Showing posts with label Tequila. Show all posts
Raise your glass to celebrate National Margarita Day with this tropical Coconut Lime Margarita.


Coconut Lime Margarita - lacocinadeleslie.com

I know I'm not the first blogger to point out that some foods and beverages bring certain tunes to mind. Like anytime I make something piña colada flavored, "The Escape Song" pops into my head... "Do you like piña coladas? And getting caught in the rain?" Or when I add red wine to anything, UB40's "Red, Red Wine" immediately comes to mind. Same thing happens every time I whip up these Margaritas de Coco (coconut margaritas). I add the tequila, orange liqueur, and shredded coconut to the blender, then when it comes time to squeeze in the fresh lime juice I can't help but sing, "You put the lime in the coconut, and drink 'em both up..."

Lime in the Coconut Margarita for #NationalMargaritaDay

Quench your thirst with this creamy agua fresca made with fresh mango and evaporated milk.


Because you can never have to many Agua Fresca recipes, and because anything mango is a sweet, warm weather treat... This Creamy Mango Colada Agua Fresca made with fresh mango and evaporated milk will delight your tastebuds.

Creamy Mango Colada Agua Fresca

If you're a fan of Irish cream, then I have quite a treat for you. Crema de Tequila is Irish cream's Mexican cousin made with tequila, and a hint of chocolate and coffee. It's sweet, creamy, and super easy to make at home with just a handful of ingredients. Crema de Tequila is a rich and decadent dessert cocktail that can be served on ice, or add a splash to a steaming mug of hot coffee or a tall glass of Iced Coffee Agua Fresca for a grown-up treat. Double or even triple the recipe to give as gifts to family and friends.


Homemade Crema de Tequila - laoocinadeleslie.com

DIY Crema de Tequila

My good friend girlichef and I are in the cocina once again for She Made/Ella Hace. This month it's all about strawberries. Heather (girlichef) is serving up not one, but TWO sweet strawberry recipes: Strawberry Atole + Strawberry Atole Paletas. (Be sure to head on over to Heather's blog to check out her mouth watering recipes.) And I whipped up these delightful Strawberry Margaritas, because who doesn't love a good margarita? These Strawberry Margaritas are sweet, refreshing and taste like summer in a glass.


Fresh Strawberry Margaritas - lacocinadeleslie.com

Fresh Strawberry Margarita {She Made/Ella Hace}

Squeee!!! I can't contain my excitment about today's post. After what seems like forever, I am back in the cocina with my foodie BFF girlichef for another installment of She Made/Ella Hace. Woo-hoo! Our theme this month is "green" in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Heather (aka girlichef) is sharing some festive Matcha Shamrock Shortbread Cookies, while I'm serving up a pitcher of Cucumber Lime Margaritas.

On St. Patrick's Day everybody (in the US) is a little bit Irish. Now I know margaritas and tequila aren't your typical Irish fare, but with it's vibrant green hue these refreshing Cucumber Lime Margaritas with a hint of spice will have everyone wanting to be Mexican Irish.



Cucumber Lime Margaritas {She Made/Ella Hace}

Sunshine hued Mango Margarita made with fresh mango and tequila reposado.

Mango Margaritas - lacocinadeleslie.com

It's time once again for one of my favorite foodie holidays...National Margarita Day! And it's also time for my good friend girlichef's annual Margarita Party with some of our food blogging friends.

I love me a good margarita, whether I'm ordering one at a restaurant or making them at home. One of my all-time favorite margaritas is a sweet mango margarita made with tequila reposado. During the cold winter months when fresh mangos are no where to be found I make this margarita with canned mango, but now that spring has made an early appearance here in Mexico I added some fresh mango which helps intensify the flavor and the gorgeous sunshine-y hue. Whether you decide to use fresh or canned mango, you're in for a quite a treat because this mango margarita is like sunshine in a glass.

