Ole! It's National Margarita Day

Margs all around

It's National Margarita Day! That means that you are required to celebrate by enjoying your favorite margarita. Grab a few girlfriends and head out for a side of chips and salsa with your margarita -- this is a day worth celebrating.

Today -- Wednesday, February 22, 2012 -- is National Margarita Day. It's been a good week for the drinkers among us. First, there was National Drink Wine Day on Saturday, then there was Mardi Gras on Tuesday and now it's all about National Margarita Day.

So, Feliz National Margarita Day, amigos! Let's talk margs. Ole!

Read more about National Margarita Day >>History of margaritas

It's not clear exactly when margaritas were invented, although everyone's go-to source of info, Wikipedia, tells possible tales of its creation, all of which occurred in the 1930s or 1940s. A few trace the invention of the margarita back to Mexico, while another credits a Texas bartender. Wherever and whenever the margarita recipe was invented, we can all say a collective gracias.

Margarita recipes

Classic margarita recipe

The classic margarita recipe is a favorite and is easy to whip -- or shake -- up.

Ingredients:1 ounce tequila1/2 ounce triple sec1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juiceSalt1 wedge lime for garnishDirections:

Pour tequila, triple sec and lime juice into a shaker with ice and shake.Cut a lime wedge and run along the rim of your margarita glass.Swirl the glass in salt.Pour in the margarita.Place the lime wedge on the glass.Enjoy!

Frozen margarita recipeIngredients:Sea salt1 lime or lemon wedge3/4 cup lime juice, about 4 limes1/2 cup lemon juice, about 2 lemons1/2 cup tequila1/8 cup Cointreau1/2 cup sugar2-3/4 cups ice cubes, about 16 cubesKeep reading for directions >>Skinny margarita recipe

Thanks to Bethenny Frankel and the SkinnyGirl empire, skinny margaritas are all the rage. Making your margarita a skinny one is a great way to cut the calories in this fabulous adult beverage. Just remember that without the mixers, you should drink slowly. Not only will you have to ask your bestie for a ride home, but you might not make it out of bed for work on Thursday morning after a few too many of these lower calorie margaritas. And everyone will know why, being that Wednesday was National Margarita Day...

Ingredients:2 ounces silver tequila1-1/2 ounces lime juice (freshly squeezed)1 ounce agave nectar

Preparation directions for skinny margs are the same as for regular ones. If you want to try a variation of the classic, check out our other skinny margarita recipes.

Learn how to make the perfect low carb margarita >>My personal margarita love affair

I got married when I was 20. My parents hosted a beautiful wedding for us. It was perfect and classy, but you can bet your bottle of Cuervo we had a Margarita machine at the reception. True, at 20 I'd barely graduated from Boone's Farm, Aftershock and Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers (did I just admit that?), but I knew a good margarita.

My early love (of margaritas) was likely due to the fact that I attended a college that was located in close proximity to the Mexican border, back before passports were required to cross and well before you were playing a little game of, "Will I live to cross back or will I be killed?"

And while they weren't exactly serving up premium tequila to a bar full of drunken college students at Senor Frog's, trust me when I say that I came by my love of margaritas honestly.

Margaritas can be served many ways and with many flavors; there's surely one you will love. So, break out the blender or head to your favorite Mexican restaurant and celebrate National Margarita Day!

Watch: How to make frozen margarita pie

No straws required for this easy-as-pie frozen fantasy that's inspired by the flavors of a popular drink from south-of-the-border.

More margaritas

Blackberry margarita
Mojo margarita
18 Recipes for Margarita Day