Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and what better way to spend it than outdoors! Nothing compares to the joy of bringing friends and family together for a special occasion. Everyone gets to spend quality time together, and you get to show off your beautiful outdoor living space. A Cinco de Mayo party in your outdoor space is the perfect way to kick off the summer season!

Two Cambridge components that can help take this party to another level are our Bar Cart & Pizza Oven! Why miss out on any action by running in and out of the house? With these two all-stars, you can create cocktails & prepare food while enjoying family and friends. Today we will share two recipes that will undoubtedly spice up the night!

You can't have a Cinco de Mayo party without some delectable margaritas! Get creative this year and make your unique recipes to give your drinks an extra kick! Set up a self-serve station at your outdoor cocktail bar and have everyone mix their margaritas with the ingredients they desire. A spontaneous activity like this will allow all your guests to have fun and use their imagination. Don't forget to include some non-alcoholic margaritas for those who do not drink!

Aperol and Elderflower Margarita

This flavorful twist on a classic margarita is super easy to make and is packed with unique flavor that will have everyone coming back for more! (Recipe and photo courtesy of blossomtostem.net)

What you'll need:
• 1 1/2 ounces Corralejo Reposado tequila
• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur
• 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:

1. Chill a glass in the freezer. Place the kosher salt and sumac (if using) in a shallow dish and coat half the rim with the mixture (usually there's enough condensation from the freezer to make salt adhere–if not you can moisten the glass with water or a wedge of lime). Add the tequila, Aperol, elderflower liqueur and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly chilled. Strain into the chilled and salted glass. Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo lands on taco Tuesday this year so surprise your guests and serve them something delicious they have never tried before! Utilize your Cambridge outdoor pizza oven to make a tasty taco inspired homemade pizza! Enjoy the best of both worlds and combine these two delicious classic meals to make something unique everyone will love! If you're feeling adventurous here is a recipe that will definitely switch up your casual Taco Tuesdays!

Taco Pizza

This yummy Mexican pizza is loaded with so much flavor and tons of delicious toppings! (recipe and photo courtesy of showmetheyummy.com)

What you'll need:

Pizza crust:
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups warm water 110 degrees F
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups all-purpose flour + more if necessary

Pizza Sauce:
• 1 cup canned refried beans
• ¼ cup taco sauce
• ¼ cup pizza sauce

Topping:
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 (8oz) mozzarella cheese
• 1 (8oz) colby jack cheese
• 1 bag shredded lettuce
• Taco doritos
• Sour cream for topping if desired
• Taco sauce for topping if desired

Directions:

Pizza crust:
1. Start by dissolving yeast and brown sugar in warm water for 10 minutes. Then stir in salt and olive oil. Pour this mixture onto 4 cups of flour that have been measured out into a bowl.

2. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface.

3. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky. You may need more flour, so just keep kneading and adding the flour slowly until it's no longer sticky.

4. Place the dough onto a well oiled bowl, cover with a dish cloth, and place in a warm, dry place and let rise for an hour. I always keep my dough in the microwave so it's out of the way!

5. After the hour is up, the dough should be significantly larger. Punch it down, and then dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into two. Place one ball of dough aside for later. Roll the dough out with a floured rolling pin.

6. Your dough should be 1/4 in - 1/2 in thick.

Pizza sauce:
1. Mix together refried beans, taco sauce, and pizza sauce.

Assembly:
1. Preheat oven and pizza stones for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F.

2. Top dough with pizza sauce.

3. Top the sauce with mozzarella cheese, then ground beef (cooked until no longer pink, and then mixed with taco seasoning), and then colby jack. Make sure you leave enough of each ingredient for the other pizza!

4. Bake this on top of pizza stones about 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted!

5. Cut with a pizza cutter and top with desired topping! We always top with shredded lettuce, sour cream, taco sauce, and crushed taco flavored doritos, but the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy the warm weather and make your Cinco de Mayo memorable with these yummy and creative recipes!