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    My First Great 8 Dinner Cinco de Mayo

    April 10, 2021 by Kyle 2 Comments

    My first Great 8 Dinner was back in 1999 with a Cinco de Mayo dinner party theme. Below are wonderful memories and our recipes that we still make today!

    Oh, how time flies when you’re having such Gr8 Fun! Today I am reflecting back to 1999 which was our third Great 8 dinner together and the first one that Joel and I planned and hosted.

    Writing these posts about our past Great 8 Dinners brings back such wonderful memories. I sometimes feel like it was yesterday.

    Cinco de Mayo table setting

    The date was May 7th, so it was obvious to us that the theme should be a Cinco de Mayo fiesta. Yikes! I had little to no experience cooking Latin food AND I was new at entertaining the Great 8 couples.

    Well, this was my chance to start experimenting (hee hee). I would have been so much more nervous had I known at the time that Debbie was the Latin food pro in our group!

    The Menu

    Excited to start the planning I knew that after picking the theme, I needed to figure out the menu. The menu needed to be decided in order to include it with the invitation letting each couple know their assigned dish to bring.

    Large glass filledwith ice and a margarita with limes and jalapeños on the table and two mini sombreros with names written on them.

    Of course we would start the evening with margaritas!

    My mother-in-law had given me a recipe for a salad that I had served several times. The Papaya and Avocado Salad with Papaya Seed Dressing was a perfect fresh start to our dinner.

    Papaya, Avocado and lettuce salad on a colorful blue plate with a papaya and seeds next to the plate and a bowl of dressing next to the plate.

    I experimented with a new recipe (wasn’t I brave!). A Pork Tenderloin Adobo was our main course. The adobo paste gives the pork a great flavor!

    Sliced pork tenderloin on a platter with an adobe sauce on top laying on lettuce, cilantro, limes and sliced radishes.

    I asked Jurga to bring Arroz Verde which was so delicious. A perfect side for any meal! This rice is baked instead of prepared on the stove. Super easy!

    Baked rice with verde ingredients being served in a white oval bowl on a colorful Mexican serape with whole limes on the side.

    Anna brought the "Healthy Tasty NOT Refried Beans" which I learned are easy to make and oh so delicious! And a bit healthier as they are not "refried."

    Refried beans in a black cast iron skillet with two whole jalapeños on top and the handle of the skillet wrapped with a red cloth napkin.

    Debbie surprised us with a typical Latin dessert ~ Churros! The perfect light dessert to end our eating fiesta.

    Homemade churros piled on a white plate on a colorful tablecloth.

    The Invitation

    Once I decided on the menu, the invitation was next to plan. Please keep in mind that back then (Boy, am I making us sound old!) we did not have any plans to someday blog our gatherings.

    Therefore for the early dinners we have had to dig in boxes for photos. Yes, this is my disclaimer for the photo blurriness below 😬.

    Cinco de Mayo invitation

    I remember I went to Stats (do these stores even exist anymore?) and found some plastic chili peppers on which I wrote the invitation details and then tied them to a rustic rope.

    I found the perfect fabric to tie it all up in and included a piece of paper with the menu printed. Easy! An invitation to be delivered not mailed! Why not?! We only had to make and deliver three!

    Cinco de Mayo menu

    The Table

    Next decision – the table and how to make it fun, colorful and inviting.

    Cinco de Mayo table setting 1999

    With three young children, I did not have a lot of time to run around town to shop for decorations. One trip to the market was about all I could manage.

    So, I opened my cupboards and borrowed from neighbors. I even picked up these mini sombreros at Stats in the hope that I could use them in some way. They were perfect for the Circle of Friends centerpiece I had brought in from my patio.

    I draped a Mexican serape blanket down the middle of the table and borrowed colorful plates from a friend. After cutting some bougainvillea branches from the yard for extra color, voilà! The table was set!

    Cinco de Mayo Circle of Friends

    It is so fun to think about the Gr8 ol' days and the Gr8 memories we made! It's even more fun to think about all the Gr8 Food, Gr8 Fun and Gr8 Friendship to come! Olé!

    More Gr8 Mexican Recipes!

    Keep the Fiesta going with:

    Cajun Shrimp Tacos
    This delicious, easy recipe is Gr8 for any night of the week!
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Cajun Shrimp Tacos 3
    Air Fryer Chili Lime Sweet Potato Fries
    Chili Lime Sweet Potato Fries done in the air fryer make the perfect snack or side dish. These spicy salty sweet potato rounds are healthy, too!
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Handmade Corn Tortillas
    Adapted from a Sur La Table recipe.
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Warm homemade tortillas are the best!
    Pink Lemonade Margarita
    This Pink Lemonade Margarita is the perfect pretty cocktail, and it's delicious, too! Whether you are throwing a party or just spoiling yourself, make this!
    Adapted from Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Overhead view of a pink lemonade margarita with edible flower bits on the edge of the glasses and a tulip plant next to the glasses.
    Mango Papaya Salsa
    A sweet and tangy addition to serve as an appetizer with chips or as an accompaniment to pork, fish or chicken.
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Mango Papaya Salsa
    One Two Three Margarita
    Make as many as you want with this recipe!
    This is a basic recipe, feel free to add a bit of orange juice, or simple syrup, or maybe you want to muddle some jalapeño to spice it up!
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Carnitas . . . Low and Slow
    Try these delicious carnitas with our homemade salsa verde, salsa fresca and homemade tortillas!
    Remember to allow time at the end of cooking to cool and shred and "crisp" the "little meats"!
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    Carnitas Serving 2
    Shredded Chicken Tortilla Soup
    There is nothing better than a hot bowl of a hearty soup for supper and this Shredded Chicken Tortilla Soup fills the bill!
    Gr8 Recipe Here!
    « Super Simple Spinach Balls!
    Adobo Marinated Pork Tenderloin Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kyle

      July 09, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      Thank you Sharon! We sure have had fun with the dinner party themes!

    2. Mary Sharon Howell

      July 09, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      I LOVE your creativity and your 20 year friendship! You are All amazing women!

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