Raise your hand if you’re ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Tacos, guacamole, and margaritas are calling to us. But what is Cinco de Mayo really about?

Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken as the holiday celebrating Mexican Independence Day, but it actually commemorates a battle in which Mexicans defeated French forces at the Fort of Guadalupe in Puebla on May 5, 1862. It’s one of those great underdog stories where the victorious army faced troops double their size.  While the French later went on to capture both Puebla and Mexico City, the victory is still celebrated because it inspired both pride and unity amongst Mexican forces.

Today, Cinco de Mayo is thought of as the great spring kickoff party. What better way to celebrate spring than with a fabulous spread of food shared with friends and family? We put together a little feast that goes beyond the typical taco menu (though there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with tacos). Have some fun this Cinco de Mayo and try a few new dishes to add to your spring/summer favorites.

A Cinco de Mayo Menu

Sopes

If you love tacos but are trying to be a little more creative, sopes are the way to go. Made from thick rounds of fried masa, sopes are like open-faced tacos with a softer, pillow-like shell. You can top them with just about anything–beans, shrimp, chicken, beef, or veggies. We like this traditional recipe from Mexico in My Kitchen which uses black beans, chicken, and cotija cheese.

Photo and recipe by Mexico in My Kitchen

Enchiladas

If you’re entertaining a vegan crowd, or if someone in your group has food allergies, Mexican food can be a little tricky. However, there are plenty of ways to “fake” the cheese, skip the meat, and keep it gluten free. We don’t often think of potatoes as a filler for enchiladas, but this potato and roasted poblano enchilada will tempt you to forgo a cheesy enchilada for something quite unique. Using a cashew base for the “cheese,” these savory enchiladas are gluten-free and vegan friendly!

Photo and Recipe by Thyme and Love

Mexican Street Corn

If something can be simultaneously refreshing and decadent, it’s Mexican street corn. Mexican street corn takes your typical corn-on-the-cob and packs a flavorful punch of citrus, spice, and creamy cheese. It’s a great stand alone treat, but it will pair perfectly with your main dish of sopes or enchiladas.

Photo and recipe by Little Spice Jar

Agua Fresca

Margaritas aside, you’re going to want something sweet to wash all this delicious food down. Agua fresca will keep with your Mexican theme and taste amazing. Unlike most juice drinks, agua fresca literally takes the essence of the fruit and enhances it with fresh herbs. The result is sweet, but not too sweet. There are countless recipes and flavor combinations out there, but we like this simple watermelon mint one because it doesn’t add any extra sugar.

Photo and recipe by Iowa Girl Eats

Tres Leches Cake

If you haven’t made a Tres Leches Cake before, Cinco de Mayo is your chance to try it. It’s a relatively simple recipe–basically just a yellow cake–soaked in three different types of milk. Sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half and half all soak overnight to make this totally decadent, creamy cake. It’s the perfect way to finish off your feast and try something new.

Photo and recipe by Five Hearts Home

We hope this little menu inspires you to try something new this Cinco de Mayo! Enjoy spending time with family and friends, and eat up some delicious Mexican food. Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

Easter Sunday is this weekend, and families are gearing up for spring break and Easter celebrations. Spring dresses, Easter baskets, egg hunts, and family feasts are the first things that come to mind, but there are plenty of other activities to keep you busy Easter week. We searched around and found a few projects and recipes that are kid-friendly and oh-so-festive. These ideas are perfect for incorporating into playdates, family time, and Easter preparations.

Easter Activities

Garden Crafts

We welcomed the first day of spring last week, and you cannot think of spring without images of tulips and daffodils popping into your mind. Give your kids the chance to try a little fool-proof gardening with these Bunny Planters. We like this craft because it doesn’t require too many materials (you get to repurpose cans), and it showcases the cheeriest spring flower in kid-friendly way.

Photo and tutorial by We Know Stuff

Another fun “gardening” activity are these pretty cactus desert eggs. Like succulents, cacti are the one plant group you just can’t mess up. They are perfect for those of us who lack a green thumb [wink]. Not to mention, this little setup with an empty eggshell makes for delicate and artistic work. This is a good project to do with your older kids because it’s a little more detail oriented.

Photo and tutorial by Baba Souk

Easter Eggs

When it comes to hunting eggs, kids are pretty united in claiming plastic ones are best. Your average hardboiled egg just doesn’t hold up to candy and trinket-filled plastic ones. However, there is something special and nostalgic about dyeing eggs. Even if they only end up in a potato salad, your kids will definitely want to participate in the dyeing ritual. You can go the old school route for dyeing, or switch it up with this fun shaving cream project. Kids will love playing with the colors and textures and you’ll get some swanky eggs as a result!

Photo and tutorial by Crafty Morning

We typically think that Easter egg hunts are reserved for the little kids. But don’t you remember being a 12-year-old and looking out at the hunt with a bit of longing? Most kids know how to operate a smart phone. In fact, your average 10-year-old understands the workings of an iPhone better than most adults. That’s why this Easter egg hunt for big kids is so genius. It’s a scavenger hunt engineered by QR codes. This post has all the printables and you just print, stuff the eggs, and hide them. Find a cool prize, and surprise your tweens with an egg hunt that has them feeling like a little kid again.

Photo and tutorial by Bits of Everything

Peeps

When it comes to Easter candy there are two types of people: those who love Peeps and those who hate them. No matter which category you find yourself in, Peeps still provide plenty of fun and entertainment for kids. If you’ve got some little scientists in the house, we recommend this fun experiment to see how Peeps hold up in different liquids.

