Game-night fiesta

Mango and Black-Eyed Pea Salsa is a unique twist on the traditional version, with lime, peppers, peas, sweet onions and diced mango. (Photo: The Junior League of Houston)

Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.

Break out the board games and the lucky dice – it’s Friends’ Night In at the Guthries’ house. You’re guaranteed laughter, cocktails and a tasty spread with a themed menu.

For a fiesta-themed night, I like to build a menu around a cocktail. I’m inspired by Pico’s Tex-Mex mango margaritas, and the closest I’ve found is the Mango Margaritas recipe from Stop and Smell the Rosemary. While the recipe calls for canned mangoes, seasonal, fresh, ripe mangoes are amazing to puree with simple syrup and use.

Next, I create a mixture of margarita salt, sugar and cayenne on an appetizer-sized plate. Dip a glass rim in the mango mixture or run a lime around the glass edge and then roll the wet edge in the mixture just prior to pouring. If you dare, you can also sprinkle a bit of the mixture over the margarita. This spicy blend will leave a pleasant tingle against the cold bursts of mango. 

To me, a fiesta means self-serve, buffet-style. A casual atmosphere encourages friends to mingle. Creating a tablescape with platters on top of colorful linens will show off the food. It’s also helpful to have serving dishes displayed at different elevations to create more room on the table and an interesting view.  

Whether you decide to make homemade corn tortilla chips, grab them from the store or run over to your local tortilleria, big bowls of crispy chips make everyone happy. A bright salsa is always good to serve with the chips. Out of Peace Meals, the Mango and Black-Eyed Pea Salsa is a twist on traditional recipes. The bursts of lime with finely chopped peppers, soft peas, crisp sweet onions and diced mango make for an instantly addictive dip. If you have any salsa left over, it’s amazing on top of grilled chicken with salty Cotija cheese.

As Texans, we love our traditional salsa and guacamole and are always trying to find a way we can mix them together. I found that the wonderfully creamy Mexican Cheesecake with Salsa Rojo and Guacamole from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is one that guests ask for time and time again. The base includes a baked cream cheese, sour cream and shredded Monterey Jack mixture over a “crust” of crushed tortilla chips, which is baked in a cheesecake pan. Get your sous chef ready because the homemade salsa rojo and guacamole are each a mixture of diced and minced fresh ingredients. To serve, transfer the slightly chilled cheesecake to a serving platter, add the salsa and guacamole to the top and surround with tortilla chips.

A make-your-own taco bar is easy to set up ahead. Consider the Lone Star Style Pulled Pork Tacos from Peace Meals. The pork shoulder will pull apart after it has been slow roasted for four hours with onions, peppers and a sweet apricot, brown sugar, chile rub. Cool, shred and lay out on a platter with small, warm, corn tortillas and garnishes, including cilantro, lime, avocados, cheese, roasted onions and jalapeños.

To cool down the spicy evening, the Frozen Margarita Pie from Peace Meals is a little boozy and can be made ahead. Chill your dessert plates in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to serving so the pie does not immediately melt. To prep, fill a 16-ounce glass with very hot tap water and place your slicing blade in the water. Take the pie and plates out of the freezer together, dry the water-warmed knife and use to slice. Finally, garnish with whipped cream and pretzels. Olé!