We “travel” back in time to our trip to Cancun, Mexico from our home during the stay-at-home orders due to coronavirus. We enjoyed our friends’ beautiful wedding, a super fun all-inclusive beach resort with a great group of people, and ventured out to “Chicken” Itza – on of the seven wonders of the world! While reminiscing we cook up a Mayan inspired dish. We hope you enjoy. Virtual hello and thank you to all!!
Our Trip Details
Who: Chloe & Michael
What: Friends’ Wedding & Getaway trip
When: November 2016
Where: Cancun, Mexico
Why: To celebrate our friends & have a vacation
Stay: The Hardrock Hotel & Resort – Cancun
Sips: The resort bars (all-inclusive)
Eats: The resort restaurants & room service (all-inclusive)
Funtivities: Wedding on-site
Chichen Itza – Mayan Ruins (One of the 7 Wonders of the World)
Our Video Details
Who: Chloe & Michael
What: Reminiscent chat about our travels to Cancun, Mexico over themed sips and food
When: May 2020
Where: At home (during coronavirus stay-at-home orders)
Why: We have never taken the time to do something with our travel memories, photos, videos, so what better time to start than during our stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, we are craving travel, and this is our sweet escape for now.
Sips: Mayan Hot Cocoa
Eats: Mayan Pipian Rojo
Mayan Hot Cocoa Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Water
- 2 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract or 1 Vinilla Bean
- 3 Tbsp Honey
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
- 1 Tbsp Crushed Chili Flakes
Instructions
- Boil water and cinnamon in a pot for 10-20 minutes or until boiled down by 1/3. Then add honey, cocoa, vanilla, & chili continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Video
Mayan Pipian Rojo Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ Onion
- 2 Small Tomatoes
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 5-6 Dried Mild Hatch Chili Peppers -any type of dried chili pepper will be fine depending on how much spice you like
- 1 Chipotle Pepper
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Can Black Beans
- ¼ Cup Peanuts
- ¼ Cup Pumpkin seeds
- ½ Cup Rice
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp All-Spice
- ½ tsp Cloves
- 2 Chicken Breast & 2 Chicken Legs (or any combination thereof)
- 6 Corn Tortillas (optional)
Toppings
- Pickled Red Onions
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Set the oven to broil. Roughly chop onion and tomato in to a few sections. De-skin garlic and leave whole. Add all three ingredients to a roasting pan and toss with olive oil and put in oven for 5 minutes until lightly charred.
- Add 2 cups of chicken stock and the adobo pepper to a pot, simmer for 5 minutes.
- Chop the tops off of the hatch peppers and de-seed. Add olive oil to a pan and toast the chilis in the pan for 1-2 minutes. Remove and then toast pumpkin seeds for 1-2 minutes (Poppin lets you know it’s workin, haha). Remove then toast peanuts for 2-3 minutes. Remove then finally toast all of the spices (all-spice, cumin, cloves) for 30 seconds maximum.
- Add all prepared items above to a vitamix (https://amzn.to/2XiIcVm) or some type of food processor to fully combine and create the sauce. Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until no longer warm.
- Add chicken and sauce to a zip lock bag and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Set Traeger (https://amzn.to/2Y9QH6s) or grill to 250°F (121°C)
- Add chicken legs to grill and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes and chicken breast for 1 hour, turning each half-way through.
- Meanwhile cook rice in the pressure cooker, find our easy instructions on how to here.
- Add beans to sauce pot and cook for 10 minutes until heated throughout.
- Add oil to a large pan or skillet. Add tortillas to pan toasting on each side for a few minutes to lightly brown.
- Add all items to plate and top chicken with sauce. Top plate with pickled red onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!!!
Video
CHEERS!
Chloe & Michael
P.S. We do not suggest anyone to travel during this time but encourage a trip to Cancun and especially Chichen Itza when it is safe to do so.
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