Photo and tutorial by Gift of Curiosity

We know you’ll have some Peeps left over so here’s what you do next: make a Peep home! Who says gingerbread houses are only for Christmas? This little graham cracker house is adorable and will make for some fun decor for Easter.

Photo and tutorial by Yesterfood

If your kids are like mine, they love to make holiday favors for their friends. They enjoy playing a little ding-dong-ditch and leaving little treats for their friends and then laughing at their sneakiness. They will have some time on their hands during Easter break, so why not channel some energy into gift-giving? These Bunny Boxes are adorable and will take up some time for them to make. You can grab a few items for the dollar store or dollar bins at Target and then gift them to a few special friends.

Photo and tutorial by Paper Loving

Easter Treats

Most of us had our first taste of Puppy Chow (also known as Muddy Buddies) in college when it was the economical treat that fed everyone in  your dorm. Well, it’s still just as delicious (and addictive). It’s also one of those recipes that can be adapted for every holiday. Simple and foolproof, this is a recipe your kids can make by themselves with just a little supervision. It’s actually the perfect thing to throw into their bunny boxes!

Photo and recipe by Suburban Simplicity

Remember those pastel dinner mints? They were all soft colors, melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness, with a hint of mint. Your grandma most likely had them in a fancy candy dish that was always within reach. While dinner mints may (sadly) be a thing of the past, this fantastic recipe channels that nostalgia in a way that makes for a fabulous Easter treat. It’s also simple enough that your kids can help you make it, without the stress of a big mess in the kitchen.

Photo and recipe by Mom on Timeout

We hope these ideas give you a bit of inspiration for Easter week. If you do try out any of our suggestions we would love to see it! Share with us on Facebook or Instagram using #superiorcelebrations.

We made it to March and while spring isn’t quite yet here, it is finally on the horizon. That cold stretch between New Year’s and Valentine’s Day has everyone dreaming of sunshine, warmth, and days spent outdoors. However, the dawning of spring is not just about a change in weather or season. Across the globe, spring is tied to a deeper cultural and religious idea of rebirth and renewal. And while there are many ways to celebrate the transformation of winter into spring, the Hindu celebration of Holi beautifully captures the essence of color, joy, and rebirth that is spring.

Holi is an annual festival that is celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). The perfect end to winter, Holi rejoices in all the color that comes with the spring season.

A celebration of love, new life, and brotherhood, Holi is kicked off by the lighting of a giant bonfire Holika Dahan, or Chhoti Holi. In India, the caste system is still adhered to by stringent standards. However, during Holi, social boundaries are replaced by a merry camaraderie where people of all classes splash each other with color powder. You can read all about color powder in our post Color Powder: Inspired by Holi.

Today we want to introduce you to a few ways to celebrate Holi at home. It is both enriching and fun to learn more about cultural celebrations around the world. What better way to get your kids excited about learning than to do with it with a fun holiday?

Holi Activities for Kids

Reading

Perhaps the first thing to do when introducing your children to a new concept or idea is to read to them. Indian mythology is full of exciting characters and stories, but if you didn’t grow up with a Hindu background it can be overwhelming to try and explain to children. The Amma Tell Me series by Bhakti Mathur introduces children to important Indian celebrations in an engaging and easy-to-grasp way. Her series actually started with the book Amma, Tell Me About Holi and the success of this beautifully illustrated piece led to the publication of the rest of the series. Definitely check out her website, and grab Amma, Tell Me About Holi today.

Art

Holi is known as the “festival of colors,” and the traditional colors of Holi are red, blue, yellow, and green. Each color represents a different aspect you can talk to your children about. Red is symbolic for love and fertility, and blue represents Krishnu, god of compassion and love. Yellow is the color of tumeric, a spice that is very important in Hindu ritual representing prosperity. Green brings us round to spring as it characterizes new beginnings.

During Holi celebrations, people are bedecked in color powder. We’re talking head-to-toe covered in color. If you’re not able to attend a festival, or are cringing at the thought of the clean-up you can introduce your children to the tradition through art.

This art project by Katie Morris Art has kids make a self-portrait and then use powdered tempura to splash them with the colors from Holi. The project is a little messy, but so fun for kids who haven’t been exposed to Holi before. You can do this at home and create some great pieces they will love.

Tutorial and photo by Katie Morris Art

Eating

Like every great celebration, Holi is known for sharing delicious meals with friends and family. For a great list on what is typically consumed at Holi, check out this post for 23 dishes you must try during Holi. It will help if you want to order take-out and aren’t sure what to get. Or if you’re really ambitious, you can try to cook some of them!

If you enjoy baking, one recipe to try out is Gujiya, an Indian sweet pastry. This dish is both fried and baked, and has a creamy filling of ricotta and nuts. You’ll get to bust out that member of your spice cabinet that for most of us isn’t used too often–cardamom.

Photo and recipe by Easy Cooking With Molly

Another delicious recipe to try out is Strawberry Phirni. Phirni is a traditional Indian rice pudding that is both sweet and creamy. This is definitely a kid-friendly dish, and you can have your children help you make it. What kid doesn’t love helping in the kitchen especially when sweets are involved?

Photo and recipe by Sailu’s Food

We hope this inspires you to introduce this beautiful holiday to your children and learn a few things along the way. Spring is the season of new things, and Holi is the perfect way to welcome it. If you are celebrating Holi at home or in your community we would love to see your festivities. Make sure you tag us on Facebook or Instagram with #superiorcelebrations.