It’s the national Alcoholiday. I’ll be spending it working, and soothing a teething baby. So much for my St. Patrick’s Day.

But that doesn’t mean it’s too late for the rest of you! Run into the streets! Wear beads and green underpants! Stereotype the Irish with 300 of your closest friends!!

I realize that on St. Patrick’s Day, one is supposed to drink Guiness and Jameson’s, or at least green Budweiser. Unfortunately for me, those were never really my drinks of choice. Turns out, I’m NOT REALLY IRISH. (SHHHH.)

In order to turn my St. Patrick’s Day frown upside down, I think I’ll invite a couple of girlfriends over tonight while Mr. Meat and Potatoes works. Maybe we’ll have a traditional Irish meal. I was thinking tacos.

You see, while I don’t like most Irish drinks, I REALLY, REALLY like the drinks from Mexico. And really, a green margarita is as Irish as a green Budweiser, right? RIGHT? I thought so.

Here’s my recipe for the home-bound on St. Patrick’s Day. May it bring a little Mexican, er, Irish cheer to your day.

(By the way, this is the best margarita I ever had, short of the one I got downtown in Puerta Vallarta on my honeymoon.)

Best Irish Margarita

1 C decent tequila
1 yellow beer (Corona would be nice, but I usually just have PBR on hand, which works fine)
1/2 can of frozen limeade
1 C Sprite (I use Diet Sprite and you can’t tell the difference, since the limeade has plenty of sugar)
2 drops green food coloring (optional, but appropriate today)
Ice

Put enough ice in the blender to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, and pour in the other ingredients. Be aware that you can adjust these ingredients pretty liberally to get it to the taste you like. Sweeter? Add more Sprite. More lime-y? Add more of the limeade. Drunker? Go for an extra 1/2 C tequila.

At the end of the day, it’s the LEVEL OF DRUNKENNESS that counts on St. Patrick’s Day. Not what you drank to get you there.

Now, a PSA:

Safe travels, everyone. Please don’t operate motor vehicles today.