May 3, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 05.04.25

Weekly Menu 05.04.25: A spicy Paloma in One Hand, Enchiladas in the other ~ ¡Salud!

If Cinco de Mayo isn’t officially a food holiday, it should be—because during the Weekly Menu 05.04.25, we’re leaning all the way in. I’m starting things off with my take on a Paloma: blanco tequila, a splash of Squirt (or Fresca if you’re feeling virtuous), and paper-thin jalapeño slices over ice. It’s bright, spicy, and dangerously sippable. And just like that drink, this week’s menu is low-effort, high-reward. We’ve got easy Chicken Enchiladas Suiza, a steak salad that feels like a cheat code for dinner, and Pork Fried Rice for Thursday, to close out Friday eve without breaking a sweat.

And since we’re already here, let’s talk tequila. It’s not just the life of the party—it might actually be good for you. I’ve rounded up a few fun facts (ahem, excuses) to keep that bottle of blanco in rotation. From potential gut health perks to being naturally low in sugar, tequila makes a pretty convincing case for itself. So yes, that Paloma counts as wellness. You’re welcome.

There’s always room for tequila.

I’ve waxed poetic about tequila before. We’ve got Palomas on this menu, but pretty much any tequila drink will do. Hell, a taste testing would be ideal. There’s just something about this clear liquid that makes my mouth water. And it’s good for you too.

Blanco tequila – the colorless variety – is one of the purest liquors in the world, therefore, supposedly, hangover-free. Here are 7 other reasons why tequila is the best and should be celebrated everyday – not only on Cinco de Mayo.

1. It’s the go-to choice of celiac sufferers and the gluten-obsessed. When tequila is made from the blue agave plant, which most classy brands are (think 1800, Patron and Don Julio), it avoids the wheat problem that keeps people with an aversion to gluten from indulging in other liquors.

2. It will elevate your mood. Unlike other alcohol options, tequila is said to be an upper, not a downer.

3. Tequila lowers blood sugar and cholesterol.

4. It boasts minimal hangover powers. Again, this isn’t all tequilas, but the “blanco” or “silver” varieties don’t contain sugary syrups and aren’t aged in wood; therefore, they don’t contain congeners – the chemical impurities that are rough on your system and exacerbate hangovers.

5. Tequila numbs pain. When it enters your system, tequila dilates the blood vessels and helps transport blood to all of your body parts, lessening pain. We’re willing to bet it works with emotional pain, too.

6. Less calories, more taste.

7. It cures the common cold. That’s what doctors in 1930s Mexico said, anyway.
NY Daily News

See? Tequila deserves a spot in your self-care routine~

The Paloma is basically tequila and pop. (Soda, for the non-Midwesterners out there.) I adore Fresca, but Squirt is more traditional.

Grab some darling Mexican Hand Blown Shot Glasses to celebrate with. (Affiliate links follow – see Disclaimer Page for Details.) I’d use these gorgeous Hand Blow Margarita Glasses for the Paloma – not necessary, but who doesn’t love drinking out of a margarita glass? Plus you could use them for everything, they’re so cute. Serving ice cream? Boom. Margarita glass. I wonder how lime sorbet would taste with a shot of tequila poured over it. I bet it would be amazing. I’ll let you know.

Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexican Independence Day

Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko̞ ðe̞ ˈma̠ʝo̞] in Mexico, Spanish for “Fifth of May”) is an yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.^[1][2] Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, the victory of a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force against the larger and better-armed French army was a morale boost for the Mexicans. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, and a larger French force ultimately defeated the Mexican army at the Second Battle of Puebla and occupied Mexico City.
Wikipedia

It’s also a bigger deal in the United States than Mexico. We have a whole post devoted to a party for the big day if you want more ideas:

Cinco de Mayo

Weekly Menu 05.04.25

So, if Monday is Cinco de Mayo, what else is for eats during the Weekly Menu 05.04.25? Glad you asked. Sunday night is basic burgers – with any luck, the weather will cooperate and we can get the grill out of hibernation. We’re adding a Broccoli Salad, hoping it’ll make us feel a little more like spring is actually here.

We’re having Asian on Thursday. Pork lends itself to making fried rice or lo mein, and it’s cheap, so we can include plenty of it. Protein, protein, protein.

We’re going a little Mexican again on Friday – Mexican Corn and Chicken Chowder is a nice, light Friday night meal, plus it’s super simple. I’ll add pre-cooked chicken to our normal corn chowder recipe to bump it up a little bit. And in case we haven’t had enough corn chips, those will work as the side.