cinco de mayo Archives - 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on May 5, 2014

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Are you looking for some recipes to celebrate with? Well, you have come to the right place. I love, love, love me some Mexican food so it isn’t too hard to find a recipe in my my collection to make around here.

Over the weekend, I mixed up a couple batches of these Strawberry Margaritas to celebrate with. With strawberries on sale for so cheap around this time of year in California, it seemed like the perfect flavor for our “margs.” I love this classic recipe for Margaritas,but sometimes a little variation is needed. The best part about this recipe is that you make strawberry simple syrup which can then be used to make other drinks like strawberry milk, pink lemonade, or even strawberry-flavored seltzer water by mixing in a few spoonfuls. I recommend making the strawberry simple syrup ahead of time. I also juiced my limes ahead of time so when I was preparing the drinks, everything was ready. Enjoy!

Strawberry Margaritas

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Serves: 2 drinks

Ingredients

4 oz. triple sec
4 oz. tequila
5 oz. strawberry simple syrup
4 oz lime juice
Ice
sugar and kosher salt, to garnish
lime slices and strawberries, to garnish

Instructions

To make simple syrup- In sauce pan, heat 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar, stir and heat until mixture is clear. Put in a mason jar and let cool.
To make Strawberry simple syrup, put in 1 cup of cooled simple syrup and 1½ cups of cleaned, hulled strawberries. Blend until smooth.
To make Margarita- Mix together all ingredients with ice. Rub a slice of lime on the rim of 2 glassed, dip glassed is the sugar/salt mixture so it sticks to rim. Add additional ice to glasses and pour mixed drink into glasses. Garnish with lime wedges and strawberries. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Source- Adapted slightly from Tide and Thyme

Want more recipes for Cinco De Mayo?

Black Bean Burritos

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on May 14, 2013

Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onions

Well, I missed the Cinco de Mayo train with this recipe. I was getting ready to post this last Sunday, but I got into a cleaning mood all Sunday morning and completely cleaned every surface in my house. I even vacuumed my balcony. Who does that? It was one of those moments when your realize that you are totally turning into your mom. I am having those a lot lately!

I feel like May is going by so fast. I was shocked the other day that it was already May and now we are already halfway through. We are on summer time already apparently. I know it’s no longer Cinco de Mayo, but one of the great thing about Mexican food is that you can eat it all year round.

Carnitas

Since I have moved to California, Carnitas have become my favorite kind of taco. What are Carnitas you ask? Carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork. The pork is shredded and then cooked a little longer to caramelize. What’s better than carnitas? Well I would say carnitas in a corn tortilla topped with salsa verde and your choice of pickled onions or cabbage slaw. Oh yeah, that’s what I am talking about.

Carnitas Tacos

Carnita Tacos

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Ingredients

4-6 lbs. bone-in pork shoulder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 lime, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
Kosher salt

Instructions

The night before- Cut pork shoulder into 3-4 inch pieces, trimming off the excess fat. Sprinkle pieces of the the pork with kosher salt and stick in a large sealable bag to refrigerate overnight.
The day of- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a large Dutch oven or pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork pieces on all sides about 2-3 minutes on each side. You may need to do this in 2 parts to lay all the pork pieces down flat. Remove the browned pork to a plate.
In a 1 cup measuring cup squeeze a lime and orange and fill remaining cup with water. Pour into the Dutch oven and scrape the brown bits off the bottom. Add in chili powders, bay leaves, cumin, garlic, onions, and a pinch of kosher salt to the liquid. Return the pork back into the pot and then add water so that ⅔rds of pork is covered.
Place in oven to cook for 2½ to 3 hours without a lid. Turn the pork a few times during the cooking time. The pork is cooked when most of the liquid is gone and pork falls apart easily with a fork.
Shred the pork with two forks. Return pork back to the oven and cook until pork crispy and caramelized. This will take 15-20 minutes.

Pickled Onions

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Ingredients

1 red onion, sliced thin
½ cup vinegar, apple cider or white
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1½ tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions

Mix vinegar, warm water, sugar and salt in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add onions into a mason jar or sealable container. Add vinegar mixture to jar and refrigerate for at least day.

Cabbage Slaw

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Ingredients

1 cup Shredded red cabbage
juice from ½ lime
fresh cracked salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a container stir together cabbage, lime juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Source- Carnitas and Pickled Onions adapted from Shared Appetite, Cabbage slaw adapted from Skinnytaste

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Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on May 3, 2013

Cinco De Mayo Recipes: Guacamole, Pico De Gallo, and Salsa Verde {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

I started looking for Cinco de Mayo recipes to make last weekend. I found really good-looking recipes for guacamole, pico de gallo, and salsa verde on the blog Shared Appetite. I was so inspired by all of Chris’s photos and Mexican recipes, I planned a whole weekend of Mexican foods to cook. There are even more recipes I want to try, but I decided to start with these three.

