3 Recipes to Bring on a Fresh Summer

You want to look your best this summer, but eating healthy can be such a challenge, right? After all, not everyone has time to prepare fresh meals. Believe it or not, eating fresh, good food this summer is easier than you think. Check out these three simple, healthy, and perfect-for-summer recipes, and if you’re running out of time to make a good dinner, be sure to stop by your nearest Macayo’s for some great summer tacos!

Flavorful Tacos

Tacos are a summer staple; they’re simple, customizable, and delicious. Plus, by substituting the ground beef with chicken and topping with fresh ingredients, you’re trying a light version of this favorite.

Start by placing a few whole, boneless and skinless chicken breasts into a crock pot on low heat. Pour a little bit of your favorite fresh salsa over the chicken, and sprinkle with some taco seasonings of your choice (smoked paprika, red pepper, etc.).

Let cook for at least six hours and shred the chicken with a fork when it’s done. Serve up on whole wheat tortillas with fresh chopped lettuce, green onion, jalepeño, and tomatoes. Super flavorful and healthy!

Simple Summer Smoothie

What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with a freshly-made smoothie? This smoothie is jam-packed with vegetables, but doesn’t taste like it at all! Here’s what you’ll need to whip up one of these amazing smoothies:

  • one very ripe banana (for sweetness without added sugar)
  • a quarter cup of almond milk
  • a cup of fresh chopped pineapple
  • a peach, sliced and peeled
  • a half cup of Greek yogurt
  • a cup or two of fresh spinach

Start by blending the banana and milk together until smooth, then add the fruit and yogurt. Once blended, add the spinach in last. Enjoy! You can also add other fruits and veggies to this smoothie, depending on your taste (blueberries and kale are a great addition, if you ask us).

Colorful Fiesta Salad

Finally, if you’re looking for healthy Mexican recipes made easy, this salad is the perfect choice. This kale salad incorporates plenty of fresh, colorful, and delicious ingredients. This recipe serves six, so it’s great for a family meal or to whip up for entertaining. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • four cups of fresh kale, chopped
  • a cup of black beans, soaked overnight
  • a cup of fresh summer corn
  • two bell peppers (your choice), chopped
  • a half of an avocado, chopped
  • one tomato, chopped
  • half a red onion, chopped
  • chopped cilantro, to taste

Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Now, it’s time to make the dressing. You’ll need:

  • a half of an avocado
  • a half cup of warm water
  • a teaspoon of cumin
  • juice of half a lime
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients together, then pour over your salad and mix well. This delicious salad will leave you amazed and wanting more.

For a fresh take on the Fiesta Salad, be sure to stop by your closest Macayo’s. We believe in fresh food, everyday, and we love sharing that with you, our family!

The Beerita: What is It & How Do You Make One?

Summer time barbecues and get-togethers are a wonderful time to explore new and exciting drink recipes. And while a simple beer might do the trick from time to time, the fact remains that beer can get a little boring. Why not spruce up your beer by turning it into a Macayo’s favorite, the beerita? If you like margaritas and you enjoy a cold beer, you’ll be sure to love a beerita.

What is a Beerita?

A beerita is exactly what it sounds like: a cross between a traditional margarita and beer. How awesome is that? However, since margaritas are a traditional Mexican beverage, it’s generally recommended that you use an authentic Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis!) when making your own beerita.

A beerita is a refreshing beverage to enjoy after a long, hard day at work, or even while relaxing on your deck or patio over the weekend. It’s also great for entertaining, as your guests will love this tasty variation on the margarita that they’re familiar with.

How to Make a Beerita

So, exactly how does one go about making their own beerita? If you’ve ever made a margarita or poured a beer in your life, it’s actually quite simple. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  • a can or  small bottle (7 0z) of your favorite Mexican beer (Dos Equis is our favorite)
  • a freshly-made frozen margarita (see our recipe here!)
  • a lime wedge, for garnish (optional but recommended)

Start by pouring the beer into a salted pint or margarita glass with your margarita (your choice). Do your best to avoid letting the head get too high on the beer; if it does get a bit high, don’t worry. Just let it settle down before you add any more ingredients.

Stir until the mixture is blended together well. Garnish with a freshly cut lime wedge. All that’s left to do now is enjoy!

There are also plenty of great variations on this classic beerita recipe. For example, you can also use fresh-squeezed lime juice. You can also switch up the specific type of tequila that you use in the margarita recipe based on your specific tastes. This recipe is totally customizable, which makes it a wonderful option for entertaining your of-age guests.

