Mixed Citrus Salad with Thinly Shaved Shallots, Cubed Feta Cheese, Fresh Mint Chiffonade, a Drizzle of Homemade Spicy, Fresh Cracked Pepper Honey and Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette, Olive Oil, + Fleur de Sel

Okay guys, prepare yourself mentally... I'm really going out of the box today with this recipe. It doesn't have butter, it doesn't have bacon, or buttermilk, or a crispy outer coating, or anything southern really ((let the shock set in for a few seconds)). This is something healthy and gorgeous and vegetarian. Woah, I know. At the peak of winter, every citrus fruit is practically at its best, so why not use them to our advantage? I bought multiple citrus... blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges, ruby red grapefuits, clementines, tangelos, meyer lemons, and limes (and probably more that I can't even think of). I'm not going to lie to you, prepping the citrus for the salad can be tedious and time-consuming, but if you're willing to eat a piece of artwork, like this dish, it's so worth it. Pretty much, you have to remove the rind and the bitter pith, leaving behind gorgeous "carpaccio" style slices. After you've done every citrus, the hard work is pretty much done! Arrange a plate with the prepared citrus in any colorful manner you like. I decided to do a rainbow/ombre pattern and I think it looked fabulous! Next, I whipped up a delicious and easy-breezy dressing to drizzle over the top. It's made with honey, raspberry champagne vinegar (you can use any flavor really though), dried red pepper flakes, and fresh cracked pepper. Cube up or crumble some fresh feta over the top of the citrus, followed by a drizzle of the homemade honey dressing and olive oil. I finished it all off with a scattering of mint chiffonade and a sprinkle of fleur de sel. The salad is so juicy and practically explodes in your mouth. The cheese offsets all of the acidity and heat because of its delicious creaminess, while the spicy + peppery honey perfectly accents all of the other components. Finally the fresh mint gives the dish a final herbaceousness that should not + cannot be missed. I really hope y'all get around to making this unique salad because it is so different than anything that I have made before. I imagine it would be fabulous during the spring or summer as well... with a bottle of white wine!! Enjoy :)

For the Spicy Fresh Cracked Pepper Honey + Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette:

¼C Orange Blossom Honey

2T Champagne Vinegar

½t Fresh Cracked Pepper + Dried Red Pepper Flakes

 

For the Mixed Citrus Salad:

3 Blood Oranges

1 Ruby Red Grapefruit

1 Cara Cara Orange

1 Navel Orange

2 Clementines or 1 Tangelo

1 Meyer Lemon

1 Lime 

Cubes or Crumbles of Fresh Feta Cheese

Fresh Mint, Chiffonade

1-2 Shallots, Thinly Shaved

Prepared Honey Vinaigrette (listed above)

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Flakes of Fleur de Sel, For Sprinkling

 

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Honey Vinaigrette: In a mason jar, add the honey, champagne vinegar, fresh cracked pepper, and dried red pepper flakes. Shake the heck out of it until the dressing is cohesive, the honey has dissolved into the champagne vinegar, and the pepper/red pepper flakes are speckled throughout the vinaigrette. Set it aside until you are ready to use.

2. Preparing the Citrus: Slice the different citrus fruit into rounds, and then using very sharp kitchen scissors, carefully cut off the rind, making sure to get rid of the white bitter pith. Gently remove any seeds. Continue until all of the citrus have been finished and resemble a citrus “Carpaccio”.

3. Preparing the Salad: Cut the big block of fresh feta cheese into small cubes (or you can also decide to crumble it as well if you prefer). Shave a few shallots, using a kitchen mandolin, until you have thin slices of the onion. Chiffonade the fresh mint into small strips.

4. Assembling the Salad: Scatter a thin layer of the shaved shallots on the bottom of your serving dish. Shingle and layer the prepared citrus rounds in an overlapping fashion, so that they cover the entire plate (we decided to go in a rainbow colored scheme, but you could also do random or strips of color if you please). Place the cubes of feta into any holes that you see that need to be filled on the plate. I also scattered some crumbles on top, just for a little extra. Drizzle as much of the spicy honey vinaigrette as you want all over the salad, making sure to get all of the fresh cracked pepper + dried red pepper flakes (these ingredients really balance against all of the sweet flavors of the dish). Drizzle a few spoonfuls of olive oil on top of the dressing as well. Finish by garnishing with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and chiffonade mint.

