Cool Off with a Cucumber Margarita

There is something so refreshing and cooling about the taste of a cucumber.  Is it because we associate it with the popular phrase, “Cool as a cucumber?” Or is it an  ingredient that is often used in summer salads and dishes that we associate a cool factor with cucumbers?  According to Netmeds.com cucumbers are about 95 % water which aid in the “coolness” of the cucumber.  Cucumbers also have other great properties and benefits, such as, hydrating the body, rejuvenating the skin, building strong gums and fresh breath, promoting digestive health, regulating blood pressure and aiding in weight loss. Who knew there were so many benefits to this green, spiky fruit!

We researched different cucumber cocktails and margaritas and decided on a version that follows our winning  skinny agave margarita base.  The cocktail is quick and easy.  The hardest part is juicing the cucumber, but that only takes about  5 minutes.  You can whip this cocktail up quickly and head poolside in no time.

First we juiced half of a cucumber.  We removed the cucumber peel, and place the cucumber in our juicer.  We juiced the cucumber for about 5-7 minutes.  This created some juice and thick pulp.

We filled our shaker with ice, and added tequila, lime juice, agave nectar and cucumber juice and pulp.  We shook the drink vigorously for about 30 seconds, and then poured the beverage into a margarita glass filled with ice.  If you don’t want the seeds from the cucumber in your drink, you can add a small extra step of straining the liquid into your glass. Garnish the drink with cucumber slices and sprig of fresh mint.

Interested in a frozen margarita? Add all ingredients to the blender with a cup of ice and blend to preferred consistency.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblingpig.blog for a complete recipe for the Cucumber Margarita.

Today looks like the perfect day to slurp down one of these yummy cocktails near the pool.

 

Holiday Margarita

Are you in the holiday spirit yet? It’s that wonderful time of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we love to get that holiday feeling. How do we like to celebrate this time of year at The Blind Pig Blog?  Through recipes of course!  We have several fun holiday recipes lined up for you this season, and our first is going to be the Holiday Margarita!  Though the title is not the most original, we think you will love the cocktail to toast your merriest during the season.

This fun little festive drink is made with premium silver tequila. (We used Espolon.) Like all of our other signature margaritas, we have included fresh lime juice, cocktail ready agave nectar and our secret ingredient in this beauty is Carpano Botanic Bitter.  We have shared Carpano Botanic Bitter with you in the Hibiscus Mule.

We chose to garnish our Holiday Margarita with a festive sprig of rosemary and a few frozen cranberries.  The rosemary brings out the botanic notes in the Carpano Botanic Bitter, and frozen cranberries are great to keep on hand during the holiday season for quick garnishes for beverages, appetizers, and meat and cheese boards.  Who doesn’t like a festive little berry on their plate or in their glass?

Unlike most margaritas, which are loaded down with a syrupy, sugary flavor, the Holiday Margarita is more bitter than sweet. The bitterness makes it a great cocktail to serve with rich holiday foods.  It won’t leave you with the feeling that you are on sugar overload, and the Carpano Botanic Bitter gives this cocktail its beautiful festive color.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a full printable recipe for the Holiday Margarita.

We spent the past few days putting up our holiday decor. Now we are ready for the holidays. Stay tuned for the rest of December when we will share more holiday cocktails and treats with you!

 

Disclaimer:  Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking.  Please drink responsibly.

 

Punt e Mes Margarita

Margaritas are always a consistent cocktail go-to no matter the season of the year.  Have you ever offered a margarita to a friend and he declined?  Of course not!  Americans love margs!  We have shared with you a variety of margaritas over the years, and this week we stay consistent with our basic margarita recipe but with a little Punt e Mes added in.  We shared Punt e Mes with you a few weeks ago in our Punt e Mes and Soda and our Punt e Mes Sangria. This week we are excited to introduce you to the Punt e Mes Margarita.

It made sound a little strange to add a vermouth to a margarita.  However, when you think about it, many people have been adding  sangria, which is wine based, to margaritas for years.  The bitter taste with a bit of a kick creates an interesting flavor within the margarita base.  A dash of orange bitters rounds out the Punt e Mes to create a burst of citrus within the margarita.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a full recipe for the Punt e Mes Margarita.

We enjoyed sipping on this yummy margarita while watching the Chiefs game on Sunday afternoon.  When are you planning on taking a little sip?

 

Disclaimer:  Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking. Drink responsibly.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Raspberry Margarita!

Cinco de Mayo is in a few days! We always look forward to this fun occasion, not because we have any Mexican heritage, but it is like a slight nod that summer is soon to follow.  With everything that we have been enduring, we feel like many of us are ready for a little sunshine and escape even if we are sitting in our own backyard pool!

We kicked off our little blog in our tiny stake of the internet 4 years ago on this very weekend with a cheers to Cinco de Mayo and our ultra-fav Skinny Agave Margarita.  This is our summer signature cocktail, as many of you know.  We have shared with you a few variations over the years.  This year we have another delicious variation that you are really going to love!!!

