Live Strong with a Taste of Yellow 2009 - Margarita Monday

I decided to join the Live Strong with a Taste of Yellow 2009 very late the night before I was scheduled to leave town. I know I don't technically qualify since my entry is not a dish but rather a way of life that my dear friend, Beth Allison DiPardo, had instituted for us called, "Margarita Mondays".   

Margarita Mondays was our time to spill our guts and talk about all that was on our minds - our hopes/dreams, our futures/past, our stresses in life/work, and best of all - about absolute nonsense over as many margaritas as we could handle [that would be all of ONE for me].  At work we were a team - tweedle dee and tweedle dum.  We tag teamed together to drive our bosses crazy.  We had each other's backs always, without question.  

Beth died from a brain tumor back in 2006 at the very young age of 30, a newlywed with a brand new home and a bright, shining future.  Losing her was one of the most difficult things that I'd had to live through - mostly because of my ignorance and denial that someone with such a strong life force would or could actually die.  Through the wonderful support [and shoulders to sob on through the first year of events/meetings I did without her around] of my boss, co-workers, and friends, I'm finally able to look back at our friendship with smiles, instead of tears [ok, with a lot less tears].  

So in honor of our Margarita Mondays, as simple as it is, here's my submission for Live Strong with a Taste of Yellow 2009...

Margarita Mondays
recipe adapted from a lot of different places

Ginger Simple Syrup:
1 part Water
1 part Sugar
knob of sliced ginger
Bring ingredients to a boil and let cool.



Lemon Ginger Margarita: 
Ice
3 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces ginger simple syrup
1 ounce cointreau
1.5 ounces tequila [or 2...3...4...whatever...do so at your own risk. hangovers, dancing on tables, and the dreaded drunk calls are all on you, babe.] 

Blend that crap together. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for a nice kick!

*I will be the first to admit that I never made the Margaritas for our Margarita Mondays.  My official job was the "drinker" since Beth was our self proclaimed margarita making expert. So during my "batch tests" for this recipe, my ratios were all over the place.  I apologize if this tastes extremely crazy since i think I was completely shnockered by the time I got to this last batch. I also apologize if you were the recipient of any drunk calls I may have made.