So I’m inviting a couple friends over for a little get together this weekend. The theme is Taco Bar. YES! it’s taco time, pulled pork tacos to be exact. It’s always fun and people can make their own tacos from Chipotle Pulled Pork and all the fixins.
Now, it may seem like a lot of work, right? It depends on how much time you have, you seriously don’t have to make everything.
Sometimes, if the party is on a Friday (and I’m not taking a day off from work. Yep, the girl has a full-time job!), I plan to make big stuff like the Chipotle Pulled Pork and Caramel Flan the night before and if I can find some really good homemade salsa and/or guacamole from my local grocery store, I’d buy them.
Most people are happy to bring something, so you can delegate the beverages to them. Things like margarita mix, tequila, and some ice just in case you don’t have enough from your fridge.
For this feast, it’s a party for 6-8 people. Double up the recipes for a bigger party.
Here’s the game plan!
I’m listing the following items for my grocery shopping, based on the 5 things that I want to make from scratch. If you want to buy some store bought, you can adjust the quantity of the produces accordingly. For example, you won’t need to buy a shallot if you are planning to buy some guacamole or buy less tomatoes if you’re not gonna make the salsa.
Grocery list:
- 4 yellow onions (pulled pork/salsa/taco fixins)
- 2 garlic (pulled pork/ salsa)
- 1 orange (pulled pork)
- 4 ripe avocados (guacamole)
- 4 plum tomatoes (guacamole/taco fixins)
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes (salsa)
- 8 limes (pulled pork/guacamole/salsa/margarita)
- 1 medium shallot (guacamole)
- 1 bunch of cilantro (guacamole, salsa, taco fixins)
- 1 jalapeño (guacamole – optional)
- 3 serrano chili peppers (salsa – more or less)
- 1 bag of shredded lettuce (taco fixins)
- 1 (16 oz.) bag of Mexican cheese blend (taco fixins)
- 1 small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (pulled pork/chipotle cream)
- 3-4 lbs. pork shoulder or pork loin (pulled pork)
- 1 small can of chicken broth (pulled pork)
- 1 large bag of chips
- 2-3 bags of small soft taco shells
- 1 (16 oz.) tub sour cream (chipotle cream)
- 1 (16 oz.) can fat-free evaporated milk (flan)
- 1 (16 oz. each) can sweeten condensed milk (flan)
- 6 large eggs (flan)
- flowers (table decor)
Stuff you already have in your pantry (hopefully…if not, add them to your shopping list):
- regular olive oil (pulled pork/salsa)
- paprika (pulled pork)
- cumin (pulled pork/ salsa/guacamole)
- dried oregano (pulled pork)
- hot sauce (optional)
- salt
- pepper
- sugar (flan)
- vanilla extract (flan)
Stuff you would want to ask guests to bring:
- margarita mix
- tequila (yes, we’re drinking!)
- additional ice (in case your don’t have enough from your fridge)
2 days before the party: 
- Print out all the recipes. I mean looking on-line is great, but it’s so much easier to have the paper version in front of you when you are making multiple things. FYI: go to recipe section on my blog, you can print it out from there.
- Grocery shopping and wash/store your veggies/herb in the fridge.
- Arrange flowers in the vase(s).
1 day before the party:
- Make Chipotle Pulled Pork and put it in the fridge after cool down.
- Make Chipotle Cream and put it in a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap.
- Make Caramel Flan and put them in the fridge after cool down.
- Run the dish washer. Make sure you have enough clean plates, bowls for the fixins and glasses for your guests.
Tips:
- Start with marinade pulled pork. It will take about 1 hour. While waiting for the pulled pork to get marinaded, make Chipotle Cream and Caramel Flan. The flan will take 45-50 minutes at 325°F which is the same temperature as pulled pork so you don’t even have to preheat the oven when you’re ready for the pork to be in the oven.
- After you blend the marinade for Pulled Pork, use the same food processor
or blender to make Chipotle Cream. No need to rinse the food processor
- Put the Chipotle Cream in a bowl that you’re going to use for serving as part of the taco fixins tomorrow. Cover with plastic wrap. This way you don’t have to transfer from the container to the bowl tomorrow. Another step for less clean up.
or blender to make Chipotle Cream. No need to rinse the 2-3 hours before the party:
- Make Roasted Tomato Salsa
- Make guacamole, the link here will take you to my Shrimp Guacamole recipe, omit shrimp this time since we’re making basic guacamole.
Tips:
- Chop the same veggies/herb at once. On the printed recipes, circle the same type of veggies/herb that you need to cut or chop. For example, cilantro will be used in salsa, guacamole and for the taco fixins. I’ll chop them at once, then move on to tomatoes that I know I will use in guacamole, salsa and dice for taco fixins. The limes are next and same thing, cut all of them at once. I have learned that by doing this, it saves me time and I don’t have to clean my cutting board too many times.
- I also like to put all the fixins (chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onion) in small bowls, cover with plastic wrap, put them in the fridge and take plastic wrap off when you’re ready to set them out for the taco bar.
- After you blend salsa, use the same food processor
- I like using all white plates and bowls
0.5 hour before the party:
- Heat up the Chipotle Pulled Pork on low temperature on the stove, once warm turn down to simmer. Sometimes I like to serve mine directly from the pot or transfer to a smaller one. I like my Dutch Oven
- Open lettuce and cheese and put them in small bowls for additional taco fixins.
- Put chips in a large bowl and set it next to salsa and guacamole.
- Stack taco shells on a big plate.
Tips:
- Put the utensils in clear glasses and set them along with napkins, drinking glasses, plates. Group them together on one side of the table.
- Set the taco bar on the kitchen island or somewhere people can walk around, mingle and help themselves. We have a dining table too, so I put the flowers there.
- If you have fun glasses, let’s bring them out. I have these mason jars with a stem. My best friend’s mom gave them to me and I love using them. I only have two but that’s o.k. Two of your lucky guests can have them.
- I like using cartoon animal silicone suction cup as drinking glass markers
A few minutes before the party:
- Heat up a large skillet or cast iron skillet
Tips:
- If you’re running behind, no worries. When they arrive, just make sure you have chips, salsa and guacamole out for them to snack on.
- Put ice in the ice bucket and set up all the glasses for a margarita bar.
Party time!
- Your guest can help themselves and have fun make their own tacos. You can heat up the soft taco shells for them or they can even do that on the skillet themselves.
- Make one of your guest be a bartender if he/she’s up for it or everyone can help themselves, too.
- Enjoy yourself! After all it’s all about spending time with your friends and family. If something goes wrong, don’t worry. It will be fine.
I hope you have a fun and a stress-free party. With a little planning and organization, anyone can do it. We may not be Martha Stewart or Ina Garten, but hey, we go this!
Good luck with your party….. and have FUN!
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