I did the taco/nacho bar for my kids combined grad party and it was a HUGE success!!
I made several pounds of ground chicken seasoned with store bought seasonings plus I slow roasted a pork roast and shredded for a second meat option.
The cheese sauce was so easy...just your basic white sauce with tons of mild and sharp cheddar and canned chiles.

The day before I prepped all the veg and stored in bags.

I took help from the store and used bags of tortilla chips, taco shells and tortillas.

I also made a deli tray for those who didn't like nachos but I had a lot of that left over LOL.

Cheers!
Susie

Decorating: Papercuts, for sure! You can make them, but you can also buy fairly inexpensive ones. Hang them on strings to make banners.

Anything colorful--bright flowers, pinwheels, balloons, etc. Lots of primary colors and pastels.

Most "real" Mexican food takes a lot of preparation that would probably be wasted on the kids. If it were a smaller party and you were looking for an activity, a make your own tortilla station with a comal on a wood fire would be a lot of fun, but again, a lot of work for a crowd.

You can make your own paletas (frozen fruit and pulp made like a popsicle).

I think the taco bar, etc., sounds like a lot of fun, especially if it's outside where cleanup might be easy. ;)

pllog, I don't think I'd let 50 teenagers make tortillas over an open fire either!

Don't forget dessert, Eileen. Churros would be good, a fingerfood that the kids could just pick up and munch on, or maybe fruit empanadas, those could get made in advance.

I think the taco bar is a good idea, even those who don't eat meat or don't like tacos or whatever can fill a tortilla with vegetables and cheese sauce or whatever and be happy. If you make rice and/or beans, those are good fillers too.

For drinks, maybe you could get your hands on a couple of cases of those Mexican cokes, LOL. I had one in Mexico and didn't like it at all, but still, it's Mexican! Or you could serve them Agua Fresca, it's just 4 cups of water, 2 cups of pureed fruit, 1/4 cup of sugar and a tablespoon or so of lemon or lime juice with slices of the lemon or lime to float in the pitcher. It's really good made with watermelon, but watch the sugar, it gets sweet fast. Also good with mango and peach, or you could just do a plain lemon/limeade thing.

Annie

Pinatas would be a fun thing to decorate with. Here's a link to a variety. The second smiley face wearing a graduation cap looks like it might be a ''hit''. (Yes, I enjoy a bad pun whenever I can make one.)

Here is a link that might be useful: pinata ideas

For dessert I'd probably keep it simple and do brownies. You could make them Mexican by adding in some cinnamon to the batter.

I would also carve out a watermelon, and fill it with different fruits - strawberries, cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple etc. We go to a local Mexican joint & they serve alot of fruit w/ everything.

>>>>>This is a good side dish, I serve with Mexican food. Easy to double or triple and a make ahead.

"Black 'n' White Bean Salad is a cool, hearty side dish Kay Ogden created after tasting a similar one in a restaurant. 'It goes together in no time and complements most entrees,' reports this Grants Pass, Oregon reader."
PREP TIME 10 Min
READY IN 10 Min
SERVINGS & SCALING
Original recipe yield: 4 servings
US METRIC

About scaling and conversions
INGREDIENTS

* 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (15 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
* 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
* 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* Lettuce Leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the beans, cucumber, onion and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil and seasonings. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Using a slotted spoon, serve over lettuce if desired.

Diabetic Exchanges: One 1/2-cup serving (prepared without salt) equals 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat; also, 187 calories, 219 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 26 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein, 5 gm fat.

>>>>And a great - great appetizer. You can make this up ahead and pop them into the oven - they are fine served at room temp. See my notes at the end on the changes I make that make this dish very affordable.

Posted by trudymom (My Page) onSun, Dec 2, 07
Crescent Jalapeno Poppers
Recipe #227403 : 40 min : 25 min prep :
Recipe Zaar
By: Lainey6605
May 10, 2007

These are tasty little appetizers. Serve them with sour cream or guacamole, if desired.

SERVES 16 (change servings and units)

* 4 jalapeno chiles (about 3 inches long)
* 1/3 cup boursin spreadable cheese with garlic and herbs (from 5.2 ounce container)
* 8 slices packaged pre-cooked shortcut bacon (from 2.2 ounce package, halved)
* 1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner roll
* 1/2 cup pineapple salsa (optional) or fruit salsa (optional)

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully remove stems from chiles; cut each in half lengthwise and again horizontally to make 4 pieces.
Remove and discard seeds.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon cheese into each chile quarter.
Wrap half slice of bacon around each.
On cutting board, unroll dough; separate dough into 8 triangles.
From center of longest side to opposite point, cut each triangle in half, making 16 triangles.
Place chile, cheese side down, on dough triangle.
Fold 1 point of triangle over filling; fold 2 remaining points over first point.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
Serve with salsa, if desired.
* Posted by magothyrivergirl (My Page) on
Fri, Jan 4, 08 at 12:46

this recipe originally posted by trudymon is excellent and easy. Since I find the Boursin cheese a bit pricey I substitute: Spreadable Philly cream cheese, a few squirts of Ranch dressing (I used Krafts 3 cheese Ranch) & seasoned with McCormick Italian ground seasonings. Mix well - I used a small food processor & let it set in frig for a few hours to blend flavors.
I also omit the salsa - none needed.
Double the recipe as they will disappear quickly!

LOL!! Annie, I left out some because I'm learning brevity. An adult who knows what she's doing has to be in charge of the fire and comal. The make your own part is where they mix up their own dough, flatten it and put it on. And turn when told. But might get lost in a party for 50.

I second the lots of fresh fruit, if the kids will eat it.

