Happy Friday!

Fridays…a day for ease, laughter, afternoon Starbucks trips, bright red cropped jeans (yay for casual Fridays) and G. Love’s “Cold Beverages” on blast. And actual cold beverages…magaritas to be exact. Especially when you just happen to have mason jars full of them in your freezer. Can’t get any colder than that!

As I told you about our family’s Seis de Mayo tradition (posted on Siete de Mayo, of course), I mentioned that this year, I made fresh strawberry jargaritas.

Yes, jargaritas. When I first saw this idea a few weeks ago Bluebonnets and Brownies, my head almost exploded. If I hadn’t already compiled a seven mile long list of ways to use mason jars (a sample listed here), here comes the most RIDICULOUSLY incredible/delicious/alcohol-infused idea that caused me literally yell “OH MY FREAKIN’ GOSHHHH” and then hug (and kiss) the nearest jar I could find.

You wish I was joking.

Want to know what is a joke? The fact that liquor stores don’t open in Virginia until 1 p.m. on Sunday. I just don’t get it. Like, I understand the whole “Sunday” thing – church, family, rest, etc… but if someone wants to drink before 1 p.m., they are going to find a way to drink before 1 p.m.

Except us. We were in line outside the store at 12:53. Wasn’t my finest moment, but for the sake of Seis de Mayo and margaritas, it had to happen.

Want to know what else had to happen? Googling “best cheap tequila for margaritas” in the tequila aisle once the doors opened. Just as with the dresses I fell in love with last week, I couldn’t find a line in our budget spreadsheet for “ballin’ out on Patron.” 1800 tequila got 4 stars out of 5 on cocktails.com. Sold!

Once we got home, I went to work on the simple syrup, strawberry chopping and matching-jam-jar-lid finding. “You Know You Collect Too Many Mason Jars When…” you have three huge Ziploc bags full of various lid sizes. (I also was rapping “Cold Beverages” and chanting “stick it in the freezer, stick it in the freezer stick it in the freeeeeeeeeeeeee-zerrrr”) Again, you wish I was joking.

I don’t – look at how cute these little guys are! Perfect for a Seis de Mayo picnic, a Seis de Mayo dinner…

and a well-deserved Siete de Mayo hangover.

Fresh Strawberry Jargaritas
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is, “jargarita” inspired by Bluebonnets and Brownies. 

Makes one jargarita, but is easily doubled, tripled…quadrupled, etc.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces strawberry simple syrup – recipe below
• 2 ounces lime juice (I used one whole lime for each marg – er, “jarg” I made)
• 2 ounces tequila
• lime wedges and fresh strawberry slices for garnishing
• jam jars with lids – or regular glasses if you’re not weird like me

Directions:

Mix strawberry simple syrup, lime juice and tequila in cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds and pour into mason jar [Note: If not planning to freeze or chill,  fill glasses with ice before pouring. If you are freezing/chilling, no need for ice!] Drop in fresh strawberry slices and lime wedges, if desired. If freezing, screw on jar lids and put jars in freezer for at least 30-45 minutes. (I have to admit, I was way too impatient and took them out after 20. They weren’t frozen, but they were very cold and frankly, that was all I needed at the moment.)

If not freezing, drink immediately!

Strawberry simple syrup: Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let sugar dissolve, then turn off heat and let cool completely. Once cooled, combine 1 cup simply syrup + 1 1/2 cups slices strawberries in a blender and blend until combined.

I plan on trying this simple syrup combo with blueberries, peaches, mangos and raspberries. So big ups to Jessica at How Sweet It Is for this fantabulous idea!

Yep…it’s going to be a great weekend.