Do you have a certain type of food that you enjoy most?  If you ask my kids, they would say Italian.  They could eat pasta with pesto or marinara every other day and not get tired of it.  My nephew loves Chinese food.  The chow main and orange chicken is his favorite.  He has gotten pretty good using the chopsticks.  As for me, it has to be Mexican food.  I can’t think of one Mexican dish I don’t like.

When I think of Mexican food, I think of all the great Mexican restaurants I have been to.  By far the most unique one was San Angel Inn restaurant at the Epcot Center in Florida.

As you walk up to the restaurant which is fashioned after a pre-Columbian pyramid, it feels like you are in the jungle with all the lush landscaping.  Walking into San Angel Inn, you can see the backdrop of the smoking volcano and the grand Mayan pyramid.  The inside is modeled after a 17^th century hacienda at the base of the Mayan ruins. As you walk to your table, you pass colorful carts and shops selling Mexican jewelry, pottery, clothing, and leather goods.  Even though we were inside, the ambiance made it seem like you were actually sitting outdoors in Mexico under the stars.  The food was superb and we even got serenaded by a mariachi band.  It was definitely a place to remember.

My favorite Mexican dishes are tacos, enchiladas, and chicken tortilla soup.  Of course, all of these tastes even better with a perfect margarita!

Here is a simple recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes or shredded
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• Topping: tortilla chips, Monterey jack cheese, sour cream, avocado.

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook and stir chicken in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well.  Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice, and salsa.
2. Pour soup in a bowl and top with broken tortilla chips, Monterey Jack cheese, a little sour cream, and a few slices of avocado.

I would like to make more authentic Mexican meals.  So, I started thinking  what would make my meals taste more authentic?  Fresh tortillas!!  Since my birthday is coming up, I am going to put a tortilla maker and a taco holder on my Penless wish list.  My family and friends always want to know what to buy each other for birthdays and holidays.  The Penless wish list makes it easy.  It is so easy to add items to my wish list.  If I am at a store and see something I like, I just take a picture and add it.  If I am at home browsing the web, I can crop the picture or I can upload a picture from my phone.  However it gets to my wish list I can put details such as where to buy it or size if appropriate.  Penless is a great way to “Up Your Gifting Game.”