Hosting A Girls' Night In - Taco Fiesta!
It’s Women’s History Month and just like last year, we’re celebrating ladies throughout March. From travel advice to cookbook features, women are at the heart of much of the content coming up these next few weeks and I couldn’t be more excited. One of my favorite ways to spend time with girlfriends is hosting them for a girls’ night in. Normally I cook a nice dinner or prep several little things for a casual night. It’s a great time to relax, catch up and spend time with one another. When I’m hosting the more casual nights’ in, I like to center the food around a theme. I know themes aren’t for everyone but when it comes to cooking, it makes things much less expensive and much easier to prepare. Take, for example, a taco fiesta!
Tacos are one of the easiest things to make whether you’re serving two or twenty. Prep all the toppings, whip up the filling and let everyone serve themselves. Every single recipe in this post (except for the cocktail) is easy to prep ahead so that by the time everyone arrives, there’s little for you to do. And who doesn't love tacos? As long as there are a few different kinds to choose from, everyone will be pleased at the end of the night. There’s nothing better than full bellies, laughter and memories.
So...where to start. We’ve got you covered. From the taco preparation to the margarita, all the recipes you need to host your own taco fiesta are below. You should have leftover taco seasoning unless you double up any of the taco recipes. It wouldn’t be a taco fiesta without salsa and guacamole! We’ve got recipes for each of those below as well. And finally, scroll all the way to the bottom for a taco fiesta playlist that will have everyone’s booty shaking as they bite into their tacos.
HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING
Most taco seasonings have the same ingredients. This recipe was tested and perfected before used on any tacos but if you feel it needs more/less heat or you want to put a personal spin on it, please do!
3 tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tbsp. Paprika
1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
Mix all the spices together. Store in an airtight baggie or container.
TACO RECIPES
It’s easy to make one taco filling and call it a day but it’s much more fun to have a little bit of a few fillings. One pound of steak or fajita-cut beef goes a long way. Two chicken breasts slice up easily and it’s always nice to think of a vegetarian option. TIP: the chicken and veggie filling mixes together for great leftovers later!
Beef Tacos
Ingredients:
1 lb. Skirt Steak, sliced into 1-inch pieces, or 1 lb. Fajita Beef (pre-cut steak)
2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
Directions:
1 - Toss the sliced steak with the taco seasoning until completely coated.
2 - Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 8-10 minutes until the meat is cooked through.
Chicken Tacos
Ingredients:
2-3 Chicken Breasts
Juice of one Lime
2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
Directions:
1 - Place the chicken in a plastic bag or bowl with the lime juice and taco seasoning. Toss around to coat evenly. Place in the fridge to marinate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
2 - Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the chicken into 1-inch pieces, toss into the skillet and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
Veggie Tacos
Ingredients:
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
½ large Red Onion, halved and sliced
1 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
1 tbsp. Canola Oil
Directions:
1 - Toss the veggies with the taco seasoning and oil. Preheat a skillet to medium-high. Cook the veggies until softened but so that they still have a bite to them. The onions will soften up pretty well and almost caramelize but the peppers should still be a touch firm.
HOW TO SERVE:
Place each of the taco filling in a bowl or leave in the skillet. Warm up your choice of tortillas (we used white corn street-style) as guests need them so they don’t break. Serve with your preference of cheese, chopped cilantro or parsley, chopped onion or chives, salsa, guacamole, etc. The sky is the limit!
GUACAMOLE
Ingredients:
4 Avocados, peeled, pit removed, and mashed
Juice of 1 Lime
½ large Red Onion, finely chopped
2 Jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped*
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions:
1 - Mash the avocado with a fork. Squeeze the lime juice and mix well. Add the onion and jalapeno and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste**.
NOTES:
* If you like a little spice, leave some of the ribs and seeds on one of the two jalapenos. That will give the guacamole more heat.
** If it tastes like something is missing, add more salt. I don’t know the exact measurement we used but we added salt twice more before getting the flavor right. You have to just go by your taste buds and you’ll figure it out.
MANGO-PINEAPPLE SALSA
This is a twist on my original Pineapple Salsa recipe. Mangos are added for even more flavor and if you get addicted, we refuse to be held accountable :-P
Ingredients:
2 cups Pineapple, diced
2 cups Mango, diced
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
1 Jalapeno, finely chopped
½ Red Onion, diced
Juice of one Lime
Directions:
1 - Chop the ingredients and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lime juice, mix again well. Cover until ready to serve or just dig in right then and there!
RASPBERRY MINT MARGARITA
You can’t have a girls’ night without a drink! We made this recipe a while back and it’s still a favorite of ours and yours. Ingredients below. Visit the original post for full directions...HERE.
What you Need:
Raspberries
Mint Leaves
Agave Nectar
Lime Juice + Lime Slices
Silver Tequila
Ice Cubes
TACO FIESTA PLAYLIST
Nothing gets me dancing like Latin music. I’ve put together a playlist of my favorite Latin songs or songs by Latin artists. From Shakira to Ricky Martin to Daddy Yankee, get ready for a Taco Fiesta Dance Party!
