Just cause we are adults doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun! Putting an unexpected spin on your next dinner party is a perfect way to keep your guests laughing. You may also win the title as the best hostess ever!
Rule #1 for guaranteed great party!
Switch it up…..try not to have dinner in the dining room or the same place you had your last party. My house upstate is not big, but I have used ever darn corner to entertain (I am even toying with the idea of throwing a dinner in the bottom of my empty swimming pool this week before it is refilled for the season….will share pics if I can pull it off and my husband doesn’t have me committed).
When I run out of new places inside my house….out goes the furniture onto my back lawn. Once, I moved my entire dining room table into the woods and led my guests on a search to find the dinner table. Essentials for this type of dining experience: bug spray and guests who drink too much. I find they complain less 🙂
Anyway, last weekend, I threw a really fun tacos and bingo night. This is such a fun way to spend a summer night. The meal can totally be prepped before your guests arrive and just placed on bowls, leaving time to play bingo.
I went online and found a vintage bingo wheel and bingo cards (real cheap) and used the cards as both playing boards and place cards (I am usually a place card free entertainer…but couldn’t resist how cute the boards were).
I placed the margaritas on a side table close to the dining table so guests could replenish all night long.
My guests had a blast and now I have a really cool vintage bingo wheel….just in case you stop by and wanna play 🙂
Rachel Ray’s recipe for Make Your Own Tacos Bar is really easy to follow and beyond good – enjoy!
Make Your Own Tacos Bar
Recipes courtesy Rachael Ray
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 10 tacos
Ingredients
Chipotle Turkey Taco Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
- 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 rounded tablespoons chili powder, a rounded palmful
- Salt
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
In a small skillet preheated over medium high heat, add oil and turkey breast meat. Brown meat 2 or 3 minutes, then add onions and garlic. Cook onions and meat together for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chipotles, chili powder and tomato sauce. Season your filling with salt to your taste. Stir 1/2 cup water into your filling. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until ready to serve.
Pork and Bell Pepper Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
- 1 1/3 pounds ground pork
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palmful
- several drops cayenne pepper sauce, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Heat a small to medium skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and pork to hot pan. Break up pork as it browns, 2 to 3 minutes. Add peppers to the pork and season mixture with cumin, cayenne sauce, allspice, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to moderate and cook filling 5 minutes longer. Add 1/2 cup water to the pork. Reduce heat to low to keep filling warm.
Toppings and Sides:
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or smoked cheddar, about 1/2 pound
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Pepper Jack cheese, about 1/2 pound
- Shredded Romaine lettuce, 2 hearts
- 6 scallions, chopped
- Diced red plum tomatoes
- Taco sauce, any brand
- Yellow Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
- 10 super size taco shells, warmed to package directions
Yellow Pico de Gallo:
- 3 yellow vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Coarse salt
Combine all Pico de Gallo ingredients in a small bowl and serve.
To assemble bar, arrange taco shells next to the stove top. Serve the fillings from the skillets they were cooked in. Place toppings in small dishes on opposite side of the stove top. Tex Mex Red Beans and Rice or store bought refried beans make a great side dish.
