LOADED Avocado Spread - for avocado toast

I just got my CSA farm box yesterday. Additionally my freezer is packed, as is my 'fridge.
Blessings of riches for sure, but the quantity of food in my house right now is over the top!

The 6 little avocados I bought last week went from rock hard to perfect in a day or two. I like them less ripe than most people, so they went into the 'fridge immediately. . .where they continued to ripen and soften! I decided to use 2 today then saw lots of other vegetables to add to the mix. . .

I often wish I could cook more simply but I doubt it will happen. As much as I admire all aspects of minimalism -so far- my brain just won't go or stay there.

So, for this recipe, it began with these ingredients all rough chopped into my blender jar:

2 stalks celery
2 medium carrots
2 roma tomatoes
6-8 garlic scapes
1/3 large green pepper
1 big garlic clove
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley

Use a vegetable peeler to take only the bright yellow layer of the lemon peel and added all the juice. Add 2-3T spicy ranch dressing. Blend that until well combined.

In a medium bowl, finely chop 2 avocados. (yes, I used 2, the second is tucked in between the basil and the bottle of dressing) Add 3oz. of sharp flavored shredded cheese and 3oz. of finely chopped pistachios (or walnuts) Sprinkle with Himalayan pink salt. 

Pour in the blender contents, fold everything together until well combined. Some of the liquid rose to the top so I tilted the bowl and absorbed that with a bunched up paper towel. It was great on toasted sourdough bread but could also be served like salsa or guacamole with tortilla chips. . .Lin

REVISED - Guacamole. . .

I made the guacamole recipe, posted a couple days ago, for a family get-together after church. Everyone loved it. I debated on adding corn and black beans originally. With the 16oz. that was leftover, I decided to do it now. Great idea! 

Mix together the following:

16oz. (or more) guacamole

1 can corn - drained

1 can black beans - rinsed and drained

1t± dried minced garlic

1t± dried minced onion

1t± ground black pepper

a pinch of cayenne

Often, after a couple days, I find changing leftovers in some way is a really good idea. I do this a lot with chunky vegetable soups by blending them. Altering the texture can be a really nice change.

Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or on a bed of chopped romaine. . .Lin

Guacamole, Avocado Spread - for toast or crackers

When you buy a bag of avocados that go from rock hard, to ripe, to lost in the 'fridge. . .well. . .you make guacamole!

4 very ripe avocados

1/2c mayonnaise

1T lemon juice

3T finely chopped green onions

1 finely chopped medium tomato

1t each: garlic salt, granulated garlic, smokey pepper seasoning

Peel and mash the avocados and combine with the mayonnaise, vegetables, seasoning and lemon juice.

If you're having this on toast, you can serve it now. Add an over-easy or medium fried egg if you'd like.

For a chunkier guacamole, add more onion and tomato. You could also add a can of drained corn and rinsed-drained black beans. Chopped celery hearts and greens could also be included. . .Lin

GazSalGuac — Update!

After the first day, I decided I was done with this, in its original form.  I used my immersion blender to change the texture completely, added a big splash of white balsamic vinegar - probably 1/3c, 1t dry dill, 1 big crushed garlic clove, a little more salt and pepper, and a ripe avocado and blended it all again until almost smooth.  Top with dollops of sour cream, some Little's Chili Lime Seasoning, and finely chopped cilantro, parsley, green onion tops, or a little more dry dill.

Gazpacho! A spicy cold soup.

Changing a 'finished' product sometimes makes it better! . . Lin

GazSalGuac

Not trying to be cutsie with the name of this recipe, but this is really hard to categorize. Not quite gazpacho, salsa or guacamole. . .more a first cousin to all three! A bowl of this, by any name, however, is pure deliciousness! Tonight, after a day spent watching the Inauguration of our 46th United States President. . .it's a celebratory-victory dinner for me, with a big piece of Norwegian crispbread! Garnished with the avocado slices and some sliced kalamata olives. Mmmm 😋 So good! 

I wasn't planning to cook or post today, but I went into the kitchen during a break in the activity in DC, and saw a sad bunch of droopy cilantro. No way was I going to throw it out, so, this happened!

It's pretty clear from the pictures what ingredients were used. Some hand chopped-sliced, others finely chopped or pulverized - think  garlic - in my chopper. I used the zest and juice of one lemon, 1/2c EVOO and the only change was, at the end, it was needing more cucumber. I added 2 more, all rough-peeled, for a total of 4. A good shake of salt, almost 1t of my favorite chili-lime seasoning, and 2t sugar pulled it all together.

Did I mention how good this is? I had to put it away after the second bowl so I'd stop! . . . Lin

Salsa - Guacamole

Ahhh, I can tell it's heading toward warmer weather when I start craving this!

Make this right before serving.  It doesn't keep well, it's a mix and serve sort of thing.

Heat up 3 quarts of water to a simmer.  Drop the tomatoes in and gently stir them for about 30 seconds.  Drain and immediately put them in ice water.

Zest and juice the lemon, or a lime, into a medium bowl for mixing. Add your favorite salt-pepper, seasoning blend. Chop all the other ingredients shown, into the bowl. Peel and chop the tomatoes. Add them and ⅓c chopped kalamata olives and 2-3T of finely chopped jalapeño slices. Stir everything together and serve with your favorite chips.

You could also add a can of black beans and/or corn, rinsed and drained.

Today I decided to just keep it all fresh.  Be bold. . .have fun experimenting. . .Lin

Avocado-Black Bean Guacamole or Salad

3 ripe avocados

2 Roma tomatoes

1 bunch cilantro

2 long spring onions

1 lg. clove of garlic

1 lime - zest and juice

1t pink Himalayan salt

1t chili lime seasoning

1t garlic and herb seasoning

dry black beans - cooked - or

14-28oz. canned black beans

Dice-slice-chop the tomatoes, avocado and onion into a medium size glass bowl.  Wash, dry and finely slice the cilantro, mince the garlic and combine with ingredients in the bowl.  Add the lime zest and juice.  Season everything, then add the beans.  Gently toss all this together.  How you serve this may depend on the ripeness of the avocado.  If it mushes up, I'd serve this with sturdy tortilla chips as a Super Guacamole.  If the avocado stays firm and independent, this would be a great Avocado-Black Bean Salad.  Your call 😉 . . . Lin

Tomato Garlic Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

6 garlic cloves

2/3 medium onion

3/4 lime - juice

zest of one lemon

1/2t Himalayan pink salt

1/2t chili powder

1/2 can diced tomatoes

1/2c plain Greek yogurt

As much as I love firm avocado slices in a salad or on a sandwich, I've never been a fan of guacamole.  It's usually just mushy and tasteless.  So I decided to try making something flavorful out of these soft organic ones that got lost in my 'fridge.

Seed, peel and mash or chop the avocados into a medium bowl.  Wrap garlic in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds.  They will peel easily.  Finely mince the garlic, chop the onion and add to the bowl.

Add the lime juice and zested lemon peel.  Sprinkle on the seasonings, add tomatoes only - no juice and yogurt.  (20+ gm protein/serving is the best kind.)

You can strain the tomato juice into a glass and add ice to have with this.  Or, if you're so inclined, also add a splash of lemon juice, spices and Vodka for a small Bloody Mary.

Finely chopped parsley or cilantro would also be a good addition to the guac.  Also, some fresh grilled corn and/or black beans for an even heartier guacamole would be a nice change.  Mix cover and refrigerate for an hour.  Serve with chips, crackers or vegetables. . .Lin