Holy Guacamole!

 

So, I’ve been craving guacamole for a few weeks now

(no, i’m not pregnant…for those of you out there thinking it!)

Anyway, if you know me at all then you know that cooking

really isn’t my thang.

I try… I really do!

I think I’ve finally pinpointed the things that make cooking difficult for me:

1. Actually making a decision on what to cook

     (If you were to look up “indecisive” in the dictionary,

my mug would be there)

2. The multitasking required

   If the directions include the phrase ‘set it and forget it’, then I might be able to deal. However, if the recipe requires tending to the oven, periodically checking on whatever is cooking to ‘monitor’ the progress or to ‘see if it is done’, and simultaneously preparing the ever-important side dishes…forget about it. I get side-tracked going from the kitchen to the front door.

OK, that’s only 2 reasons…. I guess that’s no excuse.

I had better get in the kitchen and start earning my keep!

Speaking of getting side-tracked….

I made guacamole last night.

Now there aren’t really any ‘true’ measurements for me to share for this recipe because guac is one of those things that you can change depending on your personal taste and the amount you want to make.

In my guac I included:

  • 3 perfectly ripe, large avocados

(little/no green on the outside, only brown. no white patches on the outside. not too mushy, but just the slightest ‘give’ on the skin when you squeeze….)IMG_4039

– I speak from experience…let’s just say this wasn’t the first time this week I had tried to fulfill my craving for guac –

  • 1/2 big round tomato, diced

(I’m pretty sure it has an actual label, but that escapes me at the moment)

  • 1/4 red onion

(make sure you chop the pieces really small or else you will get a giant bite of pretty much just onion, and you will make a face, and your husband will laugh at you….just sayin’)

  • Finely chopped cilantro

(It only comes in a bundle…so just add as much as you want)

  • 1 chunk clove of garlic

(It’s a clove, right?)

 

Cut your avocados in half and use a spoon to scoop out the insides and the giant pit. The inside should be super soft, and separate easily from the …um, shell?

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Chop up any other ingredients you want to add.

(roasted peppers or chiles, salsa, black beans….anything really)

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Stir in onions, tomato, cilantro, and garlic.

I like to use a knife to stir/cut the avocados up without making them too creamy. That’s just a personal preference…. I like my guac chunky.

If you want smooth guac, then by all means, mash it up!

Add salt and lime juice to taste once everything has been mixed together.

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Grab your chippies and get to it!

Sushi date

If you had told me 7 years ago that I would be one of those people who

enjoys Sushi on a regular basis… I would have guffawed in your face!

Ya see, I have this rather strong aversion to eating any food

that even remotely resembles it’s ‘alive’ form.

I think it stems from an experience I had as a little girl.

I remember going to a rehearsal dinner as a flower girl where they

plopped an entire (and I’m sure very expensive) lobster on my plate,

beady – bulging eyes and all!

I mean, who would do such a thing?!

Whether that was the experience that turned me into a selective eater or not,

I had always avoided certain foods – sushi being one of them –

that is, until I met my husband. Mostly against my will, he ‘broadened’ my

food experiences, to include all sorts of interesting ethnic dishes.

I have to say, after 7 years of ‘broadening’, my mind has been completely

changed about sushi (not so much with other foods, though).

Now, if you’re thinking about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying some sushi,

let me suggest you look for the rolls that say ‘tempura’:

TEMPURA:  [tem-poor-uh]

–noun – Japanese seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried.

YUMMO!

I mean, who doesn’t like deep fried?

 

Here are some shots from our most recent sushi date:

I didn’t intend  for the drink shot to be blurry,

but I kind of like the fuzzy look, it really shows the colors on the lemon.

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yummy ginger dressing on my salad

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Chris’ spicy tuna and yellowtail rolls 

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my Volcano tempura roll 

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dbj

(that’s right, I brought back the Don’t Be Jealous acronym)

Dear Spring, Come on already!

Here’s a direct injection of spring into your brain

(thanks to a recent trip to the ever-inspiring,

but sometimes over the top [even for me] – Pier 1 Imports)

I absolutely love these purple pom-pom flowers (don’t hold me to that ‘technical’ name)

IMG_3968 …and I so badly wish I had patio furniture so I could fluff it up with

these razzle-dazzle pillows and cushions. IMG_3967

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IMG_3971 Chris tested out some crazy dangle-y swing while I wandered around.

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I accidentally deleted the photo of him pretending to be an evil, maniacal super villain while turning around slowly in the chair, tapping his fingers in a teepee shape…

sad day….but you can get the mental imagery, right?

Decisions, Decisions…

My husband has been out of town all week.

This is the first time since our wedding day that we have been apart this long….

It’s crazy how fast you become dependent on someone.

I was nearly late to work every day this past week, simply because my hubby wasn’t there to:

set the alarm before bed

put the coffee on (I don’t even know the scoop-to-water ratio)

make sure I only hit the snooze button twice in the morning

bring me my breakfast bagel with cream cheese and a side of gummy vitamins with just a bit of juice

place my lunch in a nice little stack in the fridge (sandwich, cheese stick, yogurt, crackers) – ready to be put into my lunch box

place my coffee mug next to the coffee pot, ready for steaming hot DD coffee and creamer

then reminds me what time it is before gently shoving me out the door.

 

actually, as I’m typing this, I’m realizing how completely spoiled I am.

Here’s a shout out to my completely wonderful husband.

I’m pretty sure there is no-one else quite like him.

(in my defense, I DO have to be at work an hour before he does….

..but mostly, he’s just wonderful)

How do I get so side-tracked?

My point was, he is out of town for the first time, and I’m not sure what has happened to me, but I have been on a DIY-Remodel frenzy!

I don’t want him to think this will be a habit (he leaves, I pull out the tools).

I found this adorable roll-top desk at a consignment shop for $10!!!!

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I want your opinion. What should I do with it?

I was thinking two-toned (white sides with a stained dark roll top)?

What do you think?