Mango Guacamole

If you are the guacamole fan that I am, then you MUST get the book, Guac Off! by Nathan Myers.  Chock full of interesting guac-related history and information, plus a plethora of delicious recipes, this will keep you busy (and your guac-loving friends happy) for ages.  I have always contended that guacamole could be served at every meal, and this book has proven me right with a recipe for breakfast guacamole that includes hardboiled eggs and bacon!  There are also salsa recipes, and recipes for drinks to serve right alongside (unless of course, you’re having it for breakfast!).

One of my favorite recipes from the book, thus far, is the Mango Guacamole.  I love both mangos and avocados, so was curious about this one.  It sounds a bit unusual, but the flavors blend beautifully and will have you coming back for more.  As the author says, “Putting them together should be X-rated.” Yep, it’s that delicious.  I substituted Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers for the chopped red pepper because I love them, eliminated the jicama, and added some heat with a few drops of hot sauce.

Mango Guac

2 large avocados diced, about 2 cups

1 large mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½” cubes (about ½ cup)

Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

11/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup diced jicama

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

Pepper

Tortilla chips

In a medium bowl (or molcajete) combine the avocados, mango, and lime juice with a large fork.  Mash together to form a chunky mixture.  Stir in the bell pepper, cilantro, jicama, and cumin.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately with tortilla chips.  

Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Applesauce Pecan Loaf

I don't know why I had a half a jar of applesauce in the far reaches of my fridge, but it was there, daily challenging me to remember what I'd done with the other half. This morning I decided to end the taunting and mix it into a cinnamon nut loaf. A cloudy, August day with morning temps in the sixties, it seemed far more like fall, so baking seemed appropriate. As it turned out, it was quite good. I topped it with streusel because, hey, who doesn't like streusel?  And dusted it with powdered sugar, because that always makes it look as though it has come from a bakery. It was the perfect accompaniment to my morning coffee as I sat watching the darling little goldfinches destroy my zinnias. Note to self: Buy birdseed.

Applesauce Pecan Loaf

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup applesauce

1/3 cup canola oil

2 extra-large eggs

2 Tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a loaf pan; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl whisk together dry ingredients until blended.  Make a well in the center, and pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into the greased loaf pan and top with streusel mixture (recipe below).  Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Streusel Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

½ stick unsalted butter

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until crumbly.

This is not an overly sweet loaf.  I find that it is excellent when served warm, topped with butter and a light dusting of cinnamon and sugar.

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Wow Us Wednesdays

How to Make Seasoned Salt

I’m guessing that most, if not all of you, have some form of seasoned salt in your pantry.  The bottle may be full, half full, or nearly empty, but I can pretty much guarantee you all the same thing.  It’s probably insipid.  Go ahead, get the bottle, sprinkle a little bit into the palm of your hand, and taste it.  Other than salt can you discern any other flavor?  No?  Well, this can mean one of two things, a) it is probably well past its prime, or, b) it never had any taste in the first place.  In order to avoid both of these things, you really need to make your own.  I did a taste test with one of my sons.  I had him first taste the major brand, ho hum, and then taste the seasoned salt that I made.  His eyes widened and he said, “That is GOOD!”  It is.  It’s good, it’s easy, it’s flavorful, and it makes such a small amount that you’ll run out before the flavor does.

The photo above gives the proportions.  Just whisk this together and store in one of the darling little spring-top jars that you’ve been collecting over the years.  Smack on a label, and you’ll be thanking me forever.  Oh, and you might want to pin this.

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Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

"Champagne" Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

 Easy and delicious, this salad is going to be one of the most tasty that you will ever serve.  It was one of my contributions to last week’s luncheon at my dad’s house and received thumbs up all around.  The secret ingredient is the Champagne Grapes. These little gems, now in season, lurk beneath the greens just waiting to explode in your mouth with sweet, juicy deliciousness.  Everyone at the table, upon first bite, remarked about what a delicious salad it was, and then tried to figure out what made it so good and unique.  While the toothsome not-too-sweet raspberry vinaigrette certainly helps, the grapes are the real star.

Easy to assemble and customize to your own taste, here is my favorite combination of ingredients.  I don’t measure, just toss everything into a bowl until, as my grandmother used to say, “It looks right.”

Spring Greens

Thinly sliced red onion

Toasted walnuts, broken into pieces

Grated jack cheese

Champagne Grapes

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar

¼ - ½ cup sugar (to taste)

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3 drops hot sauce

½ cup canola oil

Whisk together the first seven ingredients until combined.  Slowly pour oil into the mixture, whisking constantly to emulsify.

  

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Seasonal Sundays

Chocolate Scotcheroos

These are Chocolate Scotcheroos.  My aunt made them for my sons and me, and delivered them last week when we all met at my dad's for lunch.  Now, you are probably saying to yourself, what is so special about Scotcheroos? It's an old recipe that has been around for ages.  Well, in addition to their chewy deliciousness, I'll tell you why they are so special. To all of us, these represent love, stability, family, hope, and caring. A tall order for a simple bar cookie made out of cereal, but it's true.