If you’re looking for easy to make at home cocktails, the beerita is a great place to start. It’s simple yet delicious, and extremely refreshing on a hot summer day. Be sure to give this a try for yourself to add some variety to your life the next time you think about opening an ice-cold beer.

5 Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year as a Family

For many families across the country, the school year is finally winding down and summer vacation is just around the corner. Sadly, summer vacation never seems to last quite long enough, does it? That’s why it’s so important to make the most of your time with your family in the coming months. And we’ve made planning the perfect summer easy for you by providing you with five fun and family-friendly ideas!

1) Cook Dinner Together

Cooking together can be a wonderful bonding experience for any family—certainly more so than picking up a pizza for fast food. No matter how young or old your children are, certainly you can find a recipe that everybody can help out with. Consider something simple like preparing a yummy taco dinner as a family; one of you can brown the meat, somebody else can make the rice, and an older child or adult can be responsible for chopping up fresh green onion, lettuce, and tomatoes.

2) Host a Fiesta

Why not throw a party to celebrate the end of the school year? Your children can invite their friends from school, and you can host their parents as a great way of getting to know them better. Make feeding your guests easy by exploring Mexican party buffet ideas, and consider even setting up a margarita bar for your of-age guests. If you have an outdoor entertainment space, such as a deck or patio, you can even host your party outside!

3) Visit Your Favorite Restaurant

What about those nights when you don’t feel like cooking but you still want to enjoy a delicious meal together as a family? This is a great time to visit your favorite local family restaurant— such as Macayo’s! During your dinner together, take turns sharing your hopes and expectations for the rest of the summer, or discuss what your children are looking forward to most about the upcoming school year. We’d love to be a part of your family memories!

4) Host a Barbecue

Summer is the perfect time to host a neighborhood barbecue. And by allowing your children to invite their friends from school, they can stay in better touch with them over the summer. Invite your friends, family, and neighbors for an afternoon of delicious BBQ food (be sure to have vegetarian or gluten-free options available, based on your guest list), music, and backyard games like cornhole or volleyball!

5) Plan a Summer Vacation

Finally, if you’re looking to really take summer to the next level, consider planning a family vacation together. This never has to be anything extravagant; you and your family take a day trip to a local lake or beach, or even just book a night at a local hotel. As long as you’re getting away and spending time together as a family, that’s all that matters.

These end of school family ideas are sure to leave your entire family with some wonderful memories of this summer; be sure to give some (or all) of these a try!

How to Cook Like Your Favorite Chef

Do you enjoy cooking, but wish you had a little more skill in the kitchen? If so, you might be wondering what small steps you can take to better your overall cooking skills. In reality, there are a few simple tips you can follow to cook like your favorite chef without any special training.

Have the Right Tools On-Hand

For starters, cooking like a pro is all about having the right tools available to you. For example, you’re not going to be able to whip up delicious, pan-seared steaks without the right pan. For the absolute best results, you’ll need quality pots and pans, such as stainless steel or even cast iron. Yes, this means spending a little bit more on your kitchenware, but it’ll be more than worth it in the long run when your meals turn out even better.

Some specific kitchen gear that you don’t want to skimp on include:

  • pots and pans
  • utensils (spatulas, tongs, etc.)
  • small appliances (toaster ovens, panini presses, etc.)

Know Your Kitchen Terms

Ever found yourself reading a recipe, only to be thrown for a loop by some unfamiliar terms like “searing,” “emulsifying,” and the like? If so, then you’re not alone, as these are terms that are commonly used in professional kitchens but not so much by everyday home cooks.

Here are a few terms that tend to confuse home cooks, along with their definitions:

searing – cooking on very high heat in a pan to achieve a crispy outer edge, usually done on steaks and other cuts of meat before cooking completely.

sauteeing – cooking in a pan, usually with butter or oil, until slightly browned. This is typically done with veggies (such as chopped onions) and garlic.

julliene – a cutting method, used commonly on vegetables such as carrots. Entails cutting or slicing lengthwise into very thin slices.

reducing – allowing a liquid to burn off and thicken into a sauce of sorts; this is also common when cooking with wine, as reducing allows the alcohol to burn off.

Understand Meat-Cooking Temps

Finally, knowing your way around a cut of meat is vital when it comes to serving up delicious meals. Different meats need to be cooked to different temperatures, so having a quality meat thermometer on-hand is a must.

Steak is often the biggest challenge, as your dinner guests may have different preferences. As a general rule, rare steaks are cooked to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, 145 for medium, and 160 for well-done.

