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Happy almost Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

No matter where you live or what your ethnicity, everyone can celebrate today's holiday just by eating some terrific food. Case in point: what’s Cinco de Mayo without a margarita...a Watermelon Margarita!

Watermelon Margarita

This recipe is prepared with a Vitamix Variable Speed Blender

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cubed watermelon
• 6 oz watermelon pucker
• 4 oz pink lemonade frozen concentrate
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• Decorator sugar crystals

Preparation:

1. Place the cubed watermelon in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze
2. Prepare margarita glasses by running a lime wedge over each rim. Pour the decorator sugar on a plate and dip the rim of each glass into the sugar
3.  Add the frozen cubed watermelon, watermelon pucker, and lemonade concentrate to a blender and pulse until well blended. Pour into prepared glasses and enjoy.

Two notes: one, take time to freeze the watermelon cubes because that eliminates the need for ice. The watermelon will become an icy slush after blending, giving you that frozen margarita texture and a great flavor. Two, you can certainly use tequila in this recipe to make a more traditional margarita. I had a falling out with tequila circa 1992 and I haven’t touched that particular poison drink since.

And now for your main course!

Chimichurri Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is prepared with the Vitamix Variable Speed Blender

Ingredients:

Chimichurri Marinade:

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups flat Italian parsley leaves
• 4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Enchilada Sauce:

• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 4 oz chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp canned Adobo sauce

You Will Also Need:

• 4 (4-oz) thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4  8–10" corn tortillas
• 6 oz grated cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 tsp chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley (optional garnish)
• 1 tsp chopped mint (optional garnish)

 Preparation:

1. To prepare the marinade, place the garlic cloves, mint, and parsley leaves in a blender and pulse until a paste forms. Add the red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pulse to mix. Continue pulsing and slowly pour the olive oil into the mixture. Blend until all the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the mixture in half, placing half in a zip-tight bag and reserving half (you can keep it in the blender) to make the enchilada sauce. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
2. To prepare the chicken, preheat an outdoor or tabletop grill and cook the chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. After cooling, slice the chicken into small strips.
3. To prepare the sauce, add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, and Adobo sauce to the blender (with the reserved Chimichurri marinade). Pulse until well-mixed.
4. To assemble the dish, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 4 corn tortillas on a flat workspace. Place 4 oz of sliced, grilled chicken in a horizontal line across the bottom half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2" border. Sprinkle 1 oz of grated cheddar cheese on top of the chicken. Roll the tortilla once, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll, keeping the ingredients tucked inside.  Repeat.
5. Place the rolled tortillas in an 8" x 8" oven-safe baking dish. Spread the enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with the remaining 2 oz of grated cheddar, chopped mint, and parsley, if using

Two more notes. This is a shot of the finished chicken, only we didn't cut it into strips. This chicken is so yummy just like this, so if you're looking for an easy weeknight meal, here you go.

The other thing I wanted to say is don’t let the size of the ingredient list in this recipe turn you off. If you looked closely, you’ll notice this is essentially a twofer, meaning the marinade and sauce are made with the same ingredients. Just be sure to reserve half the marinade to make the enchilada sauce.

I hope your fiesta is today…there’s nothing like getting the party started a little early. But, if you have to wait until Saturday to celebrate, now you’ll be ready!

XOXO,
—Jill