{ queso blanco & margaritas }

I've mentioned before the plight of my southern tastebuds ... a Texan attempting to find decent comida in New England. After resolving myself to the fact that I just wasn't going to magically stumble across any chile con queso up here in the Northeast, I set out to find a version that I'd be able to make at home.

important sidebar: anyone who, at this point, even attempts to utter the words, "Have you tried Velveeta and Rotel?" needs some serious culinary intervention ....

Pinterest to the rescue.

We found and tried a "restaurant style" queso blanco recipe a few months ago, made it, and fell in love with the results. You honestly can't tell the difference between it, and a great queso blanco that you'd order from a place like Escalante's in Houston.

So, in honor of National Margarita Day, queso blanco, simple cheese and jalapeno nachos (a household family favorite), and frozen margaritas was the entirety of tonight's menu.

Queso Blanco
(adapted from penniesonaplatter)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound block White American Cheese (found at the deli counter; Land O' Lakes brand preferred), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup diced green chiles
• 2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 1/8 cup pickled jalapeno juice
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of ground cumin

Process
Combine ingredients in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for five minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. Continue to heat in 2-minute intervals, as needed, stirring until cheese is completely melted.

Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips.

{ bleeding margarita }

I literally have hundreds (thousands?) of "one day I'm going to make this" recipes pinned on my Pinterest boards, and I've actually tried many of them. As I've said before, Pinterest has become my first, and pretty much my only, go-to stop whenever I decide to cook something new, or make a grocery list, or search for some needed culinary inspiration.

Every once in a while I stumble across a recipe that simply can't wait for "some day" ... something so tempting and delectible that its status is immediately elevated to, "I have to make this tonight."

The blood orange margarita picture I found this morning was one such cocktail.

Let me say, unequivicoally, that it didn't disappoint. In fact, I can absolutely see myself obsessively buying blood oranges each time I go to the grocery store, just to ensure that I always have a stash of the gem-colored produce on hand for this drink -- it's that good.

Blood Orange Margarita
(inspired by how sweet it is)

makes one serving

1 1/2 ounces tequila (I used Cuervo Gold)
1 ounce orange liqueur (I used Grand Mariner)
1 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces blood orange juice (about 1-2 oranges)
salt for the rim
lime/orange wedges for garnish

Rim the ridge of your glass with a lime wedge and dip in margarita salt.

Fill glass with crushed ice.

In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, orange liqueur, simple syrup, blood orange juice and lime juice. Gve it a good shake.

Pour over ice and squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice on top. Garnish with lime and/or a blood orange slice.

Salud.

{ cinco de mayo cookies }

I made a big batch of color for the Boston Coast Guard Spouses' Association bake sale.

Tequila optional.

its all about perspective

Depending on certain aspects, such as one's age, priorities, and life experiences, the idea of Heaven on a Saturday night might be playing with a new Lego rescue boat (and saving the day for the trains on an even newer train table) ... or a frozen margarita in front of the fireplace in January.

But either one is pretty damn sweet.

adult "drink box"

One of the niftiest things ever!
Black Iguana Frozen Ritas!

You buy a box of these pre-packaged drinks, available in both lime and strawberry, and then stick 'em in the freezer for a few hours. The result is a frozen pouch of Mexican goodness! Just stick the straw in the pouch, and presto! Frozen margarita, baby!

According to the website, they're currently only available in the greater Houston area

(Here's one of the best reasons for living in Houston. We've launched Black Iguana Frozen Ritas in the greater Houston area.)

Here's the "official" description, straight from the Black Iguana website ...

• Black Iguana Frozen Ritas are READY-TO-DRINK.

• We've just made your life much simpler. Put away that blender. No more crushed ice, limes, beverage glasses. And no more messy countertops!

• Black Iguana is premixed with 100% Blue Agave wine -- imported from Jalisco, Mexico

• Each Black Iguana Frozen Rita is individually packaged in a 187 ml pouch.

• Freeze until slushy or enjoy on-the-rocks.

• Drink straight from the pouch or pour into a beverage glass.

Why the hell didn't I think of this?