Plan For A 3 Night Mexican Dinner Weekend.

Let us help you plan a curated weekend with a dinner plan featuring authentic recipes from Casa Bonita Foods. Whether you’re hosting friends or treating your family to something special, we choose thre of our favourite recipes to take you on an delicious journey from the coastal regions of Baja California to the heart of Mexico City.

The recipes are designed to complement each other, with each meal preparing your palate for the next adventure. This plan also maximizes your grocery shopping efficiency. Many ingredients overlap between recipes, reducing waste and ensuring you use specialty items like Casa Bonita’s signature salsas and tortillas throughout the weekend.

Friday Night: Fresh & Light – Baja Style Fish Tacos

The Perfect Weekend Starter

Kick off your Mexican weekend with the coastal flavors of Baja California. These fish tacos represent the perfect balance of fresh, crispy, and vibrant flavors that originated in the fishing towns of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. The light, beer-battered fish paired with crispy cabbage slaw creates a refreshing start that won’t leave you too full for the weekend ahead.

What Makes This Recipe Special:

• Authentic Baja-style preparation technique
• Fresh, light flavors perfect for Friday evening
• Interactive dining experience that brings people together
• Uses Casa Bonita’s corn tortillas as the foundation

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for serving
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pack of Casa Bonita White or Yellow Corn Tortillas
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/4 pounds skinless halibut fillet, cut into pieces
• 1 Hass avocado
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa

Key Cooking Techniques:

The secret to perfect Baja fish tacos lies in achieving the right balance between crispy batter and tender fish. Heat your oil to exactly 375°F – this ensures the batter crisps immediately without absorbing excess oil. The cabbage slaw should be prepared first, allowing the lime juice and honey to tenderize the cabbage while you prepare the fish.

Saturday Night: Elevated Comfort – Carne Asada Tacos

Building on Friday’s Success

Saturday calls for something heartier and more substantial. Carne Asada tacos represent the soul of Mexican street food—perfectly seasoned, grilled meat paired with simple, fresh accompaniments. This recipe showcases the importance of proper marinating and grilling techniques that are fundamental to Mexican cuisine.

The progression from Friday’s fish tacos to Saturday’s carne asada teaches you two essential Mexican cooking methods: frying and grilling. You’ll also experience how different proteins pair with Casa Bonita’s corn tortillas and salsas.

Essential Ingredients:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1 pound quality steak (any cut)
• 3 Casa Bonita Blue Corn Tortillas per person
• White onion, finely diced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Queso fresco
• Casa Bonita Fire Roasted Habanero Salsa

Mastering the Marinade:

The marinade is where the magic happens. Combining olive oil with citrus creates a tenderizing effect while the spice blend penetrates deep into the meat. The key is allowing 2-4 hours for marination—this patience is rewarded with incredibly flavorful meat that showcases why carne asada is beloved throughout Mexico and beyond.

Grilling Perfection:

Achieve the perfect carne asada by grilling over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping frequently. This technique creates beautiful grill marks while maintaining the meat’s juiciness. Let the meat rest before slicing—this ensures maximum flavor retention.

Assembly Art:

Saturday’s tacos teach you the art of Mexican taco assembly. Layer warm tortillas with sliced meat, then add fresh onions, cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and finish with Casa Bonita’s Fire Roasted Habanero Salsa for authentic heat and flavor complexity.

Sunday Night: The Grand Finale – Chilaquiles Feast

Ending with Mexican Breakfast for Dinner

Sunday’s chilaquiles represent the perfect culmination of your Mexican weekend. This traditional dish transforms simple tortilla chips into a sophisticated, sauce-laden masterpiece that’s traditionally enjoyed for breakfast but makes an spectacular dinner when elevated with premium ingredients.

Chilaquiles teach you about Mexican sauce-making and the technique of properly incorporating crispy elements with wet ingredients—a skill that appears throughout Mexican cuisine. This recipe uses Casa Bonita’s specialty products to create authentic flavors that rival any Mexican restaurant.

Complete Ingredient List:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup Casa Bonita Fire Roasted Jalapeño Salsa
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 bag Casa Bonita Smoky Chipotle Cantina Style Tortilla Chips
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Fresh cilantro and green onions, chopped
• 4 eggs, fried to preference

The Sauce-Making Process:

Sunday night introduces you to roux-based sauce making, a technique that creates the rich, velvety base that makes chilaquiles so satisfying. Creating the roux with butter, spices, and flour, then gradually incorporating chicken stock, teaches fundamental sauce-making skills applicable throughout Mexican cuisine.

Perfect Chip Integration:

The key to exceptional chilaquiles lies in timing the chip addition. Fold the Casa Bonita chips into the sauce just before serving to maintain the perfect balance between softened edges and crispy centers. This technique ensures every bite delivers optimal texture.

Elegant Finishing Touches:

Top your chilaquiles with the prepared jalapeño crema, perfectly fried eggs, fresh avocado slices, and vibrant herbs. This final presentation showcases how Mexican cuisine elevates humble ingredients into restaurant-quality dishes.

Weekend Shopping Strategy

Master Shopping List:

Organize your shopping trip efficiently by grouping ingredients by type:

Proteins: Halibut fillets, quality steak, eggs, chicken stock

Produce: Red cabbage, white onions, avocados, limes, garlic, cilantro, green onions

Dairy: Mayonnaise, sour cream, queso fresco, butter

Pantry: Olive oil, vegetable oil, flour, spices, honey

Casa Bonita Products: Corn tortillas (white, yellow, blue), Fire Roasted Habanero Salsa, Fire Roasted Jalapeño Salsa, Smoky Chipotle Cantina Style Tortilla Chips

Smart Prep Strategies:

• Friday morning: Prepare fish taco slaw, marinate steak for Saturday
• Saturday morning: Prep all taco garnishes, make jalapeño crema for Sunday
• Sunday morning: Organize all chilaquiles ingredients for easy assembly

Start planning your Mexican weekend adventure today—your taste buds, family, and friends will thank you for this unforgettable culinary journey through Mexico’s rich food traditions.