Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Sunday we went down to Katy's brother Eric's for his annual Cinco feast. It was fantastic, as usual. Eric spent a few years living in Mexico, so he cooks simple, traditional meals and caps them with these incredible ice cream desserts. This year it was avocado with a raspberry topping and a chocolate chipotle that was to die for.

There were three homemade salsas. I think my favorite was the green with chunks of avocado. I brought a green bean salad ala Rick Bayless that was so easy and good, I might have it again, as a meal, for dinner tonight. There was also a cactus salad/casserole type dish (truthfully the cactus kind of scares me but I had a few bites).

The skirt steak on the grill with onions and queso made perfect tacos, but the new twist this year was the mole and chicken. I loved watching the entire chicken plopped on the grill and then stewed in pieces in the sauce to finish cooking. The flavor was so smooth, spicy but subtlle. Oh, and I shouldn't forget to mention the hibiscus margaritas. Wow.