Mexican Christmas Traditions

Visiting Yucatán: Dzibilchaltún

7 · Nov 26, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Dzibilchaltún is one of the oldest Mayan cities and is located near the Northern coast of the state of Yucatán, about 10 miles North of Mérida. The name Dzibilchaltún (pronounced Tsee-beel-chahl-toon) means “the place where there is writing on flat stones” in the Mayan language. In September, I traveled to Mérida, Yucatán for four days to explore and Dzibilchaltún was one of my favorite discoveries on the trip.

If you love ruins, archaeology and Mayan history, this site is a must-see during a visit to the state of Yucatán. We had a wonderful guide during our visit who spoke Spanish, English and Maya and was very knowledgable not only about the history of the site, but also explained the language roots and word evolution, which I found particularly interesting.

The archaeological site at Dzibilchaltún is less well-known to international tourists in comparison to sites such as Chichen Itzá, but is well worth the visit thanks to the knowledgable guides, the swimming area in the cenote and the fact that it’s less crowded than some of the larger sites. It’s also not too far from Mérida, making this site a great place to visit if you don’t want to take an entire day to travel to see an archaeological site in Mexico. There’s plenty to learn and appreciate here and I hope to be able to return again with my family.

Dzibilchaltún: El Templo de las Siete Muñecas ...

Vegetarian Queso Fundido

17 · Nov 21, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Queso fundido is an easy dish, made with melted cheese and toppings served dip-style, that even the most inexperienced home cook can make.

This vegetarian queso fundido with rajas de chile poblano (roasted poblano pepper strips) and mushrooms is super easy and can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled depending on the amount of guests you need to serve.

I share this because with the holidays approaching, menu planning can be stressful and even if you're great in the kitchen, you may have some helping hands that are not. This recipe is so easy that it's hard to mess up.

This post is part of a compensated campaign from Latina Bloggers Connect and Cacique but all opinions and this recipe are my own.

How to serve vegetarian queso fundido

Alongside a basket of warm tortillas—your choice whether they're corn tortillas or flour tortillas—this appetizer dish will definitely please any crowd.

If you're ambitious and have a little extra time on your hands, you can even make your own homemade chorizo to add to your queso fundido if you're not worried about keeping this dish vegetarian. Or substitute soy chorizo!

But who says you only have to serve queso fundido with tortillas? You can also use tortilla chips, tostadas, or even served as queso fundido potato skins!

For big chile poblano fans, you should also try rajas con crema, which is similar to queso fundido in that there's lots of cheese and it can be eaten in a tortilla or on a chip or tostada.

Vegetarian Queso Fundido

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Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Snacks
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Mexican

Print Recipe

Description

Vegetarian queso fundido is an easy antojito (appetizer) to please any crowd! Great for holiday parties!

Ingredients

Scale

5 ounces queso Chihuahua or queso quesadilla
2 small poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, skin removed and cut into strips
½ cup sliced white mushrooms
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

Prepare your chiles first. Here's my tutorial how to roast poblano chiles. This can be done as long as two days ahead of time (just store the chiles in the refrigerator if you prepare in advance).
Shred the cheese into a bowl and set aside.
Slice the mushrooms and poblano chiles, and toss together with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt.
Combine the mushroom and chile mixture with the cheese and put it into an oven-proof dish or casserole dish.
Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, then heat under the broiler until all the cheese is melted and it starts to get bubbly and form some brown spots.
Serve immediately with warm tortillas, chips or tostadas.

Notes

Prep time includes the time to roast, sweat and devein the poblano chiles.

Looking for more vegetarian Mexican recipes? Try these!

Mexican Vegetarian Meals
Poblano chile, mushroom and onion vegetarian tacos
Crema de elote

Mexican Vegetarian Side Dishes
Arroz poblano

Mexican Vegetarian Snacks
Roasted chickpeas with Tajín
Pellizcadas (mini sopes)
Guacamole hummus
Roasted jalapeño hummus

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

38 · Nov 2, 2013 · 5 Comments

Día de los Muertos is the perfect time of year for Mexican hot chocolate. This recipe is a twist on the classic plain chocolate caliente; it's spiced with chile guajillo, which lends a mildly spicy flavor and an earthy and fruity bouquet to this traditional beverage.

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How to make sugar skulls for Day of The Dead

91 · Nov 1, 2013 · 1 Comment

What are sugar skulls and why are they used to decorate for Day of the Dead?

One of the most common decorations on altars for Day of the Dead is the sugar skull. Decorated with colorful icing, foils and other adornments—often including the names of loved ones who have died—sugar skulls symbolize the departed souls to which the altar pays homage.

Mexican sugar skull decoration for Day of the Dead

You might not know how easy they are to make; they just require a little time (drying overnight) and patience (decorating with royal icing). All you need to make your own sugar skulls is a plastic mold, sugar, meringue powder and water. I've put together a detailed tutorial with photos so you can see how easy it is!

You can even do this project with the kids—but be sure to use a drop cloth in case they make a mess with the sugar.

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Wordless Wednesday: Puebleando en Chelem, Yucatán

8 · Oct 30, 2013 · 2 Comments

A few weeks ago, I visited the state of Yucatán on a press trip for a few days to get to know the city of Mérida and the surrounding area, which was incredibly charming. Though my visit was short, it was jam-packed with activities—including things I didn't think that I'd ever do on my own, but that I had a lot of fun doing—such as kayaking in a mangrove and bicycling several miles on a path through an estuary, where I spotted wild flamingos. One afternoon, we had a little bit of down time before the bicycle ride, so we hung out in a tiny little beach town called Chelem near Progreso. Here are a few photos from the time I spent there.

I loved the quiet beach and the water was like a warm bath, very calm with hardly any waves. I hunted for sea shells—a favorite pastime since I was a kid—and also walked around the town square, checking out the little neighborhood bodegas to see what kind of local produce they had available. More about this trip soon! In the meantime, if you'd like to find more of my photos from the trip, check out my Instagram feed (@MauraHernandez) and also search the hashtag #yodescubriyucatan on Instagram for photos from other travelers.

Have you been to any of the little beach towns near Progreso in the state of Yucatán?