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Recipe: margarita jello

At the party we threw last weekend I was all prepared to serve up margaritas to our guests because that sounded like a good way to wash down those shredded beef and carne adovada tacos. As luck would have it, only one person asked for a margarita and so I was stuck with a bag of limes after the party was over.

what to do with juicy limes…

I shouldn’t say stuck with the limes, because there’s always something good to make with limes. I should say stuck with tequila because neither of us drinks tequila. Then I recalled a mojito jello that Helen had posted last summer and wondered if I might try something similar with the margarita. I had a good recipe in hand after researching all over the web for the *best* margarita cocktail. It goes something like 2 parts 100% agave tequila (silver, I don’t know what silver means, but basically don’t buy shitty tequila), 1 part Grand Marnier, and 1 part fresh lime juice. I guess I’m a serious lightweight because that was kinda strong for me. I preferred it with simple syrup, more lime juice, less booze.

sprinkle gelatin over the water to soften

fresh squozen is best

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Recipe: soy sauce eggs

I have always had this thing for the number 13 – I like it (in part because it is a prime number). And Friday the 13th is even better because I love Fridays. But the best thing about Friday the 13th? I always get an email from my friend, Jack. He usually tells me he misses me and Jeremy or that he hopes to see us next time we’re in So Cal. And then he ends with JASON JASON JASON KILL KILL KILL! This has been going on for over 16 years. I got one of his emails this morning right before we left the house. A great start to a fantastic day.

powder + bumps + breckenridge = sweetness

It really feels like spring skiing, which I’m not all that thrilled about because it gets so darn hot. However, the fresh powder overnight and the bluebird conditions today are pretty hard to beat. Breck was surprisingly unbusy and we hit freshies all morning. By afternoon, the powder became heavy, the runs were getting tracked up, I was sweating like a pig, and my quads were on fire.

totally worth the pain

jeremy hunts for pockets of powder

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Recipe: chocolate raspberry macarons

Even though I tell you guys that I blog for you, I have to be honest… I blog for me! I’m not just talking about the mental health aspect, but I find that my own recipe page comes in really handy when I’m contemplating what to make for dinner each week and particularly for planning party menus. As I had mentioned before, I had to take into consideration the soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, chicken-free issues of some guests. And while I did have something to offer for everyone, I also tried my best not to deprive those guests who can, do, and love to eat dairy, gluten, and all of that other good stuff.

dessert prep the day before

it began to snow before the guests arrived

That’s our patio furniture where my indoor bike trainer usually sits. A second table was brought up to provide more seating. I quite love that our furniture and house are so flexible for large parties. It is even better in summer because we use the deck. In total there were 14 adults, 6 kids, and one Kaweah. Young children make things much livelier and so Jeremy and I took turns between hosting to police Kaweah, who did her best to suck up all of the fallen food.

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