Cinco de Mayo Recipes for Your Party

April 28, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and although many Americans think that it is Mexico’s version of our Fourth of July, it is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage. Americans don’t need much of an excuse to have a party.

When planning this post we were going to introduce you to another great margarita recipe, because everyone loves a good marg, right? Then we started to scroll through our past posts and realized that we could put together a whole menu of easy, tasty and fresh ideas for your Cinco de Mayo party.

Appetizer– Tequila Ceviche.

We shared this post with you last summer, and it became a huge hit in TBP household. This is often a go-to for us when friends and family are joining us for dinner. Hosting tip– this is delicious if made ahead of time. It gives the flavors time to meld together and you time to take care of other pressing matters.

Cocktails! You can’t have a Cinco de Mayo party without a yummy margarita. We have some marg suggestions for you.

Skinny Agave Margarita: This one is a crowd pleaser. Easy to make and easy to drink.

Jalapeno Popper Margarita: Need to spice things up a bit?

Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita: Fresh and spicy. What else is there to say?

Merry Margarita: We know it’s not Christmas, but this drink will keep your guests merry all year long

Santorita: This marg is made with mezquila. You can also substitute your favorite tequila. It’s an excellent recipe.

In keeping with other yummy Mexican beverages we have some margarita alternatives.

Rojo: This drink is made for the more sophisticated palate. With a name like Rojo, how can it be left off the list?

Carpano Antica Sangria: Need a large batch recipe? This is your friend. For the busy host, this recipe also can be made ahead of time.

Paloma: Palomas are more popular in Mexico than margaritas which are more of an American invention. If you really want to be true to Viva La Mexico, go with the Paloma.

The Paloma is a refreshing alternative tequila cocktail to the typical margarita.

Main Course: We have 3 wonderful choices for you for the main course.

Hatch Tequila Chicken: This recipe is a little more time consuming, but if you plan ahead you can prep much of this a day ahead in order to make the day of your celebration a breeze. This chicken is so yummy. It is well worth the extra effort.

Corralejo Honey Lime Chicken: This is a great choice, especially if you are in the mood to grill. This chicken is very versatile. It can stand alone, be sliced up and served in tacos or fajitas. This is a TBP family favorite.

Tequila Fish Tacos: These tacos are very yummy and flavorful. Fish tacos aren’t for everyone, but we highly recommend this recipe.

Dessert: Tequila Strawberry Lime Ice Cream Pie

This pie recipe will need to be prepped the day before your party. With its yummy strawberry ice cream, pretzel crust and touch of tequila flavor, your guests will be blown away!

Choose one or choose them all, you can’t go wrong with this line up for your Cinco de Mayo.

Disclaimer: Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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You Asked, We Answered

January 28, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

We love hearing from our readers through Facebook, Instagram and especially in person. We have so much fun creating our blog posts and hope that you look forward to receiving them in your inbox each week. This week we are taking a break from sharing more recipes with you to answer some commonly asked questions about The Blind Pig Blog.

What do you do with all of the drinks and food that you create for the blog? That’s an easy answer… we drink and eat them. Many of the drinks and recipes that we make for the blog have made it into our regular rotation. We love to share the food we make on the blog with friends and family, so what are you doing next Friday?
Does everything you make contain “The Blind Pig” twist? No. We make plenty of food and drinks on a daily basis that do not contain extra libations at all. In fact, when we are not cooking things up for TBPBlog we try to eat fairly healthy. Actually, Blind Piglet #2 prefers recipes that we make without a twist.
Do all of the recipes and concoctions you make get featured on TBPBlog? No. We try all of our recipes out at home before posting. Many of the recipes we try get tweaked and adjusted before making it to the blog. Some we try and nix altogether. Some recipes we prepped, took photos, and then never made it into the queue. We try to bring you relevant recipes with current trends and if we just don’t feel confident with a recipe, we don’t post it.
Do you get paid to feature certain products on your blog? Not currently. Everything that we feature on our blog is because we believe in the quality of the product. We like to feature products from smaller companies when we can. When our blog grows up and we get the opportunity to be paid for a feature, we will be sure to be transparent about it with our readers.
How do you decide what you want to blog about? We think about what kind of entertaining our readers may be planning for in the near future. If there is an upcoming holiday, we want to give you some ideas to serve your guests. Throughout the year we are on the lookout for ideas to include in the blog. Rhonda has a huge file of recipes that she has kept throughout the years. When we need some inspiration we look through Rhonda’s files. When we find something that interests us, we play with the recipe and tweak it to make it relevant and current.
What is your favorite ingredient to use in TBPBlog posts? For Rhonda it is Kerrygold Irish Cream. The chocolate flavor makes it so easy to add to many dessert recipes, and we have been surprised how easy it is to incorporate into other things.
What is your go-to drink when you are out and about? Craig hands down loves to drink anything with Fernet Branca or Fernet and Coke. He orders it everywhere we go. Rhonda’s go-to drinks are usually a Templeton Rye and Ginger Beer (Maryann or Ginger) or a Correlajeo Skinny Agave Margarita. It’s just easy to order and most bars are able to make it.
Where is your favorite place to go out and have a drink? Craig’s favorite place is Sable Kitchen and Bar in downtown Chicago at the Kimpton Hotel. Rhonda’s favorite place is Village Burger Bar. They have really good Corralejo Margaritas and I love their sweet potato fries. Really she just loves anywhere with a great patio and fire pit.
What have been your favorite posts? Choosing a favorite post is a lot like choosing your favorite child. It’s difficult to pick just one. (Don’t tell, but Blind Piglet #3 is our fav. Shhhh!) We do have a few favorites, though. Some of the posts that are special to us are because of things that were going on in the background when we were prepping or taking photos.