5.  Enjoy this refreshing salad with a glass of white wine!

Cannoli Cronuts with Homemade Citrus-Mini Chocolate Chip Ricotta Filling, Tossed in Cinnamon Sugar with Bittersweet Ganache + Pistachio Confetti

Cannoli Cronuts with Homemade Citrus-Mini Chocolate Chip Ricotta Filling, Tossed in
Cinnamon Sugar with Bittersweet Ganache + Pistachio Confetti

My Cronut craze hasn't taken over my body, literally. I have this compulsion to make these. It's so unhealthy, but so satisfying. I mean, if I'm going over to the dark side, I'm taking one of these with me. Okay, scratch that maybe a dozen... a baker's dozen. Prior to last week, I hated Cannoli's. Mainly because I hate ricotta, so I just turned my nose up at them instead of actually giving them a shot. But then, we went to one of our favorite pizza places in Atlanta, Antico, and everything changed. I loved their cannoli's and I just had to make some for myself at home. But no no no, not any ordinary Italian cannoli... a CANNOLI CRONUT. Boom. Best idea ever. I followed my same recipe as before, but instead I filled it with a traditional ricotta cream that was kicked up a notch with tangy cream cheese, sweet mascarpone, citrus zest, & mini chocolate chips. After they were fried, I rolled them in cinnamon sugar and topped them with a sexy, sultry bittersweet chocolate ganache. And please don't forget the pistachio "confetti" (I know I'm just trying to sound fancy, you see right through me). I love the color the nuts provide and the slight crunchy texture. Why eat a cannoli when you can eat a cannoli cronut? There simply is no logical reasoning for that, trust me!! Enjoy :)

For the Quick Croissant Dough:

½C + 1t Lukewarm Whole Milk

6g Instant or Active Dry Yeast

1t Vanilla Extract

1C AP Flour

1C + 2T Bread Flour

2T Sugar

½t Salt

½C + 3T Unsalted Butter, Diced & Chilled

Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil, For Frying

For the Homemade Citrus-Mini Chocolate Chip Ricotta Filling:

1 ½C Homemade or Store-bought Ricotta (drained for 12-24 hours with a cheesecloth)

½C Homemade or Store-bought Mascarpone Cheese

4oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

¾C Confectioners’ Sugar, Sifted

½t Ground Cinnamon (scant)

¼t Ground Allspice

¼C Heavy Cream

1T Lemon Zest + 1t Orange Zest

Pinch of Salt (to taste)

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

½C Sugar

1-2T Ground Cinnamon

¼t Ground Allspice

Big Pinch of Salt (this is optional, but I love the balance)

 

For the Bittersweet Ganache:

½C Heavy Cream

4oz Bittersweet Chocolate, Finely Chopped

Pistachios, Chopped into Confetti

Directions:

1. For the Quick Croissant Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm milk, water, vanilla, and yeast until combined. Set it aside. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the AP flour, bread flour, sugar, and salt until mixed throughout. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the butter is in small pieces. It is very important that you do not over-process the mixture because you need to see chunks of butter, about 1cm in size. After you have processed the flour and butter mixture, add it into the bowl of the yeasted liquid. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, making sure to get the dough together without making the butter pieces any smaller. Once it is roughly combined, dump the mixture onto a floured work surface and lightly knead to form a ball of dough. Place the dough ball back into the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. After it has chilled, place the dough ball back again onto a well-floured surface. Roll the dough out into a rough 20x40cm rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter, making sure to brush off any excess flour. This is the first turn of a total three turns. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, so that the folds are facing you. Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before using.

2. For the Ricotta Filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the ricotta, cream cheese, and mascarpone until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Zest the lemon & orange and stir it into the ricotta. Season it with a pinch of salt to taste. Refrigerate for an hour or two. Place the ricotta filling into a piping bag or squeeze bottle (make sure the tip is large enough for the mini chocolate chips to push through though).

3. For the Cinnamon Sugar:Mix together all of the ingredients and put it into a mixing bowl, and use a spoon to toss the fried Cronuts.

