I need ideas for impressive looking but easy to make Mexican food. Any ideas?

[Apolloanddaphne]

We are having virtual dinner on Friday with DD1 and her OH. The theme is Mexican and we are also doing cocktails. They are fab cooks and are doing slow cooked lamb with Mexican spices and tortilla's plus all the bits. I want to make something equally splendid that is not just fajitas out of a kit. I can cook fine, but I don't do a lot of Mexican food even though I love it. We also live in a rural area and our supermarket can be a bit rubbish for unusual ingredients. I also have a Marks nearby. It is the sort of thing I would go for when out for dinner.

Anyone got ideas to inspire me? Links to recipes would be great! Thanks

www.delish.com/cooking/menus/g27210196/easy-mexican-desserts/

Never made any Mexican desserts but could that be an idea?

Don't think link worked but googling . Mexican desserts worked well.

Tamale pie. www.browneyedbaker.com/tamale-pie-recipe/

I used to love 7 layer dip but perhaps its not posh enough.

Very scrummy though.

www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25741035/7-layer-dip-recipe/

Sorry if I was unclear. I'm not looking for a dessert. I am looking to cook a main meal for me DH and DD2 to have at the same time as DD2 and her OH are having theirs.

Mexican lasagna: chilli layered with fajitas instead of lasagne sheets if your careful and use a big round bowl you can line the bowl and turn it out most impressive and delicious. Make proper guacamole with avocado spring onion tomatoes coriander jalopeno and lime juice all chopped up

Fajita or tacos with flank or bavette steak, marinade it in lime and some Mexican seasoning. Cook for a couple of minutes in one piece on each side it it'll be tough. Alice across the grain and serve with tacos / fajitas 🥑 salsa etc.

Carnitas to start.

Ooh Mexican lasagne sounds good.

Elaborate Nachos!

I think anything is fancy if you add on some tasty sides.

I’d do a chilli with nachos.i made this recently www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/food/2020/jan/20/thomasina-miers-recipe-for-vegetarian-chilli-with-roasted-squash-and-black-beans and it was lovely. I had the leftovers over nachos with cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa on top and it was HEAVEN.

If Tex-mex is okay then Nigellas Mexican lasagna is tasty and looks impressive ( no Mexican would eat this though)

Rick Bayless has lots of Mexican dishes

www.rickbayless.com/recipe/crispy-chicken-thighs-with-creamy-jalapeno-salsa/

This one should be ok to get ingredients for I think.

I'd just make something simple you know you like eating, such as chilli, but with lots of little extra touches. You could make homemade guacamole, salsa, black beans, have a bowl of limes, cut up wraps into triangles and bake them to have 'homemade' tortilla chips. Just lay it all out like a feast.

I just looked up the Mary Berry Mexican bake. It looks lovely and is exactly the sort of thing we often have on a weekend. Often we have chilli or lasagne so that one is good. I would do it with accompaniments. I like things I can prepare earlier and just heat up.

I also make cheesy chilli chips : make a dryish chilli cook chips and then push to edge of pan for last 5 mins, add chilli to the middle and loads of grated cheese on the very center top take out of oven with chopped fresh toms spring onions and jalopeno. When you grab a chip it comes out covered in chilli and cheese.

Loads of great ideas. Thanks!

I think I will make mojitos mostly because I have a mint plant that I bought two weeks ago to make mojitos and never got round to it.

Nigella has a recipe for a chilli con carne with cornbread topping thst i've always liked the sound of.
www.nigella.com/recipes/cornbread-topped-chilli-con-carne

Actually DD2 will make the cocktails as she is a currently furloughed bartender. She needs to keep her hand in!

Tacos look good and with a selection of fillings and side dishes,salads will look very impressive and colourful.
My DD made tacos,she is 16.
However she used plain and bread flour mix from identical containers and mixed the labeled lids up.We are making pastry,pizza,bread to try and sort out which is which.They are both large old fashioned sweetie jars and were full.
Don't do this but!
Whatever you decide,enjoy.

• I too was going to suggest the 7 layer dip- Yummo

• nachos (as an entrée)

• I also do a Mexican lasagne, but use wraps instead of lasagne sheets. You can either use mince like a chilli con carne, or shredded chicken and layer in a dish with wraps and cheese. I serve with a salad and guacamole. Its easier to make the day beforehand, let cool, then cut into pieces and re-heat.

Something like this recipe, but my ingredients are simpler with usually mince or chicken, a packet of fajita/taco mix, beans, onions etc. www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mexican_tortilla_bake_28158

Baja fish tacos with red cabbage and guacamole. Delicious.

Mexican lasagne or enchiladas!