Margarita Ice Cream Pie

 I've seen a few takes on a margarita-flavored pie. Most of them are based on sweetened condensed milk, so it's more of a lime margarita-flavored curd like you'd have in a lemon meringue pie. The recipe I based mine off of uses ice cream and sherbet, but calls for a graham cracker crust which is just not it. 

My take uses a homemade pretzel crust, held together with butter & sugar, very similar to this one: https://southernboydishes.com/2014/04/25/margarita-ice-cream-pie-a-cookbook-giveaway/ I put a bit more butter in, bake it a bit longer, and I always use a pie dish. The filling is vanilla ice cream and tequila, and lime sherbet and frozen concentrated margarita mix, and a little lime juice, lime zest, and kosher salt. 

Ingredients: 

Crust:

• 4 cups of pretzels or 2 cups of pretzel crumbs
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tbsp sugar

Filling: 

• 3 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1/3 cup frozen margarita mix or limeade concentrate, thawed
• 3 cups lime sherbet
• 2 tbsp tequila + 1 tbsp orange liqueur such as Triple Sec 
• Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tbsp)
• Zest from 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (I use pink Hawaiian sea salt)
• Lime slices for garnish (optional)
• Whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

1. Preheat overn to 350F. If using whole pretzels, place in blender or food processor and blend until fine crumbs. Place the pretzel crumbs, butter, and sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Lightly grease a pie dish or 10" springform pan. Place the pretzel mixture in the dish or pan and spread thoroughly, pressing up the sides firmly. For a pie dish, spread all the way up; for a springform pan, spread 1/2 to 1" up the sides. Place dish or pan in oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, then let cool on wire rack. 

2. In medium bowl, stir vanilla ice cream enough to soften. Stir in margarita mix and place in freezer just to firm up slightly. 

3. In another medium bowl, stir lime sherbet enough to soften. Stir in tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and lime zest.  

4. Remove vanilla ice cream from freezer. Working quickly, drop spoonfuls from each bowl randomly into the prepared crust. Once all of both mixtures is in the crust, use a spoon to gently marble and level the mixtures. Sprinkle kosher salt evenly over the ice cream mixture. Cover prepared pie with foil or plastic wrap and return pie to freezer and freeze until firm, 4 hours. 

5. To serve, remove from freezer and let stand about 15 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges. Garnish with lime slices or whipped cream if desired. Return any uneaten pie to freezer. 

Spanish Rice

 Another recipe that I *hated* as a child because onions, peppers, and tomatoes - and that I *love* as an adult. Forget where I first found this recipe but I've significantly updated it over the years so I'm comfortable claiming this version. 

Not at all healthy but man is it amazing. If you wanted to do this as a side dish, you could skip the ground beef and the cheese.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lb bacon, diced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) El Pato spicy tomato sauce or other tomato sauce if preferred
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce (e.g. Heinz chili sauce)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (to taste)
• 8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions: 

1. In heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside. Drain most of the bacon grease from the skillet, but leave enough to cook with. 

2. Add ground beef to skillet and cook until browned. Remove from skillet and drain and rinse, then set aside. 

3. Add chopped onion and bell pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. 

4. In a large pot, add the ground beef, vegetables, and all remaining ingredients except the bacon and cheese. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for 30-35 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is tender. Check about halfway through and, if needed, add another 1/4 cup of water. 

5. Preheat oven to 350. Move the Spanish rice mixture into a 15 x 10 baking dish or casserole dish. Top with the cooked bacon and cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Notes: 

1. You could substitute 1-1.5 cups of mirapoix mix for the onion and bell pepper. 

2. I like mine a little more spicy so I usually add about 1 tsp each of chipotle chili and chili powder or cayenne powder.