The Fourth of July has always been a personal favorite holiday of mine. Honestly, I like that it’s laid-back, and there is no pressure to buy gifts or make a huge meal. You are pretty much expected to spend the day relaxing in a pool with a drink in hand. I also like that the food expectations are low, and I am not having to cook turkey and all the sides.
I have lived in New Mexico my whole life and love our New Mexico food and traditions. But I don’t love to eat just a hot dog for a holiday. I do like to take all-American foods and add a bit of my home state.
Here are some of my family’s favorite foods to cook for Fourth of July in New Mexico.
No Fourth of July menu is complete without hot dogs. I have a love/hate relationship with them. My kids DEVOUR a plain hot dog, but I have to dress mine up a little. I do love myself a chili dog, but you will NOT find me grabbing chili in a can.
Chili Beans
1 pound pinto beans
1 pound ground beef
24-30 oz red chile
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp season salt
1/2 Tbsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown meat.
Combine beans, ground beef, Chile, seasonings, and water. Boil until beans are cooked through and chili consistency is to your liking. Serve on top of a hot dog or over Fritos. Make sure you add cheese and plenty of onion!
Another staple for us is Carne Adovada.
It can be found at all of our get togethers, but everyone eats it in a slightly different way. I love it in a taco or burrito, but my husband will eat it plain. This is a comfort food in my house, and honestly, outside temperature never discourages us from making it.
Carne Adovada
2 lbs diced pork
Red chile
2 Tbsp chile flakes
1 large onion, diced
1 cup water
Garlic (to your liking)
Salt to taste
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Season the pork in a large bowl with salt and garlic, add a drizzle of oil. In a sauté pan, sauté pork until lightly browned, but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
Add oil to the pan, and allow onions to sweat over low heat until translucent. Return pork to the pan, turn off heat, and stir together with the onions.
Pour in a cup of water and chile, mix gently to coat. Cover with foil and bake for an hour, or until pork is fully cooked. Serve on a tack, burrito, tamale, or by itself!
We always serve with extra onion, topped with cilantro, and with a squeeze of lime.
My favorite part of any meal is dessert.
I wish I weren’t this way, but I am. At Fourth of July, we always have a huge spread of desserts. One of our dessert staples is this Banana Pudding Recipe! A recent favorite dessert in my house is these taquitos. They are easy to eat and easy to carry around, so you can grab one and then light sparklers.
Creamy Caramel Apple Taquitos
Apple Mixture:
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
Cream Cheese Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup caramel syrup
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 package tortillas (6 inch, 10 count)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet.
In a skillet, add apples, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until apples are soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and caramel until smooth.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the bottom third of each tortilla. Top with a spoonful of apple mixture and roll tightly.
On a plate, combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush each tortilla with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until tortillas are golden brown. Cool slightly and serve with extra caramel, chocolate, or ice cream!
There are so many other great recipes, and no matter how you celebrate the Fourth, you can’t go wrong! We hope you and your loved ones have a happy and safe Fourth of July, no matter how you celebrate!
