Tropical Delight with a bit of Zest!

Ingredients

2 oranges

4 lemons

8-10 limes

1 and ½ cups sugar

3 cups water

Strawberry syrup-optional

Triple Sec

Tequila

Directions

1. Zest one orange, 2 lemons and 4 limes.
2. Put the zest in a saucepan with the sugar and the water.
3. Bring just up to boiling and remove from heat.
4. Juice all the fruit; you will need 3 cups of juice. Strain into a pitcher.
5. When the sugar syrup is cooled, strain into the pitcher as well.
6. Chill completely.
7. For each drink- fill a margarita glass to the top with ice. Pour one full jigger of triple sec and half to one full jigger of tequila over the ice. Then add strawberry syrup to the glass, if you like. Fill with mix and enjoy!

Margarita Jell-O Shooters

INGREDIENTS

• 24-30 Strawberries

MARGARITA MIX

• 1 box Strawberry Jell-O
• 8 ounces tequila, preferably reposado or blanco

BLANCO

• 6 ounce Cointreau
• Salt for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

STRAWBERRY PREP:

1. Cut the bottoms of the strawberry flat to get them to stand upright. When you do so, make sure that you do not cut off so much that there is a hole at the bottom.
2. Use a huller or apple corer to empty out the strawberry.
3. Once the strawberries have been emptied, use a towel to pat the outside of the strawberries dry.
4. Check each strawberry and make sure there is not a hole in the bottom before you start filling.

MARGARITA MIX

1. Boil one cup of hot water in a saucepan,  then add in Jell-o powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved, about 2  minutes. Set aside.  Measure out 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside.
2. Combine tequila and Cointreau, in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add liquour mixture to cold water and stir to combine. Then add cold liquour mixture to hot Jell-o mixture and stir to combine.
3. Pour final Jell-o mix into strawberries and chill overnight. Dip your finger in water or use a moistened brush to wet the edge of the strawberries, dip and rotate the strawberries in salt to rim. Garnish with cut lime triangles to finish.

A FEW NOTES:

• I will be posting the how-to picture over the weekend. Sorry, I have to process them still.
• Use the real Jell-o mix and not a store brand, as the store brands tend not to set up as firmly.
• Choose the freshest strawberries you can find.
• You can use a strawberry huller or an apple corer along with a melon baller to empty out the strawberry. I used the latter method because it allowed me to dig a deeper well.
• These are best made the night before and served the next day.
• Fill your strawberries as high as possible, as the Jell-O will sink a bit in the middle.

Sangria Swirled Frozen Margaritas

Ingredients

For the sangria swirl:

• 1 cup red wine, frozen in ice cube tray
• 2 tablespoons triple sec (orange liquor)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• juice of half an orange

For the regular frozen margarita:

• 6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
• 2 shots tequila
• 1 shot triple sec
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

1. First, dip two margarita glasses in water or lime juice, and rim the edges with salt or sugar (your choice).
2. Next, puree the frozen red wine cubes with the triple sec, lime juice, and orange juice. Pour into a small glass and have ready on the side.
3. Add the limeade concentrate (not defrosted), tequila, triple sec and ice to a blender. Puree until slushy.
4. Divide the margarita mixture between two glasses, and swirl in the sangria mixture.

Notes

*It would be super easy to double this recipe and use a whole can of frozen limeade concentrate and make 4 drinks. Party!