Carrot Cucumber Margarita

We’re making the Easter bunny jealous today with a refreshing carrot cucumber margarita!

After a busy day of preparing the days festivities the adults will definitely need a refreshing margarita to help us wind down.  From the food, decorations, egg hunt, games, candy and the messy clean up the party most likely will stretch into the evening.  Lucky us.

I plan on unwinding with one of these gems.  Don’t you just love the intense orange?  It screams Spring!

The taste on the other hand soothes the tired, weary feet from a long day of chasing kids and dodging confetti filled cascarones. Thank goodness for my friend tequila.  Enjoy!

Last year ~ Carrot Margarita

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The Thanksgiving countdown has begun!! Are you excited? I know I am. Thanksgiving after all is a day dedicate to stuffing your face with glorious food.  Countless hours chopping, dicing, basting, baking and prepping.  Now that’s what I call a good time!  This week in my attempt to bake the perfect pumpkin empanadas I was left with plenty of pumpkin puree.

That’s when it hit me. My Thanksgiving table needs a great margarita, a pumpkin margarita. Why should the empanadas, pies and muffins get all that great pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin Margaritas.

Cooking for the big day just got alot less hectic with this margarita by my side. Enjoy!

Pumpkin puree is very easy to make, but I know sometimes life is busy.  If your schedule permits, please try making your own puree or if your in a pinch feel free to use canned pumpkin puree.

Now let’s talk salt rim. I wanted festive, fun and color on my rim.  Pepitas!! Pull out that food processor and grind away, you won’t be disappointed. Quick tip, after you strain your puree don’t toss it.  Before serving taste your margarita to make sure you have the perfect pumpkin taste.  If you need a little more bang whisk in a spoon of the leftover puree.

Pumpkin Puree

1 small whole pumpkin (4-6 pounds)

Preheat oven to 350

Cut pumpkin in half.

With a spoon scoop out all seeds and fibers.  (Save these to make pepitas)

Place pumpkin on baking sheet and roast until fork tender,
30-45 minutes.

Remove pumpkin flesh from skin.

Place in a food processor and process until smooth.

Pepita Salt
Rim

1 ½ tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepitas

In a food processor pulse until coarse.

If mix is moist, add salt.

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Last week we had exactly two days of Fall weather. Lows in the 60’s.  I threw open every window in our tiny apartment, shut off the AC and soaked in every ounce of crisp air.  In South Texas any day when the temperature falls below 90’s is a cause for celebration.  I had planned on celebrating with a batch of brownies. My kids had other plans. I sipped my pumpkin spiced coffee as my girls fiercely argued that on a day this perfect “we should be at the park or taking a walk.”

Don’t you love kids?  They were spot on. Why spend the day cooped away when we could immerse ourselves in Fall.  In the evening as I loaded the dishwasher I thought back on our wonderful day.  I couldn’t help but wonder if  Texas would be so kind to bless us with a few more days like today.  We shall see, but in the meantime every great day should end with a Fall margarita.  My brownie celebration was put on hold for a slightly more adult treat – Apple Margaritas, Enjoy!

I played around with the salt rim on this margarita just for fun, feel free to use only salt.  I first thought of using the apple skin, but the mix was too moist. Needing a drier texture I tried freeze dried apples with great results.  In the food processor I pulsed freeze dried apples with salt until coarse.  Run your lime around rim and dip into apple/salt mix.  Strain your fresh juice for bits of skin or seeds.  The color will vary with the type of apple used.

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A Margarita on Monday?  Really? 

Why not?  I say let’s celebrate the beginning of a new week.  I say we forget last week in all it’s hustle, missed deadlines and long days away from home.  Today is a fresh a new day to conquer all those pesky to-do items on our checklist,  finally wash the baskets of lingering laundry and tackle/gut/sanitize the overflowing fridge.  Walking those extra miles on the thread mill to work off those extra cookies I shamelessly devoured over the weekend.  I’m taking Monday by the horns.

Yup I’m totally “winning,” today.  At the end of the day I will relish in the thought of a productive day, scour my dvr for recorded episodes of Biggest Loser and sip my tamarind margarita. Happy in knowing Monday rocked!  Enjoy!

Tamarind pods can be found in your International aisle of the grocery store. I did a little something different with the salt rim.

A tribute to my childhood summers in Mexico I mixed tamarind candy which is the pulp of the tamarind pod flavored with sugar and chiles.  These were sold in little tubs at the local tiendita, usually mom and pop stores.   

Agua de Tamarindo

by Vianney Rodriguez

by Sweet Life

2 quarts of water

about 20 tamarind pods

1 1/2 cups sugar

Peel the tamarind pods, removing the veins that run along the sides.

Leave the seeds in tact.  In a medium saucepan, bring one quart water to boil.

Add tamarind pods, continue to boil for about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove the pulp from the tamarind pods and discard seeds.

Add to a blender with sugar and remaining water, blend until smooth.

Strain. Chill and serve.

Tamarind Margaritas

by Vianney Rodriguez

by Sweet Life

salt

1/2 tsp tamarind candy (if using)

lime wedges

1 cup tequila

1 cup agua de tamarindo

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup Cointreau

ice cubes

On a small plate mix tamarind candy and salt. If not using the candy simply spread salt on plate.  With lime wedges moisten rim of 6 ounce glasses.  Dip glasses into salt or candy mix.   Place glasses into freezer to chill.

In a pitcher combine tequila, agua de tamarindo, lime juice and Cointreau.  Remove glasses from freezer and serve margarita mixture over ice. Garnish with lime slices.

The post Tamarind Margarita appeared first on Sweet Life en Español.

Sipping Saturday

On Monday I filled 185 plastic easter eggs with goodies.

On Tuesday I taped, glued and glittered eggs, bunnies and baskets with my girls.

On Wednesday I ran to the store to pick up the perfect shade of purple my daughter just had to have for her Easter basket.

On Thursday I moved the enormous Easter pinata located in my living room for the fifth time so I could clean.

On Friday as I grated carrots for cupcakes.  I had planned to send with hubby for his co workers.  I became a little frustrated.

I was a little Eastered out.  I was over planning, over preparing and over stressing for a holiday that was a week away.

Honestly who would care if the eggs weren’t perfect, if the decorations were slightly runny from excess glue or if I even sent cupcakes?

I needed to relax.  So I chucked all the carrots into my juicer and concoted this groovy Easter Margarita.  Before the glass touched my lips I hesitated.  It is kinda different, but I like different.  Enjoy!

If you enjoy fresh carrot juice this is the drink for you.  The fresh juice adds a refreshing backdrop to the lime juice.

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Carrot Margarita

by Sweet Life

by Vianney Rodriguez

makes 4 margaritas

lime wedges

1 cup tequila

1 cup fresh carrot juice

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup Cointreau

ice cubes

On a small plate spread salt.  With lime wedges moisten rim of 6 ounce glasses.  Dip glasses into salt.   Place glasses into freezer to chill.

In a pitcher combine tequila, carrot juice, lime juice and Cointreau.  Remove glasses from freezer and serve margarita mixture over ice. Garnish and Enjoy!

Love Margaritas?  Here’s more great recipes…

Citrus Margarita

Guava Margarita

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