually found a tube of already seasoned ground turkey. I’m sharing this because I found this last month after about 20 years of making tacos! Seriously.

In  addition to ground meat, some grilled (or baked) fish, shrimp and/or chicken is perfect for a soft fajita, if that’s your guests’ preference.

Sides.

We think that roasted red onions and bell peppers absolutely make a taco or fajita. There’s something about these that gives the perfect flavor and moisture. I just roast a tray in the oven with a little olive oil. Easy.

You also must serve rice as a side dish, yes? I’m so happy to see they’re making cilantro lime, it’s my favorite. But any Mexican or Spanish rice works well too.

I am a huge believer in food presentation. See my post on stylish and functional serving dishes. Check out this taco stand! We got a few of these for our wedding, and I use them all the time! Place these near your meats, sides, veggies and fixings for a beautiful self- service station where everything can be customized!

Fixings.

Lettuce, tomato, green chilies, chipotles, cilantro, sour cream (plain yogurt is the perfect WW option), shredded Mexican cheese, salsa, and some lime wedges.

It just looks so colorful and inviting! I put out several other sauces and seasonings if people are interested, too. Tajin is a delicious Mexican spice blend with lime, salt and chipotle peppers. They sell lots of Mexican condiments in the international section of the grocery store, and honestly places like Walmart have huge selections.

Drinks.

Whereas I don’t find most Asian (including Indian) cuisines to have very good drink selections, Mexican DOES. So many drinks complement the spiciness of Mexican food, and alcoholic drinks are generally made with rum or tequila. My favorite is a lemon lime margarita, and I love to make these myself! You will not believe that these few ingredients blended together, make, quite honestly, the most delicious classic margarita.

Here are the ingredients and steps:

• One can of frozen lime juice
• Once empty, fill the same can all the way with tequila
• Once empty, fill the same can with Sprite or 7 Up
• Crushed ice, if you prefer your margarita frozen

Blend these together, and that is literally it. Rim the glass with lime and cocktail salt if you’d like.

There are a good number of Mexican beers out there too; Dos Equis, Corona. A good wine pairing? Either a fruity sangria or crisp white (Sauvignon Blanc!).

Do you have any ideas for a fun Mexican Dinner Party? Please share!

Gracias for reading!