Travel Destinations & Culinary Adventures

fajitas

Cantaloupe Margaritas

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Read about the seven health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo and my love affair with margaritas, I created a refreshing cocktail recipe – Cantaloupe Margaritas! I was equally inspired to try a new version of the standard lime Mexican cocktail by using up a ripe cantaloupe that was sitting on my kitchen counter and some leftover silver tequila. You’re going to love this recipe!

Read about the 7 health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

This cocktail reminds me of the fresh cantaloupe smoothie I ordered once at an authentic Mexican restaurant in our city. Imagine a backdrop of festive music, multi-colored decorations, and authentic food with a fresh drink to go with it. It was like a time warp back to our fabulous visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You can read my travel tips from that vacation here.

We’ve also spent time in Playa del Carmen, my favorite spot in Mexico, thanks to the beautiful turquoise color of the water and soft sand beaches.

This cocktail, made by first blending fresh cantaloupe, is a slight variation of the traditional lime cocktail thanks to the added honey, lemonade, and refined sugar. The sweet additions counterbalance the acidic citrus taste of the freshly squeezed lime juice and lemonade, giving the margarita an easy finish.

After blending the cantaloupe until very smooth, pour it into a cocktail shaker and add the tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar. Shake and strain into ice-filled glasses rimmed pre-rimmed with lime juice and kosher salt. If you want to garnish each glass with more cantaloupe, use a melon baller to form several circular pieces of melon and skewer them with a toothpick. I added fresh mint and a wedge of lime for added color. One look at your finished cocktail, and you’ll quickly take a sip – it’s refreshing and delicious!

As you know, I love to celebrate a holiday or host a party. Inspired by the Cinco de Mayo holiday, my Cantaloupe Margarita is the essential cocktail to accompany sizzling fajitas or savory tacos. Let me know in the comments section how you prepare your favorite party cocktail. I’m always ready to try a new recipe! Cheers.

Cantaloupe Margaritas

onedelighfullife.com
This new take on the traditional margarita is refreshing and will wow your party guests on Cinco de Mayo.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 4 small cocktails

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups blended cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup silver tequila I used Camarena Tequila
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 T lemonade
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T sugar
  • cubed ice
  • Garnish:
  • 1 T kosher or maragarita salt
  • lime wedge
  • sprig of mint
  • 2 cantaloupe melon balls
  • 1 toothpick

Instructions
 

  • Rim the cocktail glass with a lime wedge and then salt.
  • Blend cantaloupe in your blender on puree setting until very smooth. This may take a couple minutes.
  • Pour blended cantaloupe in a large cocktail shaker.
  • Add tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar.
  • Shake vigourously.
  • Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish.

Notes

Tip: Spray your measuring spoon with a little cooking spray before measuring the honey. The spray helps the honey pour from the spoon leaving very little extra on the spoon.

 

 

 

Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash

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How do you get an idea for a meal?

If you’re like me, you either get inspired by the ingredients in your refrigerator or by some gorgeous food photo on Pinterest. This recipe was inspired by an abundance of bell peppers and squash recently purchased from a local farmer.

This week I travelled to pick up my pup from her new kennel and on the way home stopped at a farmer’s produce stand. Supporting local business, especially farmers, is becoming increasingly part of my MO. The produce is off-the-charts delicious and much larger in size than anything you’ll find at the grocery store. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, their produce is chemical free. I’ll be back to grab a bucket and pick fruit in no time.

Shout out to Sargeant’s Berry Farm (not an affiliate) for the bell peppers used in my Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash, a recipe with a whole lotta tasty flavor thanks to a fool-proof marinade. Come home from work tonight and get your fiesta on!

I used our Traeger grill to get a slightly smokey flavor, but that comes at a cost because it doesn’t guarantee photo-worthy, deep grill marks. But, oh that charred flavor! To cut down on over using oil, simply spray your halved veggies with canola cooking spray.

Lightly coat your halved veggies with cooking space and place them flat side down to start.
Lightly coat your halved veggies with cooking space and place them flat side down to start.

The onions and peppers take longer to soften and get charred than the squash so be watchful and don’t neglect the grill.

quick-and-savory-grilled-chicken-fajitas3

Grill the boneless chicken breasts until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Simply insert a instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check.

I love sharp cheddar cheese with my fajitas (in copious amounts as seen here). You could also use taco cheese or monterrey jack cheese.
I love sharp cheddar cheese with my fajitas (in copious amounts as seen here). You could also use taco cheese or monterrey jack cheese.

 

Savory Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Squash

onedelightfullife.com
Don't heat up the kitchen this summer or make a mess. Grill these super savory chicken fajitas and you'll be sayin' "Ole!" after the first bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Course fajitas
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pkg small flour tortillas taco size
  • canola cooking spray
  • salt and pepper
  • Filling:
  • 3 large boneless chicken skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 yellow peeled and halved onions
  • 1 yellow halved squash
  • 1 halved and cored green bell pepper
  • 1 halved and cored orange sweet bell pepper
  • 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Optional: 1/4 c. Field Day Organic Double Fire Roasted Salsa, Daisy Light Sour Cream, lime wedge
  • Marinade:
  • 1 1/2 tsp all-purpose seasoned salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions
 

  • Heat grill to medium heat.
  • Mix all dry marinade spices in a small bowl. Dump spices into a large plastic zip top bag. Add olive oil, lime juice, and chicken to the bag. Close bag and use your hands on the bag to coat the chicken evenly of the marinade. Refrigerate 30 mins.
  • In the meantime, prep all of your vegetables and spray them with canola cooking spray. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
  • Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow bag to come to almost room temperature. Remove chicken and place on the grill. Spray halved vegetables with canola cooking spray. Place vegetables face down on hot grill. (The squash will take the least amount of time. Leave the onions and peppers on longer until softened and slightly charred on both sides.)
  • Turn chicken breasts after about 6 minutes. Remove chicken from grill when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove vegetables and chicken and allow the meat to rest 5 minutes. Cut all vegetables and chicken into strips.
  • Fill each tortilla with chicken, vegetables, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and serve with sour cream.

Notes

If you don't want your marinade to be as spicy, eliminate the red pepper flakes.

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