Sunny Clementine Margaritas

Can I be real with you all for a quick moment?

Blogging while being a stay at home mom to two kiddos is harder than blogging while being a stay at home mom to one kiddo. For some reason, I thought that maybe it would get easier but it definitely didn't. Between the school schedules and swimming lessons and karate and refereeing sibling scuffles in between, my time and energy are split in so many directions that when I sit down to write something here I simply cannot put words together. My brain is mush. It's really frustrating.

So, until life evens out a bit (HA!) I'm going to be kind to myself. I'm going to do what I can so that I still LOVE this space and all that comes with it. I'm also going to remind myself more often that someday I'll be sitting in a quiet, empty house while the boys are both at school and I'll have all the time and energy in the world to pour into Set the Table. Until that time comes, I'm going to post when I have the time and energy to do so. I may not have a million followers/readers, but you know what? I adore this cozy little space and those of you who visit it. And I want to make sure to keep bringing you high quality posts when I can rather than so-so posts just for the sake of posting a certain number of days per week. Sound good? Can we all get on board with that? I hope so.

On that note, I have a DELICIOUS cocktail for you today that embodies everything I love about this time of year: the promise of spring is just barely making itself known while winter is keeping us cozied up inside eating allllll the sweet, juicy clementines. I'm not the only one, right? Margaritas scream warm weather to me, but using seasonal citrus fruits make it perfectly lovely for these late winter snow days when we need a little reminder that sunshine and heat are on their way back to our lives.

I typically rim my margarita glasses with salt, but this time I chose to use a pinch of black lava salt (!) as a dramatic finishing touch to this vibrant cocktail. It adds the perfect subtle saltiness while dressing up what would otherwise look like a run of the mill marg. If you don't have black salt laying around (which would be me if I hadn't gotten mine as a thoughtful Christmas gift) it is FINE. Use something else that is bright and contrasts with the orange tinge of the drink itself. A slice of red chili pepper or a sage leaf are perfect garnishes as well.

I hope you are all able to take a step back from the things that make life hectic and appreciate what makes life beautiful right now. It's harder than it sounds but so good for the soul. And if you have one of these margaritas in your hand while you ponder, it may be a tad easier!

Sunny Clementine Margaritas

Makes 2 drinks

• Juice of 4 clementines (about 4-6 oz total)
• juice of half a lime (about 1-2 oz)
• 2 teaspoons agave
• 2 oz white or silver tequila
• course salt or other garnish (sage leaf or sliced chilis work well)
• lime wedge for garnish

1. Strain the juices and agave into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add the tequila and shake until chilled.
2. Pour the margaritas into 2 ice filled glasses. Sprinkle with salt (or other desired garnish), garnish with a lime wedge, and serve immediately. Cheers!

Cocktail Friday: Peach Margarita + Basil Salt

Let's all go on vacation and have peach margaritas with basil salt. Deal?

I'm a big fan of classic margaritas (on the rocks please-and-thank-you). But I also enjoy playing around with new flavors because, let's be honest, it's fun. Last year I made a Pineapple-Honey Margarita that was fantastic. Fresh pineapple and a touch of honey made a perfectly balanced margarita that wasn't heavily laden with sugar. This year, I've done this peach margarita with basil salt. I know peaches are not in season at the moment (I had a bunch in the freezer from last summer that worked perfectly here) so feel free to use frozen if you can't get your hands on nice, ripe fruit.

As with the Pineapple-Honey Margarita, this one did not need any extra sugar. Peaches are already so beautifully sweet and make a nice match for silver tequila. The basil salt adds a fun, unique element to the cocktail but is completely optional. I love the little green flecks against the peachy orange of the drink. And you do get a hint of that sweet, grassy herbal flavor that basil is so loved for. This time of year that flavor is like gold. After harshly cold winter months, a little reminder of that spring-summer flavor is welcome.

Cinco de Mayo is upon us and this would make the perfect margarita to celebrate with along with a couple tasty tacos.

I'd love to hear what you all like to do to create your own unique version of the margarita!

Go Sugar Free begins again May 7th! You can sign up now by clicking HERE. This cocktail is a great example of what you can learn about living with less sugar!

Peach Margaritas with Basil Salt

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 oz Silver Tequila
• 1 cup frozen peach slices
• 1/3 cup margarita salt
• 1/4 cup firmly packed basil leaves

Instructions

1. Combine the tequila and peach slices in a blender. Pulse until completely mixed and slushy-like.
2. Chop the basil leaves roughly, then add the salt to your cutting board and continue to chop until the salt and basil are incorporated. You don't want to pulverize the basil, just get it evenly distributed throughout the salt.
3. Spread the salt in an even layer on the cutting board.
4. Use water or a touch of honey to coat the rims of two margarita glasses.
5. Gently coat the glass rims in the basil salt and fill each with the peach margaritas.

Notes

Use frozen peaches unless you can find really flavorful, juicy fresh peaches in season. If you use fresh peaches, add 2/3 cup ice to the blender. If the peaches are a little bland, add just a touch of lime juice and a bit of honey. Otherwise, the peaches are plenty sweet on their own, making this a healthier margarita choice. Cheers to that!