Cranberry Margaritas

I go back and forth on my feeling about New Years resolutions. I like the idea of it – I think its important to think about where you are in life and where you want to go, and make goals to get there. So what better time than the start of a new year to plunge ahead towards these goals, right?

Unfortunately, sometimes we just set ourselves up to fail. I think it’s really important to create resolutions that we can actually accomplish. Remember that these goals should be specific, realistic, measurable and most of all, rewarding. Here are a few things I like to keep in mind when I’m setting mine:

• Be specific – for example, rather than just stating that you want to save money, set an amount and state what it will go towards (like buying a home or to go on a vacation)
• Choose to focus on things that will add value to your life in a happy way – and remember that it is okay to fall short of your goals.
• Make it fun by including some things that you love to do and want to do more of, or a resolution to try something you’ve always wanted to try.

I have decided to break mine out into a few categories this year. I feel that it will help me to balance various areas of my life and keep some fun in it. The list got long quick, but I don’t think it’s too crazy… So without further adieu, here are my 2012 New Years resolutions:

Fitness and Health

• Train for and complete my first triathlon – this is something that has intimidated me for a while so this one will be a big accomplishment. I need to jump in the water and start swimming and get on a bike!
• Run a 2:00 half marathon – I know I can get to this number! I’m still trying to recover from my injury but I think its attainable. It’s just a matter of training more diligently and doing speedwork.
• Go hiking more – I love to hike and 2011 was a pretty pathetic year for it – I want to get back out on the trails more regularly like I used to. I would like to get out and hike at least once per month (excluding the summer months of course)
• Eat meatless more often – I do this occasionally but not as often as I’d like to. I want to incorporate one meatless nightly meal each weak.

 

Personal

• (re)start my vegetable garden – and try not to kill it this time! I attempted to start one when we bought our house, but with all the construction I didn’t have time to water it. This year I’ll get the sprinkler system hooked up and get planting :)
• Watch at least one old classic movie per month – I love old movies and there are so many classics that I haven’t seen (Citizen Cane, Casablanca…just to name a few)
• Keep in better touch with friends and family – I am really awful at this, I need to just pick up the phone and say hello or send a little email.
• Turn our spare bedroom into an office – This goal is also known as: sort out all my party décor, craft supplies and sewing stuff to make this room usable and just organize it in general.

Blog

• Switch to my own domain – This is a big one for me; I have been contemplating this one for a while. I also want to move the blog over to self-hosted Wordpress (email me if you have tips on this one!)
• Give the blog a facelift! – I want to change it up a bit, it’s been the same for a few years now and I want to add some extra features/menus as well.
• Comment more on other people’s blogs – I read a TON of blogs but almost never comment on them. I want to get in the habit of doing it regularly.

 

Do you have any New years Resolutions on the books for 2012?

 

These margaritas are absolutely sublime. They taste incredibly fresh – with a pure cranberry flavor and just a hint of the tequila. The cranberry juice is the key here – be sure to get the pure cranberry juice, unsweetened (I use this one). It’s the kind of stuff you probably would not want to actually drink solo since it’s so tart and potent. That tartness really balances well with the tequila, making the margarita so wonderful.

To give them a holiday look I rolled the rims of the glasses in green standing sugar (also known as colored sugar sprinkles). I stuck a few cranberries on a toothpick to garnish - I wasn’t too crazy about having the cranberries float around in my drink freely so I opted to restrain them :) These look and taste elegant enough to serve at a holiday party, but are easy enough to enjoy on a random night at home.

Cranberry Margaritas

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

Wedge of lime

Sugar

Ice cubes for shaking and serving

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

½ cup sugar

1/2 cup pure unsweetened cranberry juice

3/4 cup silver tequila

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Fresh cranberries for garnish

 

Directions:

Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass, roll the edge of the glass in sugar and fill with ice. Set prepared glasses aside.

 

In a small microwave save bowl, combine sugar and lime juice. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds, or until slightly warmed to dissolve some of the sugar.

 

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in lime juice mixture, tequila, Grand Marnier, and cranberry juice. Shake until well combines.

 

Strain into ice-filled glasses and garnish with cranberries.

Recipe: Nicole Original