Mango Margarita

This month for She Made/Ella Hace, my foodie BFF girlichef and I are whipping up cocktails with limón. Oddly enough, we both chose to make margaritas. That just goes to show that it's true what they say about great minds thinking alike. Girlichef used lemons to make her Raspberry Lemonade Margaritas, and I used limes to make my Margaritas de Cerveza.

I made these Beer Margaritas during our recent camping trip. We had limes, we had beer, and we had lots of tequila. So a margarita de cerveza seemed like the obvious cocktail to make. While I was mixing up this margarita, everyone was looking at me like I was out of my mind, because most of the time we either drink tequila or we drink beer, but they'd never mixed the two together. But they quickly learned what they had been missing out on. Tequila and beer pair together nicely, but it's the lime juice that really makes this margarita spectacular.

Margaritas de Cerveza sound pretty fancy, but you wouldn't believe how incredibly easy they are to make. A little tequila, some fresh lime juice, and an icy cold Mexican beer. That's it. If you like your margaritas on the sweet side, you can always add a splash of simple syrup, but I actually preferred these unsweetened. The choice is up to you. Just be prepared, because as delicious as these Beer Margaritas are, they pack quite a punch.


She Made/Ella Hace: Margaritas de Cerveza (Beer Margarita)

Happy National Margarita Day!

My good friend Heather (aka girlichef) is hosting a virtual margarita party and has invited a few of her food blogging friends, myself included. It's a virtual potluck with lots of tequila, lime juice and salt. Of course there are plenty of cocktails, but we also have some tasty margarita-inspired goodies like cupcakes, donuts, tacos, and chicken wings. Swoon! 

My contribution to this Margarita-palooza is my recipe for Grapefruit Margaritas sweetened with a Brown Sugar Simple Syrup.

I LOVE grapefruit juice, and have one with my breakfast almost every morning. My hubby on the other hand does not care for grapefruit juice at all. Or so he thought. After mixing him up one of these grapefruit margaritas one evening with some leftover grapefruit juice I had, Hubby quickly changed his tune. Now whenever I make (or buy) grapefruit juice Hubby always asks that I make extra for him, although I'm pretty sure he just wants to make sure there's enough juice leftover to make a margarita at the end of the day. And I can't say that I blame him. These margaritas are tart and sweet and absolutely delicious.

Grapefruit Margarita / Margarita de Toronja - lacocinadeleslie.com

The Great Grapefruit Margarita #NationalMargaritaDay

It's time for our annual #SundaySupper Halloween party!  When I think of a Halloween party, I envision all kinds of fun foods that looks like something you wouldn't normally eat, and regular foods (and beverages) with spooky and ghoulish names.  That's why for this year Halloween Extravaganza, I'm serving up a cocktail whose name is just perfect for a ghoulish Halloween party...Bloody Marias.  

Bloody Marias are the Mexican cousin of the classic Bloody Mary Cocktail because they're made with tequila instead of vodka.  And because tomato juice is a little hard to come by in my small town, I use V8 juice instead.  (I've also made these Bloody Marias with Clamato.)  And to spice things up a bit, I add a little salsa Valentina (my favorite bottled salsa).

Before I share the recipe, I apologize for the photo.  I'm having technical difficulties with getting the photos from my camera to my computer, so I'm using a photo I shot with my tablet.  


lacocinadeleslie.com

Bloody Maria

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. tequila
  • Fresh limes
  • Worcestershire sauce 
  • Valentina hot sauce 
  • V8 or tomato juice
  • Ground black pepper
  • Celery stalks (for garnish) 


Directions:
Wet the rim of a large glass with fresh lime juice, then dip rim in salt.  Turn glass over and fill glass with ice, Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the glass and add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce and Valentina hot sauce.  Pour in the tequila and fill the rest of the glass with V8 juice.  Stir gently with a stalk of celery and sprinkle top with ground black pepper.  Enjoy!








