Chipotle's Guacamole

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Chipotle posted their recipe for our favorite green stuff! 

2 ripe Hass avocados (In the restaurant, we use 48 per batch, multiple times per day)

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)

1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped)

1/2 jalapeño, including seeds (finely chopped)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

HOW TO DO IT:

1. Choose the right avocado. It should feel squishy yet firm (like the palm of your hand), and be a nice dark green color on the inside.

2. Cut the avocado in half and the remove the pit (carefully!)

3. Scoop the avocados and place in a medium bowl.

4. Toss and coat with lime juice.

5. Add the salt and using a fork or potato masher, mash until a smooth consistency is achieved.

6. Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix well.

7. Taste the guacamole (over and over) and adjust seasoning if necessary.

* I like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper to spice things up a little! 

My New Favorite Thing

Fads come and go and right now I am in love with Ricotta Cheese.  Most people think that this bland cheese is just a layer in lasagna.  Lately I have been using it for so much more!

For breakfast I like to add a touch of salt and honey, smear it on a some puff pastry, bake it off and it is amazing!

For lunch it goes well in a frittata or quiche, I have also had it on pizza instead of tomato sauce.

For dinner, I have used it as a sauce for pasta... just add a little pasta water to thin it out, some olive oil, little seasoning, a few peas, top with freshly grated parm, and it coats pasta very well!

My new all time favorite way to eat ricotta is simply spread on a crispy thin cracker with maybe a tiny piece of prosciutto on top. 

To make the spread:

1 Cup ricotta
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of garlic powder (dont use fresh garlic, too strong here)
S&P to taste

mix everything together in a bowl and let set in the fridge for at least an hour before you serve it.  You can even mold into fun shapes for cheese platters for when you have guests coming over. 

*Serving Suggestion*  drizzle with some good aged basalmic vinegar to help make it POP!

Let me know how you eat ricotta!

Guaca...Guaca...Guacamole! OLE!

Look...I am making Guacamole!

I am thinking about trying out for Food network Star!

http://youtu.be/Ytyti3Dezdg

Honey Mustard

Never Buy Honey Mustard again! You probably have these ingredients in your cupboard! 1/2 cup mayo 2 tbls mustard 1/4 cup honey 2 tbls orange juice S&P Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Pepper Dip

My mother was asking me for some jalepeno pepper dip...I've never made it before and she can only remember it from a party 20 years ago...Here is what I came up with....

1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
2 tablespoons bread & Butter jalepenos (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablesspoons onion (finely chopped)

S&P to taste
(i also added a pinch of garlic powder)

Mix everything in a bowl well, let set in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving on toast, crackers, or veggies...

she liked it..I liked it..

Zest up your Mayo

Having people come over and you want to impress them....try dressing up your mayonnaise. Below are a few tips to dress up your mayo....choose one that fits with other parts of your meal. If you are having Mexican food, try the avacado, having italian, try the roasted red pepper...etc.....

Avacado Mayo

1 c. Mayo
1 large avacado
1/8 t cumin
S&P to taste

Put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth


Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

1 c. Mayo
1/4 c. roasted red peppers
1 t fresh parsley
S&P to taste

Southwest Mayo

1 c. Mayo
2 t grill seasoning
2 t Worcester (spelling?) Sauce
S&P to taste

Dippity Dip

So lately I have been trying recipes with frozen peas. I am kinda addicted to them as of lately.
Here is a simple dip that I have tried (and enjoyed) on pizza, saltines, chicken wings, and veggies.

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sr cream
1-2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
1-2 Tbsp crumbled gorganzola cheese
1/3 cup frozen peas

In a small pan put your frozen peas and let them cook for a few minutes, just to let them heat through......now combine everything and eat!

TIP...I smash a few of the peas with a fork before I mix them in! Yummy!