4. The Next Day: Remove the dough from the refrigerator after it has chilled overnight and place it onto a well-floured surface. Roll it out into large rectangle that is roughly 1cm thick. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat and lightly flour it. Set it aside. Dip a doughnut cookie cutter into flour and cut out rounds from the rolled out dough, you should be able to get roughly 10-12 Cronuts from this batch of dough (not including a whole bunch of doughnut holes for snacking). Place the cut doughnuts onto the floured sheet pan and lightly cover with a kitchen towel. Let the Cronuts rest in a warm place until they have doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

5. For the Bittersweet Ganache:Make the ganache by heating the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove before it starts boiling, and pour over chocolate setting in a bowl, let sit for a couple minutes, and then stir until chocolate is fully melted, and the ingredients are combined. Pour into a squeeze bottle for easy drizzling and decorating. Meanwhile, finely chop up some pistachios for a confetti garnish.

6. Frying the Cronuts: Heat the oil to 325 degrees in a deep pot or sauté pan while you’re Cronuts are almost done resting. Fry the Cronuts, two at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they reach a deep golden brown color and are completely cooked through in the center. Remove from the oil to a baking sheet that is lined with paper towels and a wire rack. Let them cool enough to handle.

7. Assembling the Cronuts: It is now time to start filling the fried Cronuts. I did this “Twinkie-style” by using the squeeze bottle that is filled with the chilled Cannoli ricotta cream. Gently poke holes into the bottom of a Cronut and fill them all the way through with cream. Repeat this process until you have about 5-6 cream filling holes in each Cronut. Scrape off any excess cream that begins to ooze out. Now that all of the Cronuts have been filled, roll them in the cinnamon sugar until all the sides are covered. Place them back onto the cooling rack and squeeze some bittersweet ganache in a circle around the top of the Cronut. Garnish with pistachio confetti.

source: doughnut ganache. ricotta filling.

Summer Staples : Mosaic Melon Salad with Mixed Melon Cubes, Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt, Basil-Mint Pesto, + Balsamic Reduction, Topped with Homemade Feta Burrata

Mosaic Melon Salad with Mixed Melon Cubes, Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt,
Basil-Mint Pesto, + Balsamic Reduction, Topped with Homemade Feta Burrata

Summer is quickly approaching and I don't think I can simply wait another day. My summer vacation usually means long days at the beach, going on picnics at Forsyth, baseball games, and cooking out in the garden. Can we just go ahead and all agree that besides all of those fun activities I just listed, Summer food is something I count down for all year long. Our favorites range from peaches and sweet berries to heirloom tomatoes and corn. This is the time that every fruit and vegetable raise the stakes and get in their A-game state of mind (yes, apparently Summer produce is like a superhero in my book, so lamezies). During the course of my blogging experiences, I like to set up seasonal themes to my weekly posting. I have Soup Sunday's in the Fall + Winter, Tailgatin' Saturday during the oh-so-amazingness that is college football, and Sunday Brunch during the Spring. So, this is my new latest installment... Summer Staples. These recipes will focus on everything that makes us happy during the unbearably awful heat. They will feature a lot of perfectly ripened produce, hand crafted specialty drinks, grilling marinated proteins, and delightful desserts (all of which will probably include homemade ice cream). It is all about light + fresh dishes that use the best of the best produce from your local farmer's market. Can you tell that I am just itchin' for some summer lovin'? I mean, it's pretty obvious. Okay enough about that, let's get to the recipe. First of all, this is vegetarian-friendly... what the what what? I know, I don't even know if I have a recipe that doesn't include some sort of protein, or to be more specific, bacon. I slaved away in the kitchen for this salad, but it's honestly because I wanted this artsy, over the top plating presentation. You could easily roughly cut them up into pieces or use a melon baller for a faster approach. The three types of melons bring so much color and a lot of sweetness, and then when it's paired with overly ripe + juicy heirloom tomatoes and creamy avocado... well, it simply makes takes this dish to "over-the-top" status. It's sprinkled with my Homemade Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt, which adds a savory depth of flavor, and our favorite, a spicy kick! The salad is drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, fresh citrus juice, and a syrupy balsamic reduction. But what's the main star of the dish, you ask? Oh no big deal or anything, I just made homemade Burrata cheese (patting myself on my back over here). For those of you that haven't heard of Burrata or even tasted it, then it's time to change that, right now. Why? Well, from the outside, it just looks like a plain 'ole ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, but oh boy, it sure isn't. Inside this ball, there is a shredded mozzarella + heavy cream gooey center, that once you cut it open, the luscious filling begins the flow out all of the plate. IT'S DIVINE. Now here comes my twist... Homemade Feta Burrata. Instead of the traditional or classic filling, I mixed crumbled feta cheese with cream, and quickly packed it into a thinly stretched mozzarella shell. It's a daunting task, but it's so goshdarn worth it. I will be posting a recipe tomorrow (hopefully) with a step-by-step pictorial recipe for my Feta Burrata, so y'all can make it too. But hey, I wont get mad if you'd rather just buy it from the grocery store, it will still taste as delicious. The freshly made Burrata is covered in a homemade Basil-Minto Pesto, as well as some julienned herbs and pickled red onions (if you dare). Oh and side note, we loved this Feta Burrata so much that I know I just have to make a Goat Cheese Burrata, so that will be coming around the bend soon enough!! Enjoy :)