Rhonda’s Favs:

Corralejo Skinny Agave Margarita: This was our first official post and some of Rhonda’s girlfriends came over to help us kick off the post.
The Watermelon Wars: Both of these drinks are delicious and it truly was a war between us to decide which recipe was better.
Mary Ann or Ginger: To this day, this is still my go-to drink when out and about.
Golden Mint Crinkles: This cookie recipe was a family favorite to begin with, and we were able to make it even better.
Salted Whiskey Caramel Corn: We had a lot of activity in the house the weekend we made this post. This post always makes me think of warmth, family, and home. Not to mention all of the caramel corn was gone within two hours of the photo shoot.
Tequila Ceviche: We used this recipe all summer long. It was so easy, tasty and fresh.
There are more, but we don’t want to bore you.

Craig’s favs:

All of the margarita posts: Corralejo Skinny Agave Margarita, Jalapeno Popper Margarita, Santorita,
Christmas Morning Bread:

Still have more questions? Bring it on. We would love to answer them!

Are you following us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram? If not, use the links below! Have an awesome week. Next week we will be back with more yummy recipes for your taste buds and tummy with a February flair. Love is in the air!

Disclaimer: All beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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December Bonus Post: Merry Margarita!

December 13, 2018 / theblindpig11 / 1 Comment

It’s our favorite time of the month– bonus post time! We have been working on perfecting this recipe for a couple of weeks now, and we feel like we have finally hit the mark. This festive margarita will help you and your friends ring in the holidays with lots of Christmas cheer!

This recipe is very easy. We tried out many different combinations and ended up returning to our tried and true base for our Skinny Agave Margarita. To make the Merry Margarita, you will need cocktail ready agave nectar, Corralejo Reposado Tequila, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice (We used diet cranberry juice.), and mint leaves with fresh cranberries for garnish.

If you are viewing this post in your email, visit our site to get a printable version of the Merry Margarita recipe.

We served our Merry Margarita without ice, but you may want to add some crushed or sonic ice for an ice cold marg and a special touch. This drink is easy to drink with the right amount of cranberry to give the drink a rosy glow, but not overpower the taste. We garnished ours with some fun Christmas tooth picks and alternating mint leaves and cranberries. Try adding some fun salt to the rim or float cranberries in your cocktail. Make it fun and festive

Will you be serving the easy Merry Margarita at your holiday celebrations? Santa needs a little extra cheer, so this is definitely what we are leaving by the tree with some Golden Mint Crinkles! Enjoy the rest of your week. We will see you this weekend when we share a delicious reason that you will want to get out of bed on Christmas morning!

Here are some other holiday cocktails you may want to try–

Three Hot Chocolates with a Twist

Cranberry Rum Slush

Gold Medal Coffee

Midnight Spice

Disclaimer:  The beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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Hatched!

September 3, 2018 / theblindpig11 / 1 Comment

hatch tequila chicken

Happy Labor Day, friends! We hope you have enjoyed a weekend with friends, neighbors, and family. We have been with Blind Piglets #2 and #3 at hockey and soccer. That is why this post is coming to you a little late. We also cannot believe that August has come and gone and this weekend is the unofficial end to summer. Sigh! In fact, August came and went with such a speed that we realized that we did not post a bonus post for the month. We will try to make it up to you in the future.

