Q: I bought a rather expensive hunk of cotija cheese for our Cinco de Mayo tacos. What else can I do with it besides add to salads?

Sent by Diane

Where there's brunch, there are Bloody Marys. So at this Sunday's Cinco de Mayo brunch celebration, it just makes sense that we'll be happily sipping Mary's Mexican cousin: the Bloody Maria.

It's Cinco de Mayo this weekend! The perfect reason to grab a bunch of friends, open the windows (hopefully...), and dig into some good food and drink. If you haven't started planning your fiesta yet, it's not too late: here's a menu plan that will help you put together everything from the guacamole to the margaritas.

Making authentic Mexican food can sometimes feel out of my comfort zone, but after discovering delicious carne de puerco at a favorite local joint, I knew it was high time I try. Now that I know how easy it is to achieve this dish of tender pork smothered in a charred tomatillo sauce at home, I may never again need to "go out" for Mexican ever again.

The humble quesadilla wears many hats. It's a quick weeknight meal that can transform yesterday's leftovers into something new and tasty. It's also a fuss-free snack that will satisfy a group of hungry teenagers — or the crowd at your next cocktail party. Fill it with plain cheese and beans or with shrimp and avocado, the quesadilla is whatever you want to make it.

Q: I'm making pozole this weekend and want to use dried corn (not canned). I'm confused because many sites describe treating the corn with lye (nixtamalization), while other sites imply that some dried corn has already been treated. I purchased the dry corn shown here: maiz morado para pozole (purple corn for pozole).

All my favorite Mexican and South American dishes, but healthier and better for me? Heck, yeah! If you love your enchiladas and pulled pork tacos perhaps a little too much, never fear. Ingrid Hoffman of the Cooking Channel's Simply Delicioso is here to help us keep it spicy and full of flavor while lightening up those much-loved Latin foods.

If you've ever made your own Mexican-style chorizo, you probably threw in a handful of spices like chile peppers, cumin, oregano, and garlic. This hot, smoky spice blend shouldn't be limited to sausages, though. Mix up a batch of chorizo seasoning and you can use it in scrambled eggs, beans, soups, and more. More

Q: I am celebrating Thanksgiving with my family in Palm Springs this year. I think we should take advantage of the ready availability of Mexican ingredients to inspire the menu. I'd love to hear some riffs on this idea that will help me satisfy the Thanksgiving purists in my family... More

Every Halloween I like to cook something warm and pumpkin-y for dinner. This year I'll pair my favorite pumpkin tortilla soup with enchiladas de pipián rojo, a smoky, nutty, spiced (but not too spicy) sauce made with pumpkin seeds, chile peppers, and roasted vegetables. More