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but sometimes it’s fun to switch it up—and surprise your friends. The humble tortilla is not only delish and economical but beautifully versatile. So, if you’re looking to get friends together and entertain this summer, but want to keep it easy and stress-free, try these twists on tortillas. For many of the recipes, you can get most of the prep work out of the way in advance. You’ll get everyone talking about these unique Mexican-inspired dishes—and you will be able to stay out of the kitchen and join the party!

Easy Ways to Enjoy Your Tortillas past Taco Night

1. Buenos Días Brunch

We don’t always think of brunch as the best time to entertain, but it has a lot going for it: You don’t have to get up early, nor do you have to stay up late wondering when the last of the guests are going to head home. Why not try brunch for your next catch-up with friends?

You can’t go wrong serving up the classic Huevos Rancheros Diablo. Fried eggs served on Casa Mendosa® flour tortillas and smothered in cooked salsa makes for the best Mexican breakfast ever! But you may want to go for the unexpected and have open-faced tacos! Casa Mendosa® Vegetarian Black Bean Breakfast Tacos take brunch up a notch: They’re colourful and pretty to look at and are bursting with Mexican flavour.

For a perfect summer brunch, alongside serve a bright and refreshing tropical fruit salad (think bananas, mangos, papayas, oranges, and a squirt of lime). For bevies, try sangria (alcoholic or not) or milk smoothies made with tropical fruit—or just sparkling water with lime and good strong coffee!

Casa Mendosa® Vegetarian Black Bean Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients
For the Tacos

4 Casa Mendosa® 7” White Tortillas

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 avocado, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Black Beans

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

2 cups whole black beans, drained

salt and pepper to taste

optional: add some heat with 1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeño

 

For the Lime Crema

1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp. lime juice

Click here for the full recipe. 

2. Hola! It’s Cocktail Hour

Want to make cocktail hour memorable? Give it a Mexican twist. First, make your signature drink the Mexican Bulldog, also known as the Coronita Margarita. You will need mini-Corona beers, called a Coronitas, which are available at liquor stores. Make a pitcher of margaritas using frozen margarita mix and tequila. Blend in ice to create a slushy margarita mixture. Pour into large glasses (pint glasses work well). Upturn the opened Coronita into the glass of beer. The cold beer will slowly trickle into the drink. Very refreshing! If the weather is right, sip outside and bask in the (Mexican!) sunshine!

For a hearty snack on the side, try these super-tasty Casa Mendosa® Cinco De Mayo Party Pinwheels using Casa Mendosa® Spinach Tortillas—which are too good to save for Cinco de Mayo! You can keep it easy by buying chicken already shredded, and serving ready-made salsa or guacamole on the side, and some baked tortilla chips. The pinwheels can be prepared and covered in plastic wrap for up to a day ahead of time, so there’s no last-minute fussing! (Focus on the Bulldogs!)

Casa Mendosa® Cinco De Mayo Party Pinwheels

Ingredients
6 Casa Mendosa® Spinach Tortillas

8 oz. cream cheese softened

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked shredded chicken (save time with ready-made!)

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Guacamole or salsa for serving

Check out the full recipe here.

 

3. Summertime and the Living is Sweet!

Take the party outside and take your flour tortillas to a whole new level with these Casa Mendosa ® Ice Cream Churro Tacos! Yes, tacos for dessert—or actually, for any time you want to serve up a refreshing, unexpected treat. These ice cream churros are a twist on traditional Mexican churros, which are sometimes served with whipped cream. These are fun to make and customizable to everyone’s liking. Put out the toppings and let everyone decide how they want to top these crunchy ice cream tacos.

Casa Mendosa ® Ice Cream Churro Tacos

Ingredients
6 Casa Mendosa® White or Whole Wheat 7″ Tortillas

1 tbsp. cinnamon

¼ cup white sugar

3 tbsp. melted butter

Aluminum foil (create small tubes, 1-2″ in diameter, to use as spacers when baking tortillas)

3-4 cups of your favourite flavour of ice cream or frozen yogurt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. corn syrup

1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Pinch chipotle powder or cayenne pepper (optional)

Topping Bar- chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate, candies, chocolate sauce etc.

Check out the full recipe is here.

4. What’s the Secret Ingredient?

For another sweet treat with a twist, Mexican Spiced Coffee Tortilla Dessert Cups have a creamy, decadent and sophisticated taste. Soft flour tortillas turn into crispy dessert cups, and a medley of cream, vanilla pudding, and cinnamon turn into melt-in-your mouth sweet deliciousness. Your friends will wonder, what’s that little something extra giving it a unique Mexican kick? It’s a dash of cayenne!

Mexican Spiced Coffee Tortilla Dessert Cups

Ingredients

2 Casa Mendosa® Original Medium Tortillas

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tbsp. sugar

Pinch of cayenne powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

2 tsp. instant coffee granules

5 tbsp. instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 cup whipped cream

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries

Click here for the full recipe.

 

5. Tortilla Pizza Party, Por Favor!

These days, many of us have our favourite pizza joint on speed dial—nothing wrong with that! But for a change of pace, the next time you are hosting a gang, make a selection of pizzas with different toppings and cut them up into slices so everyone can sample all the flavours. Or have everyone build their own custom pizza. It’s easy! Chop up the toppings and shred the cheese in advance. Serve with a selection of Mexican cervezas or red wine sangria.

Casa Mendosa® Veggie Taco Tortilla Pizza

Ingredients

4 Casa Mendosa® Whole Wheat 10” Large Tortillas

2 cups refried beans

2 cups salsa

3 cups shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese

2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

2 avocados pits removed and chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

4 green onions sliced

1 cup sliced black olives

6 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro

4 cups chopped fresh spinach

4 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

Hot pepper sauce to taste

 

Click here for the full recipe.

 

6. Lasagna in the round

Tired of the same old lasagna? Heat things up with this Mexican-inspired Casa Mendosa ® Tortilla Taco Lasagna. It’s round—and it’s delicious! You can shred the cheese and make the filling part of the recipe ahead of time, so you have more times with guests.

Serve alongside a Mexican-inspired ensalada: greens, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, pepitas or nuts, and optional crumbled cohita or queso fresco cheese. Whisk up some Cumin Lime Dressing with oil, lime juice, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Fácil!

Tortilla Taco lasagna

Ingredients

5 Casa Mendosa® Tomato Salsa Large tortillas

1 lb extra-lean ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup water

2 cups salsa

1 796ml can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn niblets (frozen or canned)

2 ½ cups shredded cheese

¼ cup chopped green onions

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Click here for the full recipe.