Tag Archives: Cinco de Mayo

Host An Affordable Cinco de Mayo Party

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to leave you peso-less.  There are many ways you can throw a frugal fiesta on the fifth day of May.  The key is to make use of everyday items you already have around your home and turn them into priceless parts of your party. Here are some ideas to get you started: DECORATIONS Who says you need to fill your home with fresh flowers in order to have a successful Cinco de Mayo shindig?  Instead of busting your budget on fresh blooms, make your own colorful creations with tissue paper.  All you need is … Continue reading →

Homemade Cinco de Mayo Fun

Ole!  It’s almost time to fiesta Cinco de Mayo-style. Fortunately, throwing a party to celebrate El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla) doesn’t have to cost you plenty of pesos.  Instead of heading to your local party shop to purchase fancy games and decorations, look around your house for items that can be given a Mexican twist. For example, you can pull out an old “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game, make some minor changes with a Sharpie and play “Pin the Sombrero on the Burro.”  The Mexican hats can be sketched … Continue reading →

Have a Frugal Cinco de Mayo

Are you throwing a Cinco de Mayo party this week? Why not save some money at the same time? Here are some tips on how you can have a fun but frugal Cinco de Mayo. Buy Supplies in Bulk Skip the party store for most of your supplies and head over to a warehouse store, such as BJs, Costco or Sam’s Club to do your shopping. You can buy everything from paper products to appetizers in bulk and cut down on the cost to feed your crowd. Many times you can get a one-day pass to these warehouse stores in … Continue reading →

Go Mexican for Cinco de Mayo

For those of you looking to party like it’s 1999 on May 5th, consider hosting a Cinco de Mayo fiesta. The fifth day of the fifth month marks the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the United States, commemorations of the special occasion are typically marked with large parties that feature plenty of Mexican cuisine. If you can’t make it out to a local fiesta, then have one at home using these red-hot recipes: SPICY BEEF BURRITOS Ingredients: 1 1/4 pound ground beef 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin … Continue reading →

Hot and Spicy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Spice up your Cinco de Mayo celebration with these sizzling hot Mexican recipes. They are easy to prepare and are sure to fire up your guests on the fifth of May: CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP Ingredients: 1 onion, finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 12-ounce can of tomatoes 1 1/2 lbs. of cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes 3 ears of fresh corn 2 tablespoons salsa 4 cups chicken broth Pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 8 corn tortillas Canola oil Sour cream for garnish Shredded mild cheddar cheese Directions: Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in … Continue reading →

Cinco de Mayo Fun

Who cares if Cinco de Mayo isn’t an American holiday? Look at it as another way to have fun with your friends and family. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the occasion, you might be interested to know that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. Many people mistaken the holiday as such, but actually, Cinco de Mayo originates from the day that the Mexican army defeated French forces in The Battle of Puebla. The first Cinco de Mayo celebration took place in the United States in 1967 when a group of California State University students realized … Continue reading →

Frugal Cinco de Mayo

Want to have a fun way to celebrate the day without spending a lot of money? Here are some fun ideas that you can use to celebrate, Cinco de Mayo. If you are planning a party, you can make some frugal choices without compromising the fun. Stick to a simple and low cost menu. Corn cakes are easy and frugal to make, as are the traditional fish tacos. Don’t go crazy on exotic spices or exotic food. A simple dip along with nachos can fill everyone up as an appetizer. Consider having a pot luck Cinco de Mayo party. Ask … Continue reading →

Papel Picado – Cinco de Mayo Project

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Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May). You can read more about this historic holiday in our families.com forums and in this interview with Don Miles author of a book about history behind this day. And here are some recipe suggestions for celebrating further. One of the traditional decorations for the holiday is papel picado (Spanish for punched or pierced paper), paper with cut designs. Papel picado is a popular art form with roots that go all the way back to the Aztecs. The real papel picado banners are works of art. The artists cut through as many … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Don Miles

Today we are joined by Don Miles, author of the new book “Cinco de Mayo.” Don, thank you for joining us today. I understand you wrote this book to clarify the historical events leading up to Cinco de Mayo and to educate readers on the actual importance of the day. I’ll admit, I was one who thought it was the Mexican Independence Day. Can you help me understand the historical sequence of that time period? a. Mexico had just finished its own civil war between liberals and conservatives, 1858-60. b. Conservatives lost, but emptied the national treasury before their leaders … Continue reading →