Now check out what ghoulish treats my #SundaySupper friends have conjured up this week:


COCKTAILS

SWEETS AND DESSERTS

CUPCAKES, COOKIES AND MORE

APPETIZER, MAIN MEALS



Photobucket









Bloody Maria (Cocktail) #SundaySupper

This week for #SundaySupper we are celebrating Labor Day, which for those of you outside the US is celebrated on the first Monday of September.  I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, because here in Mexico it's just another Monday.  In Mexico we celebrate Labor Day (Dia del Trabajo) on May 1st.  

Just because I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, doesn't mean I don't think about it.  Remember what I always say...You can take the girl out of the US, but you can't take away her love of American holidays.  To me Labor Day has always been the "unofficial" end of summer.   And every first Monday of September, I long for that one last cookout with family and friends to bid farewell to summer.   We actually had our farewell cookout of the summer last weekend, where I whipped up these Margaritas de Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) to toast the unoffical end of summer.  

lacocinadeleslie.com

Margaritas de Jamaica 
(Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) 

Ingredients:
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • Limes
  • Tequila
  • Salt or granulated sugar

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar.  Add the dried hibiscus flowers and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.  Strain the Hibiscus Flower Syrup into a decorative glass pitcher/caraffe or an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.    

To make the margaritas: Dip the rims of chilled glasses in lemon juice.  Then dip the moistened rims in salt or sugar, depending on whether you prefer your margaritas sweet or salty.  (I like to add a little grated lime zest to my salt and/or sugar for extra flavor.)  Fill glasses with ice.  Squeeze the juice of 1 lime in each glass.  Pour in 2 oz. of tequila, then fill glass with Hibiscus Flower Syrup.   Stir gently to combine.  Enjoy!!! 

lacocinadeleslie.com

For more Labor Day menu ideas, be sure to check out what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week.

Refreshing Drinks

Amazing Appetizers and Sides

Enviously Good Entreés

Delicious Desserts

Thank you to Crazy Food Stunts for hosting this week's #SundaySupper Labor Day celebration.  And as always, don't forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.



Photobucket







Margaritas de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) #SundaySupper

Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos - lacocinadeleslie.com

My husband isn't a big seafood eater.  He'll eat tilapia, if I make it.  Oddly enough, he really likes octopus.  But the seafood he loves most of all is shrimp.  So he was super excited when I told him that Girlichef and I were going to be talking shrimp for this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace.  Hubby would be a very happy man if I made him Coctel de Camaron (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) at least once a week.  But I get bored eating the same thing week after week, so I try to mix things up.  These Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos are Hubby's second favorite shrimp dish.  They're full of spice from the ground arbol chilies, but they also have tasty undertones from the tequila and lime that linger on your tongue and the back of your throat.

When reading through the ingredients list, do not be alarmed by the 12 dried arbol chilies.  They're not all going into this dish!  I promise. That would be just way too much spice.  Before I get to the super easy Spicy  Tequila-Lime Shrimp recipe, I'm going to teach you how to make your own Homemade Red Pepper Flakes.  You can use the Homemade Red Pepper Flakes to season everything from fish to pizza to pasta.   When I get back from our annual Semana Santa (Holy Week) camping trip, I'm going to share one of my favorite guacamole recipes with you.  

Spicy Shrimp Tacos w/ Tequila, Lime & Chile de Arbol - lacocinadeleslie.com

Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos
lacocinadeleslie.com


Ingredients:
  • 12 dried chilies de arbol, stems removed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 1/4 cup tequila
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Homemade Red Pepper Flakes
  • Corn tortillas
Garnish:
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Lime wedges
  • Homemade red pepper flakes (optional) 

How to make Homemade Red Pepper Flakes:
In a small skillet over low heat, toast the dried chiles de arbol, tossing constantly, just until they start to brown.  Remove from heat.


Puree the toasted chilies in a blender cup until you have tiny little flakes.  Pour the red pepper flakes into a cute little shaker or an airtight container.  Enjoy!!!  


