MMMMMMM... Love it! Congrats on passing your inspection!

tmy

Oh, wow, I'm going to have to get some real tequila and start mixing -- yum! No way I'd put all that effort into making gourmet margaritas with the tequila I've got. Thanks for the recipes, which I've clipped!

Secret? At the beginning of the year, I started using the good stuff and the interesting tequilas we brought back from Mexico over the years. Then I depleted all my stash. With the price of liquor now in our state sky high thanks to less than forward thinking voters wanting to privatize liquor sales (stupid move), I wasn't about to go buy a $90 bottle of a good reposado so I use the cheap stuff. I also began using a giant Costco sized bottle of blanco where reposado is called for because I'm cheap. When I can sneak out of state for better prices, I'll stock up on some of the good stuff again.

I don't really notice a different in taste using the cheap brands in these recipes. I might when using spring or summer fruited recipes. We'll see.

My liver hates you already! ;-)

As an old-school kind of guy, I heartily approve of children making themselves useful.

Breezy,

Congratulations! Please do post the pitcher sized recipes as well. How do you keep the pitcher fresh - refrigerator or ice?

Is that a electric citrus juicer? Does it work well?

Congrats Breezy and just whining here - why couldn't you live on the East Coast, so I could swing by for one of those lovely concoctions?

We need to schedule electrical and plumbing inspections but may put off final for a LONGtime.

How did today go? In and out über fast with no questions or a slow walk through? Very happy for you and DH to have passed, hooray!

Yummy! I'll have to try those when we get our new kitchen! I'm so tired from all the decisions, think I'll stick to the juice box with coconut rum for now.

Congrats on passing!!

Thanks for sharing your secret, breezy -- let the mixing begin! :)

well, you surely have put the blood orange margaritas I made to shame!

And all those times when you talked about cooking from scratch, I thought you just meant food! You go girl. And little boy...

oldbat2be - As you are a little further north than we are in the Boston area, at least you are that much closer to NH!

bean

Congratulations!

Congrats on passing your final inspection! That was very nice of you to make drinks for your GC. ;-)

I love tangerine and lime so I'll have to give that first one a go once there is running water in my kitchen. I wonder if I can get my 4 year old to make drinks for me -- she should earn her keep somehow.

Caliente--oops! But your taste buds will want to marry you.

Marcolo--Totally agree. I'm a pretty modern woman, but my rules are fairly old-school when it comes to kids.

Lalitha--I will post the party pitcher recipes in the OP after the single serving recipes. I keep them in the fridge. In fact, the larger recipes call for mixing and refrigerating in advance anyway. Tangerine juice tastes much better fresh. I'm surprised how short it's holding time is; not like other citrus.

My electric juicer is a Waring commercial unit DH brought me from work. It works better than any others I've tried. I still have my eye on the Cuisinart unit Ina Garten uses, but I haven't seen it IRL to know if it's constructed better. I juice citrus a lot for various savory dishes, dressings, and sauces as well as citrus-based drinks so I give juicers a real work out. Overall, I'm happy with the Waring.

Oldbat--if you ever get to my side of the country, you can choose your margarita! I think you saw how my inspection went on that other thread. Quick.

Williamsem--I think your juice box and coconut rum combo is genius! And soooo much easier to put together at the end of the day than mine.

Bee--I want to try your blood orange margarita too! I'm linking it below in case anybody missed it.

Thanks, Elena and Tmy!

Kay--The tangerine is one of my favorites. I treat my GC so well sometimes. Must be why she doesn't want to work for anyone else. ;) My 3-y.o. wants to run the juicer also, but doesn't quite have the arm strength to do so. She could probably measure though. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Bee's blood orange margarita

Please keep the recipes coming!

Updated OP to add Party Pitcher sizes.

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This new recipe is light and refreshing! Very subtle and sparkling.

Sparkling Ginger Margaritas

2 sliced ginger root as thick as a quarter, coarsely chopped
1 fresh kaffir lime leaf, cut in half where leaf is indented (optional)
1 1/2 oz blue agave blanco tequila
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz orange Curacao or triple sec
1/4 ginger agave syrup*
Sparkling wine, such as cava

In bottom of cocktail shaker, middle ginger slices and lime leaf until ginger is coarsely mashed. Shake with 6-10 ice cubes. Pour into 6-oz martini glass. Top with sparkling wine. Bruise remaining half of lime leaf by slapping between palms of hands to release aroma. Float on drink.

*Ginger agave syrup
Combine 1/2 C light organic agave syrup with 2 T water in small saucepan. Set over medium heat and add 1/4 C finely chopped ginger (no need to peel). When mixture simmers, time 2 minutes, then remove from heat and cool to room temp. Strain. Keep in fridge for up to a month.

Party Pitcher
16 slices ginger as thick as a quarter, coarsely chopped
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 1/2 C tequila as above
1/2 C fresh lime juice
1/2 orange Curacao or triple sec
1/4 C ginger agave syrup*
Sparkling wine, such as cava

In the bottom of pitcher, muddle the ginger and half the lime leaves until ginger is coarsely mashed. Add tequila, lime, Curacao, and ginger agave. Refrigerate 2 hrs. Fill cocktail shaker with ice and 2/3 C margarita mixture. Shake and serve as above in glass with cava and bruised lime leaf.

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Next week is Black Currant-Rhubarb Margarita!

Here's an idea:
Travel down to Portland, buy your supplies here, stop by and give me a tutoring lesson and taste test and just take home the (crates of unopened) leftovers. :-)

Looks wonderful!

Anna--As much tequila and other booze as we've been going through lately (we entertain A LOT), I do think a trip to Portland is in order soon for cheap liquor! Seriously, we are planning a trip to Oregon to shop at a specialty lumber store that carried a wide variety of live edge wood, hoping we can find the right pieces for our mantles.

Black Currant-Rhubarb Margaritas

1 1/2 oz blue agave blanco tequila
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 orange liquor
1 oz rhubarb puree*
1/2 oz creme de cassis

Shake in cocktail shaker with 6-8 ice cubes.

Party Pitcher:
1 1/2 C blue agave blanco tequila
1/2 C fresh lime juice
1/2 C orange liqueur
1 C rhubarb puree*
1/2 C creme de cassis

Combine in pitcher and refrigerator for 2 hrs. Shake 1 C in cocktail shaker with 6-8 ice cubes.

*Rhubarb puree
Chop 3 medium stalks (9 to 10 ounces) fresh rhubarb into 1/2" pieces. In small sauce pan combine rhubarb, 1/2 C water, and 6 T sugar. Being to boil, then simmer over medium heat until rhubarb is tender and beginning to fall apart, 10-15 minutes. Cool to tepid. Puree in blender, food processor, or with hand blender until smooth. Refrigerator until ready to use, up to 5 days.

Hey Breezy, thanks for the heads up! I have a beautiful rhubarb plant that I was just looking at today wondering what besides pie should I make out of it. We have a gathering in a couple weekends and I think I'm going to make this. Appreciate the party size recipe, too. It looks delicious! Can't wait to try something a little different.

Awesome! Thank you!