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Have you noticed all of the lovely hatch green chiles in your grocery produce section? We couldn’t resist looking for a Blind Pig match up with the chiles. Lo and behold, our friends at the Dallas Morning News did not disappoint. They featured a whole section on great recipe with hatch green chiles. We adapted a chicken recipe they featured to bring you Hatch Tequila Chicken.

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Don’t be overwhelmed by this recipe. At first glance it looks a little daunting, but if you just follow the steps, you will see that it is not complicated and well worth the effort.

To get started on Hatch Tequila Chicken you need roasted hatch green chiles. We had never roasted green chiles before, and it was nearly a deal breaker. However, after a little research with our friend, Google, we realized there is nothing to be intimidated about.

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First rinse the chiles and pat dry. Place chiles on a baking sheet or broiling pan. The chiles can touch but you do not want them on top of each other.

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Turn the broiler on high and move your rack up to the second notch from the top. Place pan of peppers in the oven on the top rack. Keep a close eye on the peppers. We let ours cook for about 5 minutes. When the peppers start to blister and turn brown, remove from the oven and flip over with a pair of tongs. Return to the oven and keep a close eye on them. When the other side begins to blister and turn brown, remove from the oven.

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Once the peppers are blacken, add to a large plastic bag. We placed ours back in the produce bag from the grocery store. Seal the bag and let the peppers cool for about 30 minutes.

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Remove the peppers from the bag and peel the skin. It should come off relatively easily. Slice the peppers down the middle, cut off the tops and remove the seeds. You can store your peppers in the fridge for about a week.

For the chicken portion of the recipe, you will need 4-6 chicken breasts, kosher salt, olive oil and Hatch green chile tequila marinade.

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The marinade seems daunting when you look at the list of ingredients, but you just throw it all in a food processor and hit go. It’s that easy! To make the marinade, place roasted Hatch green chiles, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic, cumin, kosher salt, coriander, Mexican crema, tequila (We used Corralejo Reposado.), and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse until desired consistency.

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Place chicken in a glass bowl or dish and cover with half of the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. (We prepped ours the day before.)

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Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Remove chicken from marinade and scrap off the majority of the marinade. Drizzle with olive oil. Discard used marinade. Place on a medium heat grill or under the broiler roasting the chicken for 35 minutes. Remove from grill or broiler and top with reserved marinade.

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We were pleasantly surprised with how juicy and flavorful the chicken was. The marinade flavor was a nice complement to the chicken. We are even thinking about making this marinade to go along with fish or fish tacos.

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If you are viewing this post in your email, visit http://www.theblindpig.blog for a complete downloadable version of the recipe.

Let us know if you try our Hatch Tequila Chicken recipe. We think it is a hit, and hope that you do, too!

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World Cup Fever: Salud, Mexico!

June 30, 2018 / theblindpig11 / 3 Comments

Did you sip on a little Fernet and Coke while watching the Argentina World Cup Game? This week we are continuing with our World Cup series with a nod to our neighbors to the south – Mexico.

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Everyone knows that tequila is the prized liquor of Mexico, and most Americans equate tequila with margaritas. However, we are not featuring a margarita for our tribute to Mexico. The origin of the margarita is debatable, but it is more popular with Americans than most Mexicans. Mexicans prefer premium tequilas and like to sip their tequila neat — plain with no mixers.

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We are featuring a popular Mexican cocktail called the Paloma. The Paloma is an easy, tasty and fresh drink made with grapefruit soda, lime juice and tequila. It is easy to see why this refreshing beverage is so popular in Mexico.

The Paloma is made with three ingredients, tequila, lime juice and grapefruit soda.

We made ours with our favorite tequila, Corralejo, Q grapefruit soda and fresh squeezed lime juice. We have used Q drinks in the past as mixers for our guests, but have not shared it with you on our blog. Q drinks makes a variety of mixers, such as, tonic water, soda water, grapefruit soda and ginger beer. Their philosophy is to make sure that the mixer you use is as good as the liquor you are mixing it with. We have noticed a difference in our cocktails when we use Q drinks. The drinks have more flavor and a better taste profile. Q drinks can be found at Total Wine and other liquor stores. If you do not want to try grapefruit soda with your Paloma, you can also use Squirt or Jarritos grapefruit soda, which can be found in most grocery stores.