Homemade Chile de Arbol Flakes - lacocinadeleslie.com


And now onto the shrimp... 
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, just until the butter has melted.  Add the shrimp and saute until they've all turned a bright orange color.


Add the tequila, lime juice, and the red pepper flakes to the shrimp.  Cover and let simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed.


For each taco, spoon a couple of tablespoons of the Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp onto two warm corn tortillas stacked on top of each other.  Garnish with shredded cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  Enjoy!!!  




Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to check out her amazing Queso Flameado w/ Shrimp & Salsa Ranchera!
 

Photobucket








Spicy Tequila-Lime Shrimp Tacos {She Made/Ella Hace}


Raise your glasses, my friends!  Today Girlichef and I are celebrating a very special holiday for this month's installment of She Made / Ella Hace...

It's National Margarita Day!

And because great minds think alike, Girlichef and I have both made Orange Margaritas, which was totally unplanned.

The inspiration for my margaritas comes from my favorite mid-morning snack: orange wedges with salt and chilito en polvo (lime-chile powder).


And just like my favorite snack, you get sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy in every sip.  These margaritas were so good, I almost didn't want to share them with my Hubby.  He's lucky he works right next door.

I like my margaritas on the rocks.  If you have a cocktail shaker, by all means use it to make these margaritas.  But if you're like me and don't have a cocktail shaker, you can whip these up in a 2-cup measuring cup or in a blender.  

What's your favorite kind of margarita?


Orange Margaritas con Limón y Chile

Ingredients:
  • Lime wedges
  • Lime-chile powder (I use Tajin brand) 
  • 1-1/2 cups orange juice
  • 2 oz. tequila (I used reposado) 
  • 2 oz. lime juice
  • 2 oz. agave nectar
  • Salt (optional) 

Directions:
Fill a small bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of lime-chile powder.  Moisten the rim of two glasses with a lime wedge.  Dip moistened rims in the lime-chile powder; set aside.


In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, and agave nectar; set aside.  Fill the lime-chile rimmed glasses with ice. Pour 1 oz. of tequila into each glass.  Pour half of the orange juice mixture into each glass; season each glass with a pinch of salt and lime-chile powder.  Stir gently to combine.  Enjoy!!!


*For frozen margaritas: Puree the orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar, and tequila in a blender with 2 to 3 cups of ice.

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to check out her Orange-Vanilla Margaritas.




Photobucket








Orange Margaritas con Limon y Chile {She Made/Ella Hace}




When I was a little girl, my all-time favorite sandwich was the BLT -- Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato on toasted sandwich bread.  I ordered it almost every time I went to work with my mom at the bowling alley and/or honky-tonk bar where she was a bartender.  It remained my favorite for many, many years to follow. 

Then as a grown, married woman, I moved to Mexico.  It was here in this country I now call home, where I discovered the Lonche de Aguacate con Queso -- a special avocado and queso fresco sandwich served on a crusty bolillo roll, very popular during Lent.  It was love at first bite and quickly replaced the BLT as my favorite sandwich.  And for twelve years, that title remained uncontested.  

That is until very recently... 

It appears that a new contender has arrived on the scene, threatening to rip the title of "My All-Time Favorite Sandwich" from my once beloved Lonche de Aguacate con Queso.  The contender's name?  Torta de Rajas con Champiñones!  A spicy vegetarian sandwich made with sliced mushrooms and roasted poblano peppers, topped with oodles of ooey-gooey melted cheese.  And just a hint of tequila.  Yes, you read that correctly, TEQUILA!  

The combination of mushrooms, roasted poblano peppers, Mexican crema and that teeny, tiny splash of tequila is so incredibly delicious, I honestly don't know how I resisted the urge to eat all of the filling straight from the skillet, before I even finished assembling our sandwiches.

After just one round with this knock-out sandwich, I'm pretty sure I have a new champion.  Now it's your turn, what's your favorite sandwich?




