Say 'Olé!' to Cinco de Mayo

You certainly don't need to be Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Held each year on May 5, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican army's victory over France. We North Americans love a good reason for a party so it's no surprise that the holiday gets more attention here than in Mexico.

With the help of QVC's resident foodie and best-selling cookbook author David Venable, you can go loco and throw the best fiesta around.

Here are some of Venable's favorites. From a refreshing beverage to mouth-watering appetizers and entrées, he has the entire meal covered.

Mexican Fiesta Wontons

David's Insider Tip: "These little wontons are such a unique way to incorporate all those Tex-Mex flavors you love in one cute package! Cheesy, gooey and tangy, they're the perfect treats to go with your margaritas."

Wontons:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

8 ounces lean ground beef

One-quarter teaspoon salt

One-quarter cup onion, finely chopped

One-quarter cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

One-quarter cup canned green chilies, diced

One-quarter cup plus 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce

22-24 wonton wrappers

Cheese Dipping Sauce:

1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with sweet onions, well drained

One-quarter cup canned green chilies, diced

1 (16-ounce) package Velveeta cheese, chopped into 1/2'' cubes

One-half cup enchilada sauce

One-quarter cup Corona beer

To prepare the wontons, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Place the ground beef into the pan, sprinkle with the salt, and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan, drain any excess fat, and place into a bowl. Set aside.

Add the other teaspoon of oil to the pan, and then add the onions, peppers, and chilies, and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Place the meat back into the pan with the cooked vegetables, and then add the enchilada sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until the sauce is fully absorbed. Scoop the mixture into a bowl. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

To assemble the wontons, brush the edges of each wrapper with water, and one by one, place 1 tablespoon of the meat filling into each. Fold the wonton in half to form a triangle and seal the edges. Brush the tips of the triangles with a little more water to join them together, and press to bind. Freeze the stuffed wontons until you're ready to fry.

Preheat a deep fryer to 350°F. Place the wontons into the deep fryer in batches and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden brown.

To prepare the cheese sauce, place the petite diced tomatoes and chopped chilies into a 3-quart sauce pot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the chopped. Velveeta cheese, enchilada sauce, and beer and cook, constantly stirring, until the cheese is completely melted. Place the dip into a warm serving vessel and serve.

Deconstructed Enchilada Salad

David's Insider Tip: "For a light, but flavorful way to celebrate the Mexican holiday, try my Deconstructed Enchilada Salad. With all of the flavor but half of the prep of regular enchiladas, this is a great recipe to whip up for a weeknight celebration."

Dressing:

One-half cup sour cream

One-half cup mayonnaise

Two-thirds cup enchilada sauce

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

6 scallions, trimmed and cut in thirds

2 teaspoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

6 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic

Salad:

3 corn tortillas

One-half cup vegetable oil

2 romaine hearts, chopped

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced

One-half cup red onion, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, defrosted

One-half cup black olives, sliced

2 rotisserie chicken breasts, bones/skin removed and shredded

One-half cup roasted peppers, chopped

One-half cup queso fresco, crumbled

One-quarter cup scallions, sliced

To prepare the dressing, add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

To toast the tortillas, pour the oil into a 10-inch skillet and set the heat to medium. Heat for 5 minutes, add one tortilla, and fry for about 30 seconds, or until crispy. Flip and fry the other side until crispy. Remove the tortilla from the oil and drain it on a paper towel. Prepare the remaining tortillas as directed and when cool, roughly chop.

To assemble the salad, put half of the romaine lettuce in a clear glass salad bowl and layer the ingredients in this order: tomatoes, red onion, the remaining romaine, corn, olives, chicken, red peppers, chopped tortillas, queso fresco, and scallions. Serve with the dressing.

Smoked Mexican Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw

David's Insider Tip: "If you're having a big party, these Mexican Pulled Pork Sandwiches are a great way to really stretch your dollar and it's easy to double or even triple the recipe. Smoking the large cut of meat packs in incredible flavor that's perfect for a Mexican fiesta."

Cabbage Slaw:

3 cups green cabbage, shredded

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

One-half cup corn kernels

One-quarter cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

One-quarter cup mayo

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

One-quarter teaspoon chili powder

One-half teaspoon ground cumin

One-quarter teaspoon salt

One-quarter teaspoon pepper

Pork Sandwiches:

4-5 pounds pork butt (bone-in or boneless)

1 package taco seasoning

1 envelope Sazón adobo seasoning (Goya brand or similar)

10-12 of your favorite rolls for sandwiches

To prepare the slaw, combine the cabbage, peppers, corn, and cilantro in a large bowl. Whisk together mayo, lime juice, vinegar, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the dressing to the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To prepare the pork, preheat a smoker to 250°F and also prepare the wood chips. Using gloves, rub the taco seasoning and adobo liberally on the pork butt. Smoke for 4-5 hours, or until tender. Remove the pork butt, allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes, and shred the meat into a bowl with two forks. Place the desired amount on the bottom half of a roll and top with cabbage and pepper slaw.

Kiwi Cilantro Margarita

Yields 6 cups

David's Insider Tip: "This is a margarita recipe unlike anything you've ever tried. It gets a beautiful pop of green color from flavorful kiwi and bright cilantro. As you continue to sip, you get all of those memorable margarita flavors you love."

6 kiwis, peeled and quartered

1 cup white cranberry juice

4 cups ice

One-quarter cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, stems removed

Three-quarter cup tequila

2 tablespoons triple sec

One-quarter cup sugar

Place the kiwis and the white cranberry juice in a blender. Blend on low speed for 15-20 seconds, making sure not to dissolve the seeds. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh colander and discard the seeds.

Place the strained mixture back into the blender and add the ice, cilantro, tequila, triple sec, and sugar and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

As program host of QVC's popular cooking and dining show "In the Kitchen with David," Venable offers a diverse and unique viewership experience with features such as product information, cooking demonstrations, on-air guests, celebrity appearances and live viewer interaction. Tune in to "In the Kitchen with David" on QVC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at noon and visitQVC.com/ITKWD for Venable's recipes and blog posts. Plus, follow him on Twitter @DavidVenableQVC, Facebook at David Venable QVC, Pinterest at David Venable QVC and Instagram at David Venable QVC.