Serve a refreshing Paloma this summer.

The Paloma is a refreshing alternative tequila cocktail to the typical margarita.

It is extremely hot across the United States this week, so what could be better than sipping on a cool beverage like the Paloma? Change things up a bit and serve a refreshing Paloma at your next summer social. We would love to hear about it if you do. Have a great weekend!

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Disclaimer: Beverages shared on this site are intended for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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Bonus Post: Corralejo Lime Guac

May 24, 2018 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

corralejo lime guac

It’s time for our May bonus post. This month’s bonus is an easy, tasty, fresh recipe that you can whip up with a Mexican meal or if friends are dropping by for a last minute visit.

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With the fresh ingredients of avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, lime and a splash of Corralejo Anejo Tequila, your guests will be singing your praises. We had family visitors from California last weekend, and wanted to serve a tasty meal with little fuss. The guac was a hit and so easy to make. It was a great compliment to chicken enchiladas and a Santorita!

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First slice avocados into a molcajete or other bowl. Smash avocados with a fork. Next add diced tomato, diced cilantro, diced onions, and jalapenos. Mix together with the avocados. Blend in the juice of 1 lime and .5 ounces of tequila. We used Corralejo Anejo Tequila. Anjeos are aged 1-3 years, so they have more flavor that comes through in the guac than a regular blanco tequila which is not aged and bottled immediately. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips. Yummo!

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If you are viewing this post in your email, visit our website for a printable version of the recipe.

Corralejo Lime Guac

Try out this tasty recipe this Memorial Day weekend while you are enjoying the views at the lake. Let us know what you think.

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Happy Anniversary, Blind Pig

April 22, 2018April 22, 2018 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

The Blind Pig Blog has made one trip around the sun! Yes, this week marks our one year anniversary of The Blind Pig Blog. What an adventure this year has been! We are so grateful to our faithful subscribers who have joined us in this fun adventure. Each post has had its own special flare and flavor. At the end of 2017 we posted our Top Ten most popular posts for the year. This week, we want to take you on a trip down memory lane and share our personal favorites with you.

10. Spiked Honey Watermelon Limeade

spiked honey watermelon limemade

We first shared this delicious beverage with you during our Watermelon Wars. Not only is the drink fun to make, but it is a great drink for summer cookouts or pool parties.

9. The Royal Hurricane

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The Royal Hurricane is one of the newer members of The Blind Pig cache, but will most likely be a crowd favorite at our household this summer. It’s an excellent beach or lakeside drink.

8. Kerrygold Cinnamon Rolls

Kerrygold Cinnamon Rolls

No one makes rolls like Grandma Ruth, but these are a great substitute when Grandma is not near.

7. Kerrygold French Toast

kerrygold french toast

This recipe is a must-have at your next brunch. By the way, Mother’s Day is just right around the corner.

6. Salted Whiskey Caramel Corn

salted whiskey caramel corn

This post is one our favs because it was so darn easy to make, and was such a delightful surprise!

5. Zaya Banana Bread

zaya banana bread

Zaya Banana Bread is hands down the BEST banana bread we have ever had. It even tastes better after a day or two.

4. Kerrygold Ice Cream

kerrygold ice cream

This post was probably our most overlooked post, and it was definitely one of the best recipes we shared with you. It is such an easy way to make homemade ice cream, and it is delish! The chocolate sauce is a dream, too.

3. Caffe Borghetti Peanut Butter Ice Cream Fudge Pie

caffe borghetti pbif pie

Six words: Peanut Butter Ice Cream Fudge Pie. Need we say more?

2. Mary Ann or Ginger?

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This fun, easy drink is a crowd pleaser and one of our favorites to serve at get-togethers and gatherings.

1. The Skinny Agave Margarita

This post started it all. Not only does The Skinny Agave Margarita taste great, it is a versatile crowd pleaser for any social gathering. Besides, who doesn’t appreciate a good margarita every now and then?

Thank you for being a loyal follower. Please share our posts and site with friends. We would love to have them join us. New to our site? Please subscribe.

We are closing out this post with a shout out to Blind Piglet #1. She turns 21 years old today! Happy Birthday. XOXO

theblindpig.blog

Disclaimer: The beverages shared on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking. Never drink and drive.

