5/28/09

Ole..I love Mexican Food!


My favorite food is Mexican. Salsa, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, you name it, I love it! So for today's Tablescape Thursday and also Foodie Friday, I have pics of two different Mexican tablescapes. The first one is what you can do when you want to entertain and have nothing of your own to work with like I did when on vacation at a timeshare recently. The preparation was perfectly minimal. Just a stop at a grocery store where I purchased the pretty orange flower wrapped in orange wrapper. (Sorry the flowers got cut out of this picture).
Then across the parking lot to a wonderful Mexican restaurant for the organic salsas and chips. The salsas were put into clear glass tumblers from cupboard. The multicolored chips were displayed in a large glass mixing bowl. We transferred the enchiladas from their black plastic containers right onto the white plates but first we put the colorful napkins on them so they would look festive as the guests arrived at their places.

The flower centerpiece was placed on a lovely rust colored raised shallow bowl that was already in the center of the table. The color was perfect for our festive look. The guests arrived and loved the very easy entertaining that we did for little or no effort.
Table #2. The Sunflowers provided the centerpiece for another Mexican table..Book club meeting dessert I had at my home. The Sunflowers are in a large rustic vase in the center of the table.
I crisscrossed two different runners on the table. One is plain red with multicolored ball fringe on the edges. The second one is a multicolored flower print. I used these ceramics from guatemala at the base of the large vase of Sunflowers.
For the napkins I used these wonderful hand woven Indian-patterned small cloth ones which I tucked white paper napkins inside. (They were a garage sale purchase). The bright yellow with polka dot plates were used for the Lime Pound Cake served with Raspberry sauce which also went beautifully with the colorful tablescape.
Along the center of the plain red runner I placed these wonderful hand stitched little embroidery pieces that I found at a garage sale one day.
Here are close-ups of some of the detail stitched on them.
Both tables were very festive and colorful and used items that I found around the house, or condo as it were. They were both fun to decorate with this theme.
I think Ina Gartner's Guacamole is the BEST! It follows:
4 ripe Haas avacados
3 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 small lemon)
8 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup small diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands) Immediately add the lemon juice, Tabasco, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until thyey are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.
Enjoy! Ole!
To enjoy more tablescapes click here for Susan's Between Naps on the Porch, our hostess and Designs by Gollum for more Foodie Fridays

20 comments:

Chandy said...

Oooohhh, pretty colors! Love the theme, too!

niartist said...

Not ONE but TWO TABLES!?!?!?!? GORGEOUS! Having grown up in W. Texas, I have an affinity for Mexican food, too! Great tablescape. Perfect! And the salsa looked yummy, too!

Brenda Pruitt said...

This is so cute and colorful! Who doesn't like Mexican? Bring on the enchiladas!
Brenda

Ribbonwood Cottage said...

This is very nice. Thanks for that recipe too. We love guacamole here at our house and fuss about who makes it....some of us who shall remain anonymous don't do as good a job with it as others!!!
Blessings,
Debbie

Unknown said...

We enjoy Mexican-California food very much.
Vegas has a different spin on the burritos and salsa. After two years we're still not used to it.

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Hi Jean, Love your tables...great idea for the quick entertaining! The bright colors are so festive! You might want to also link this to Foodie Friday over at Designs by Gollum! :-) Thanks for a great TT! Susan

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

Cute table. Thanks for the recipe - it sounds yummy!

XOXO
Jen

Marie Rayner said...

Love your tablescapes Jean! Very well done. You can get such neat stuff over there. I love Ina Garten too. Her recipes are always fab!

Kammy said...

Hello !
I am following you girl ! Love your colors - so festive ! Can't believe you did 2 tables ! Love the chips and salsa - I'm coming over....LOL
Hugs ~ Kammy

Martha said...

What pretty colors and Ina's guac is the best!

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hello...

Just read the sweet note that you left for me on my tablescape...thank you so much for coming by and for your nice comments!!!

Ohhh...what an industrious lady you are...two tablescapes!!! I loved them both...so bright and colorful!!! I loved that orange flower in your first tablescape...gorgeous!!! I love orange!!! Well, I just love color!!! So your pretty tablescapes are "right up my alley"! Loved the big bouquet of sunflowers in your second tablescape too!!! Ohhh...and those pretty polka dot plates...love those!!!

Warmest wishes,
Chari

Joyce said...

Oh that Ina has the best recipes ever. I like your finds on the hand sewn pieces. They are lovely. Thanks for sharing all with me. It sure was fun peaking at your blog today.
joyce

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Ina's recipes really are the most flavorful, aren't they! I heart Ina!!!

Take Care,
ButterYum

Mary Bergfeld said...

I love your tablesettings- they're colorful, exuberant and perfect for a Mexican-style meal. I also love your guacamole. Ina's recipes are hard to beat. Thank you for sharing your home with us. Have a wonderful day.

wenderful said...

Love mexican! Your table looks great. If I liked avocados I'd make the guac. It sounds yummy though. Did you get your foot checked out?

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Oh this looks so festive - I love mexican too -- and your ten club - what an inspiration!

Anonymous said...

I just love your tablescape. I have a lot of mexican and might have to try to make a table as pretty as yours. Good job!!

Rattlebridge Farm said...

I am thrilled to find Ina's guacamole recipe! Your tablescapes are beautiful. I love those napkins!

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

I love Ina too! I hope you had a happy Foodie Friday and are having a great weekend ~ Susan

Decor To Adore said...

Oh I adore your tablescape! Such colors. Mexican food is one of my favorites as well.