The Raspberry Margarita recipe makes a batch of about 4 cocktails.  You will need Grand Marnier, your favorite tequila, fresh and frozen raspberries, fresh lime juice and cocktail ready agave nectar.  Place all of the ingredients into a blender until well blended.  Pour into serving glass over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries.  Yummo!

For a complete printable recipe of the Raspberry Margarita, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog.

The Raspberry Margarita is  the perfect summery, fresh twist on the regular margarita for berry lovers.  I am sure this will make it into our regular summer entertaining rotation once we break free from the Corona Virus!

Whether you celebrate Cinco de Mayo with our Raspberry Margarita or one of our other perfect recipes, we wish you a Happy Cinco de Mayo and healthy, safe week!

Other great recipes to enjoy on May 5th from The Blind Pig Blog!

Skinny Agave Margarita

Carpano Antica Sangria

Jalapeno Popper Margarita

La Branca

Paloma

Some Like It Hot- Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita

Strawberry Basil Margarita

Tequila Watermelon Fizz

Hatch Tequila Chicken

Corralejo Lime Guac

Corralejo Honey Lime Chicken

Tequila Ceviche

Tequila Fish Tacos

 

Disclaimer:  The beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking. Drink responsibly.

Let Freedom Ring with a Strawberry Basil Margarita

Hey Blind Pig Friends, how was your Fourth of July?  Ours was very low key.  We stuck close to home and hung out by the pool.  While soaking up the sun we got a hankering for some Strawberry Basil Margaritas.  Our garden has been overflowing with herbs this summer thanks to the extra rain that we have been getting this season.  It is a shame to let all of those herbs go to waste without capitalizing on the fresh twist that they can add to cooking and mixing cocktails.  We know that Strawberry Basil Margaritas are not our own invention and are not anything new on the up and coming bar scene, BUT since this is our blog we thought we would remind you about a crowd pleasing summer cocktail.  We included our “Umbrella Worthy” stamp of approval on this recipe, as well.

To make this delicious drink you will need fresh basil, fresh strawberries, Monin Strawberry Flavored Syrup, agave nectar, fresh limes and your favorite tequila.  When making margs we always start from our basic Skinny Agave Margarita recipe.  However, since we used the Monin Strawberry Syrup, we backed off of the agave nectar slightly.

Place the tequila, strawberry syrup, agave nectar, and lime juice in a shaker over ice and shake for 20-30 seconds.  Pour into margarita glass filled with ice — we used sonic ice! Take a basil leaf and clap it between your hands.  This releases the flavors and aroma of the basil.  Place in cocktail.  Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries, and enjoy!

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a full printable recipe of our Strawberry Basil Margarita.

This cocktail is so yummy, so fresh, so tasty!  It is a great cocktail to serve at any neighborhood cookout or if you are just chilling by the pool.  What is your favorite by the pool drink?

 

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.

Cinco de Mayo Recipes for Your Party

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.

December Bonus Post: Merry Margarita!

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.

 

Santorita!

santoritaIt’s unofficially summer in Texas.  This week in Dallas the temps hit 96 degrees and felt warmer than that with the heat index. When nature is calling for summer, why fight it?  Join in the spirit with a Santorita.

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This delicious drink is a small twist on the typical margarita by using a spirit which is gaining popularity.   Mezquila is a blend of mezcal and tequila. Mezcal is derived from various types of agave plants and  usually has a distinctive smoky character. Tequila is made only from blue agave and comes from specific parts of Mexico.  When blended together you get mezquila.

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Who better to bring you this tasty spirit than Sammy Hagar and Adam Levine?  The two have teamed up to make Santo. Santo is a blend of mezcal and tequila with a touch of smokiness and a soft agave finish.  This smoky flavor makes for an interesting flavor in your margarita.

You all know that Craig has a job where he occasionally gets to meet some super cool people.  These photos are from a Santo kick off party from about a year ago.  When asked if he got pictures with Sammy or Adam, his reply was, “I was standing in the back talking to Adam’s parents.”  Sigh!

 

To make this smoky little number, you need Santo, Cointreau, cocktail ready agave nectar, a whole lime and a half of an orange.  The addition of a little squeezed orange juice to this recipe enhances the smoky flavor of the Santo to give your margarita a richer, smoother taste.  This drink is a great compliment to your next Tex-Mex or Mexican meal.

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Sammy Hagar has a video on youtube making the Santorita, or you can keep reading and get it here.

The Santorita is a delicious twist on the traditional margarita made with the smoky flavor of mezquila.

You can find Santo at most Walmarts that sell spirits, Total Wine, and other fine liquor stores.

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Now we are all set to serve a Santorita at our next pool party. Who knows?  Maybe Sammy and Adam might show up?

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

Happy Anniversary, Blind Pig

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

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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

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

2. Mary Ann or Ginger?

Mary Ann or Ginger1

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

1. The Skinny Agave Margaritathe 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

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.

 

Tequila Fish Tacos and Jalapeno Popper Margaritas

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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.

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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.