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blanco tequila

Cocktail Pantry Twists: Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly Margarita

December 4, 2019 by elana Leave a Comment

Hot Pepper Cranberry Margarita // stirandstrain.comThe Cocktail Pantry Twists Series is made in partnership with Stonewall Kitchen. Recipe and ideas are my own.

Hello and welcome to my pantry. Yes, my actual pantry.

In these cold weather months, sometimes it’s hard to come across some fresh ingredients to make drinks with. Or the ones we find at the store are flying here from thousands of miles away and, well, come with a hefty price tag too. So to beat those winter blues, we’ve teamed up with Stonewall Kitchen, who have been gracing my shelves for years (Like almost two decades now. I. AM. OLD.), to add some great flavors to our drinks with their assortment of jams and condiments.

Hot Pepper Cranberry Margarita // stirandstrain.comI’ll be taking over their Instagram Stories on Friday the 6th to share some how-to videos and be a talking head, but you all get the recipes here first! And there’s three this week! Also, I’ll be having a giveaway Friday as well on my IG page and you’ll have a chance to win ALL the products to make the recipes with. It’s like getting a holiday basket delivered to your door except better because you’ll be able to make cocktails with everything inside.

First up in the series of cocktail pantry twists is a Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly Margarita made with Stonewall Kitchen’s Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly. It’s holiday time and I love the sweet-tart cranberries that are a ubiquitous part of the season. And I love a Spicy Marg too. This cocktail mixes up blanco tequila with a sweet, spicy, and sour flavor profile. It’s bursting with delicious ingredients and I think it’s just the drink to kick up our taste buds when we are craving those juicy fruit flavors.

Hot Pepper Cranberry Margarita // stirandstrain.comNow, since your grocery store may or may not have citrus (even though winter is when citrus is in season!), and we’re all hanging out together in my pantry, I’ve got a few substitutions for fresh lime juice below. Now some might seem a bit out there, but this is also keeping in mind that you’re using cranberries in this Margarita and they have their own sourness, so you can mellow the citrus out a bit and use something like orange juice.

Hot Pepper Cranberry Margarita // stirandstrain.com

No limes? Try these alternatives:

  • Meyer Lemons
  • Orange Juice
  • Organic, all natural bottled lime juice
  • Lemonade

Hot Pepper Cranberry Margarita // stirandstrain.comHot Pepper Cranberry Jelly Margarita

  • 1-1/2 ounces blanco tequila
  • 1 tablespoon Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly
  • 3/4 ounce orange liqueur
  • 1/2 freshly squeezed lime juice (or a substitution from the list above)
  • kosher salt for rim

First, take a lime wedge and wet the edge of a rocks glass, and then roll the outer edge of the glass in the salt. Set aside. In a shaker 2/3 filled with ice, pour in the tequila, the Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly, orange liqueur, and the lime juice. Shake hard 20 seconds and then strain into the rocks glass. Garnish with a small spoon topped with additional Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly. Enjoy!

See you tomorrow for the next recipe in our series!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: blanco tequila, Cocktail Pantry Twists, cranberry, Fall, jalapeno peppers, lime, margarita, Stonewall Kitchen, tequila, winter

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar Rims

December 11, 2018 by elana 1 Comment

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comThis post is brought to you by Specialty Retailers, Inc. Recipes and ideas are my own.

Did you know that Margaritas are the most popular cocktail in the U.S.? Probably not surprising when you think of the amount of frozen, neon colored drinks you encounter walking down the main strip in Las Vegas. I’m sure those are being counted in this statistic. And that bottled drink mix with the svelte lady on the front; that’s probably being counted too. But here in my home bar, a Margarita is a solid, easy to mix drink with endless variations. And today we’ll be making them holiday ready for a little online party!

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comToday I’m taking part in Stage’s virtual holiday party and sharing my Cranberry Sauce Margaritas to help celebrate and #SetYourHolidayStage! I’m making them extra festive with an easy DIY rosemary sugar rim you can whip up in minutes and use all holiday season long. As my older readers know, I have an entire front yard full of rosemary. So when the Fall and Winter seasons are upon us, I’m sticking it in everything. Food, of course, but also in lots of cocktails. If you’re finding us through the Stages Holiday Party, a quick search through the archives will introduce you to a whole new world of using rosemary in cocktails; take a look!