Some other meat-cooking temperatures to be aware of:

  • Chicken and turkey – 165 degrees
  • Fish – 140 degrees
  • Pork loin or ribs – 150 degrees
  • Pork shoulder – 190 degrees

As you can see, you don’t necessarily need to attend professional cooking classes to cook like a chef. All it takes is a little bit of practice and knowledge of kitchen basics. Of course, you can always check to see if your local community center or college is offering any cooking classes for you to partake in on the side.

Now, do you want to eat like your favorite chef? Be sure to stop by Macayo’s for our Chef-Inspired Menu starting June 7!

A Strawberry Skinny Margarita to Start Off Bikini Season

With summer quickly approaching, many people find themselves rushing to get their bodies “beach ready.” For some, this means giving up on their favorite high-calorie indulgences, such as ice cream and even sugary alcoholic beverages. However, what better time of year to enjoy your favorite beverage (the margarita, of course!) than during the hot summer months?

Don’t worry; contrary to what you might believe, you can enjoy a margarita without undoing your fitness efforts. Just try a skinny margarita!

The Key to a Low-Cal Margarita

Some margaritas are packed with calories because they contain tons of sugar. Not all, of course, but it’s something to keep in mind. Plus – if you’re buying pre-made margarita mixes from your local grocery store, which are packed with sugars and preservatives, the calorie count is even higher. Believe us – fresh margaritas are the ONLY way to go!

The key to crafting a delicious, fresh, and (perhaps most importantly) low-calorie margarita, then, is cutting down on the sugar content and using the freshest ingredients possible.

If you have a margarita recipe that calls for sugar, or if you’ve been taught to make it that way, a great way to cut down on the sugar (and carbs!) is to substitute a no-calorie sweetener in a margarita recipe calls for sugar. Another fresh and delicious way to sweeten your margarita is by using fresh lime or orange juice instead.

Finally, instead of simple sugar, consider using agave nectar in your next margarita. Not only does it taste amazing, but it also has significantly fewer calories than simple syrup.

Skinny Margarita Recipe

Now that you know the secrets to developing a yummy, low-calorie margarita, we bet you’re ready to try a recipe for yourself.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 ½ oz CasaMigos Blanco Tequila 
  • ½ oz Strawberry Puree 
  • ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice 
  • ¾ oz. sugar-free simple syrup
  • Splash with soda

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the tequila, simple syrup, and lime juice. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds, or until all ingredients are mixed together evenly. Strain into a margarita glass garnished with a no-calorie sweetener or salt, depending on your tastes.

Anybody who loves margaritas but cares about their figure knows the struggle of saying “no thanks” to a margarita on a hot summer day. However, with this simple StrawberrySkinny Margarita recipe (which you can customize and tailor to your tastes), you can have your margarita and enjoy it without guilt.

For another great margarita that’s lacking the calories, visit your local Macayo’s for our Margarita of the Month for June and try our favorite!

Announcing the Grand Opening of Macayo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina!

We would like to announce the opening of Macayo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina at our Shea location in Scottsdale!

Inspired by the legacy of Macayo’s founders Woody & Victoria Johnson, this new location brings forth the best of Macayo’s history of innovation, hospitality and of course, traditional Mexican cuisine. With a fresh new look and menu, we are embracing the Macayo’s heritage as created by Woody Johnson.

We are so excited to continue this journey with YOU, our family! Come by Macayo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina next Tuesday, May 19 to experience our new venture! We will be closing the location on Monday, May 18 and will reopen Tuesday, May 19, at 3 p.m.

Simple, Sizzling Carne Asada

If you’ve ever enjoyed a burrito bar or a meal at a traditional Mexican restaurant, there’s a good chance that you’ve fallen in love with fresh carne asada at some point. A Mexican food staple, carne asada is the perfect combination of juicy and flavorful beef. Read on to learn more about carne asada, which recipes it’s commonly used in, and how to make it for yourself.

What is Carne Asada?

Carne asada literally translates to “grilled meat” in Spanish. Typically, however, it’s made using a marinated form of beef steak, such as flank or skirt steak. This type of meat is generally affordable when compared to other cuts of steak, making it a popular option for those in need of delicious Mexican recipes on a budget.

Carne asada is extremely versatile, as it can be served up on its own or incorporated into any number of dishes as a main ingredient. It’s always cooked at a high temperature, and the outsides of the meat are typically seared to give it a nice crust.

What’s It Used In?

While carne asada can be its own dish, it’s most commonly chopped up and used in other Mexican dishes. For example, carne asada is a very popular ingredient in burritos and quesadillas alike. It goes well with other burrito and quesadilla ingredients, such as sour cream, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and salsa.

