Who is in the mood for Happy Hour?

(My hand is high up in the air)

Some top shelf margaritas, with fun dips to accompany them, will make you very happy indeed.

A good friend has suggested that I do a feature on dinner parties. Planning and recipes. I love that idea as much as I love throwing parties. Alas, I haven’t had much time lately to put together a proper Dinner Party post. So, I thought this mini Happy Hour would at least be a start in that direction.

These three recipes are all staple favorites, but with just a little extra touch. The Margaritas get their boost from the Grand Marnier, which is a lovely replacement for Triple Sec. Basil adds a subtle flavor to the Guacamole. Perfect for those cilantro haters out there. And bacon is the crown on the sublimely royal Spinach-Artichoke Dip.

Let’s get this party started.

Grand Marnier Margarita

Ingredients:

1 oz Grand Marnier liqueur
1½ oz tequila
¾ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedge to coat rim
Coarse salt to rim

Directions:

1. To garnish the rim of the glass with salt: Fill a wide, shallow dish with some salt. Rub the lime around the rim of the glass. Then, holding the glass upside down, dip it delicately into the salt, so that it adheres to the rim to a thickness of 2 or 3 mm.

2. Shake together with ice, the Grand Marnier, tequila and lime juice. Strain and serve.

Makes one

Recipe from Grandmarnier.com

Basil Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled
3/4 cup snipped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or few drops bottled hot pepper sauce
Tortilla chips to serve

Directions:

1. In a bowl mash avocado with a fork. Stir in basil, tomato, green onion, lime juice, salt, and crushed red pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes about 2 cups

Recipe from Better Homes And Gardens

Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (5 ounce) herbed cream cheese, such as Boursin
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 ounces chopped pimiento
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
Tortilla chips, pita chips or bagel chips to serve

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉.

2. Mix all ingredients, except for bacon, and spoon into a 11×7 inch baking dish.

3. Bake until dip is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

4. Scatter bacon over the warm dip and serve.

Makes about 4 cups

Recipe from What Can I Bring? Cookbook by Anne Byrn

Note: Edited on 5/18/17. I just made this again and took some better photos, so I thought I would add them to the post. It’s such a good recipe.

Happy Hour calls for happy music. Or at least music that makes every sip better. Tap your tortilla chips to these fab songs.

Cake-Short Skirt, Long Jacket

The Builders And The Butchers-Spanish Death Song

Check out Cake on their Website where you can also buy the music.

You can catch up with The Builders And The Butchers on their Website. Buy the music there, too.

Cheers!