Guacamole Ole!

I make a DARN good guac. I made a big bowl of it once for my friend Steve and Perry. It lasted about 15 minutes. They forgot to share so I only got two bites of it!

The secret to good guacamole is ripe avocados. I pick Haas avocados, but the general rule for any avocado is this - pick one that has a little give. When you hold it in your palm and give it a gentle squeeze it should be a little soft. Think about the firmness of a ripe peach. It should NOT be hard. Avoid ones with bruises (aka spots where they got banged up and are a little too squishy in that area). When you slice into it, it should have the same give as room temperature butter. (See http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_and_peel_an_avocado/ for how to halve, seed, and cut your avocados).

The guacamole can be made as hot, sharp, or as green as you like it. Feel free to experiment!

Guacamole
Serves 4 as a snack, or two ravenous men.

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 of a small sweet red pepper, minced (aka fine dice)
1/2 small red onion, minced very fine
1/2 jalapeno, minced very fine (your fingers may tingle after this so if you're sensitive, wear gloves)
1 clove garlic, minced very fine or paste (see: http://www.cuisineathome.com/main/videos/57-garlicpaste.php)
6 springs cilantro (as in individual thin stems, not 6 cilantro plants with the roots), minced
1/2 lime
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prep all ingredients as directed above
2. Get a large bowl.
3. Combine the red pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and garlic.
4. Add the avocado. Mash some of the avocado to create a finer paste, but leave some intact for texture. As you mash, mix with other ingredients.
5. Stir in cilantro
6. Squeeze the lime juice over the guacamole and stir to incorporate. The citric acid in the lime keeps the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown as well as brightens up the flavor. I use almost a whole 1/2 lime, but add little by little to make sure it suits your taste.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste. If serving with chips, keep in mind those are already salted!

Espero que lo disfrutas!

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Okay, I know that this is my second post today, but there is a method to my madness! After making the delicious meatloaf the other day, I decided that it was lacking potatoes. But what kind of potatoes?

Roasted? Eh.
Fried? Bleh.
Mashed? Aha!

On my way home from work, I stopped at my local Indian grocery store (Thanks for the tip, Suanne!) and picked up some red potatoes. Then I headed home to create my luscious masterpiece! (Do I over-hype my food a bit? I'm beginning to think so ...)

Anyway, once the potatoes were finished, I crumbled some of my leftover meatloaf in the bottom of a mini-casserole dish, then covered it with a layer of mashed potatoes and baked my impromptu shepherd's pie in a 400-degree oven until it developed a light, golden-brown crust. Delicious!

**Shout-outs: This recipe is born out of a variety of tips I've picked up from tons of sources over a number of years. The ones I can remember are Wolfgang Puck, Alton Brown, and, of course, my awesome mom.

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
- 1/2 pound of red potatoes, roughly chopped
- 3 tbs. butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Approx. 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (Keep the dark green and and the light green, separated. Discard the white parts.)
- Approx. 1/4 cup heavy cream (Guesstimate it!)
- 1 tbs. rosemary
- 1 tbs. basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a larger pot than you think is necessary, boil enough water to cover the potatoes. Add the potatoes and cover. While those cook ...
2. In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and light green onions until tender.
3. Add the heavy cream, rosemary, and basil. Bring to a low simmer.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
5. Meanwhile, your potatoes should be about ready. You want to get them out of the water just as they start to get mushy. They should still be a little firm, but should mash when you press a fork down on one. Don't wait until they're soggy - that's too long!
6. Drain the potatoes into a colander and shake to remove excess water. Then, immediately return them to the still-hot pot. This will help to evaporate any leftover moisture.
7. Add about half of the warm cream and either whip or mash the potato mixture. Slowly add more of the cream until the proper consistency is reached. (You may not use all of the cream.)
8. You may need to add more salt, to taste. Your call.
9. Top with a sprinkling of the dark green onions.

Mmmm!

Mmmm ... Mmmm ... Meatloaf!

So, I haven't posted much lately - sorry to my co-author and all of our soon-to-be fans!

But fear not, my friends, for I bring you a new take on an old favorite (or not-so-favorite)! I've taken what can be a tired, boring, bland meal and turned it into a juicy, satisfying, filling comfort food.

It takes a little bit of work, but it freezes and reheats well. (I'm all for anything that freezes well: homemade food is so much better than TV dinners. Bleh!)

And now, without further ado, I give you one of the best meatloaves you'll ever taste!


Mmmm ... Mmmm ... Meatloaf
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of carrots, diced
- 1/4 cup of celery, diced
- A splash of red wine (Either regular wine or cooking wine is fine.)
- 1/4 cup of green onion, chopped
- a handful of baby spinach
- 1/2 pound of ground turkey
- 1/4 cup pumpernickel crumbs (You can use any type of bread, but I like the flavor of pumpernickel. Also, bread that's more stale than fresh works better. Trust me.)
- 1 egg
- A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. coriander

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sauté the red onion, garlic, carrots and celery in a small amount of olive oil until they are tender.
3. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce a bit.
4. Add the green onion and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts. Remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients with the veggies and another splash or two of red wine. (Use your hands - it's the best way to mix it! Just be sure to wash them well both before and after.)
6. Press the mixture into a loaf pan and cover with foil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until a thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit (about 15 to 20 minutes). There should be a nice crust on the top.
8. Once the meatloaf is cooked, remove from oven and let sit for at least ten minutes before cutting. (If you cut it immediately, all the juices will leak and the loaf will become dry!)
9. Enjoy!