Cranberry Margaritas

Growing up in an evangelical home, holiday beverages were limited to eggnog sans any kind of alcohol. Oh yes, and something called Sprite and Spice which was the soft drink put out by Coca Cola that came with a packet of mix that you made a punch with. Without getting into a treatise on religion here, I will say that those days are long gone and I now enjoy my life guilt- and brimstone-free and can enjoy one of these cocktails which use whole cranberries as well as cranberry juice. This particular recipe appeared in Sunset Magazine two years ago.

Cranberry Margaritas

1 1/4 cups cranberry juice cocktail, divided
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau
3 cups coarsely crushed ice

1. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into a shallow bowl. Pour 3 tbsp. sugar onto a plate. Dip rims of 4 to 6 widemouthed glasses (6 to 8 oz., suitable for margaritas) into juice, then sugar. Set glasses aside.
2. Reserve 12 cranberries. In a blender, whirl the remaining cranberries, cranberry juice, and sugar, the lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and ice until smooth and slushy. If necessary, blend in 2 batches, then mix together. Divide among glasses and garnish with reserved berries, skewered on toothpicks.