the. perfect. summer. salad. EVER. 

For the Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt:

2T High Quality Salt (such as Maldon, Pink Himalayan, Fleur de Sel, or Gray Sea Salt)

1T Red Pepper Flakes (if you don’t like a lot of heat, then you can cut back on the flakes)

¼t Cayenne or Paprika

For the Homemade Basil-Mint Pesto:

1C Fresh Basil Leaves, Lightly Packed

2C Fresh Mint Leaves, Lightly Packed

2 Garlic Cloves, Roughly Chopped

¼C Toasted Pine Nuts, Roughly Chopped

Squeeze of Fresh Lemon (plus a little bit of freshly grated lemon zest)

½C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½C Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (and a pinch of sugar for some balance)

For the Mosaic Melon Salad:

Fresh Watermelon, Honeydew, & Cantaloupe, Cut into 1 or 2-inch Cubes

1 Red + 1 Yellow Heirloom Tomato, Cut into 1 or 2-inch Cubes

1 Avocado, Cut into 1 or 2-inch Cubes (this is optional, but I love the creaminess it lends)

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice, To Your Liking (lime can also be substituted)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Prepared Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt, For Sprinkling

1 Ball of Homemade Feta Burrata (some substitutes are classic Burrata or crumbled feta)

Prepared Homemade Basil-Mint Pesto, For Topping

Fresh Basil + Fresh Mint, Julienned (for garnishing)

Syrupy Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

Shaved Raw Red Onions or Pickled Red Onions (we liked the acidity of the pickled onions)

Directions:

1. For the Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt: Combine the salt of your choice, along with the red pepper flakes, and cayenne/paprika. Whisk and mash slightly for a more cohesive salt.

2. For the Homemade Basil-Mint Pesto: Put the basil, mint, garlic, pine nuts, about ½t of salt, lemon juice, & lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop the ingredients, scraping down the bowl when necessary. Remove this pureed mixture into a bowl and whisk in the olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese until they are completely incorporated throughout. Season with salt, pepper, and some sugar to taste.

3. For the Mosaic Melon Salad: When cutting the melons, tomato, and avocado, try to make them into the same sized cubes, so that they will fit together perfectly together, like a puzzle or mosaic. I organized my fruit & vegetable squares by a pattern of color (just try to mix it up a little bit, so that there aren’t any of the same colors next to one another. Once you have an entire plate of rainbow cubes, evenly squeeze a little bit of lemon juice all over the plate, and then drizzle on some olive oil. Next, sprinkle the Red Chili Flake Finishing Salt all over the salad (this part really gives the salad a deep flavor and perfectly balances the dish between sweet, salty, and spicy, so don’t skip it).

4. Serving the Salad: Place the ball of Homemade (or store bought) Feta Burrata in the middle of the salad and spoon the Basil-Mint Pesto all over the top of the Burrata (and a little around the plate). Garnish the pesto covered Burrata with julienned fresh basil + mint, as well as a generous drizzling of syrup balsamic reduction all over the plate (we love balsamic reduction, so we use a lot). Finish the plate by placing a small pile of pickled red onions (or thinly shaved raw red onion) on the center of the Burrata ball. Season with a little salt & pepper if it needs it.

