Cocktails: Welcome to Margaritaville
March 26| posted in - cocktails, entertaining inspiration
What are your plans for this weekend? Are you entertaining tonight on the deck, having neighbors over tomorrow for some much need spring fever laughter and cocktails? If so then welcome to Margaritaville! Here’s a line up on some of the season’s best Margarita’s. Mix up a batch, lay out some easy appetizers and enjoy the party.
First up: Blue Margaritas – The coloring in these margaritas comes from blue curaçao orange liqueur so it tastes just like a traditional frozen margarita but with added color. With just four ingredients, this margarita can create an instant party. For the recipe and more Margarita’s
Makes: 5 drinks
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) can frozen margarita mix
3/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup blue curaçao liqueur
2 tablespoons lime juice
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Fill with ice to 5-cup level, and process until smooth. Serve immediately.
Watermelon Margaritas (top left) are a sweet way to keep cool in the warm weather. Juicy frozen chucks of watermelon will help to make for a slushy delight.
Makes: 2 drinks
Ingredients:
2 cups watermelon chunks, seeded
4 oz. tequila
1 oz. Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Ice cubes as needed
Salt, to taste (optional)
2 lime wedges (optional)
2 lime slices
Preparation:
In a blender, combine the watermelon, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and ice cubes and puree until smooth.
Spread salt on a small, flat plate. Moisten the rims of 2 margarita glasses with the lime wedges and invert onto the plate of salt, then shake off any excess. Pour the watermelon margarita into the glasses and garnish each with a lime slice.
Jamaica Margaritas: (top right) Hibiscus blossoms are the key to this delish cocktail. Boiling the blossoms in a sugar-water mixture and then steeping infuses an intense flavor.
Makes: 8 drinks
Ingredients
1 cup dried hibiscus blossoms (about 2 ounces)
3 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup Triple Sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
8 lime slices
Preparation
Place blossoms in a strainer; rinse under cold water. Combine blossoms, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Strain; discard blossoms. Cover and chill hibiscus mixture.
Combine hibiscus mixture, tequila, juice, and Triple Sec. Serve over ice. Garnish with lime slices.
Scarlet Margaritas (bottom right) It’s time to indulge. If you haven’t tried pomegranate margaritas, here’s a tasty excuse for you and your guest to try this mouth-watering cocktail.
Makes: 6 drinks
Ingredients
4 cups crushed ice
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1/2 cup tequila
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (1/2 fresh pomegranate) (optional)
Lime wedges
Coarse salt
Garnish: lime slices
Preparation
Process first 5 ingredients, and, if desired, pomegranate seeds in a blender 30 seconds or until frothy.
Rub rims of 6 glasses with lime wedges; dip in salt to coat. Pour margarita evenly into prepared glasses. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
Raspberry “Sangre” Margaritas (bottom left) how delish do these look! Blended raspberries and tequila make a terrific variation to the usual daquerie.
Makes 8 drinks
Ingredients
4 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries, slightly thawed
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 cup sugar, plus more to coat rims
1 cup tequila
1 cup triple sec
5 cups crushed ice cubes
1 lime wedge
Preparation
In a blender, combine raspberries, lime juice, and sugar (you may need to do this in batches). Whirl until puréed. Rub purée through a fine strainer set over a glass measure; discard seeds. Stir in tequila and triple sec.
Put half of the crushed ice into the blender with half of the raspberry mixture. Whirl until blended. Repeat with remaining ice and raspberry mix.
If desired, rub rims of 8 glasses (8 oz. or smaller) with lime wedge. Pour a thin layer of sugar into a shallow dish; dip glass rims into sugar. Pour margaritas into glasses and serve cold.
Lime Sorbet Margaritas – For a fresh twist on the traditional frozen margarita, pour tequila over scoops of tart lime sorbet for a refreshing cocktail you can eat with a spoon. YUM!
Makes 8 drinks
Ingredients
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup sugar
2 pints lime sorbet
1/2 cup tequila
Preparation
Rub the lime wedges around the rims of 8 stemmed glasses. Place the sugar on a small plate. Turn each glass upside down and dip the rims in the sugar to coat.
Place 2 scoops of sorbet in each glass and pour 1 tablespoon of tequila over the top of each. Serve with a spoon.
Tip: Let everyone dig in. For a nonalcoholic, kid-friendly version of the Lime Sorbet Margaritas, replace the tequila for each glass with 2 tablespoons club soda or seltzer.
Wow, all of these look really great. Which one do you think will be a hit at your next party? I think I am going to really like the Lime Sorbet Margaritas!
Enjoy your weekend!
celebrate life in style…