What makes Mexican Coke different is that it's made with real sugar rather than corn syrup. They drink a lot of fruit flavored sodas in Mexico, like guava, apple and grapefruit. But the kids would probably rather have Coke. Or maybe a Fanta orange.

We love pickled onions on tacos, burritos, nachos, etc. Actually, we love pickled onions on most all of our Mexican food! Make them a couple days ahead.

Pickled Onions

2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons sugar
6 whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely torn
Vinegar & water, in equal amounts, to cover the onions.

Place onions, garlic, peppercorns, cilantro, oregano, sugar in a quart jar. Add vinegar & water. Store, covered in the refrigerator. Flavor improves as the onions season so make a couple days in advance. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Also, how about Mexican brownies for the dessert tray? Add cayenne pepper & just a hint of cinnamon to your regular brownie recipe. I use Ina's.

Jalapeno Poppers on the grill would also be fun.

Poblanos stuffed with a rice/chorizio/jalapeno/onion mixture & topped with cheese cooked on the grill are always crowd pleasers here. They're really good with shrimp cut into about 1/2" pieces added to the mixture but shrimp may be getting expensive 'cause of the Gulf & may not be appreciated by kids??

Drinks? Make a huge vat of lightly sweetened iced tea & add some orange juice, club soda, lots of sliced oranges, limes, & fresh pineapple. Serve over ice. Our kids loved this stuff when I served sangria to the adults.

/tricia

How about doing up some quesadillas (sp?) and taking a pizza cutter to do wedges for an appetizer? If you don't won't to do them with meat, you could do them with mushrooms or just plain cheese.

Do you have a party center place near you? They usually have all the paper products, etc for any theme party, including pinatas.

Beth

We use ribbons a lot for party decorating around our Fiesta. To get the idea scroll down to the second picture in the link.

We tie them on wreaths, headbands and just about everywhere. So pretty and just a little different from the standard Mexican theme.

I'll try to find some more pictures for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ribbon poles

Here's a link to a shop with ideas you can copy.

Note the pinata decked out with ribbons.

Here is a link that might be useful: Arlenes

Wow great ideas...kepp'em coming....I love the ideas!! THANK YOU!!!

"Mexican coke"--Coca-Cola made with sugar instead of corn syrup. What's not to love?

"Mexican coke"--Coca-Cola made with sugar instead of corn syrup. What's not to love?

Jarritos are a typical Mexican soda easy to find around here. They come in many fruity flavors and my kids loved them.

Jarritos are a typical Mexican soda easy to find around here. They come in many fruity flavors and my kids loved them.

Double posts, two in a row. The forum gremlins are alive and well!

I just don't care much for regular Coke at all, I do drink the Diet stuff but the regular is just too sweet. The Mexican stuff seems even sweeter, if that's possible. Kids would probably love it!

With all the talk about the "throwback" Mountain Dew and the Mexican/sugar version of Coke, I just had to try one. I threw it away, it didn't have any of that "bite" that I expect from Coke.

Annie

How much of a mess are you willing to clean up? I LOVED cascarones when I was a teenager. Confetti-filled eggs to smash on your friends' heads--what's not to love?

Here is a link that might be useful: Shopping Cascarones

This thread is so timely! I am having my kids' birthday party on 5/30 and I too am doing a Mexican menu. I am having my party in two waves. Family arrives at four for food, presents, cake, etc. Then around seven, the teens will start to arrive! Yikes!

I am thinking of doing ground beef, shredded chicken, and shredded pork with all the fixens for hard and soft tacos, Jarritos, chipotle rice (for me...it's my favorite!), vegetarian refriend beens, lettuce for taco salads, and some chips and fresh salsa. I will keep checking back for more ideas!! The empenadas sound like a great idea, but I think my kids have their hearts set on ice cream cake.

The Cascarones sound very fun to me. I wonder if I can find them in a Mexican grocery store?

Ugh...I am tired just thinking about this party!

To find cascarones in the stores really depends on where you live. They are easier to find in the spring. If you have cascarones be sure to make them outdoors only. It's fun if you know all the teens well, but they can get rough and girls especially can be upset.

I (with LOTS of help) did a Mexican Fiesta for 150 adults last year at our club. We cooked ground beef with taco seasoning (bought a huge container of taco seasoning at Costco or Sam's-very reasonable) the day before and reheated it in slow cookers from which we served. For garnishing, we bought bags of shredded Mexican blend cheese (Costco or Sam's again), chopped onions, drained diced canned tomatoes (saved alot of work) and shredded lettuce. Oh, and sour cream! We offered soft tortillas and corn taco shells. The preference for soft tortillas was probably 9 to 1, a big surprise to us!!!

We cooked big batches of Mexican Rice and Vegetarian refried Beans as accompaniments. Of course, we had a big batch of salsa as well.

With teens, I'd also think about salad greens, so the girls can make a taco salad with the above offerings.

Oh... I forgot, guacamole!!!! My recipe, which is frequently requested by our friends.

4 Haas avocadoes, peeled & quartered
approx. 1/2 vidalia onion, rough chopped
approx. 3/4 can petite diced tomatoes (my cheat again)
approx. 1 TBSP lemon juice
salt & pepper

Mash together, but keep it chunky, add avocado pit to bowl (to prevent browning). Make the same day for best results and put cling wrap on guacomole so that it touches the dip to keep it green.

Amanda, Brenda sent me some cascarones last year at Easter, the kids had a ball with them, but I'm not sure I'd want to clean up the mess from 50 teenagers who had been given them, LOL.

They were a lot of fun, though, I'll have to try to remember them for next Easter!

Annie

Thanks to all who posted great ideas....as far as the Casserones go...NO WAY!!! I refuse to clean my yard after just mulching and planting for hours and hours plus I have concern of the boys becoming to WILD! I dont need anyone getting hurt from too much rough housing.