5. Enjoy it immediately with a glass of wine!

Salted Margarita Pie (in jars) with Pretzel Cookie Crust, Boozy White Chocolate-Key Lime Pie Filling, & Whipped Cream

Salted Margarita Pie (in jars) with Pretzel Cookie Crust, Boozy
White Chocolate-Key Lime Pie Filling, & Whipped Cream

Holy crap y'all, when did it get so hot outside? It's seriously hot as the dickens. But, you know what that means, SUMMER FOOD. Grilled burgers, fresh seafood, homemade ice cream + sorbet, fruity drinks, and key lime pie. I'm partial to my Deep Dish Key Lime Meringue Pie because it never disappoints. Well, here's an upgraded recipe of this summer dessert classic. Salted Margarita Pie is just the boozy sister of key lime pie with a couple unique twists. Instead of a boring 'ole graham crackers, a pretzel cookie crust is made and it certainly shines throughout the dish. I love its crumbly + crunchy texture and its' lightly salted flavor. It's so good that it makes you wonder why this crust isn't used for every pie you make. What makes this pie extra special is the filling... how can you go wrong with ingredients like white chocolate, freshly squeezed margarita mix, citrus zest, and booze? You can't. And guess what, it's made with not just one kind of booze, but TWO. Tequila and Cointreau spike this luscious custard and give it a margarita flair. I know that some of you are thinking that white chocolate sounds like an odd addition in a tart pie, but I think it balanced the strong taste of alcohol and citrus with its' sweetness and creamy finish. For a while now, I have been wanting to make a dessert in a mason jar because I love the retro vibe and easy portability. We actually made it for the Jimmy Buffet concert that we went to in February and it was the perfect treat to snack on, and it's actually quite simple! All you have to do is pack in the pretzel cookie crust and pour in an even layer of margarita pie filling and bake until it has just set. The jars of pie are finished with homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of mixed citrus sea salt, which perfectly mimics the effortlessly wonderful salted rim of a margarita. So, you can't miss that step! This dessert would be awesome for a picnic or a day at the beach, that's for sure. All that's left for y'all to do is grab a spoon and start diggin' at it. Trust me, your mouth will be watering in anticipation, trying to get at the bottom layer of salty-pretzel-cookie-goodness!! Enjoy :)

Perfect Layering.

Homemade whipped cream with mixed citrus sea salt & fresh lime rounds...

The best part: Salty Pretzel Cookie Crust

Go on and get in there!

For the Pretzel Cookie Crust:

8T + 4T Unsalted Butter, 8T at Room Temperature & 4T Melted

1/3C + 1T Light Brown Sugar, Packed

3T Sugar

1 Egg Yolk

½C AP Flour

1½C Pretzels (crushed into the size of small peas or old-fashioned rolled oats)

1/8t Baking Powder

Pinch of Baking Soda

½t + ¼t Salt

For the White Chocolate Key Lime Pie Filling Spiked with Tequila & Cointreau:

2 14oz Cans of Sweetened, Condensed Milk

11oz Melted White Chocolate

6 Egg Yolks (you can save the egg whites and make a meringue topping if you like)

1C Homemade Margarita Mix (but freshly squeezed citrus juice would be fine)

3 Limes, Zested

4T High Quality Clear Tequila

2T Cointreau

Green Food Coloring (to your liking)

Homemade Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, small lemon pieces

For the Whipped Cream:

1C Heavy Whipping Cream

1T Sugar

1t Vanilla Extract

Freshly Grated Lime Zest & Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Pretzel Cookie Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with Pam. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine 8T room temperature butter, 1/3C light brown sugar, and sugar in medium bowl. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk; beat until pale and fluffy. Add in the pretzel pieces, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn the pretzel cookie mixture out onto prepared baking sheet; press out evenly to almost the edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 15-18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely. Using hands, crumble oat cookie into a food processor and process until it becomes wet sand, and then add melted butter, salt, and brown sugar. Pulse until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture into mason jars. Using fingers, press mixture evenly into the bottom of the jars. Place pie dishes with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

2. For the Key Lime Pie Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, melted white chocolate, egg yolks, key lime juice (or homemade margarita mix), tequila, and triple sec until well blended. And then add in the fresh lime zest (or lemon zest may substituted) & green food coloring (to you liking). Pour the margarita pie filling into the pretzel crust filled mason jars. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the pie filling is set, but still jiggles slightly. Remove the pie from the oven and let the filling cool & set slightly. Cover with the lids and bands and refrigerate for at least two hours or until chilled & set.

