Cinco De Mayo

Hola!

Even though many of us around the country do some kind of celebrating or partying for Cinco de Mayo, there are a lot of folks who really do not know what the day celebrates.

Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is a party! One that celebrates Freedom & Liberty! 11 years after Mexico declared its independence from Spain in 1810, 4,000 Mexican soldiers finally smashed the French and ‘traitor’ Mexican forces of over 8.000 in a battle at Puebla, Mexico on the morning of May 5th, 1862.

What some people may not know is that this victory may have had a great influence on our own Civil War as many think that the Mexican victory over the French kept Napoleon III from supplying the Confederate Forces for a year after the May 5th Battle and allowed the Union forces to build a great army, which basically smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg 14 months after the battle at Puebla, which essentially ended the Civil War.

After that, Union forces were sent to the Texas/Mexican border and made sure that the Mexican forces got all of the supplies they needed to get rid of the remaining French forces. American forces were allowed to be discharged with the uniforms and weapons if they joined the Mexican forces to fight the French and the American Legion of Honor marched in Mexico City in the Victory parade, alongside their Mexican brothers in arms.

Just another instance of how the history of the United States and Mexico do intertwine!

So, yeah, go out and have a little celebration!! Without Freedom & Liberty, one would hate to see where we would be right now!! We see all around the world instances of people living under tyranny, dictatorships and such and for all our faults and limitations, we all should celebrate what we have!!

In honor of Cinco De Mayo, here is a tasty recipe!

Decadent Shredded Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Serves 8

2 cups shredded chicken (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)
3 TBS Chipotle Sauce
1 cup shredded lettuce
½ red onion, medium dice
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup cheese, crumbled queso fresco or your favorite cheese, shredded
8 tortillas, soft taco size

Lime Wedges
Chopped Cilantro
Salsa

Place chicken in a sauté pan and add Chipotle Sauce and heat thoroughly.

While chicken is heating, warm your tortillas, either on the stove or in a microwave.

When chicken is nice and hot, place about ¼ cup of the chicken in a warmed tortilla.

Add some shredded lettuce, chopped onions, diced tomatoes and green chilies and top off with some shredded cheese.

Finish off by sprinkling some chopped cilantro and squeeze a lime wedge over it or top off with your favorite salsa.