Some other dishes where carne asada is often use are:

  • gorditas
  • tacos
  • tortas
  • nachos
  • alambres

Simple Carne Asada Recipe

Ready to make your own delicious, sizzling carne asada at home? It’s not difficult. All you need is about an hour of your time and some simple ingredients. Specifically, you’ll need:

  • two and a half cups of a light Mexican beer
  • two to three pounds of flank or skirt steak
  • four cloves of chopped garlic
  • one red onion, finely chopped
  • a quarter cup of lime juice
  • a quarter cup of lemon juice
  • two tablespoons of brown sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Once you have all of your ingredients together, go ahead and combine the beer, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, onion, and pepper into a large bowl until mixed well. Then, add the flank steak to the bowl and make sure it’s covered evenly with the marinade. Allow it to marinade in the fridge at least 30 minutes.

When it’s time to cook the meat, heat a grill to about 500º F. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry before seasoning with salt and setting aside. Meanwhile, add a half cup of beer to a saucepan and bring to medium-high heat, along with the remaining marinade. Mix in the brown sugar.

Place the steak on the grill and cook for about eight minutes on each side before removing and letting it rest for a few minutes. Chop the steak up into small pieces and cover with the remaining marinade sauce. Serve in a burrito, taco, or incorporate into any other Mexican recipes with beef that you enjoy. For fresh carne asada available in many types of favorite dishes, be sure to stop by your local Macayo’s and try our time-tested recipe!

Homemade Fried Ice Cream

Do you love ordering fried ice cream for dessert at your favorite Mexican restaurant? Ever wished you could make fried ice cream in the comfort and convenience of your own kitchen? Most people assume you need some fancy utensils and cooking skills to whip up a batch of fried ice cream, but the fact remains that it’s actually quite easy. And, believe it or not, there’s a good chance you already have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen right now.

What You Need

You’re just a handful of ingredients and about 45 minutes away from enjoying your own homemade fried ice cream! Here’s what you’ll need to make it happen:

  • a pint of your favorite vanilla ice cream
  • a half-cup of crushed corn flakes or cookie crumbs (your choice)
  • one large egg
  • a teaspoon of cinnamon
  • two teaspoons of sugar
  • honey and whipped cream to taste
  • oil for frying

You can use just about any oil for this recipe, provided that it has a high smoke point (since it’s going to be used for frying). Vegetable oil will work just fine, if you have some of that on hand.

Putting It All Together

Once you’ve got all your necessary ingredients, start by scooping out five or six balls of ice cream (using an ice cream scooper is the easiest way to get uniform-sized balls). Place them on a paper plate and set them in the freezer.

While the ice cream balls are hardening, it’s time to prepare the crust for the exterior of the ice cream balls. This will give the fried ice cream that indulgent crunch when you bite into it.

To create to outer crust, mix together the crumbs, cinnamon, and sugar into a bowl. Then, take the frozen ice cream balls out of the freezer and roll each of them around in the mixture to coat. Place back in freezer to harden while you complete the next step.

Beat the egg in a bowl. Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer once again and roll them through the beaten egg before covering them in another coat of the crumb, sugar, and cinnamon coating. You can repeat these steps to achieve as many coatings as you want, depending on how crunchy you want your fried ice cream to be.

Once you’re ready to enjoy your fried ice cream balls, heat a pot of oil to 350 degrees. One by one, place each ice cream ball into the oil and allow to sit for one minute before removing with a perforated or slatted spoon. Set aside and top with honey, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, or any other toppings of your choice. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then enjoy! We bet you can’t eat just one.

As you can see, making fried ice cream balls at home isn’t rocket science. All it takes is about 45 minutes of your time and a little bit of skill in the kitchen. Try these once and we’re sure you’ll be making them on a regular basis!

How to Host a Tequila Tasting

You’ve heard of wine-tasting (and maybe even beer-tasting) parties before, but have you ever had the privilege of participating in a tequila tasting? This is becoming an increasingly popular event among those who enjoy tequila. Hosting a tequila-tasting party is a great way to bring your loved ones together for a fun time. And who knows? You might even discover a new favorite tequila type or brand.

Hosting an at home cocktail party, such as a tequila tasting, is easier than you might think. Read on to learn the basics of a successful tequila tasting.

Types of Tequila

You can’t have a proper tequila-tasting event without a wide assortment of tequila. There are many different types of tequila available, and the different types are typically categorized by how long they’ve been aged. Make sure to have at least one of each of the following tequila types readily available for tasting at your party:

Tequila Añejo – tequila that’s been aged at least a year; tends to have a richer, oakier flavor and a deep color.

