Happy Halloween, blah blah blah

I don't really like Halloween--small children are trained to go begging door-to-door for candy.  What kind of holiday is that?  It's lame.

I remember when I was in sixth grade (the oldest grade in my elementary school), I was sure we wouldn't have to dress up for Halloween anymore.  Don't get me wrong--I always dressed up with everyone else, but it was merely out of peer pressure and license to eat too much candy.  I wasn't going to be the only other kids, besides Terri the Jehovah's Witness, not partying with everyone.  But I had been waiting to be old enough to end the charade, and I thought, surely as the Big Kids in the school, we were far too mature for such crap.  I was wrong.  I half-heartedly dressed, once again, as a princess that year, but I was pissed about it.

Now I am 37 and most of my friends still like dressing up like weirdos.  I don't get it, but at least they drink instead of eating Milk Duds.  Those things suck.  Here's one for you, Halloween fans!

Dia de los Muertos Strawberry Margaritas

Serves 4

3 1/2 cups strawberries, washed and hulled

2 1/2 cups crushed ice

1/2 cup tequila

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons triple sec

lime wedges or garnish (optional)

Combine all ingredients except lime wedges in a blender and process until mixture is smooth.  Pour into glass and garnish each with a lime wedge if desired.  

Eat some guacamole with these, OK?

Cinco de Mayo means booze.

Having never lived in a part of the country with a present Mexican-American population before, I grew up thinking that Cinco de Mayo meant an excuse to drink and perhaps grab dinner at Chi-Chi's Restaurant.  When I moved to Colorado, I thought that surely I would learn a greater appreciation for the cultural heritage of the Mexican people and their bravery in declaring independence.  What it seems to mean in the Denver area is that you can drink more and maybe go to Rio Grande (much better than Chi-Chi's) for dinner. I exaggerate, but only slightly.  And this seemed like the best way to introduce some recipes for margs and dips.

Jason's Classic Margarita

Serves 1

2 oz. gold tequila

1 oz. triple sec

1/2 oz. lime juice

1 shot orange juice

salt for rimming glass

lime wedges for garnish

Combine all ingredients except salt and lime wedges in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigourously.  Strain into a glass that has been rimmed with sal and garnish with a lime wedge.  

I stole this one form that weird-ass lady, the Barefoot Contessa.

Grapefruit margaritas

Makes 4

1 lime cut into 4 wedges

Salt for rimming

1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice

½ cup lime juice

1 cup Triple Sec

2 cups ice

1 cup tequila

Cut a slice in the middle of each lime wedge and run each one over the rim of a short tumbler or old-fashioned glass. Dip each rim in salt and perch a lime wedge on the edge of each glass. Combine all remaining ingredients in a tall pitcher and stir well.

And something to soak up the booze is helpful...

Mango-Black Bean Dip

1 fresh mango, pitted and diced

2 tablespoons red onion finely chopped

1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

Mash black beans, to a smaller size/paste, with a potato masher or use tines of a fork I like to leave a few whole ones for texture). Add mangoes, mango juice, onion, jalapeno, cumin, cayenne, cilantro and lime juice; combine evenly.  

And of course, I still love this bacon-laced guacamole I published earlier on this blog. 

And if you need more food, try these clever tacos; they make good drunk food, if I do say so myself.