Tequila and ice cream: Odd but delicious pairing

Here's a summer fact you need to know -- aged tequilas pair beautifully with ice cream.

When I discovered this a few years ago, I started making these insanely easy, totally crave-worthy milkshakes. And I'm warning you... You won't be able to stop at one. And that's why I often serve these in shot glasses. It makes it easier to keep going back for more without going overboard.

For ease, you can blend these shakes in advance, then place the blender carafe in the freezer. The alcohol will prevent the mixture from freezing solid and you can just give it a quick whir back on the blender base before serving. This way you also can re-fill one glass at a time and store the rest in the freezer.

The beauty of this three-ingredient shake is that it is made with ice cream, so you don't need to add ice and dilute the flavor. For this shake, I went with the rounder and milder reposado tequila. Reposado means "rested" and it has to be aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 2 months (but less than a year). This time in the barrel gives the tequila an amber color, as opposed to the white "blanco" tequila which is un-aged. It also removes the harshness of the new tequila and deepens the flavor, bringing out the vanilla notes.

The reposado tequila pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream, and caramel or chocolate liqueur enhances the flavor, making a boozy shake that is perfectly balanced without any bite.

This is a great drink for a theme party, as you can easily find novelty shot glasses to match any occasion and let your guests take the glasses home as a souvenir of the day. Or serve them in tall, slender glasses for a more sophisticated feel. Either way, this blender drink fits into any party, any time.

Texas Tequila Milkshake

Start to finish: 5 minutes

Servings: 4

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Godiva Caramel or Chocolate liqueur

1/2 cup (4 ounces) reposado tequila

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Divide between 4 chilled glasses. Serve immediately or, for a thicker consistency, place the glasses in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories; 110 calories from fat (37 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 45 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 20 g sugar; 3 g protein; 80 mg sodium.