Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Not a holiday that gets big play here in Beantown. At Casa Bluebonnet, we celebrated with margaritas and chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas are a super easy meal. Use canned enchilada sauce (we're partial to Hatch) for convenience. You'll also end up with bonus homemade chicken stock. Refrigerate or freeze the stock for future tortilla soup. I promise you that it tastes so much yummier with homemade stock.

Margarita recipe
Don't buy a mix! This is all you need for fabulous 'ritas.



Start with good tequila. I prefer this 100% blue agave reposado tequila, Sauza Hornitos.

1.5 oz tequila
.5 oz Cointreau
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice. Serve over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. (I didn't salt our glasses. I didn't add ice either, but should have.) If you prefer a sweeter margarita, up the Cointreau to 1 oz.



Chicken enchiladas recipe
1 whole chicken (approximately 3.5 lbs. I've also used bone-in chicken breasts.)
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
7 or 8 flour tortillas
1 tsp Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning
Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce*
1 cup shredded Colby Jack (or Mexican four cheese)

*We found Hatch sauce at our local Whole Foods.

Place chicken breast side up in a large pot. Add water, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Flip the chicken over and summer for 15 more minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Remove chicken from pot. Cool. (Or charge ahead like we always do and nurse burned fingertips later.) Remove skin and discard. Shred meat and discard bones. Place shredded meat in a bowl.

Add 1 tsp. Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning and 1/3 cup of broth from pot.



Place a small serving of shredded chicken in tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place seam-side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat. If the tortillas are brittle, wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds.

Pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle liberally with cheese.



Bake at 350˚ until cheese is fully melted (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Pour the chicken stock into a container and refrigerate or freeze for future use.



Happy Cinco de Mayo!!