“Fiesta dinner tonite!”, read the text message on my husband’s cell phone, as he was getting down at the train station and rushing towards his car to get home.

After a long day at work and a long commute  to and from the city, I like to put a smile on his face by making his favorite foods for dinner. With a Citrus Minty Mojito, Guacamole and Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas on the menu, I turned a regular weeknight into a fiesta night!

Citrus Minty Mojito

We are in “Mojito Mood” all the time. We’ve tried making mojito several times with the simple formula using white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice, but it has been substituted by simple syrup everywhere), lime, seltzer (carbonated or sparkling water) and ofcourse mint, but it never seemed to create the magic concoction that you can get outside at a bar or a restaurant.

For my fiesta dinner, I decided to make the mojito, but there was no seltzer in the house. No problemo! I mixed in some Sprite instead and it did the magic!! Did I crack the Bartenders’ secret code?!

The lemon-lime flavor of the soda adds to sweetness of the mojito and makes it crisp and even more refreshing. The strong minty and citrusy flavors from the orange and the lime mask the pontent flavor of rum. This classic cocktail definitely sets in the ”fiesta” mood for any night!

For one glass of Mojito

10 mint leaves

1 orange slice (or a quarter)

2 lime slices (or quarters)

1 peg rum (I recommend using the 10Cane Rum. This sugar cane rum is light bodied and has a little flavor of its own apart from its general sweetness that makes it a great base for this cocktail. Any other white rum might give a different effect.)

4 tbsp simple syrup (Simple Syrup formula available here)

ice

Sprite, to top it off

Put the slices of orange and lime along with the simple syrup, rum and mint leaves in a small glass. Muddle the leaves and citrus slices by pressing them with a pestle or a wooden spoon until juicy and fragrant.

Fill a tall glass with about 1/3rd level of ice and pour the muddled mixture onto it. Top it with Sprite and serve.

Guacamole

Guacomole was a perfect dip that came along with a little (tortilla) chip and went with every sip of the minty mojito. Its one of our favorite appetizers, that’s ready in minutes and is packed with a nutrient punch. I used to buy it readymade at Wholefoods all the time, until one day when I closely observed our server at Charritos in Hoboken, make it for us right on our table!

The sweet crunchy red onions, refreshing red tomatoes and the hot jalapeño combined in with the creamy decadent fruit, make it a perfect fiesta concoction.

Serves 2

2 medium  or 3 small ripe avocados (pop them in the refrigerator for 1-2  hours before preparation if serving right away)

1/2 a lime juiced or 1/2 -1 tbsp is using from a bottle

1/2 small or 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped

3-4 dashes Tobasco/Hot sauce

salt

Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas

Serves 2

2 links of Spanish Chorizo sausages (smoked pork sausage spiced with cumin and garlic), cut up into chunks

1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)

handful cilantro/coriander, finely chopped

1 tsp EVOO and some for brushing on the quesadillas

salt

black pepper

2 (8-inch) flour tortillas

shredded cheese, Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, jalapeño and the sausage chunks and sauté for about 5 mins till the onions are soft and the sausage is cooked. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper and take it off the heat.

Lay out the flour tortillas on a flat surface. Top with the sausage filling and the cheese, spreading evenly over 1/2 the side of each tortilla. Then fold over the remaining 1/2 side of the tortilla and press to seal.

Heat a large grilling pan over high heat. Brush one side of the stuffed tortillas with oil and place that side onto the grilling pan. Then brush the other side with oil. Leave it untouched over medium heat for about 3-4 mins till the cheese melts and deep golden brown grill marks appear on the bottom side. Turn it over and similary cook the other side for 3-4 mins.

Let cool for a few minutes. Slice into 4 wedges and serve with the guacamole.

¡Buen apetito!

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