Tangerine Dreams & Chocolate Orgasms

I will tell you right now that people's Facebook updates affect me.  The media genius, lovely, wonderfully talented Summers McKay, was posting about her recent trip to Mexico.  Therefore when I opened up my latest Food & Wine magazine I was SUSCEPTIBLE to the following three recipes that I simply HAD to make for friends:

Now, why do I only have a picture of the table the day after?  Well, because I had to taste the first inspiring recipe before my guests arrived and was pretty damn drunk after only 1/2 a TANGERINE MARGARITA!  I highly recommend adjusting this recipe by adding maybe twice as much fresh tangerine juice: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tangerine-margaritas.   Oh my God were they delicious once I added more tangerine juice.   I should say -- if you are a lightweight like me, you may want to adjust the recipe.   But what is more delightful a task than juicing wondrously ripe and wonderful tangerines?  Nada!

Next, inspiring dish by the same chef:  Crunchy Cabbage Icebox Salad.  And, for those of you on Weight Watchers -- it's only 4 points a serving.  YUMMALICIOUS, crunchy, healthy: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/crunchy-cabbage-icebox-salad.

Then, in my inimitable Lazy Way, I just threw on the counter for the guests to make their own taco or quesadilla the following:  roasted chicken (from Ralphs, who one of my guests said makes the best roasted chicken -- being a vegetarian I was happy to hear I hit the mark!), grated cheese, olives, three kinds of salsa, chopped cilantro, chopped chives, beans, sliced avocado with lime juice to preserve them during cocktails, and two kinds of tortillas. 

For dessert, another Jenn Louis genius recipe from the same Food & Wine spread: Honey Roasted Pineapple: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/honey-roasted-pineapple.  So delicious and for maybe less than a point, especially since I halved the honey. 

To go with the light dessert, I found -- also at Ralphs (you never hear me mention anything but Trader Joe's but today they are the stars!) -- CHUAO CHOCOLATE!  I had no idea they were in stores now. I have been to their boutiques a few times always for multi-chocolate-orgasmic experiences.  To find them in stores is nothing short of a Christmas miracle -- and it turns out they are EVERYWHERE NOW -- http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/retailers.htmlhttp://www.chuaochocolatier.com/retailers.htmlhttp://www.chuaochocolatier.com/retailers.html.

To end the Mexico-inspired evening I chose my two very favorite blends that both have some good heat.  FIRECRACKER is a must, must, must, must, must -- did I say MUST?  I'm not kidding you must try Firecracker.  I make people close their eyes when they first try it because it's literally as if fireworks are going off in your head when you eat it!  OUTRAGEOUS!



So, thank you Summers McKay for an evening of deliciousness and dreams galore.