Muy Bueno: Fiestas: 100+ Delicious Mexican Recipes for Celebrating the Year, written by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, features an exciting collection of traditional and Mexican-inspired dishes for a variety of special occasions. A few highlights include Veracruz-Style Tilapia, Heart-Shaped Berry Empanadas, Mexican Sprinkle Cookies, Hatch Chile Potato Salad, and Turkey Pozole Verde. I will also be sharing her recipe for Lime Corn Tortilla Chips following the review.
Disclaimer and Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Weldon Owen in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack
Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack is a food blogger, recipe developer, and author. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and is currently based in Colorado with her family.
She created the blog, Muy Bueno, as a way to share and preserve her family’s homestyle Mexican and Latin-inspired recipes with others.
Her work has been featured in a variety of print and web publications, TV, and radio shows such as TODAY, Food Network, The Kitchn, Taste of Home, NBC, and more.
Yvette is also the author of Muy Bueno: Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor and Latin Twist: Traditional and Modern Cocktails.
Muy Bueno Fiestas
Yvette begins Muy Bueno: Fiestas with a short introduction, family memories, and tips on using the book. I especially love the personal touches with traditions for each holiday and even themed crafts to accompany the recipes.
Chapters are divided according to holiday: Lent; Valentine’s Day; Saint Patrick’s Day; Easter; Cinco de Mayo; Mother’s Day; Father’s Day; Fourth of July; Mexican Independence Day; Halloween; Día de los Muertos; Thanksgiving; Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Epiphany; and Family Fiestas.
The contents have a list of recipes with page number for easy reference.
The photography is provided by Jenna Sparks. Most of the recipes are accompanied by a vibrant half to full-page photo of the finished dish. There are also a few family photos scattered among the pages.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English or Spanish. Each recipe includes a headnote with background information, personal stories, helpful tips, yield, and menu ideas.
Lime Corn Tortilla Chips
These Lime Corn Tortilla Chips from the Mexican Independence Day chapter were such a fun and delicious way to use up leftover corn tortillas. They are definitely a new favorite!
Every corn tortilla quarter is brushed on each side with freshly squeezed lime juice and allowed to dry fully on wire racks.
Once dried, they are fried in oil until golden, then seasoned with coarse salt and lime zest before serving.
Heat the oil to 350˚F (180˚C). If you do not have a thermometer available, check the temperature by adding a small piece of tortilla. It should sizzle on contact. Adjust the heat as needed to fry the tortilla quarters until golden without burning them.
If not serving immediately, store leftover Lime Corn Tortilla Chips at room temperature lightly covered with a paper towel for up to a couple of days. Using an airtight container will cause them to become soggy and stale.
Other Dishes
I also made the Mexican Chocolate Martini, Tequila & Lime Carne Asada, Strawberry & Pistachio Paletas, and Sopa de Letras.
The Mexican Chocolate Martini comes from the Valentine’s Day chapter. This fun cocktail pairs Irish cream, crème de cacao, and vodka with grated Mexican chocolate for garnish.
The Tequila & Lime Carne Asada is in the Cinco de Mayo chapter. This is another easy recipe with minimal prep required. Flank steak is briefly marinated in a mixture of butter, tequila, lime, and spices, then grilled on each side.
My daughter picked out the Strawberry & Pistachio Paletas from the Mexican Independence Day chapter. These Paletas have layers of pistachio (optional food coloring), yogurt, and pureed strawberries to represent the Mexican Flag (green for hope, white for purity, and red for those who died fighting for independence).
The Sopa de Letras in the Family Fiestas chapter is perfect for baby showers and kid’s birthdays. Alphabet pasta is lightly toasted, then simmered in a homemade tomato soup until tender for a comforting meal.
Muy Bueno: Fiestas is a great pick for those interested in recipes centered around holidays throughout the year. Most of the recipes come together fairly easily, often in as little as 30 minutes. Others require a little more prep or resting/simmering time. There is a fantastic assortment of beverages, appetizers, vegetable/meat/seafood options, and desserts.
Many of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. Items that may require further searching include specialty cheese (Cotija, Oaxaca, etc), Mexican crema, chacales, cajeta, Mexican chocolate, passion fruit, star anise, tomatillos, dried chiles, tamarind pods, masa harina, and dried marigold flowers. Substitutions are offered when possible.
Lime Corn Tortilla Chips Recipe
Excerpt from Muy Bueno: Fiestas
Lime Corn Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas quartered
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) fresh lime juice
- Canola or peanut oil for frying
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- Grated zest of 2 limes
Instructions
- Set enough wire racks on sheet pans to hold all the tortilla quarters in a single layer.
- One at a time, brush each tortilla quarter on both sides with lime juice and place on a rack.
- Let dry until there are no visible signs of moisture on the quarters, at least 1 hour.
- Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set it near the stove.
- Pour the oil to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) into a large, deep frying pan and heat over medium-high heat to 350˚F (180˚C) on a deep-frying thermometer, or until a small piece of tortilla dropped into the oil sizzles on contact.
- Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, carefully drop a handful of the tortilla quarters into the hot oil and fry until they turn a beautiful golden yellow, 2-3 minutes.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a towel-lined sheet pan to drain.
- Season immediately with some of the salt and lime zest, then fry, drain, and season the remaining tortilla quarters the same way.
- Serve the tortilla chips warm or at room temperature.
- Lightly cover any leftover chips with a paper towel at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not store in an airtight container or they will become soggy and stale.
Maggie
What a delicious looking chips! I would love to have some in front of me right now. Pinning your recipe for later.