Guacamole

What goes more perfectly with margaritas than a bowl of fresh homemade guacamole and tortilla chips? M and I have given you several recipes for guacamole over the years. Think of this as an update to those. I have to say this recipe is the closest to restaurant guacamole that I have ever made. The best part of making guacamole is that it is so easy to make and you don’t need to cook anything- just mix! If you use my bag method, it is even easier.

The Best Guacamole

Guacamole

Ingredients

¼-1/3 cup finely chopped red onions
2 tsp. chopped garlic, about 1-2 cloves depending on size
1 jalapeno, seeded and deveined, chopped
½ teaspoon cumin
3 ripe avocados
1-2 tbsp. lime juice, 1-2 limes depending on how juicy limes are
½ large tomato, seeded and diced
¼ c. cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Add red onion, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin into a large plastic bag.
Cut the avocados in half and remove pits. Using a dull knife, like a butter knife, slice a grid pattern in the avocado making sure to not cut the skin (about 3-4 vertical, 4-5 horizontal). Flip the skin inside out over a bowl, and small squares of the avocado should fall out. Take a spoon and scrape off the rest. Repeat for the rest of the avocado halves.
Once avocados are in the bowl, stir together and mash up to your liking ( I leave mine a bit chunky.)
Add the avocado to the plastic bag with the other ingredients and add 1 tbsp. of lime and chopped cilantro. Seal bag and mix ingredients together with your hands on the outside of the bag. Add salt and pepper to taste and add additional lime if need.
Let set for 30 minutes in the fridge in the bag for better flavor. Serve and enjoy.
When storing leftovers make sure to place plastic wrap directly on guacamole to prevent browning.

Source- slightly adapted from Shared Appetite

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is basically a fresh tomato salsa. Salsa is one of my favorite condiments. I like salsa with chips, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, taco salads, baked potatoes, and even perogies. When I was single, I used to go through a huge jar of salsa every week. When I go to Chipotle, I love their mild fresh tomato salsa on my burritos and in my salads. I love it so much that I even get a side of it to go with their lime & kosher salt chips. I have been searching for years for a recipe that is like their salsa and this recipe is totally it!

Whether you call it Pico de Gallo, fresh salsa, tomato salsa, or mild salsa, it is delicious and so easy to make!

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes, diced
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeño, seeded, deveined and chopped
1-2 tbsp. lime juice, about 1-2 limes depending on how juicy the limes are
⅛- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Kosher salt

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir together. With cilantro and lime, start with the lower measurement and work up to higher measurement depending on your liking. Add kosher salt to taste.
Let sit at least 30 minutes before serving.
Store in an air tight container or jar in the refrigerator for up1-2 days.
Serve with tacos, chips, fajitas, or quesadillas.

Source- slightly adapted from Shared Appetite

Salsa Verde with Chips

Salsa Verde

Let’s talk some more about salsa. This salsa is green from the tomatillos that you put it it, instead of tomatoes. There is a taco place in San Fran called Tacolicious and they often come to our market lunches and sample sales. I love their carnitas or brisket tacos covered in some of their salsa verde! Sooooo good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I made all these sauces and salsa this weekend like they were going out of style! Can you tell that I love Mexican food?!

Jar of Salsa Verde

This salsa is easy to pull together by roasting all your veggies on a baking sheet. You then simply process everything together and you have salsa. Dip it with chips or top some tacos and you are good to go.

Roasted Tomatillas

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

6-8 small tomatillos, peeled,cleaned,and halved
3-4 cloves garlic (still in its skin)
1 onion, cut into 3-4 round slices
1 jalapeño
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons lime juice, about 1-2 limes depending on how juicy the limes are
⅓ cup loosely packed cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Prepare a baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and drizzling part of olive oil down on the pan to prevent sticking. Place tomatillos, garlic, onion, and jalapeño on the baking sheet. Take remaining olive oil and drizzle over vegetables and sprinkle with 1-2 tsp. kosher salt.
Place baking sheet in oven for 18-20 minutes. After baking, turn broiler on for 3 -4 minutes to slightly char the top of vegetables. Take pan out of oven and let cool.
Place tomatillos and onions in the food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and add to food processor. With gloves or plastic bags on your hands, remove top and seeds from jalapeño. Add to food processor . Keep some seeds on the jalapeño for spiciness. Add in cilantro and 1 tbsp. lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend all together until smooth.
Taste, add additional lime, salt and/or pepper if needed. Blend an additional couple seconds if adding ingredient.
Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator and serve with tacos, chips, or whatever type of food you would put salsa on.

