Fiesta at the Taylors!

As I mentioned in my last post, we are having a Mexican themed travel party this Sunday afternoon.

I love to vacation in Mexico. I also like fajitas and burritos. And the Mexican beaches I've been to are wonderful!

That, however, is the extent to which my expertise as far as all things "Mexico" go, so in a moment of exceptional optimism I looked up all the recipes I thought I needed for our party on the internet. I intend to make all our party food myself so I googled "Mexican Party Food" and took it from there.

What resulted was a list of things I'd mostly never heard of, and none if which I've ever actually made, of course.

We're having "Tortilla Snacks", for which the recipe calls for some specific kind of cheese, one I never even knew existed prior to my google search. I couldn't find that exact cheese, so I bought a cheese blend with that in it. I reasoned that, if anything, the other cheeses will add flavor AND since I have no idea what the tortilla snacks are supposed to taste like, who'll know the difference anyway?

The guacamole dip recipe I found stated "one package of frozen guacamole mix" Kroger either doesn't carry frozen guacamole mix, or they were sold out of it , so I compensated and circled back by the fruits and vegetables where I purchased two avocados and a powdered guacamole mix instead. I'll just mix that up and throw it in. How different can it be?

Bean dip was next on the list. Now, that's something I do know a little bit about. At least I know how it's supposed to taste. I picked an easy recipe. The store had everything I needed for that, except "cubed American cheese" (What the heck is American cheese doing in a Mexican bean dip?) I decided to use plain old American cheese slices ... it's all the same once it's melted anyway, right?

Aside from the Tortilla snacks, which are a hot appetizer type dish, the bean dip and the guacamole dip, I am going to put a big bowl of corn chips, tortilla chips and salsa on the table and call it a done deal.

Except for the drinks, that is. Our choices will be strawberry Margaritas and Mai Tai punch (both non-alcoholic) Everyone knows that nothing says "Mexico" quite like a Margarita, so I bought some great plastic Margarita glasses at the party store. Now I pretty much HAVE to follow thru on the whole Margarita thing, right?

Again, I googled "non-alcoholic Margaritas and Mai Tai Punch" and wrote down the ingredients. I have a degree in Science. I'm accustomed to mixing all sorts of things together in the lab, so how hard could it possibly be to create a non-toxic/non-alcoholic beverage by recipe?

Silly me!

I was totally dumbfounded in the aisle where all the drink mix concoctions are kept. The recipes called for a certain brand of mix, and of course the store didn't carry that brand! Heck! I wasn't even sure I knew the difference between tonic water, soda water, and seltzer (is there any?)

Finally semi-satisfied that I could make do with what I'd found, I paid for everything and wheeled it to the car.

If nothing else, it will be interesting! My "back-up plan" relies on the fact that our neighbor keeps a fully stocked bar. If a culinary disaster appears inevitable, I'll send next door for plenty of rum and tequila. Enough of that and no one will even notice if the food tastes horrible and the drinks fall flat!

I'll let you know!