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.com

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comWe still have two whole weeks until Christmas and who knows how many parties we’ll be going to or hosting up to then. If you’re in charge of drinks, Stages has all the accessories you need to make prepping and decorating easy! We did a quick shopping trip online to get all our gear for our virtual party including glasses, those cute gold foil holiday napkins, a caddy to hold the napkins and straws, a chalkboard sign to write out the name of our Signature Cocktail, the containers to store the rosemary sugar, a dipping tray for all the ingredients for the Cranberry Sauce Margaritas, as well as some festive decorations like this teeny tiny lights and the nutcracker. Even my holiday sweater came from there! SO MANY GREAT ENTERTAINING OPTIONS.

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.com

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.com

Ok, so you set your holiday stage and are ready for guests. Let them feel in charge with a little DIY bar set up. This 3 cup dipping tray could hold snacks any other time of the year, but today it will hold all the components for the Cranberry Sauce Margaritas: cranberry sauce, lime wedges and the rosemary sugar. Put out some little spoons for the dishes and some shot glasses for the booze components. Holiday parties should be about coming together with friends and family, and having this little DIY bar lets guests mingle about with one another.

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comThe recipe for the Cranberry Sauce Margaritas has just a touch of sweetness in it from the cranberry sauce and the Grand Marnier. You can adjust going up or down with either to your liking. I also think adding just a touch of the rosemary sugar into the drink doesn’t hurt either, just remember to shake it really well to combine it all! TIP: use the spent lime wedges from the cocktail recipe to help rim the glasses. Then you won’t need to waste additional lime wedges just for rimming. Also, when rimming your glass, use a shallow bowl or rimmed plate and push the sugar out towards the edges so that the sugar will evenly coat around the glass.

Let’s make some drinks!

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comCranberry Sauce Margaritas

1-1/2 ounces blanco tequila
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon cranberry sauce
rosemary sugar (see recipe below)
rosemary sprig

First, rim a rocks glass with the rosemary sugar. Set aside. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled 2/3 with ice. Shake well to combine, about 30 seconds. Strain over fresh ice into the prepared rocks glass. Add additional cranberry sauce if desired. Optionally garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.comRosemary Sugar

2 cups granulated sugar
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary, about 3 to 5 inches long, divided

Take one sprig of rosemary and remove all the needles. Finely chop them. Combine the chopped needles and the sugar in an airtight container. Mix well to evenly distribute the rosemary. Add a few extra sprigs to the jar, shake, and let sit overnight or up to a few days. Sugar may look clumpy but it will dry out and break down. Remove the sprigs, seal the jar, and keep in a cool, dry place up to three months.

Cranberry Sauce Margaritas with Rosemary Sugar: A Holiday Party with Stages // stirandstrain.com

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Filed Under: Everyday Parties, Make It, Recipes, Tips Tagged With: blanco tequila, cranberry, Everyday Parties, grand marnier, holiday, lime, make it, rosemary, tequila

Candy Inspired Cocktails

October 25, 2018 by elana Leave a Comment

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.comThis post was made in partnership with Master of Mixes. Recipes and ideas are my own.

The closer I get to Halloween, the more my brain starts chanting…candy candy candy candy candy. I mean, it’s actually Garfield chanting it, because I still think of that Halloween special from the ’80’s that I grew up on, and I still, to this day, identify with his love of sarcasm and, well, candy.

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.comYes, I love the spooks and the change of season, but free candy always topped the list of reasons why October 31st was THE BEST. Now, as an adult, I can hop in my car, or rather, have Instacart deliver, all the candy my heart desires. At any time of year. But I’ve learned restraint and I don’t usually buy any until the week before Halloween when stores start having candy sales. And then again the day before Halloween because I’ve eaten it all the past week.

