Our top Cinco de Mayo recipes

Need ideas for your Cinco de Mayo menu? We've got you covered from appetizers, to dinner to dessert.

We have a special affinity for Mexican flavors here at Hot Dinner Happy Home, which means there is no shortage of recipes.

Today we're serving up some of our most popular Latin-inspired dishes.

What does your family eat for Cinco De Mayo? We'd love to know!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

P.S. Need more ideas? Simply type "taco" or "tortilla" or "enchilada" or "quesadilla" or "Mexican" into the search function in the upper left hand corner of this page to discover more recipes.

Taco Pie is easy, tasty and the perfect comfort food.

Tacos are fun and family friendly, especially when the kiddos get to build their own. Skip the packet and give DIY Taco Seasoning a try.

Amy's Guacamole is the perfect appetizer or topping for tacos — or any of the these dishes.

Crockpot Queso is a yummy way to honor Cinco de Mayo, especially as an appetizer.

Enchilada Casserole is spicy, cheesy and a great weeknight meal.

Don't forget dessert. These Cinnamon Crisps are a great way to end the meal.

DIY Taco Seasoning

There's no better day for a taco than Cinco de Mayo!

At my house, we need no excuses to eat tacos for dinner. My DIY taco seasoning is quick to prepare and my kids have fun experimenting with all kinds of ways to top the meat in their taco shells.

One day, after promising tacos for dinner, I went to pull the fixings from the taco shelf in my pantry (yes, I do devote an entire shelf to this cuisine) and found no seasoning packets. So I went looking for fixes in the spice cabinet. After lots of experimenting, I've settled on this make-your-own concoction.

We think it tastes way better than the pre-mixed envelopes of spices. Bonus: No additives.

Of course I've used this seasoning on ground beef, turkey and chicken and diced leftover roasted chicken and turkey. Works every time!

Ole!
Andrea

DIY Taco Seasoning

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne (red) pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. This recipe makes enough for a few taco dinners, so store what you don't use in an airtight container.

Stir 2 tablespoons of DIY taco seasoning into 1 pound of cooked and drained meat, along with 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water. (Note: If you want to avoid the cornstarch, just leave it out and reduce the water.)

Heat through over medium heat.

Now you're ready to dish up some tasty soft or hard tacos along with your favorite toppings. Enjoy your fiesta!