Healthful Fiesta

The Morning Of

• Make Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups, using recipe’s Do-Ahead Tip; cover and refrigerate filling.
• Make "Healthified" Tres Leches Cake (if served); cover and store in refrigerator.
• Make Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake (if served); cover and store in refrigerator.
• Chop vegetables for Easy Spanish Rice; cover and refrigerate.
• Measure dry ingredients for Mexican Coffee; cover.

About 2 Hours Before Guests Arrive

• Prepare marinade and marinate halibut for Grilled Halibut with Tomato-Avocado Salsa.

When Guests Arrive

• Offer with sparkling water.
• Fill and garnish wonton cups for Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups; serve.

About 1 Hour Before Dinner

• Heat charcoal for grilling, if used.

About 35 Minutes Before Dinner

• Make Easy Spanish Rice.
• Make Tomato-Avocado Salsa for Grilled Halibut with Tomato-Avocado Salsa.
• Heat gas grill, if used.

About 15 Minutes Before Dinner

• Make Hot ‘n Spicy Corn.
• Cook halibut over hot coals.

About 20 Minutes Before Dessert

• Make Mexican Coffee.

Decorate with Fiesta Spirit

• Place a small cactus or succulent plant at each place setting as a party favor.
• Make a quick centerpiece by arranging bell and chile peppers, avocados, limes and tomatoes in the rim portion of a sombrero. Or add colorful crepe-paper flowers. Surround the sombrero with brightly colored candles.

Say Adios to Calories with Snazzy Sips

• Skip the calories of margaritas or beer by serving sparkling water on ice! Choose lime- or lemon-flavored for a tangy touch.
• Before filling the glasses, salt the rims to add pizzazz. (Just rub the rims with the cut side of a lime or lemon; then dip the rims into a shallow dish of coarse salt. Choose a colored variety, if you’d like! You’ll find the salt with drink mixers at specialty grocers, gourmet or liquor stores.
• Or decorate your drinks by sticking fun stir sticks in them or adding fruit, such as a slice of lime and a strawberry.

Dress, Music and Spanish Lessons

• Complete the theme by having the guests come dressed in Mexican-or Southwestern-style clothes. If they don't have anything appropriate, have them dress as a tourist!
• Play Latino music in the background during the evening; you can borrow CDs from your library.
• Practice Spanish!  If conversational, just have a Spanish-speaking dinner!  If you are learning, use it as a time to practice conversational phrases, like when ordering food in a restaurant.