3. For the Whipped Cream: Just before serving, whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold in sugar and vanilla, whipping until stiff peaks form. Garnish pie jars with whipped cream, freshly grated lime zest, and a sprinkle of homemade mixed citrus sea salt, if using. Serve immediately. This makes roughly six 12oz Salted Margarita Pie in Jars.

Gourmet Beergarita's with Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix, Beer Simple Syrup, Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, & a Splash of Beer

Gourmet Beergarita's with Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix, Beer Simple Syrup,
Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, & a Splash of Beer

Hey hey everyone. It's officially the weekend in our house, and hopefully y'all are getting there too! Oh and by the way, did y'all know today is National Margarita Day? When I found that out, I knew I had to feature a margarita recipe, butofcourse. What I have always loved about margaritas are the infinite possibilities for flavor combinations. You really could drink a different type every day of the year and never repeat. Well, one of our favorites is Beergarita's. Between the tequila and the beer, you get double the alcohol in one drink... and that is our kinda drink people. I knew I had to gussy it up a bit, so I started off by making a homemade margarita mix because I didn't want any of that store-bought crap that is overly sweet and sour. Yuck, I was craving fresh squeezed juice from limes, lemons, and oranges, along with their ever-so-fragrant and flavorful grated zest. This makes a big ole' pitcher, so make sure you're throwin' a party! Along with the mix, I also made a Beer Simple Syrup that would sweeten the drink, but also lend a lot of beer flavor to the entire margarita. But don't you worry, at the end, it will all be topped off with even more beer. So, you put some of the mix, syrup, tequila, grand marnier, and crushed ice into a mixer, and shake it up until its ice cold. Next, you gotta rim a glass with some of this Mixed Citrus Sea Salt. It's salt that is loaded with a bunch of zest, and then baked until it has all dehydrated a bit. These beergarita's would be perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party... or any day of the week really!! Enjoy :)

Mixed Citrus Sea Salt Rim

See the layers of beer simple syrup, margarita mix, and beer?

Oh and just for fun, we made some Blood Orange Beergarita's!!

I mean, how amazing is that color?

For the Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix:
4C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

2C Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1C Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

1T Lime Zest, Freshly Grated

1T Lemon Zest, Freshly Grated

1T Orange Zest, Freshly Grated

4C Cold Water

1C Sugar

Green Food Coloring, Optional (if you want it to be a bright green color instead of yellow)

For the Beer Simple Syrup:

6 Budweiser Cans

2C Sugar

1 Cinnamon Stick

For the Gourmet Beergarita’s:

3oz Prepared Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix, Chilled

2oz Silver Tequila

1oz Grand Marnier

2oz Prepared Beer Simple Syrup, Chilled

Crushed Ice

Corona Beer, For Topping

Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, For Rimming

Lime Wedges, For Rimming & For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix: Combine all of the fresh citrus juice and zest into a pitcher until they are completely combined. Chill the margarita fruit juice mix in the refrigerator until cold.

2. For the Beer Simple Syrup: Add all of the ingredients into a pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture has reduced by almost half. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Pour the simple syrup into a bottle and let it cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled, chill the syrup in the refrigerator until cold.

3. Assembling the Gourmet Beergarita’s: Fill a cocktail shaker with a little bit of crushed ice, and then pour in 4oz of the Homemade Triple Citrus Margarita Mix, 2oz Silver Tequila and Grand Marnier, and Beer Simple Syrup (we used our large jigger at home to make our drinks, so we followed a ratio of 4 shots of juice to 2 shots of tequila and triple sec to 1 shot of simple syrup… not exactly specific ounces, so keep that in mind). Shake hard to combine the cocktail. Next, rub a lime wedge along the rim of a tall glass and dip it into the Mixed Citrus Sea Salt. Add in a little bit of crushed ice into the bottom of the glass. Pour the strained liquid over the ice and fill the glass up to the rim with some Corona Beer. Stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. 

4. Enjoy immediately!!

**If you want to make the recipe for the Mixed Citrus Sea Salt, please look at this recipe!!**