The Best Guacamole

If you've never tried your hand at homemade guacamole, today's post will give you just what you need to finally check it off your bucket list--and remove any excuses for doing otherwise.  How can I be so sure?  Because beyond the fulfillment of making it (or anything, really) from scratch, is the realization that it's truly quite easy to create amazing "guac". 

The essentials?  Buttery, ripened avocados. Fresh tomatoes. Onion. Garlic. Jalapeno. Cilantro. Salt. Freshly squeezed lime juice. 

  
Got it?  Then you're ready to make the freshest, most delicious, "they keep asking me to bring the 'guac'", guacamole you've ever tasted.  Within minutes of assembling your ingredients, you will have a creamy, decadent bite that's worthy of your favorite tortilla chips, atop chili or soups, slathered on toast, piled on tacos--or whatever your pleasure! 

Happy Eating!

The Best Guacamole

printable recipe

Ingredients:
3 softened, ripened avocados
2 roma tomatoes, diced with seeds removed
1 jalapeno, minced (remove seeds to reduce heat)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion or medium shallot, finely diced
Juice of 1-2 limes
Kosher salt to taste
Bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped

Method:
Peel avocados, place in a medium bowl and roughly chop or mash.  Add in tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, lime juice and salt.  Mix to combine and taste for seasoning.  Sprinkle in cilantro and give a final stir to combine.  Enjoy!

 
 
 

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

I always keep an eye out for delicious and creative recipes; recipes that excite me, make me salivate (it's true) and ultimately send me to my workshop kitchen to recreate them in eager anticipation of the dish to come.  It's a food story that comes full circle for me often.  Recipe. Ooh, Ahhh. Kitchen. Dish. Enjoy. Recipe Again.

As these stories go, I happily stumbled upon a light, vegetable-laden, and supremely delicious take on one of my favorite foods ever: tacos.  Tacos are so versatile--essentially encasing whatever goodness you can muster between the warm tortilla--and mixing it up with some hearty vegetables, herbs, seasonings, and a few extra adornments, is the perfect spin for a casual and easy dinner.

This recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, boasts portobello mushrooms that provide a meaty likeness, tender zucchini, red onion, dried oregano and the quintessential staples of salt, pepper and olive oil.  (I also tossed in a red bell pepper for an extra layer of flavor and nutrition.)  Following a stint of oven roasting, the vegetables were done and the tacos were ready for assembly.  I finished some off with sprinkles of feta cheese crumbles (for an extra salty bite) and others with a hearty salsa.

 
These tacos are a simple, yet satisfying, meal that's created another chapter in my never-ending food story.  Now I hope you'll give them a try.

Happy Eating!

Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

Ingredients:
5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Tortillas
Feta cheese crumbles
Salsa

Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss zucchini, onion and red pepper with remaining teaspoon oregano and tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.

Place both sheets in oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are browned and fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes (zucchini may cook faster than mushrooms).

Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm tortillas according to package instructions (they should be lightly browned but still soft). Wrap loosely in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.

To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, cheese crumbles, and/or salsa.  Enjoy!

{Cook's Note: To clean portobellos, snap off stem, then use a small spoon to gently scrape (then discard) the dark gills from the inside of the cap.}
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
 

 

HOW TO EAT: Tortillas

Photo: Cooking Channel

The thought of warm tortillas filled with all kinds of goodness always brings a smile to my face.  A staple in one of my favorite cuisines, Mexican, they serve as the perfect bed for almost anything you can dream up and pair well with favorite meats, as well as in vegetarian preparations.

With Cinco de Mayo celebrations preparing to kick-off,  I'm excited to share our latest "how to eat" tutorial on this delicious Mexican staple that yields itself to great recipes--and just in time for the party!     

Happy Eating!

Eating Tortillas

Place plain tortillas flat on your hand or plate.  Fill, roll up, and eat from the end.  Baked tortillas covered in cheese and sauces are eaten with a fork and knife.