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How to Host a Cinco de Mayo Ladies Lunch

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If I had to choose one kind of food to eat for the rest of my life it would hands down be Mexican food.   It’s the best!   With just a handful of ingredients you can make countless different meals.

 

For this month’s Jenny Cookies Ladies Lunch, I invited my girlfriends over for a Cinco De Mayo inspired Mexican lunch.  My beautiful cousin Melissa is Mexican and she offered to prepare our meal while giving us a few pointers while cooking, which we were all thrilled about.

 

I set my table in preparation for lunch with pieces I found at Anko.  I have been eyeing their Sierra dinnerware for months, waiting for the perfect excuse to use it.  It has Taco Tuesday written all over it!  I know I’ll use these pieces over and over in my home and for entertaining.

 

For each place setting, I started with a woven placemat and added a basic white dinner plate.  I found a set of three tea towels and used them as napkins, then layered a side plate on top and added a little bowl on the top with a succulent inside.  The last piece to the setting was a pop of rose gold flatware.

 

The table decor was quite simple made up of glasses filled with colorful flowers, single sunflower stems in bottles and soda lime glassware.

 

 

As guests arrive, it’s always nice to greet them with a cocktail or pretty beverage.  For our party, we made two different drinks, a classic Strawberry Margarita and a Pink Paloma.

 

They were both delicious but the Strawberry Margarita was the most delicious margarita I’ve ever had!

Strawberry Margarita 

3 ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 teaspoon agave nectar or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau
lime wheel, for garnish
 
Directions:
 
1. Muddle strawberries in a bottom of a cocktail shaker with the agave nectar or sugar, until the berries are almost completely liquified.
2. Add the tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur. Fill the shaker about halfway with ice, and shake for 15 to 20 seconds, until the mixture is very cold.

Strawberry Margarita 

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Ingredients

  • 3 ripe strawberries hulled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3/4 ounce orange liqueur such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau
  • lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  • Muddle strawberries in a bottom of a cocktail shaker with the agave nectar or sugar, until the berries are almost completely liquified.
  • Add the tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur. Fill the shaker about halfway with ice, and shake for 15 to 20 seconds, until the mixture is very cold.
  • Remove the lid and strain through a julep strainer or coarse mesh strainer into a chilled coupe glass, or short tumbler half full of ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

 
 
 

 

 

Pink Paloma

2 oz quality tequila
2  1/2 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon agave
splash sparking pink grapefruit juice
slice of grapefruit or lime for garnish
ice

Pink Paloma

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Ingredients

  • 2 oz quality tequila
  • 2 1/2 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon agave
  • splash sparking pink grapefruit juice
  • slice of grapefruit or lime for garnish
  • ice

Instructions

  • Place tequila, pink grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave into a cocktail shaker.  Add a good amount of ice and shake vigorously.
  • Place a few additional ice cubes into serving glass.  Strain tequila mixture into the glass. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit, lime or both.  Add a sprig of thyme for decor.

 

 

 

While Melissa whipped up lunch, we snacked on chili lime watermelon, jicama and cucumber.  It’s a super easy to make by slicing watermelon, jicama and cucumber and sprinkling it with tajin seasoning.

 

The first thing Melissa whipped up was homemade pico de gallo and it was DELICIOUS!

 

 

Pico De Gallo

3 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 white onion chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 lime, juiced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.  Keep covered and store in fridge.

 

  1. Next we prepped everything for Carne Asada Tacos.  We sliced avocados, radish, limes and prepped simple side dishes like corn and beans.

    Pico De Gallo

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    Ingredients

    • 3 large tomatoes diced
    • 1/2 white onion chopped
    • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
    • 1/2 lime juiced

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.  Keep covered and store in fridge.
    • Next we prepped everything for Carne Asada Tacos.  We sliced avocados, radish, limes and prepped simple side dishes like corn and beans.

 

 

      1. Everyone came dressed in colorful clothes but Best Dressed definitely went to Goldie.  Her tiny sombrero and poncho stole the show.

     

  2. Once the carne asada and tortillas were ready, we sat down for lunch.I’m hungry just looking at this lunch again.  Isn’t it beautiful!?!  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I’ve hosted countless ladies lunches over the years, from potting to pie making and everything in between.  I highly recommend hosting one with your girlfriends.  When you all gather together mid-week you realize how great it is to escape your typical day to day schedule and have a little bit of time for yourself.  They are a blast!

 

Last but never least, dessert.  Melissa and I made churros!  This was the first time I’ve ever made churros and it was so fun!  I ordered a churro maker  and it worked perfectly.

 

Homemade Churros

1 cup water

2 1/2 tbls white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbls vegetable oil

1 cup flour

2 qts oil for frying

1/2 cup sugar for rolling

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tbls sugar, salt and 2 tbls oil.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Stir in flour mixture until fully combined.

2.  Heat oil for frying in deep fryer or skillet to 375 degrees.  Add flour mixture into churro maker and pipe strips of dough into hot oil.  Fry until golden, turning as needed.  Drain on paper towels.

3.  Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.  Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Homemade Churros

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 1/2 tbls white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbls vegetable oil
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 qts oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup sugar for rolling
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tbls sugar, salt and 2 tbls oil.  Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Stir in flour mixture until fully combined.
  • Heat oil for frying in deep fryer or skillet to 375 degrees.  Add flour mixture into churro maker and pipe strips of dough into hot oil.  Fry until golden, turning as needed.  Drain on paper towels.
  • Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.  Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

 

 

Mexican napkins found HERE

 

The churros were so fun to make!  I can’t wait to make them again.

 

It was a really fun afternoon.  Whether you host your girlfriends for a Taco Tuesday, Cinco De Mayo or just because, use your imagination and get creative with your menu.  There are a million different recipes you could make for your friends or you could have everyone bring their own favorite Mexican dish.  Whatever you decide to do, I want to see! Tag me on social sharing your Jenny Cookies inspired Ladies Lunch.

 

And one last picture of Goldie because, it’s the best.

Thank you Melissa for sharing your amazing cooking skills with us.  Your husband is one lucky Guy.  😉

Pin this idea for later!

Photography by Kelly Clare

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. JENNY COOKIES HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT, TRADE AND/OR PRODUCTS IN EXCHANGE FOR PROMOTING, HOWEVER ALL OPINIONS STATED ARE MY OWN AND I ONLY PROMOTE PRODUCTS/COMPANIES I LOVE.

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6 Comments

  1. I love your simple but also festive decor! Those little Mexican napkins and the white footed bowls ??? looks like such a fun day with the ladies! I mean MARGS and CHURROS?! Doesn’t get any better than that!

  2. Looks Fabulous love a good Margarita!! What I really need is the corn recipe!!
    You are so creative
    Rachel

  3. Shaunte Lenz says:

    Such a fun afternoon! ??? I loved all the dishes, the decorations were so fun and cute and the food was amazing! Thank you!