Torta de Champiñones con Rajas (Mushroom & Poblano Pepper Sandwich)
(Recipe adapted from Muy Bueno Cookbook)

Ingredients:
  • 3 poblano peppers
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon tequila (optional)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese (or your favorite Mexican cheese blend)
  • 2 bolillo rolls

Directions:
Roast the poblano peppers on a comal or griddle over medium-high heat, until the skin has charred.


Place the roasted poblano peppers in a plastic bag and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  This allows the peppers to sweat, which makes it easier to peel the peppers and remove the charred skin.


Remove stems and seeds from the roasted poblano peppers; cut the peppers into 1/2-inch strips.  Set aside.


Heat 1 tablespoon of the melted butter with the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Carefully add the mushroom and saute for about 10 minutes or until fully cooked and tender; season with salt and pepper.  (Pay no attention to my scratched skillet, it has survived many a battle in my Cocina.) 


Add the roasted poblano pepper strips.  Stir in the Mexican crema and tequila.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes; season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the Manchego cheese.


Cut the bolillo rolls in half lengthwise; brush insides and out of bolillo rolls with melted butter.  Toast the cut-side (inside) of each bolillo roll on a comal or griddle over medium-low heat.  Spoon half of the mushroom and poblano pepper mixture onto the two bottom slices of bolillo roll.  Top with the remaining shredded cheese.  (I added a few extra thin slices of cheese, because you can never have too much cheese!)   Top with the top slices of bolillo roll.


Toast the sandwiches for a few minutes on each side, until the bread is slightly crispy and light golden brown, and the cheese has completely melted.  Enjoy!!!



Photobucket




Torta de Champiñones y Rajas {Mushroom & Roasted Poblano Pepper Sandwich}




Last night was the biggest party of the year all throughout Mexico.

Every year on the Eve of Independence Day, people gather in their town square to watch the re-enactment of Father Miguel Hidalgo's Grito de Dolores (Cry of Independence).  Amidst the ringing church bells, fireworks and mariachi band playing, we all scream with great pride "Viva Mexico!  Viva Mexico!  Viva Mexico!"

In Mexico, it is not a party without Tequila.

So for this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace with my  good friend, Girlichef, we will be highlighting this liquid gold  that is synonymous with Mexico.  (And I just so happen to live in the Tequila capital of the world...the state of Jalisco.)


Tequila is best appreciated served straight and sipped slowly, like only the finest of wines.  But many prefer to serve Tequila with a lemon/lime or grapefruit flavored soda.  Me?  I like my Tequila with a little Sangrita, the red stuff pictured above with the Tequila.  Sangrita is a non-alcoholic beverage that Wikipedia refers to as a Tequila chaser.  With it's tangy citrus flavor, I call it the perfect accompaniment to Tequila.

During our Semana Santa camping trip to El Rancho, we enjoyed "fancy" Tequila and Sangrita shots, served inside hollowed out cucumbers and tomatoes.



But my favorite way to enjoy Tequila and Sangrita is in a cocktail with orange juice, lime juice and grapefruit flavored soda, such as Squirt or Fresca. 



I don't know the actual name of this cocktail.  But maybe you can help me come up with a name.

Tequila & Sangrita Cocktail

Ingredients:
  • 1 oz. Sangrita
  • 1 oz. Orange Juice
  • 1 oz. Tequila
  • Squirt or Fresca
  • Limes, cut in half
  • Salt
  • Ice
Directions:
Fill a low ball glass with ice.  Pour the Sangrita, Orange Juice and Tequila over the ice.  Top with a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lime.  Finish filling the glass with Squirt.  Enjoy!!!

If you prefer a stronger drink, you can double the amount of Sangrita, Tequila and Orange Juice.

And if you want something a little fancier, throw all of the ingredients in a blender, including lot of ice, for a Sangrita Margarita!  Delicioso!



Now head on over to visit Girlichef to learn some interesting facts about Tequila!

Photobucket

She Made/Ella Hace {Tequila!}