Thursday, September 3, 2009

OMG!!! Guacamole

My husband reminded me this morning of the drawer full of avacados that I needed to use before our weekend trip to New Mexico.

So, what did I do? I called my sister-in-law and said "let's make veggie tacos!" I decided that I would make quacamole the center of the dish.

Here is how it went...

The key players: Avocados (6), Red Pepper (1), Garlic (4 large cloves) and my beloved food processor.

Here is what I did:

First I scooped out the avocados into the food processor bowl.
Second I added the red pepper (sliced into pieces).
Next I added the garlic.

Once the key players were settled into the bowl I added salt to taste, cayenne pepper to taste (not too spicy but enough to add some heat), the juice of one lime, and about a tablespoon of cumin.

Then I pushed ON and let the magic happen.

Too simple, I thought. I need another element. Something more.

Hmmmm....so, I tasted the creamy creation. What did it needed? Not one thing! Nothing!

To make myself feel better I added a little more lime juice for some extra added zing...but that is optional.

I used the guacamole as the base ingredient in a soft taco, but it was delicious as just a dip with tortilla chips.

Easy, Versatile, Tasty!

Girls' Book Club Brunch

Every month a group of girls and I meet on a Sunday for book club brunch. This month the meeting was at my house.

The Book: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

The Menu: Pancetta, Asparagus & Fontina Fritatta, Red Pepper Pesto Penne, Parmesan Biscuits & Mexican Chocolate Biscotti

The result: A deliciously, light read and a flavorful, whimsical brunch.

For the fritatta I used 9 eggs. To those eggs I added about 4 tablespoons of heavy cream. I whipped the eggs and the cream together and added salt and black pepper to taste. To spice up the egg mixture I added sage, rosemary and thyme. I was generous with the spices so they would stand out amongst the cream, eggs and pancetta.

Next, I chopped the pancetta into pieces and cooked it on medium heat in a large, non-stick pan. When the pancetta began to crisp I added the asparagus and 3 chopped roma tomatoes. I sauteed the vegetables until the asparagus softened a bit. Then I poured the egg mixture on top.

I cooked the fritatta until the only liquid that remained was on top. I then added the fontina cheese to the top of the fritatta and put in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. When the eggs cooked through I set the oven to broil and browned the top of the dish.

The fritatta was indulgent and delicious!

Coming soon...Red Pepper Pesto. You're gonna love it!