The Three Caballeros Magical Meal

Okay, in the Fitzmartin Family household, "The Three Caballeros" will probably get a groan out of most people. When Dallas was young, it was his favorite movie so we ended up watching it everyday for months! Meghan claims it scarred her for life. However, it's still a fun movie (Just watch it only one time for you and your child's mental health!!).

Here's a fun meal to go along with it. It is a little more labor intensive than I like, so you might want to prepare just one or two of the items and try the others some other time.

Gaucho Gazpacho Soup
Three Caballeros Nachos
Mexican Serape Vegetables
Baia Bananas
Pablo Penguin Ice Cream

Start the Mexican Serape Vegetables first. This is a colorful and delicious recipe from cooks.com, a great website. In a medium saucepan mix 1 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped green pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not drain. In a large bow, mix 1 cup chopped yellow squash, 1 cup shopped zucchini, 1 chopped tomato, 3/4 cup cheese, 2/3 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add undrained vegetables to mixture and mix well. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup cheese and return to oven until cheese melts.

If you like cold soups, this gazpacho soup is a healthy one for you. This recipe is courtesy of "Firefly on Paradise" from foodnetwork.com. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 ounces cider vinegar, and 2 cups tomato juice. Mix well and then add 1 cup of diced stale or lightly toasted baguette bread to soal. In another bowl, combine 4 chopped tomatoes (peel and see the tomatoes and then chop them), 2 cucumbers (peeled, seeded, and chopped), 1 chopped red pepper, 1 chopped red onion, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup of this chopped mixture for garnishing. Season with salt. Put both bowl contents into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Serve chilled with garnish.

This nacho recipe comes from one of my favorites, Rachael Ray, so you know it's fast and easy. I've made it milder than hers, since we don't like things too spicy. Feel free to add jalapenos and pepper sauce, if you like. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves chopped garlic, and 1 small chopped onion to the pan and saute 2 minutes. Add 1 pound of ground beef and brown. Remove fat from pan. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder. Let cook 5 minutes. Then stir in 1 15 ounce can of black beans drained and reduce heat to low. In a medium sauce pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat. Whisk in 2 cups milk and continue to stir. When milk comes to a bubble, stir in 3/4 pounds shredded pepper jack cheese (about 2 1/2 cups). Stir with wooden spoon, removing sauce from heat. Arrange corn tortilla chips on a large platter (I used a cookie sheet). Pour cheese sauce evenly over the chips and top with beef and beans. Put out salsa and sour cream to add.

After all this, you don't want much else to do! Slice a few bananas and sprinkle them with cinnamon for the Baia Bananas. Dessert is a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in honor of Pablo, the Penguin.

Here's Thomas's review:
This is a follow up to "Saludos Amigoes," but a lot better. Of all other package films, this one has a storyline. It's Donald's birthday and he opens three presents that leads to chaos. The animation is fantastic, especially when it's fast paced and live action. Donald is a lot of fun with Joe, and Panchito is a great new character. The songs are great and catchy. This movie is alot of fun, but be prepared for the ending, for it's crazy!
Story: 7/10
Animation: 8/10
Character: 8/10
Songs: 9/10
TOTAL: 7/10