When we were asked to help create a taco bar for Wedding Chicks Cinco de Mayo blog, we were already there making fresh tacos with our sombreros, ready to fiesta! This DIY taco bar is an excellent way for guests to interact and an idea we love to share with our clients for bridal showers or even your wedding! Coordinated by Brooke Keegan she designed a backyard living space to take your party outdoors, with bright color and margaritas! There are even free printables designed by Jen Simpson Design. Now, who is ready to party like there is no mañana?
Beer and margarita table shopping list: Assorted Mexican beer (Dos Equis, Corona, Corona Light, Pacifico, Negro Modelo, etc.) Tequila Margarita Mix (Original or Strawberry) Salt Limes
For this diy taco bar, you can customize the menu any way that you would like. If you would like to replicate our taco bar, we made a shopping list for Wedding Chicks to use as a guide. Including recipes for the following dishes- Ground Turkey Taco Recipe, Picadillo Ground Beef Taco Recipe, Shredded Chicken Taco Recipe, Spanish Rice Recipe, Tex-Mex Caesar Dressing, and a Homemade Churro Recipe with Chocolate Dipping Sauce. As an addition to hard shell tacos and soft tacos, we included tostadas and a Mexican salad.
Shopping List:
Mexican Salad: Romaine Lettuce Corn Tomatoes Cilantro Pepitas
Tex-Mex Caesar Dressing: 5 Poblano Chiles 3 Garlic Cloves, Roasted ½ cup Parmesan Cheese 1 cup Buttermilk 1 cup Cream 1 cup Mayo ½ TBS Cumin ½ TBS Mexican Oregano ½ cup Pepitas, Toasted & Ground 1 batch Cilantro ½ cup Lime Juice (add more to taste) 1 Jalapeno, Roasted & Seeded 1 Tomatillo, Roasted 1 Yellow Onion, Roasted Salt & Pepper to taste Dash of Worcestershire
In one bowl, mix the buttermilk, cream, mayo, and lime juice. In another bowl, mix all the other ingredients to create a “salsa verde” mix. Blend together for creamy dressing.
Ground Turkey Tacos: 3 lbs Fresh ground turkey 2 TBS Cumin 2 TBS Sea salt 2 TBS Chili powder 2 TBS Granulated garlic 2 TBS Granulated onion 1 cup Diced peppers 1 cup Diced onions ½ cup Cilantro chopped
Picadillo Ground Beef Tacos: 3 lbs Ground beef 2 TBS Cumin 2 TBS Sea salt 2 TBS Chili powder 2 TBS Granulated garlic 2 TBS Granulated onion 1 cup Diced peppers 1 cup Diced onions ½ cup Cilantro chopped 12oz can Fire roasted canned tomatoes diced 2 TBS Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (pureed)
Shredded Chicken for Tacos: 3 lbs Chicken Breast Lime juice and zest of 4 limes 4 TBS Cilantro minced 3 TBS Cumin 3 TBS Salt 12 oz can Enchilada Sauce 12 oz Chicken stock Spanish Rice 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cups uncooked white rice 3 onion, chopped 1-1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 6 cups water 3 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies 2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
Shells: Hard Taco Shells Corn and Flour Tortillas Tostada Shells
Toppings: Lettuce Sour Cream Tomatoes Jalapeños Red Onion Green Onion Cheese (cheddar and jack) Limes Salsa (green and red) Tortilla Chips Black Beans Guacamole (pre-made or from scratch: avocados, diced red onion, diced tomatoes, finely diced jalapeños, lime juice, lime zest, & salt) Your favorite Hot Sauces (Tapatio, Cholula, La Victoria, etc.)
You can also serve mini 7-Layer dips as an appetizer. You can make them in any small clear glass vessel. It is pretty, delicious and easy to make!
7 Layer dip Recipe 1. Start with a rocks glass, a clear plastic cup or mini martini glasses. 2. layering refried black beans on the bottom, followed by sour cream, salsa, guacamole and cheese then garnish with sour cream, diced tomatoes, green onion and a tortilla chip!
It is always fun to end the night with something sweet! Churros with chocolate dipping sauce is easy and delicious. If you want to be ambitious, you can make the churros from scratch.
Mexican Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce:
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
200 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
1 1/2 cups Mexican chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a tight dough forms and pulls away from the side of the pan, 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a bowl, beat 7 eggs and add to the dough in four batches, stirring vigorously between additions until the eggs are completely incorporated and the pastry is smooth. The dough should be glossy and very slowly hang, stretch and fall from the spoon in thick ribbons. If necessary, beat in the remaining egg.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy, high-sided pot over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, spoon the churro dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Squeeze a 4- inch strip of dough into the hot oil. Repeat, frying 3 or 4 strips at a time. Fry the churros, turning them once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked churros to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Mix the sugar with the cinnamon on a plate and reserve. When the churros are just cool enough to handle, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar.
For the chocolate sauce: Bring a double broiler to a simmer over medium-low heat. Carefully melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat. With a wooden spoon or heat resistant, stir in the heavy cream until the sauce is smooth. Set aside.
Pour the chocolate into individual bowls or cups. Serve the warm churros with the chocolate dip.
Now that the table is set, have a Happy Cinco de Mayo mis amigos!
Blog feature on Wedding Chicks- Make Your Own Taco Bar
Photography: Marisa Holmes
Coordinator: Brooke Keegan
Stationery: Jen SimpsonDesign
Flowers: Elegant by Design
Caterer: 24 Carrots team {Media Assistant and Taco Maker on set Janet Kaufman-Rabinovich, Creative Art Director and Mixologist on set Arpi Torosyan, Executive Chef Ashley Santo Domingo & Pastry Chef Robert LeSage}
Prop & Furniture Rentals: Casa de Perrin