Meal Ideas: Birthday Fiesta

By: Kate, Allrecipes Community Member

"A Mexican-inspired party dinner."

More About Kate

Family cooking traditions:
"Every Christmas, my Grandma makes lefse (pronounced lehf-sah), which she learned how to make from her Father, who was Norwegian. I've had it ever since I was little and it's one of the things we all look forward to at Christmas!"

Cooking triumphs:
"The first time I made a huge family dinner (25+ people), it all went according to plan and everyone enjoyed it! I had a turkey and a ham, lots of mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, turnips and carrots, a mixed green salad, homemade rolls, and homemade pumpkin pie and apple pie for dessert! It was hectic and crazy but tons of fun!"

Cooking tragedies:
"When I was about 11 years old, I decided I was going to make a rainbow cake, with lots of pretty colors. So I made a white cake from a mix and added the entire food coloring I could find. Needless to say, my cake turned out an odd shade of purple, black, and green! Not too appetizing ..."

Kate's Cook's Profile

Related Links

This homecook living in Ontario, Canada, loves to cook new dishes from various cuisines like Thai, Indian, or Moroccan.

Starter

Mexican Style Dip: "Serve this dip with scoop-style corn chips for a great starter. I find you need the denser corn chips (not the tortilla chips) to stand up to the heavy dip."

Mexican Style Dip

Main Dish

Taco Bake II

Side Dish

Taco Salad: "Turn a bag of American-style salad into a tasty taco salad. Simply add chopped tomatoes, green peppers, and onion (optional). Make a quick dressing out of equal parts salsa and sour cream, and serve with shredded cheddar and crushed corn chips as garnishes."

Dessert

Fried Ice Cream: "Serve this alongside your birthday cake for an adventure in ice cream! Have lots of napkins on hand, this one is messy."

Fried Ice Cream

Beverage

Lime Cola: "Surprisingly tasty stuff!"

Lime Cola

Preparation / Serving Suggestions

"Hang red and yellow streamers around doors and ceilings. Add brightly colored plates, cutlery, and cups. Hang dried chilies around the kitchen for an authentic touch. And of course, a piñata for the kids. Sombreros optional!"