There is Always Time for Family and Food | Nacho {bar} + DIY Corn Chips tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #ServeWithACoke #SoloConCocaCola #CollectiveBias

This month is Hispanic Heritage Month and I instantly think of my abuela and everything she has taught me, especially cooking.  My love for cooking comes from her.  She is the one who taught me how to cook when I was a little girl and still continues to teach me new recipes.  She is always in the kitchen cooking for the ones she loves and I've grown up to be the same way.  It has taken me years to "perfect" some of her Mexican recipes and although they will never be as good as she makes it, I'm not doing too bad.

Growing up with a Mexican family, I remember my childhood being a blast every time we got together and I remember we always made time for each other.  Our gatherings were loud, crowded and filled with love and a lot of amazing food.  

My abuela has 7 kids, 23 grand-kids and 39 great-grandchildren and that isn't including spouses.  I hope that gives you an idea of what our cook-outs and holidays looked like.

Since I did learn the majority of my cooking from my grandmother, I learned to cook big meals.  When I say big, I mean meals that could feed my little family of 4 for days.  So naturally, I love cooking for crowds, especially when it comes to Mexican food and sharing my Mexican culture with others. 

She also taught me that there is always time for family.  Since I don't have any family in Florida, I've made some great friends who I consider family and this week I was able to share an easy meal that fed all of us.  A nacho bar was just what this week called for after returning from our evacuation due to Hurricane Irma.  We all sat around, caught up on how we are doing and shared a cold Coca-Cola™ together.

The cold Coca-Cola and the spicy homemade salsa hit the spot.  Coca-Cola was always a treat growing up.  It wasn't something that my mom kept in the house, but I could always count on it being at our family gatherings. There is just something about it that brings back old memories and it continues to be a part of new memories.  I love that I was able to share a few of my favorite recipes and drink with my "framily".
   

This week I actually should have been spending time with my abuela, but our plans changed because of the storm.   This get together was a nice reminder of everything she has taught me over the years.  The spices and flavors took me back!  I even made homemade corn chips using Guerrero corn tortillas!  They were delicious and so easy to do that I've included a tutorial below and a printable for your own DIY Nacho Bar.  Do you have certain foods that take you back to your culture or your childhood?

Head here to find more recipes to Serve with a Coke!

"PANZA LLENA CORAZÓN CONTENTO"

Enjoy! (Recipes below)
 

Recipes

Corn Chips:

• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Guerrero Corn Tortillas

Lightly brush oil on corn tortillas.

Cut in triangles.

Place on baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until toasted and crispy.

Homemade Salsa:

• 2-3 jalapenos
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can diced tomatoes

Boil onion and jalapenos until soft.

Place all ingredients in blender.

Blend until desired consistency.

Add salt. 

Mexican Street Corn Dip:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 cups corn
• 1 jalapeno (seeded and diced)
• 2 tbsp Mayo
• Juice of one lime 
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove (pressed)
• queso fresco 

Melt butter on medium heat.

Add corn and jalapeno. Cook until slightly charred.

Stir in additional ingredients.
Serve immediately.

Homemade Taco Seasoning:

• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 4 tsp oregano 
• 3 tbsp chili powder 

Mix together.