Tequila Reposado – tequila that’s been aged in an oak barrel for anywhere from two to 12 months. Tends to have a mellow aroma and is a little more harsh than the añejo.

Tequila Blanco – tequila that hasn’t been aged. Instead, it’s bottled immediately and typically doesn’t have any color to it at all.

Be sure to provide plenty of glasses for your guests to taste their tequila from. Wine glasses are best because they allow your guests to enjoy the aroma of the tequila before they taste.

How to “Taste”

So, what’s the proper method for tasting a tequila? Is it anything like wine tasting? Well…yes and no.

A good size for a tequila tasting is just half an ounce; it may not seem like much, especially if you’re serving it in wine glasses, but remember that tequila is a strong liquor. Furthermore, note that tequila should always be served at room temperature.

Once all your guests have a sampling of tequila in front of them, instruct them to gently swirl the tequila in the glass while holding their noses slightly above the rim of the glass; this will allow them to assess the aromas coming from the tequila itself.

Upon sipping the tequila, guests should hold it in their mouths for a moment before swallowing, which will allow them to get the full flavor. To ease the “burn” of the tequila after swallowing, instruct guests to exhale through their mouths. Ask your guests to note whether the tequila they tasted was mellow, full-bodied, light, or smooth. Not everybody’s opinions on the taste will be the same, which is part of the fun.

Food Pairings

When sampling an alcohol as strong a tequila, it’s also a good idea to provide some appropriate food pairings. Some great foods to pair with tequila and serve up to your guests include:

  • fresh fruit tarts
  • guacamole with tortilla chips
  • cocktail meatballs

By following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to a fun and insightful tequila tasting party that your guests will be talking about for weeks to come!

Your local Macayo’s has many types of tequilas to choose from. We’d love for you to stop by and try a kind you’ve never tried before! Be sure to try your favorite in our drink of choice, as well – the margarita!

A Mother’s Day Recipe to Remember: Seafood Chimichanga Lobster and Shrimp

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, you might be wondering just what to do to show appreciation to the mother (or mothers) in your life. Whether you want to thank your wife for everything she does for your family, or show appreciation to your own mother for all she’s done for you over the years, the fact remains that you can’t go wrong with preparing her a lovely, delicious dinner.

Now this dinner needs to be something special, something she’ll love to try again! How about homemade seafood chimichanga lobster and shrimp? We know – it sounds complicated, but it’s not! We’ve made this recipe easy to prepare!

This time-tested recipe is a generational favorite here at Macayo’s, and if your mother or wife is a seafood lover, this is sure to be a new favorite for her.

What You Need

Most (if not all) of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe can likely be found at your local grocery store, and you might already have a good number of them in your kitchen already. Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious meal:

  • two ounces of lobster meat
  • 20 ounces of fajita shrimp
  • an ounce of poblano strips
  • an ounce of red pepper strips
  • three ounces of white wine baja tomatillo enchilada sauce
  • a half ounce of jack cheese
  • half an ounce of pineapple pice de gallo
  • four ounces of black beans with jack cheese

If you really want to get fancy with this recipe, you can slice the peppers yourself and even make the pineapple pico de gallo from scratch. Fresh pineapple is a wonderful addition to this recipe! See our pico de gallo recipe here for a place to start.

Putting it Together

Got all the ingredients you need for this wonderful Macayo chimichanga recipe? Great! All that’s left to do now is to put it all together.

Start by placing the poblano and bell pepper strips on a flat top, along with some seasoned vegetables (and melted butter, to keep them from burning). Next, add the shrimp to the flat top, cooking them halfway with liquid butter before adding the lobster to the mix. Keep on the flat top and flip as needed until the veggies, shrimp, and lobster are evenly cooked all the way through.

Grab a burrito-sized flour tortilla and pile a portion of the vegetable/shrimp/lobster mixture into the center of the tortilla. Roll up tightly and then fry in oil until golden brown.

On a plate, spoon the black beans with jack cheese next to the chimichanga. Top the chimichanga with a generous amount of the tomatillo sauce, jack cheese, and pineapple pico de gallo.

This recipe for seafood chimichangas with shrimp and lobster is sure to impress your loved one on Mother’s Day (or any other day of the year). And because it can be prepped and ready to eat in less than an hour, this also makes for the perfect weeknight meal.

No time to prepare your own Mother’s Day meal? Mothers are a big part of the Macayo’s tradition, and we’d love to celebrate yours! Come by your nearest Macayo’s location on Sunday, May 10!