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.com

This year I made the exception and bought some candy a little early so I could make some treats for all of you! My readers! Working with Master of Mixes, I’ve crafted THREE tasty candy inspired cocktails you can make for yourself, or batch for your Halloween party this weekend. If you’re not familiar with them, Master of Mixes has been crafting high quality, delicious mixers for 40 years! They have more than 45 flavors in their catalog, but I narrowed down today to just three of my favorites: their Mint Syrup, Blood Orange Margarita Mixer, and Piña Colada Mixer. And my inspiration? Junior Mints, Sour Patch Kids, and Almond Joy.

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.com

First up is the Junior Mint inspired cocktail. And it’s ALL about that super mint flavor. Here I’ve used Master of Mixes Mint Syrup to give me a strong punch of mint flavor. Their syrup is made with Pacific Northwest Spearmint and has a clean, fresh taste. I’ve paired this with vodka, cream, and coffee liqueur to mimic the creaminess of the candy, and instead of the richness you’d get with the chocolate, I’ve opted to use a strong coffee liqueur to make this more sophisticated.

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.com

My love of sour drinks probably started with my love of Sour Patch Kids growing up. For this next cocktail, I’m taking the sweet and sour citrus flavors of the candy and crafting a Blood Orange Margarita with Master of Mixes Blood Orange Margarita Mixer. To get more citrus in, and to add a bitter element to this, I’ve mixed the blanco tequila with a touch of Dry Orange Curaçao. I’ve also created a “sour” sugar rim with citric acid and sugar to fool the taste buds. The blood orange mix is housed in an ice sphere that will make the cocktail sweeter as you drink it!

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.comLastly, Almond Joy bars in my opinion are far superior to a Mounds bar. Because… almonds!! When I think coconut cocktails, I think Piña Coladas, and Master of Mixes has a perfectly balanced Piña Colada Mixer that will be the base of our final drink. A few drops of almond extract, vanilla vodka, and a chocolate float turns this drink into an over-the-top cocktail for Halloween. I’ve been calling it a Choco-joy-lada, but you can just call it delicious.

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.comSo grab some extra candy this year, a couple of Master of Mixes bottles, and let’s plan a sweet Halloween party!

Candy Inspired Cocktails with Master of Mixes // stirandstrain.com

Junior Mint Cocktail

1-1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Master of Mixes Mint Syrup
3/4 ounce coffee liqueur
3/4 ounce cream

In a shaker filled 2/3 with ice, pour in vodka, Master of Mixes Mint Syrup, coffee liqueur, and cream. Shake 20 seconds to combine. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Pop a couple Junior Mints.

Sour Patch Kids Cocktail

4 ounces Master of Mixes Blood Orange Margarita Mixer
2 ounces blanco tequila
1/2 ounce Dry Orange Curaçao
1/4 teaspoon citric acid
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

First, to make the Master of Mixes Blood Orange Margarita ice sphere, you will need a spherical ice mold like this. Alternatively, you could also use a large ice cube mold as well. Pour the mix in the mold and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight (depending on your freezer). Next, combine citric acid and sugar in a shallow bowl large enough to fit the rim of your glass. Moisten the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and roll in the prepared mixture. Then, in a shaker 2/3 filled with ice, pour in the tequila and Dry Orange Curaçao. Shake and strain into the prepared rocks glass. Add the Master of Mixes Blood Orange Margarita ice sphere to the drink and stir about 20 seconds to start melting the mix into the drink. Take a few sips and try not to pucker your lips too much.

Almond Joy Cocktail

2 ounces vanilla vodka
bar spoon of almond extract
4 ounces Master of Mixes Piña Colada Mixer
1 – 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (or if you’re feeling extra fancy, then try it with the chocolate liqueur of your choice!)

In a shaker 2/3 filled with ice, pour in vanilla vodka, almond extract, and Master of Mixes Piña Colada Mixer. Shake 20 seconds and pour everything into a highball glass. Using the back of a spoon, float chocolate syrup on top of the drink. Grab a reusable straw and gently mix it together, or not. Cause sometimes you feel like mixing, sometimes you don’t.

