Italian Amaretto Margaritas

I know National Margarita Day was yesterday but another recipe to add to your margarita selection couldn’t hurt. Variety is the spice of life!

Italian Amaretto Margaritas

Amaretto gives this drink a fun twist! Frosty glasses rimmed with amaretto and sugar make this drink even better.

Ingredients 

• 4 fluid ounces amaretto liqueur, plus additional
• white sugar
• 6 fluid ounces frozen limeade concentrate
• 6 fluid ounces tequila
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 6 cups ice
• lemon and lime wedge for garnish

1. Dip the rims of 4 margarita glasses in amaretto, then into sugar; set aside.
2. Pour the limeaid, tequila, amaretto, orange juice, and ice into the bowl of a blender.
3. Puree until smooth, then pour into prepared glasses.
4. Garnish with lemon and lime wedges.

ENJOY! REMEMBER DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

Crawfish Beignets with Spicy Rémoulade

I’m still in a Cajun state of mind guys! Cannot get enough of those delicious flavors!

Crawfish Beignets with Spicy Remoulade

This is definitely a recipe that will wow whoever is sitting at your table! Yes, it’s a LOT of ingredients, but A LOT of great flavor! Don’t be intimidated, it will be delicious! For vegetarian Cajun beignets, simply eliminate the crawfish and increase the amount of red peppers and scallions by approximately 1 cup (this measurement includes both vegetables). 

Ingredients

For the Beignets:

• 10 ounces crawfish, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon if you want more heat!)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely diced
• 3 scallions, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 dashes Tobasco
• Vegetable, Canola or Peanut Oil for frying
• Lemon wedges for serving

For the Rémoulade:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cornichons, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 dashes Tabasco
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper

1. First, make the rémoulade. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cornichons, parsley, capers, tarragon, shallots, vinegar, paprika, Tabasco, lemon juice and lemon zest.
2. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and set aside.
4. Next, make the beignets. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
5. Add the diced red pepper and cook until soft, approximately 8-10 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and cook for an additional two minutes.
7. In a large bowl, whisk the gluten free flour, salt, baking powder, paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper.
8. Add the water, scallions, crawfish, red pepper and garlic, stirring well to combine.
9. Cover with a damp towel and set aside for 15 minutes.
10. In an electric skillet or a heavy pot, heat 2-3 inches of oil until it reaches 350ºF. Drop the crawfish batter by small spoonfuls into the oil and fry until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer beignets to a paper towel-lined plate.
11. Serve the beignets warm with lemon wedges and rémoulade for dipping.

Spicy crawfish. Now that is southern, down home goodness!

ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.