Sisters and Margaritas Just Go Together...

My sister made my whole month when she told me to block off a weekend in November (yes, I am that behind!) because the whole Courville family was coming to town. I don't think I could have a better Friday knowing  my sister and her precious crew were on their way. The wine was ready and beer "fridge" was stocked. Time to celebrate the weekend and solve all of the worlds problems while managing to keep the babies, kids and hubbies happy and alive;)

Jen and I have been simpatico forever, not just sisters but best friends. God has blessed me with beautiful sisters and a special relationship with each. Jen and I have always been so close...well, after those young years where we fought all the time but definitely once we got to high school together. She was a senior and I was a freshman. She drove me around all around that year, bless her heart. We went out together and then we had the best time living together in college. Now we are both teachers (kinder for me and 1st for her) and then it was only fitting that we had babies(my first and her third) just a few days apart.

 Jen rushed to the hospital (3 hours away!!) just a few days before her own due date to be there when Collins was born and was also there for CC's first birthday party. I know I am blessed and I cannot imagine a world without my sisters.

So our weekend was a fabulous time, as always! The men drank their beer (and scotch) and helped us with the babies and kept us mommas happy. We had fun dinners out, photo shoots and we brought the kids to the Houston zoo.

The weather was gorgeous and apparently everyone else in Houston had the same idea for the zoo but we made it in! The kids loved it and it was Collins first time to go. She kept pointing at everything...it was so fun seeing it through her eyes. I never knew how easy it was to because a fool of parent making the biggest deal out of everything we saw to our baby who barely knew what was going on. But we did and she seemed to enjoy her little self, as much as we did!

That night called for a "night in" where we cooked and laughed for hours. The men drank more scotch and I made a mexican fiesta with Cranberry Lime Margaritas for us girls. We had Spicy Queso Dip to munch on while we made Southwestern Chicken and Rice Soup (so easy!). The dip was so good and so bad for us so we had to behave with a delicious but relatively healthy main course. We ate ourselves silly while we kept the margaritas flowing. You know nothing goes better together than margaritas and sisters...

Cranberry Lime Margaritas

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh lime juice

2 cups tequila
1/2 cup orange triple sec
1 (64 oz) bottle cranberry juice
Lime wedges
Kosher salt
1. Stir together sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Pour into a large pitcher, cover and chill 20 minutes.
2. Add lime juice and next 3 ingredients to sugar syrup in pitcher. Chill until ready to serve. Rub rims with lime wedges, and di rims in salt. Serve margaritas over crushed ice.

Spicy Queso Dip 
(SLOW COOKER RECIPE! YAY!)
1 cup milk
8 oz. queso cheese, cut into small chunks
8 oz. white cheddar cheese, diced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can finely chopped tomatoes
1 4 oz. can diced jalapeno peppers, drained

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a glass bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes or until creamy stirring often.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomato, and saute 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in peppers.
3. Stir vegetable mixture into cheese mixture until blended. Transfer dip to a slow cooker. Heat on low or warm setting for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
(Adapted  from Southern Living Christmas Cookbook)

Southwestern Chicken and Rice Soup
1 bag seasoning blend
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cans chopped fire roasted tomatoes
7 cups chicken broth
1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, chipped
Tortilla Chips
1. Saute first 3 ingredients in hot oil in a large pot over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
2. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Garnish with avocado and tortilla chips.
(Adapted from 2006 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook)

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