For more information on Master of Mixes, loads of cocktail recipes, and more how-to’s, please visit them at MixologyPro.com

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: blanco tequila, candy, chocolate, coconut, Fall, halloween, master of mixes, mint, tequila, vanilla vodka, vodka

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle

June 30, 2017 by elana 2 Comments

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.com

This post is brought to you by Tres Agaves Tequila. Recipes and ideas are my own.

All of my cocktails tend to take on a blue hue this time of year, even if I’m not setting out to make something patriotic. More than anything, I really just love putting blueberries in drinks right now. But what happens when those blueberries are out of season? We’ve got a trick to fix that!

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.comHave you guys ever tried quick infusions with dehydrated fruit?! A few weeks back I collaborated with a local bartender on a drink and she hyped me to this technique. I thought I had pretty much exhausted all the fast and furious ways you could get some flavor infused into drinks but I’d never thought of trying it with dehydrated foods. When you crush the dehydrated fruit into the drink, it sucks up the liquid and starts to seep its flavor out. Pretty neat huh?

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.comSo today I’m swizzling up tequila and dehydrated blueberries alongside creamy coconut milk and a little spice from a cinnamon syrup you can whip up in less than a half hour. For an extra kick, Angostura bitters is floated on top. We chose to work with 100% estate grown agaves Tres Agaves Tequila because of it’s slightly spicy flavor profile and subtle sweet and grassy aroma; it was the perfect match for our cocktail creation.

The swizzle is a super refreshing cocktail that has a lovely silky mouthfeel and let’s the tequila shine. It has a nice balance of having just enough sweet to balance out the spice while surprising you with new combinations of flavors as the ice settles and the blueberries permeate the cocktail.

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.comHope you guys enjoy this over the (long) weekend! If you try it, let us know what you think!

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.com1-1/2 ounces Tres Agaves Blanco Tequila
1 ounce coconut milk (full fat)
3/4 ounce cinnamon syrup (see recipe here)
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 cup dehydrated blueberries, lightly crushed (we used Crunchies* here!)
1/4 ounce of Angostura bitters

In a Collins glass, combine Tres Agaves Tequila, coconut milk, cinnamon syrup, and lime juice. Fill glass halfway with crushed ice and swizzle about 20 seconds. Add blueberries and more crushed ice to the glass. Float Angostura on top.

The Blue Crush Tequila Swizzle // stirandstrain.comFor more information on Tres Agaves Tequila, please visit their site at tresagaves.com. 

For more info on sponsored products, affiliate links, and gifted booze, please visit the About page!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: angostura, blanco tequila, blueberries, cinnamon, coconut milk, lime, summer, swizzle, Tres Agaves Tequila

Peach and Tequila Frozen Cocktail frozen peach cocktails part one

September 16, 2015 by elana 1 Comment

Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail // stirandstrain.comIt’s September. Target was filled with Halloween decorations about two weeks ago, and I have a fruit basket filled with peaches. They’re not the prettiest peaches mind you, but they’re still sooooo tasty.

Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail // stirandstrain.comI do this every year. I overbuy summer produce like I’ll never see it again and when it starts getting close to Fall, I scramble to use it up. As you all know, it kills me to throw food away. This year it’s a little easier with a little one who gobbles up peaches but I’m still staring at this fruit basket scratching my head.

Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail // stirandstrain.comAnd then I go, DUH, and drag out the blender.

Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail // stirandstrain.comWhere once you only bought a frozen cocktail while on vacation where you both did not care what you were drinking, and you were more than likely not going to remember it anyway, now I insist you make them for yourself and loved ones. I convinced you to make a Frozen Blood and Sand cocktail last month, and let’s not forget that Cucumber and Green Chartreuse number from last year.

This post is part one of emptying that fruit basket of all those peaches.

Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail // stirandstrain.comPeaches, meet tequila.

Serves 4.
6 ounces blanco tequila
2 ripe peaches, pitted and cubed
1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks
2 ounces fresh pineapple juice
1-1/2 ounces Suze
8 mint leaves
Mint leaves and extra pineapple chunks, for garnish

  • Combine tequila, peaches, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, Suze, and mint leaves in a zipper-lock bag or resealable jar. Chill at least 8 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  • To serve, transfer chilled tequila mixture to a blender and add 3 cups ice. Blend at high speed until well mixed and thick, about 45 seconds. Divide between coupe glasses and garnish with a pineapple chunk and mint leaves.

