Many people enjoy tacos at restaurants, but far fewer make them at home. It’s really easy.

You don’t need a holiday to make this family and party favorite. But if you haven’t made tacos before, use the upcoming Cinco de Mayo as the occasion.

Tacos require a relatively long list of ingredients, but they’re all easy to gather: chopped beef or diced/shredded chicken, canned black beans and corn, onion, taco seasoning (packaged, or use the recipe below) and an optional jalapeño—remove the white ribs and the seeds unless you like things really hot.

Then, it’s simply into the skillet for these ingredients. When the meat is cooked (20 minutes), set the skillet on the table, buffet style, along with taco shells, chopped lettuce, salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream.

Then, everyone can build his/her own taco.

Tacos can be nutritious food, especially when you:

 
Beans, lettuce, onions and salsa contribute fiber (in addition to nutritients), and corn taco shells are whole grain.

MAKE YOUR OWN TACO SEASONING

McCormick’s Taco Seasoning includes chili pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion, whey, salt, sugar, garlic, potato starch and citric acid.

You can eliminate the whey and sugar by making your own taco seasoning from ingredients you already have on the shelf. And you’ll save money in the process.

ingredients

 
Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Substitute for a 1.25-ounce package of commercial taco seasoning.

Bohemia* is one of our favorite Mexican beers. It was named after a region in the former republic of Czechoslovakia† that produced some of the world’s finest beers.

A pale pilsner-style beer, it is the most awarded of Mexican beers. It’s worth tracking down.

To set up a beer and salsa bar:

1. Pick six different beers† and six different types of salsa. Choose among green salsa/salsa verde/tomatillo salsa, red salsa, salsa fresca, or pico de gallo (fresh red salsa), salsas made with beans, chipotle, corn, and fruit.

2. Serve the salsa in bowls. Place the salsa containers behind the bowls so people know what they’re eating.

3. Use small cups/glasses. You want your guests to try all six beers, but not to overindulge. The five-ounce disposable plastic tumblers (“rocks glasses”) available in supermarkets are on the generous side. You can also use plastic or glass shot glasses.

4. Beer tasting notes. If you have time, make cards to set in front of each of the beers, mentioning the style and any tasting notes you want to provide (you can find this information online).

5. Don’t forget the napkins and plates!
 
 
MORE TO NIBBLE

 
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*Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic (capital, Prague) and Slovakia (capital, Bratislava) in 1993. Bohemia is located in the contemporary Czech Republic.

†The majority of Mexican beer is produced by two large companies. FEMSA is the maker of Bohemia, Carta Blanca, Dos Equis, Indio, Sol, Superior, Tecate and the seasonal Noche Buena. Grupo Modelo produces Corona, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Modelo Light, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Estrella, Montejo and Victoria are made by smaller producers.

[1] Serve as many different types of salsa as you like. Your guests will enjoy tasting them (photo © Rodnae Productions | Pexels).

[2] Bohemia beer: a fine way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (photo by Jaclyn Nussbaum | © The Nibble).

A standard plate of meat and veggies gets a sprinkling of glamour with pomegranate arils. Get the recipe at PomWonderful.com.

Garnishes can improve any dish, savory or sweet, plain or fancy—a tuna sandwich, filet mignon, plate of pasta, dish of ice cream. As with fashion, the “accessories” take a look from now to wow.

Deciding in advance on the garnish is as much a part of our planning process as the basic recipe. It’s easy to choose the right garnish, as we show in this article.

The right final touch on the plate makes people take notice. In other words, it’s not just another bowl of tomato soup.

It’s easy to keep garnishes at the ready in the pantry and the freezer. Freeze extra chives, rosemary sprigs, berries and pomegranate arils and you’ll be prepared for most dishes.

Check out our article, Garnish Glamour, for an easy roadmap.

Of the products we’ve tried recently, here’s what we’re selected for our mother, aunt and other special moms:

 
See the full review for details.
 
FOOD FACTS

It’s time to celebrate National Pigs In Blankets Day, April 24th.

Ask for some pigs in blankets in the U.K., and you’ll get a cocktail sausage wrapped in bacon (more like a pig in a pig, we think).

At IHOP, the International House Of Pancakes, you can chow down on pork sausage links rolled in a pancake “blankets.”

But across the U.S., what caterers declare to be the most popular hors d’oeuvre is a cocktail frankfurter in a pastry blanket. And don’t forget the mustard.
 
 
PIGS IN BLANKETS HISTORY

Culinary historians have tracked the first recipes for modern pigs in blankets—small cocktail franks baked in flaky crust—to 1950. According to FoodTimeline.org, these pastry-wrapped piggies are likely direct descendants of Victorian-era canapés.

The earliest recipe found in American cookbooks that was called “pigs in blankets” was published in the 1930. But there was no frankfurter or other sausage: it comprised oysters wrapped with bacon.

We highly recommend Dijon mustard (check out the different types of mustard).

While pigs in blankets are classic cocktail fare, we find them even more delicious with beer. The following recipe was adapted from Pillsbury.
 
 
RECIPE: PIGS IN BLANKETS

Ingredients For 48 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Unroll both cans of dough and separate into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 narrow triangles.

2. PLACE 1 frank on the thin point of each triangle. Roll up, starting at the point. Place it seam side down on an ungreased cookie sheet (you’ll need two sheets for this amount). Repeat with the remaining franks.

3. BAKE for 11 to 14 minutes or until golden brown, switching the position of cookie sheets halfway through baking. When done baking, immediately remove the from the cookie sheets to a serving tray(s) and serve.