Marcela Valladolid

With our favorite Mexican-themed holiday on the horizon, it's impossible to spend our time thinking about anything other than what we'll be serving come Saturday. Will there be tacos, tortas, or both? Which south-of-the-border beer should we buy?

For more Cinco de Mayo advice, we enlisted the help of Marcela Valladolid, host of Food Network's Mexican Made Easy. Chef Marcela, who also stays busy as a cookbook author and a spokesperson for Kahlúa, took the time to offer her tips for party planning, her thoughts on up-and-coming Mexican dishes, and the one stereotype about her cuisine that she'd love to dispel.

To see it all, keep reading.

• Reading the last bite of Gourmet: The Gourmet Cookie Book. — The Atlantic
• How to make mulling spices for the holidays. — Serious Eats
• Guy Fieri gives Mario Batali sleepytime crocs. — Feast
• Marcela Valladolid on Dia de los Muertos. — Huffington Post Food
• Q and A with Eric Ripert. — The Epi-Log
• Ten ways to spice up pumpkin seeds. — Chow
• Hell's Kitchen is so desperate for contestants, it's going door to door looking for participants. — Eater
• Get to know Adam Rapoport, the new editor in chief of Bon Appétit. — Grub Street

When I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Bon Appétit, I knew I had to make it for multiple reasons. First, it was written by my favorite new Food Network hostess, Marcela Valladolid. Second, I've been craving roast chicken tacos since consuming them recently at San Francisco's new taco bar Tacolicious. Third, Cinco de Mayo was coming up, and I could not stop thinking about Mexican food!

The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the chicken from the carcass. Other than that, it's nothing more than roast chicken with a simple herb butter. The resulting tacos are absolutely delicious and totally hit the spot. I served them with guacamole, pico de gallo, and feta cheese. They are an absolute crowd-pleaser, and I definitely plan to make this dish again. To get the recipe, read more

If you haven't watched the Food Network's newest show, Mexican Made Easy with hostess Marcela Valladolid, be sure to check it out this Saturday. I've enjoyed every episode since it debuted in January and can't wait to experiment with Marcela's recipes. Over the weekend, at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, I had the chance to get to know the chef better. She was mixing tequila and rum cocktails at the Horintos booth and took some time to chat with me. To learn more about Marcela and find out what she had to say, read more

• What did you think of the Food Network's new Mexican Made Easy show? — Food Network Addict
• When is it not OK to take photographs of food in restaurants? — Endless Simmer
• Don't get suckered on Valentine's Day. — Chow
• Should we be cutting back our salt intake? — The Epi-Log
• Many of those hoping to attend Charlie Palmer's star-studded Pigs & Pinot event are going to be disappointed. — Grub Street SF
• Eight curious chocolate-covered creations. — Woman's Day
• Take your grilled cheese sandwich to the next level with quince paste. — Serious Eats
• Thomas Keller talks about washing dishes and family recipes. — Eater

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