A little on the savory side with earthy notes from the tequila and the herbal, floral, bitter Suze. Your sweet peaches balance out that earthy side, mixed with sweet-tart pineapple and mint for a concoction that’s both refreshing and complex.

**This recipe was originally written for Serious Eats.

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: blanco tequila, blended, frozen drinks, Herradura Tequila, mint, peach, pineapple, summer, Suze

Grilled Rambutan Cocktail

July 15, 2015 by elana 1 Comment

Grilled Rambutan Cocktail // stirandstrain.comThings I use my grill for:

  1. grilling meat, duh
  2. cooking vegetables
  3. making pizza
  4. grilling up cocktails

Cocktails? Whaaaaa?!

Well, you’re outside on the grill anyways during the summer, might as well put it to some good use in the drink department. And if you’ve been on here before, every summer now I sort through the seasonal (and maybe not so seasonal) fruits and see what happens when you char them up. Like mangoes. And nectarines, limes and cherries. But especially cherries (so much so I made some for Kristin at DineXDesign too). Sometimes though, you run out of fruit to grill, and you unearth something from the depths of your pantry. And then the science experiments start and that’s where you can really have some fun.

Grilled Rambutan Cocktail // stirandstrain.comSo, admittedly, I bought this can before I left my day job which was over a year and a half ago. How long I bought it before I left that job is a total mystery. But every so often I would open my pantry, stick my head in, notice this can of rambutans, squint at it like it’s going to tell me what to do with it, and then leave it there for another day. That is, until a few days ago.Grilled Rambutan Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

I had promised to make a pitcher of cocktails for some friends coming over but in my usual fashion of late, left it to the night before. And because the fruit from the farmer’s market has been so good lately, I had eaten all of it. With a sad, empty fruit bowl staring at me, wagging its imaginary banana finger, I suddenly realized now might be a good time to crack open those rambutans (which, for the record, I can’t help but sing as “bam-a-lam” from that Black Betty song).

I tasted one, a little crunchy with a sweet-tart taste similar to a grape; it could only get better with some grill time. And it did. The richer flavors that developed turned out to be a just the ingredient to pair with some tequila, grapefruit and lime juice. And smoked salt. Always with the smoked salt.

Grilled Rambutan Cocktail // stirandstrain.comIf you’re not in possession of a grill, no worries! You can make this on a grill pan or under the broiler too.

Makes 4 cocktails
12 rambutans, peeled and seed removed if fresh (canned rambutans come ready to eat and are available online here)
6 ounces blanco tequila
2 ounces fresh juice from 1 white grapefruit
2 ounces fresh juice from 2 limes
1 ounce simple syrup
Smoked sea salt and lime juice for rimming

  1. If using the grill: Soak 3 wooden skewers in water for at least 1 hour. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place 4 rambutans on each skewer, and grill over high heat until char lines appear and fruit has softened slightly but still holds its shape, about 1 minute per side. Let cool and remove from skewers until ready to use.
  2. If using the broiler: Adjust rack to 4 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place rambutans on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil until softened and lightly charred in spots, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes total. Let cool and remove from skewers.
  3. In the bottom of a small pitcher, muddle the rambutans to release juices and break up the fruit. Add tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Cover and chill for at least an hour up to overnight.
  4. To serve, add lime juice to a saucer and smoked salt to another. Dip the side of 4 rocks glasses in lime juice and then gently roll the outside edge in smoked salt. Add ice to each glass and strain the cocktail, dividing equally among the glasses.

The slightly nutty flavors pair wonderfully with tequila, while fresh lime and grapefruit juice highlight the floral and tart elements of the rambutan. A touch of simple syrup is not enough to make the whole concoction sweet; instead, it helps round out the flavor and brighten the mix.

***This recipe originally was written for Serious Eats.

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: blanco tequila, Grapefruit, grilled, lime, rambutans, simple syrup, smoked salt, summer

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