Cinco de Mayo: FIESTA FUN!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo the whole month of May with a special Mexican themed party for you and your amigos! We got the deets that will help transform any same ol' soiree into a real Mexican fiesta!

Add Some Color...Ole!
Decorations can be pretty simple. Mexican restaurants are decked out in bright, bold colors so keep this in mind. Maybe buy a roll of steamers which are very inexpensive from the local party store. Or, try making a few large tissue paper flowers like you did in pre-school in bright colors to liven up the place.

If you forget how to make ‘em, here’s a quick recap:
With some pipe cleaners and a few sheets of tissue paper, take a sheet of tissue paper and pinch it in the middle of the square. Gently pull up the surrounding sides of the tissue paper towards you with your free hand as you firmly grip this center portion. Slowly twist this original center pinch until you are able to nicely loop one end of a pipe cleaner around it as the stem and make sure it is secure. These are quick, easy and not something that take much effort to look perfect so don’t stress. If they all look diff, it’ll give your place a nice, colorful effect.

Cinco de Mayo Chow
What's on the menu at this Mexican fiesta? Salsa, chili con queso dip, enchiladas and a nice lemon-lime drink to wash it all down!

Ingredients for salsa can be as easy as looking through your fridge to see what you already have.

What You'll Need:
2 tomatoes
an onion
mango
pear
apple
avocado
corn
olives
peppers (red, green, jalapeno..whichever you prefer)
beans
a pinch of fresh cilantro
a hint of basil
minced garlic or garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste (about a teaspoon)

What You'll Do:
Take whatever you like, but stick to combos you know work well together. We like to use tomatoes as our base and add in things as they are fresh or available. We wouldn’t suggest throwing in everything in our list but keep adding and mixing until you're totally satisfied.
Another surefire way to fab up your fiesta? Chili con queso can be made any way. The easiest way to prep it for your party?

What You’ll Need:
chili (leftover or canned)
sour cream
shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Mexican, any mixture…whatever you have)

What You'll Do:
Grab that leftover chili your mom made the day before or buy a can of pre-made chili from the grocery store. Spread it into a small square pan. Next, layer about 8 oz. of sour cream on top of the chili. Keep the layers separate, don't mix 'em. Then, layer the top with the shredded cheese you have on hand. Stick the dip in the oven at 300 degrees until the top layer of cheese bubbles or for about 10 minutes. Delish!
Grab your fave nachos, crackers, veggies and start dig into those dips!

OUR TIP: Another great fiesta grub is to make your own taco bar. Set out some plain tortillas with all the taco fillin' and toppin's. Then, let your guests build their own!
For the party bev, grab any lemonade or lemon-lime drink you have on hand. We suggest Crystal Light or Country Time powder Lemonade, this is way less expensive then buying it ready made plus it is quick to whip up a batch as necessary. For an extra touch, make a batch about a day ahead of time and pour it into your normal ice trays. This way, after you make a batch for your guests, this lemonade ice will add more pop to your drink and it won't be too watered down all day. Add a few lemon or lime slices to throw into the pitcher of your drink to keep it looking fresh 'n' fancy.

Fire Up That Fiesta With...
Grab that broomstick and start up the limbo! You’ll really be shocked when you see how flexible your friendsreally are. Don’t forget to take turns holding that limo stick so everyone can go. Find that embarrassing copy that your old sis still has of the “Macarena” or other upbeat music and get ready to limbo!
Tell your pals 'bout the theme before you throw your soiree. It’ll be the perf occasion for them to wear that sombrero they bought on the trip to Mexico with the ‘rents or other South-of-the border-inspired attire. If you have some spare cash from your allowance that week, maybe think about picking up a sombrero or 2 at the local party store for even more fun! Other fun fiesta stuff? Maracas to use out on that dance floor.