Source- slightly adapted from Shared Appetite

Check back soon for more Cinco de Mayo recipes- taco and quesadilla recipes coming up!

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Posted by Meaghan Barry on May 2, 2013

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

I typically buy healthier items when I grocery shop at Whole Foods (versus a typical Boston-area grocery store such as Stop & Shop or Shaw’s.) However, the one thing that gets me everytime is the tres leches cake from prepared foods section. It’s always located on the last end-cap we have to go around before we head to the cashier. I can practically hear it calling my name from the shelf! I often find myself picking up a slice to split with my husband for dessert.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

While K and I were discussing what Cinco de Mayo recipes we were going to post, I told her about my obsession with the WF tres leches cake. I’ve never made one before and she told me that I had to try making tres leches cupcakes instead. K just bought me some awesome new cupcake pans for my birthday so I figured it would be the perfect chance to use them.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

If you haven’t had a tres leches cake (or cupcake) before, tres leches means three milks due to the three varieties of milk used in the recipe. This recipe actually has four types if you count milk and heavy cream as separate types of milk (the other two are evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.)

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Recipe type: dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 18

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
5 eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
1 cup sugar, divided
⅓ cup whole or 2% milk
1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the tres leches glaze

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk
½ cup heavy cream

For the cupcake topping

2 cups heavy cream
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners (this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar. Beat them together using the whisk attachment until mixture is well combined. Add the milk and 1 and ½ teaspoon vanilla; continue to beat until combined.
Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and stir together gently with a spatula. Wash out the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. Once dry, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks appear. Add ¼ cup sugar and continue to beat until combined.
Using the spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the other large bowl. Mix until just combined and pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until center of cupcakes reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the tres leches glaze

Line a baking sheet with foil and transfer the cupcakes once they have cooled. Using a fork or a skewer, poke about 10 holes into each cupcake.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup heavy cream. Pour mixture over the cupcakes (some residual glaze will spill over onto the foil.) Place the baking sheet of cupcakes in the fridge and allow to chill up to 30 minutes.

For the cupcake topping

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Using the whisk attachment, mix together until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula or spoon to top cupcakes with whipped cream topping.
Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Alton Brown, and The Latin Kitchen

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Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on April 30, 2013

Classic Margaritas

You all know how much I love themed-blogging! I made all sorts of Mexican food this weekend to share with you this week to help plan your Cinco De Mayo celebrations for this upcoming weekend. Or, if you are like me and love all Mexican foods all the time, there will be plenty of new recipes for you to try anytime.

I am going to start this fiesta off right with my favorite margarita recipe. I made this for a group of friends at a bachelorette party I was at last year and for my family last Memorial Day weekend. It was a hit both times.

Pitchers of Margs

As I have mentioned before, I am not a huge liquor drinker Until last year I didn’t have to much experience with drinking margaritas. In search of the perfect after-work happy hour place with two of my co-workers in NY, we found a restaurant close by that served amazing margarita for five dollars during happy hour. You are probably thinking that’s a rip-off, but in NYC that is a steal for a drink that is served in a glass cup. Sad, but true! Anyways, I fell in love with margaritas and especially love them served with freshly made tortilla chips salsa and guac. Needless to say, we frequented this place a lot and always had a good time.

Making your margaritas at home is always the best because you can control the amount of liquor you want in it and you can put extra salt on the rim! This recipe makes four drinks so feel free to double or halve it as needed. Serve with a salt-rimmed glass and ice!

Lime Margaritas

The Classic Margarita

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Serves: 4

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 8-12 limes)
¾ cup (6 oz) silver tequila
½ cup (4 oz) orange liqueur
lime wedges/slices for garnish (optional)
kosher salt for rim of glass (optional)

Instructions

In a sauce pan, heat up water and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Place simple syrup in a jar or pitcher and let cool.
Using a juicer or citrus press squeeze 8-12 limes until you have 1 cup of lime juice. For easier juicing bring the limes to room temperature and roll the lime back and forth with the palm of your hand against a hard flat surface (like counter-top) and apply pressure to the lime as you roll.
Add lime juice to cooled sugar water. Stir in tequila and orange liquor.
To prepare the glass rub a lime wedge on the edge of glass to add a small amount of moisture. Place some kosher salt on a plate and turn glasses rim in the salt until covered, add in ice and pour in the margarita! Enjoy!

Source- adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Margaritas

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