Monday, January 26, 2015

Holy Yummy Guacamole!


I never liked guacamole in the past. I also never tried it. It was creamy in texture. Creamy usually means milk. And I don't get along with milk.

I got brave at a restaurant and tried it. Loved it! I looked up the recipe. No Milk! I now love guac and have made 2 batches in 3 days. It's easy and healthy and I love when I can get creamy food that makes me think of chip dip without the digestive consequences of chip dip. I even bought a kitchen towel with the recipe on it to remind myself to grab the guacamole & chips when I'm hunting for a snack.

I don't measure much when I cook- so you'll have to adjust.

* One ripe avocado peeled & pitted and cut into 1/2" chunks (WAY easier than it looks!)
* About 2-3 tbsp very finely diced onion
* About a clove of garlic finely chopped. I use the pre-chopped garlic found in the produce section and use about a 1 tsp. (I like garlic)
* About 1/4 of a lime squeezed for the juice (then added to my margarita water glass - yum!)
* About a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh cilantro - minus the stems. They taste like dish soap.
* 3 small grape tomatoes finely chopped
* Sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Optional: Peppers or Pico de Gallo to spice it up

Mash throughly or put into a food processor. Blend/mash until smooth. Put into a container and cover with plastic wrap - wrap touching the guacamole. Air makes it turn brown. Refrigerate for about an hour to let the flavors blend together.

Crack open a beer or make a margarita, turn on some Jimmy Buffet or Bob Marley, grab some tortilla chips and your fresh guacamole and pretend you're on a beach somewhere. It's the best snack EVER! Creamy dip, healthy packed with vitamins & protein. While high in fat, it's the good fat and it can even help lower your cholesterol.

What are you waiting for?? Go make some!


Friday, January 23, 2015

Once I Saw A Dragon

Once when traveling home from Missouri, I saw a dragon.

For real.

I saw a dragon.

Well, not a real dragon.  But I really saw it.  It's kinda the same thing.  I know you would not believe me, so I took pictures.

I happened to be driving by on my way back from a conference in St. Charles, Missouri with a coworker.  I did a little Google research before leaving and looked for interesting things to stop and see on the way.  For example, you can see the World's Largest Ketchup bottle on the way.


This is the Kaskaskia Dragon.  It lives in Vandalia, Illinois.  If you have ever been by there, you know there is not much around.  This dragon lives about a mile from the highway, next door to a liquor store and surrounded by farms.






 The Kaskaskia Dragon even breathes fire.  But only when you buy a $1 coin from the liquor store across the street.  (All kinds of classy)    










I don't remember if we made a wish.  I think we were mostly hoping it would not blow up and that we would escape unscathed with video evidence of the steel dragon sculpture to show off to all our friends and family.










After you plunk in your $1 coin.  The dragon hisses and you hear a thunk and then breathes fire out of its mouth for about 10 seconds.  That's less than a penny a second, folks.  

Affordable fun!  









Just in case you didn't see all the other warning signs, this one is tattooed on the dragon's leg.  So don't go climbing any ladders in front of this guy's mouth when some haphazard tourist plunks in a coin, m'k?