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Tequila Fish Tacos and Jalapeno Popper Margaritas

August 13, 2017 / theblindpig11 / 2 Comments

tequila fish tacos jalapeno popper

This week you are in for another two-fer! We are sharing two easy delicious recipes with you: Tequila Fish Tacos with Lime Sauce paired with a delicious Jalapeno Popper Margarita. Since we are from Texas, we eat tacos a lot! If you didn’t know, Texans eat tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are a bit taco crazy sometimes. Years ago, Rhonda was introduced to the fish taco, and she has been making and ordering fish tacos ever since.

i love tacos

The taco recipe is a variation of a recipe we found in a recipe book called, Home Cooking: The Costco Way. Before you judge, we just want everyone to know that we have found some very good recipes in this cookbook. We paired our variation with a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens April 2011 issue where we found the Lime Sauce recipe. Both of these recipes are easy, tasty and fresh!

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These tacos are very easy. Don’t get intimidated by the list of ingredients. You will need 1 ½ – 2 pounds of white fish. We used tilapia, but you can also use halibut. Other ingredients include corn or flour tortillas, green onions, cilantro and a lime cut into wedges.

For the taco marinade you will need Corralejo Tequila, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, juice and peel of a lime, a green onion, and salt. Mix the ingredients together and add the fish. Marinate in the fridge for 1-3 hours.

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Next you will create the salsa from tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, red onion, and salt and pepper. Combine the ingredients into a bowl and chill.

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For the lime sauce you will need to juice two limes, stir in ½ cup of mayo and add 1 tsp of chili powder. Chill until ready to serve.

When ready to cook, preheat the grill. Remove the fish from the marinade and grill over medium heat for several minutes per side. Look to make sure the fish is flaky and no longer translucent. Crumble the fish into a bowl and keep warm.

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Fill tortillas with fish, salsa, cheese and add lime sauce when serving. Yummy! Our three kids even liked this recipe, and they can be extremely a bit picky at times.

Yum-o!

Corralejo Jalapeno Popper Margarita

Our Jalapeno Popper Margarita is a variation on our Skinny Agave Margarita. The only extra ingredient that you need is fresh jalapenos. We were able to use jalapenos from our garden, but purchasing them at your local grocery store is fine. When making the Jalapeno Popper, add the lime juice to the shaker first. Then add a few slices of jalapenos. Obviously the more slices, the hotter the drink. Leaving the seeds in the jalapeno also makes the drink hotter. We prefer to seed the jalapenos before slicing. Muddle the jalapenos and lime juice in the shaker. Next add the agave nectar and tequila and ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice in a glass. Garnish with more jalapenos. This drink is a wonderful summer drink, but especially tasty with a Tex-Mex meal.

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Tequila Fish Tacos

1 ½ – 2 pounds of white fish such as halibut or tilapia
Flour or corn tortillas
Green onions
Cilantro

Marinade

1 ¼ cups of Corralejo Tequila
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons crushed garlic
Juice and grated peel of 1 lime
1 green onion, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt

Salsa

4-5 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
¼ fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, minced
½ cup finely chopped red onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Lime Sauce

2 limes juiced
½ cup of mayo
1 tsp chili powder

Mix marinade ingredients. Add fish and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and chill.

Mix lime sauce ingredients together and chill.

Preheat grill.

Remove fish from marinade and grill over medium heat for several minutes per side, or until it is not longer translucent in the center and starts to flake. Crumble fish into a bowl and keep warm.

Fill tortillas with fish, onions, cilantro, and salsa. Top with lime sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Corralejo Jalapeno Popper Margarita

Jalapeno Popper Margarita

1.5 oz. Corralejo Reposado Tequila
.75 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
.75 oz Monin agave nectar
2-3 fresh jalapenos sliced and seeded

Add lime juice and jalapenos to shaker. Muddle together. Add agave nectar and tequila. Top with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice in glass. Garnish with slices of jalapenos.

For multiple guests: Simple formula. 2 parts tequila; 1 part agave nectar; 1 part lime juice.

Do you have a food and drink pairing that you enjoy? We would love to hear about it!

Each week we have more and more followers joining our blog. We are thrilled to have you stop by. Make sure to follow us on Pinterest and tell your family and friends about our blog.

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DISCLAIMER: THE BEVERAGES ON THIS SITE ARE MEANT FOR ADULTS 21 YEARS AND OLDER. WE DO NOT SUPPORT OR ENCOURAGE UNDERAGE DRINKING. ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY AND NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.