The Villa Park Women’s League Dinners come with tested recipes.  They are printed below.

Exploring the Fresh Tastes of Mexico

Tequila Grilled Shrimp

Fresh Vegetable Grilled Quesadillas with Corn Relish

Tropical Cucumber Salad

Baked Chicken Chile Rellenos

Blistered Tri Colored Peppers

Sweet Tamales

Peña Colada Ice Cream

Fruit Skewers

Tequila-Grilled Shrimp

The citrus marinade for these shrimp is spiked with tequila, which makes for a very flavorful grilled appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 3 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 c silver or white tequila
• 3/4 c lime juice (from about 3 limes)
• 3/4 c fresh orange juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• Lime wedges (for serving)

Directions:

1. In a medium nonreactive bowl, stir together shrimp, tequila, lime juice, and orange juice; season with salt and pepper.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
4. Clean and lightly oil hot grill.
5. Grill shrimp until opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once.
6. Transfer to a platter and top with jalapeno.
7. Serve shrimp with lime wedges.

Serves
: 12

Fresh Vegetable Quesadillas with Corn Relish

Using raw vegetables in these grilled quesadillas yields a crisp-tender texture and a decidedly fresh flavor perfect for a hot day. Plus, it’s a great way to save time.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grates
• 8 ears corn (husks and silks removed), or 1 package (10 ounces) corn kernels, thawed
• 2 bunch scallions, half of bunch thinly sliced, other half cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 yellow squash, halved crosswise and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 orange bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat grill to low; lightly oil grates.
2. Cut off tip of each cob.
3. One at a time, stand each ear in a large wide bowl; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release the kernels.
4. Discard cobs.
5. Add sliced scallions, lime juice, and oil to bowl.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Toss to combine.
8. Set corn relish aside.
9. Place tortillas on a work surface.
10. Dividing evenly, sprinkle half the cheese on bottom half of each tortilla.
11. Top with squash, bell pepper, scallion pieces, and remaining cheese.
12. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Fold top half of tortillas over filling to close.
14. Grill quesadillas, turning once, until browned in spots and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.
15. Cut into wedges; serve immediately with corn relish.

Serves:
 8 as main or 12 as appetizer

Tropical Cucumber Salad
Combine cucumber, avocado and mango with a salty-sweet dressing for a taste of the tropics.

Ingredients:

• 5 teaspoons fish sauce
• 3 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest, plus more for garnish
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 medium English cucumber, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 3 avocado, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 3 mango, cut into 3/4-inch dice (see Kitchen Tip)
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Whisk fish sauce , lime zest, lime juice, oil, brown sugar, vinegar and crushed red pepper in a large bowl until combined.
2. Add cucumber, avocado, mango and cilantro; gently toss to coat.
3. Serve garnished with lime zest, if desired.

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Kitchen Tip: To peel and cut a mango:

1. Slice both ends off the mango, revealing the long, slender seed inside.
2. Set the fruit upright on a work surface and remove the skin with a sharp knife.
3. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces.
4. Turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side.
5. Cut the fruit into the desired shape.

Serves:   8

Baked Chicken Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients:

• 10 fresh pasilla chilis
• 10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cornmeal
• ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 egg
• 2 tablespoon water
• 6oz Monterey Jack cheese, cut into six 2×1/2-inch sticks
• ½ cup snipped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 cups roasted salsa verde or tomatillo sauce
• Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. First wash the pasillas and put on cookie sheet.
2. Roast at 350° ~5-8 minutes until starting to brown and softened.
3. Let cool.
4. Cut from stem to tip.
5. Remove seeds and flatten (you might want to use gloves for this or you may be sorry).
6. Place a chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
7. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound meat lightly into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick
8. Remove plastic wrap.
9. In a shallow dish combine the flour, cornmeal, and ground red pepper.
10. Place egg in another shallow dish.
11. Add water and beat lightly to combine.
12. For each roll, place a chile pepper on a chicken piece near an edge.
13. Place a cheese stick on the chile pepper near an edge.
14. Sprinkle with some of the cilantro or parsley and black pepper.
15. Fold in sides; roll up, burrito style starting from edge with cheese.
16. Secure with wooden toothpicks.
17. Dip rolls in egg mixture.
18. Coat with cornmeal mixture.
19. Place rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow baking pan.
20. Drizzle with butter.
21. Bake, uncovered, in a 375° oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F).
22. Remove toothpicks.
23. Meanwhile, heat salsa; serve over chicken.
24. If desired, garnish with additional cilantro.

Serves:  8 -10

Grilled Tri Colored Peppers

Ingredients:

2 lb bag Tri Colored Peppers

Directions:

Wash the peppers and place them on your BBQ until hot and a bit blistered—that’s it.

Sweet Corn Tamales

Ingredients:

• 7 c corn kernels
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 Tab salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 c harina de maiz (dried corn flour) * can be purchased at La Reina market (Tustin & Collins) or most Stater Bros. markets
• 20 dried corn husks, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes* (same places have these)

Directions:

1. Working in batches, add the corn kernels to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale.
3. Add the egg, salt, and baking powder.
4. Mix to incorporate.
5. Add the flour and pureed corn and mix until blended and forms a loose smooth dough.
6. Put a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you.
7. Spread 3 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half (wide side) of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the left and right sides.
8. Pick up the 2 long sides of the corn husk and bring them together.
9. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the filling.
10. Repeat with remaining corn husks and dough.
11. Arrange the tamales, seam side down, in a steamer and add 1/2-inch of water.
12. Cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to a simmer and steam for 1 hour, adding additional water, as needed to maintain 1/2-inch of water in the pan.
13. Remove the tamales from the steamer to a serving platter and serve.

Video can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/easy-corn-tamales-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Pina Colada Ice Cream with Fruit Skewers

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 oz.) cream of coconut (found in the alcohol mixer or “ethnic” sections of the grocery store)
• 2 c unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 c whole milk
• ¼ c pineapple juice
• 2 c coconut flakes, sweetened or unsweetened, plus 1/2 cup for garnish, if desired
• 2 1/2 c finely chopped fresh pineapple (or canned crushed pineapple)

Directions:

1. Combine cream of coconut, coconut milk, whole milk and pineapple juice in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add coconut flakes and stir to combine.
3. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. When mixture is about 5 minutes from finishing, add pineapple.
5. Freeze in airtight container for at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight, for best results.
6. Top with toasted coconut flakes, if desired. (To toast coconut flakes: Preheat oven to 325°. Place coconut flakes evenly over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes. Every 5-7 minutes, check on the coconut and toss. Careful not to burn the flakes. Once evenly golden, remove from oven and set aside to cool.)

Fruit skewers

Create enough fruit skewers for one each in your party from seasonal fruit with the Mexican flag (red, white, green) in mind.  Recommendations include pineapple, white peaches or white nectarines (white), strawberries or red grapes for red and green grapes or kiwi for green.