Grow a Mexican Vegetable Garden

Used green or red, bell pepper 'Sweet Heat' has a smoky, mildly spicy flavor. It's great for stuffing with rice, Mexican cheese, ground beef and zesty, chili-style tomatoes.

Also known as "tomato verde" or green tomatoes, tomatillos have inedible, papery husks that conceal cherry tomato-sized fruits that can be used for Mexican soups, salsas and pork dishes, among others.

Valued by the Aztecs for culinary and medicinal uses, epazote is an herb that has naturalized in the U.S., even growing as a roadside weed. Used fresh, its strong, pungent taste can be an acquired taste. It's often used in tamales, black beans, enchiladas and other dishes.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is an easy-to-grow, aromatic herb used to make mojito cocktails. The plants like damp soil and take full sun to shade. Mints spread vigorously, so control them by pulling them or growing them in containers.