Mexican Christmas Traditions

Atole de vainilla

75 · Oct 13, 2014 · 3 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Maseca, but all opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Atole de vainilla is a traditional masa-based beverage, often made with milk, and served hot. This hot beverage goes great with tamales, pastries or pan dulce and is also most popular around Day of the Dead and the holidays.

Atoles date back to pre-Columbian times in Mexico and are well-documented as a form of sustenance amongst the Aztec and Mayan cultures. Historical texts tell us the drink was often flavored with fruits, spices or chiles.

Vanilla, strawberry and chocolate are the most common flavors of atole nowadays, but you can sometimes also find mora (blackberry; one of my favorites), nuez (pecan), pineapple, elote (sweet corn), piñon (pine nut), and many other flavors. In some areas of Mexico, you can even find savory atoles—one made with with green chile is called chileatole.

RELATED RECIPE: Champurrado

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Fideo seco

35 · Oct 10, 2014 · 3 Comments

Fideo seco is a Mexican pasta dish traditionally made with either chipotle chile alone, or a mix of three chiles: chipotle, guajillo and pasilla.

When made with three chiles, the dish is known as fideo seco a los tres chiles. This simple version uses only chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, and requires minimal effort and easy cleanup.

Mexican fideo seco recipe via @MauraHernandez at The Other Side of The Tortilla

Frying the pasta first brings out a unique, nutty flavor in the pasta. Then, the pasta soaked in a tomato-chipotle puree to absorb the flavor, and baked in the oven. When finished, the consistency is moist, but not wet like sopa de fideo.

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Crepas de cajeta con nueces

14 · Oct 6, 2014 · 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post, though all opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Crepas de cajeta are a classic Mexican dessert with French influence. Although the French occupation of Mexico in the 1860s was relatively short-lived, French gastronomy had a lasting impact on the country, which is still apparent today in many dishes that are considered part of Mexican gastronomy. Crepas de cajeta con nueces—crepes with goat’s milk caramel and pecans—is a dish frequently served in upscale restaurants in Mexico, though it’s not too difficult to make at home.

It can be a bit laborious to make this dessert completely from scratch, as homemade cajeta can take several hours, but thanks to a few store-bought ingredients, you can whip up the same fancy taste in your own kitchen in about 20 minutes from start to finish....

How to Make a Carajillo: The Coffee Cocktail

99 · Sep 29, 2014 · 13 Comments

A classic Spanish cocktail popular in Mexico, the Carajillo is made with espresso and Licor 43.

I've often enjoyed this cocktail while in Mexico, whether it be at a fancy restaurant in Mexico City, a late-night coffee bar in Acapulco or at vacation resorts spanning the country from Los Cabos to Playa del Carmen.

This drink is also similar to Italy's caffè corretto (meaning "corrected coffee") which typically contains grappa, sambuca or brandy and espresso. The carajillo can be served hot or cold, over ice, as pictured here.

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Tomato chipotle soup with star pasta

20 · Sep 24, 2014 · 7 Comments

This post is part of a compensated campaign in collaboration with Barilla and Latina Bloggers Connect.

Tomato chipotle soup with star pasta is a spin on the classic Mexican comfort dish known as sopa de fideo.

I love to make this soup especially during the fall and winter months or on a cool, rainy day. And the star-shaped pasta rather than regular fideo is a fun addition for both adults and kids alike!

Although this soup is really not very spicy at all, if you’re worried about picky eaters, you can reduce the amount of chipotle pepper by half or completely replace the actual chile with a few tablespoons of adobo sauce.

Star-shaped pasta is a classic cut that’s perfect for introducing kids to the delicious world of pasta, and in Mexico, many children’s first experience is with estrellas or fideo.

RELATED RECIPE: Sopa de fideo...