Tag Archives: tequila

Blackberry Jalapeño Margarita

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I’m not typically one for New Years’ resolutions, but this year Sonia and I decided to give it a shot in a couple of different ways. (Stay tuned to read about hers shortly!). My resolution? No alcohol during the week. WHAT?! Ugh, I know. But a new year is all about trying to be a healthier you, right? (Cue eye roll).  Anyway, because of this resolution, when I do have a drink on the weekend, it better be damn good. I waited all week for it!

Another thing you should know is that I’m not a very patient person. Therefore, I really don’t feel like waiting for summer to come back around to have a margarita. I used to think it was so strange when someone ordered a margarita in the dead of winter. I thought they were strictly reserved as a refreshing drink on a hot day. I’ve changed my ways because, like I said, I’m not patient.

And that my dear friends is why I made this blackberry jalapeño margarita. Before you get up in arms about burning your tongue off with the jalapeños, I promise that it’s not that spicy. Just a little heat to add to the sweetness. Plus, it’s winter people. It’s the only way I could justify a margarita in winter – a little heat!

*Makes 6 cups or 1 small pitcher

  • 1 jalapeño (Through this recipe, I learned that the heat is in the seeds, not the pepper itself. Be sure not to throw them out!)
  • 4 cups of blackberries
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup triple sec
  • 1 cup tequila

Additions:

  • 1 cup seltzer water
  • 1 lime wedge and sugar for the rim

Chop the jalapeño and place off to the side, then muddle the blackberries to a juicy pulp. In a large shaker of ice (for single servings) or a pitcher (for single servings. JK.) pour in all of the ingredients, with the exception of the “additions”. When ready to serve, rim the glass with the lime wedge and sugar. Top with seltzer.

Blackberry Jalapeno Margarita_damndelish

Happy drinking, XO.

Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

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Last year we gave you fish tacos (which we’re still dreaming about). So this year, we’re bringing you shrimp tacos! Btw, can we talk about how an entire year has already gone by?! Anyway…here is your unofficial official “summer taco”.

*Makes 4 tacos.

Tacos

  • 16 pieces of small shrimp, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin (If you need a reason to keep cumin stocked, we have you covered.)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 4 corn tortillas

Mango salsa

  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 mango, pitted and diced
  • 1 avocado, pitted and diced
  • 1 small tomato, diced

*For a more “island” taste, toss in 1 tbsp of coconut milk.

In a bowl, toss together your chopped and diced ingredients for the salsa – onion, cilantro, mango, and avocado. Set aside. Whisk together the spices for the tacos – chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and sea salt. Toss the shrimp in the spicy mixture until fully covered. Throw the shrimp on the grill for approximately 4 minutes (2 minutes per side) until cooked and slightly charred. Just before the shrimp is done cooking, heat the tortillas on the grill. Layer the shrimp on the tortilla, and top with the mango salsa. Enjoy with our ginger beer and tequila cocktail!

Shrimp Tacos

Happy Eating, XO.

Ginger Beer & Dare I Say It….Tequila.

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Listen, just because this is the 3rd drink post and 2nd consecutive one, doesn’t mean we are saying food isn’t important or that we all need to go on some liquid diet. Although, as hot as this summer is supposed to be…I am not opposed to it at all! Anyway, like many of my post grad peers I swore off tequila after college. Sure I developed a taste for some of the good stuff, but it still wasn’t my drink of choice. (Sidebar Jess and I are both huge café patron fans by the way. what’s not to love? espresso-yum, good alcohol-yum) Ok ok back to tequila in general and its redeeming qualities… As I was saying, if not consumed in copious amounts and as a shooter, it’s not half bad. I even found myself enjoying a tequila tasting with coworkers, sampling various flights of chocolate and chili undertones. So much so, that a colleague of mine even gave me a bottle of some very nice tequila for Christmas. Now what to do with it…I don’t particularly love margaritas or want to waste the time cleaning my blender so I just let it sit on bar for months until I was at my cousin’s and had this lovely little refreshing gem of a cocktail. Boy, I knew drinking and good taste ran in the family, but I was so pleasantly surprised by this drink that it became my poison of choice all summer long.

  • 4 ounces ginger beer
  • 2 ounces lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila (She used patron silver, but any good quality tequila will work. It can be the gold stuff too, just please no Jose, cringe).
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup (feel free to leave out, some people just need a little sweet to counterbalance the bold ginger & lime flavors, I do without it).
  • fresh limes for garnish
  • coarse salt for the rim (this isn’t just to look fancy, the salt compliments the ginger beer well).

The key to make these super delicious is to use frosty glasses! So a few hours (or the night) before, stick your glasses in the freezer. Before serving, rim the edge of the glass with a lime slice and then dip it in coarse salt to coat. Fill the glass with just a few ice cubes. Add the ginger beer, lime juice, tequila, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and gently shake (you don’t want to lose the fizz of the ginger beer so one quick stir or shake is more than enough) to combine. Pour over ice and add to the glass an extra lime wedge for show. P/S we are not responsible for any hangovers these may cause, because it will be very hard to just have one!

Happy Drinking, XO.