{easy entertaining :: margarita recipe}

You all know by now that my husband is a bartender and mixologist. It's mainly a hobby, but he does work weddings and events every once in a while. Bartending for a larger group of people is completely different than bartending at a restaurant or for a small crowd; you don't have as much time to shake cocktails as you would in an actual bar, and if you're providing the alcohol, you're going to want to find a way to keep costs down. 

Margaritas are one of the most popular specialty cocktails that people like to offer at events and weddings, and for a good reason: they're delicious, popular, and easy. That being said, however, not everyone makes them the right way. People tend to buy sugary mixes for their margaritas, which often cover up the flavors of the other ingredients, like the tequila. I actually love the taste of tequila (as long as it's not a full shot of tequila on its own, which is always a recipe for disaster), so I never like pre-made mixes that cover up the taste. Not only that, but making a delicious margarita from scratch, without any artificial ingredients or pre-made mixes, is actually really easy to do. 

This recipe is perfect if you want to make a pitcher for people to serve themselves with, and if you want to save time, just "build" the ingredients in the glass, rather than shake them together.

Ingredients:
1.5 ounces of tequila
1 ounce of triple sec or other orange flavored liquor (like Cointreau)
Top with an all-natural limeade juice, preferably organic and with no artificial sweeteners

The limeade juice is a great alternative to a store bought sweet 'n sour mix, which is full of high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. You can make it yourself, using freshly squeezed lime juice and simple syrup, but squeezing that many limes can be a tedious task, especially if you're making margaritas for a big group of people. The all natural limeade really is just the same thing, so there's no need to make it yourself if you don't have the time!

For an extra special touch, top with a floater of Grand Marnier or blood orange soda, and enjoy!