Sheana made Tepache (sweetened fermented pineapple juice). It was more earthy than sweet, and got mixed reactions. On my first taste, I didn’t love it, but I guess it grew on me since I found myself continuing to drink it.

Revi made Pickled Red Onions. I love a good pickled item, and thought these were great. As an accompaniment to the other dishes, they provided a nice crunch and a bit of sweet tanginess to cut through some of the meatiness.

I made Gorditas de Nata (sweet cream biscuits). These were more like mini pancakes than what I think of as a traditional biscuit. They were best when fresh off the stove, but held up ok with travel. A touch sweet, soft on the inside with a crisp outer layer, good with butter.

Drew made Spicy Chipotle Bean Dip. It wasn’t pretty to look at, but it tasted really good – salty with a hint of spice. Nice on chips or tortillas, but I also found myself mixing it with the tomatillo salsa and spooning it straight into my mouth.

Sheana also made Quelites Sudados (“sweated” Mexican greens). These looked somewhat like a bowl of worms, but were quite tasty with a simple seasoning of garlic, salt, and pepper that allowed the earthiness of the greens to come through.

Jennifer made Chayote Salad with Green Beans and Tomatoes. It was crunchy and refreshing. I really liked the crisp texture of the chayote and found myself wishing it was a more commonly used vegetable!

Shayna made Rajas con Crema (roasted poblano peppers with Mexican cream). These were so warming and yummy, which I suppose is to be expected when you cook peppers in cream and cheese. She also home made the tortillas, which had a fantastic crisp and chewy texture!

Michael made Tacos Dorados de Zanahoria (crispy carrot tacos) with Raw Tomatillo Salsa. I have to admit I was not expecting shredded carrots rolled up in tortillas to be particularly exciting, but these turned out to be the surprise favorite for me. The sweetness of the carrot was great against the fresh spice of the tomatillo salsa and the savory fried tortilla and crumbled cheese.

Amy made Flautas de Res (steak flautas) with Chile Pasilla Salsa. The smoky flavor that the salsa added to this dish was what really made it for me.

Heather made Enchiladas Verdes (green chicken enchiladas). I’m used to seeing enchiladas with the tortillas rolled around the filling, but these folded the tortillas on the bottom and then layered everything on top. They turned out very pretty, and delicious!

Jeff made Amaranth and Pumkin Seed-Crusted Chicken with Creamy Pomegranate Dipping Sauce. I loved the crunchy texture of the seed crust, and the tart creamy pomegranate sauce was fantastic. And what beautiful presentation!

Alyssa made Albondigas al Chipotle (meatballs in chipotle sauce). These meatballs are made of pork, beef, and ham, plus they have boiled egg inside them, all smothered in a rich smoky sauce… what’s not to love!?

Alyssa also made Seca de Fideo (fideo noodles in chipotle-tomato sauce). I ate these noodles topped with the meatballs and sauce, pretty much spaghetti and meatballs! I especially liked how the avocado slices added a creamy coolness that seemed to really bring it all together.

Revi also made Platano Macho con Leche Condensada (fried plantain with condensed milk and jam). I really enjoyed this dessert, and wish it was easier to find plantains. Something about the combo of condensed milk and jam made it feel like a childhood treat.

Drew also made Dark Chocolate Chicharron Cookies. These were fantastic. I am a big fan of savory sweet, and I loved the crunch when I found a piece of chicharron. Drew said the recipe didn’t specify how finely to crumble the chicharron – I would have liked even bigger chunks of it in the cookie.

Jennifer also made Gelatina de Naranja con Mezcal (creamy orange gelatin with mezcal). Actually, she didn’t have mezcal, so she used tequila. It wasn’t much to look at, but I adored this citrus panna cotta-like dessert with its very subtle tequila flavor.

Anthony crashed the party and made a bonus strawberry shortcake. It wasn’t from the cookbook, but we’re always happy to have one of Anthony’s cakes. The cake was made with coconut milk, which gave it a nice rich moistness.

Alyssa also made a bonus tiramisu, because she happened to have the ingredients. It wasn’t from the cookbook, but it was a fantastic tiramisu, especially the cream filling!