In 2000 I had some scary health issues. My boys were young, and I tried to keep things as normal as possible to avoid worrying them. But sometimes, when in an exhausted and fearful state, it's hard to be normal. My boys grew up with homemade cookies once a week. I wanted them to know what a homemade cookie was, how they were created, and where they came from. But during this time I was too tired to make cookies. I also wasn't the type to ask for or accept help. Ever. My aunt wanted to help, and the only way she saw that she could, was to step into the role of cookie maker, so every week she would come by the house for a visit and cookie drop.  These were one of the boys' favorites.

When she came across the old recipe last week, she decided to make them again, and bring us a pan full. I may not see either of my sons for weeks at a time, but say the word, “cookie” and they'll be by within the hour. I portioned them out so that we all got some. I'm sure each of us had different memories of this cookie, but for me these will always represent love and caring during a hard time. But they're tasty during good times, too!

Chocolate Scotcheroos

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Note: Before measuring the corn syrup, coat your measuring cup with cooking spray--the syrup will pour easily out of the cup.

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Sweets for a Saturday

Individual Bing Cherry-Lemon Cakes

 I am in love with Weck jars. A German production since1900, these easy-to-fill, rust free jars (the glass lids mean no caps and rings), have been delighting home canners for more than a century. But while they are great for canning, they are also the perfect size for small, layered salads, mini parfaits, puddings, custards, layered dips, and...for baking darling little cakes like these. One look at this recipe on the Williams-Sonoma website, and there was no doubt that these cakes were in my future. 

I knew that, lover of lemon that I am, I would double the amount of zest.  Being a cherry lover I also knew that my cakes would have a Bing Cherry sauce rather than blueberry. After all, it is Bing Cherry season, time to enjoy them to their fullest, and make as many different recipes as possible.  Plus, my version allows for a chocolate-covered cherry on top, making them irresistible!

Considering that I'd made the sauce a couple of days ahead (You can find the recipe here.), putting these together was a breeze. They bake up perfectly and, if you need to take these to a picnic or pot luck, all you have to do is snap on the glass jar lid, and you're good to go. I topped mine with tiny scoops of vanilla ice cream (I used a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to do this.) and a cherry.

Here is the original recipe from the kitchens of Williams-Sonoma.  Try their version, and then try mine with cherries. Let me know what you think.  Either way, I'm sure that you'll love them.

Individual Blueberry-Lemon Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup plus 6 Tbs. sugar

1/3 cup water

1 tsp. cornstarch

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat a Breville Smart convection oven to 375°F convection. Grease the insides of six 5.4-oz. Weck mini mold jars. Line the oven’s baking tray with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries and the 1/4 cup sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar is mostly dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch and stir into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and the 6 Tbs. sugar.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture, whisking until the batter is just combined.

Spoon 1 Tbs. blueberry mixture into the bottom of each jar. Top each with 1/4 cup batter and then 1 Tbs. blueberry mixture. Place the jars on the prepared baking tray and transfer to the oven. Bake until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the jars before serving. Serves 6.

These are the jars that I used, click the image to go to the site:

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Be Inspired Friday

Foodie Friday

Sugar and Spice

Sunday Sweeties

Embroidered Pot Holders

 How many little girls, I wonder, begin working with embroidery at the age of six?  How many, I wonder, even know what embroidery is?  I started my life as a needlewoman at the age of three when my mother introduced me to Lacing Cards. I loved weaving that shoelace through the holes in the thick, chunky, cardboard picture. I would do it again and again and again. When I was six I graduated to perforated sewing paper and a fat, blunt-ended needle.  It was magic watching a picture emerge out of a series of Xs.  Gradually, as I got older, I was introduced to thread, and various embroidery stitches - running, outline, back stitch, lazy daisy, etc.  Tea towels (though, at that age, I never once had tea) and pillow cases were my specialty.

It's been a while since I've talked with young girls to see if this skill maintains. Sadly, I think operating a keyboard seems to be the only skill at which modern young people excel.  I mention this because I came across this worn set of potholders the other day. 

My mother had given them to me long ago. She made these, she told me, when she was sixteen. They were one of the first things placed into her “Hope Chest” (a chest or other storage unit in which young women collected household goods in anticipation of marriage).  

Take a look at them. The tiny, perfect stitching is phenomenal. 

The sweet pattern is certainly reminiscent of earlier days, but also the great skill in their creation. In all my years of stitching with my oversized, Mississippi Valley farmer-sized hands, I've never been able to accomplish what seemed to be natural to her.

If you have a young girl in your life, do encourage her to set aside her iPhone and learn to stitch. Her progeny will find her creations to be such treasures.

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Favorite Things Thursday