Chunky Guacamole

YUM! Guacamole! The world's best "healthy" snack!! And this one is SOO super easy!

You know avocados are good for you right! I just heard on the Biggest Loser they are 50 calories per ounce of pure heart healthy fats!

Of course it doesn't count if you eat 15 ounces of avocado's right?!? All in the form of this super super yummy guacamole! (This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled! :) )

I lived on it during our Daniel Fast, because it was something that seemed normal when we couldn't eat anything! I won't tell you how much of it my husband ate! :) Especially after I taught him how to make it for himself! (P.S. That's how easy it is - sorry babe!)

By the way, did I mention my mom is coming in 16 days?? YIPPEE!!

Super Easy Chunky Guacamole: (By: Me)

INGREDIENTS:

1 large avocado

1 plum tomato

sprinkle of sea salt

juice of 1/2 lime (you can add more if you like)

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

5-6 small slices jalapeno from jar of sliced jalapenos, very finely diced

bunch of cilantro, chopped (use amount to your liking)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel avocados. Place in medium bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.

2. Using a fork, mash the avocados to desired texture - I like mine pretty smooth since the texture will be added by the other veggies!

3. Cut the plum tomato in half and seed the middle using an ice cream scoop. Discard seeds. Then chop the tomato and add to bowl.

4. Juice 1/2 lime or more if desired and add to avocado/tomato mixture.

5. Add chopped onion and cilantro

6. Mix till desired and serve with warm tortilla chips (I also LOVE this in a black bean soup!) YUM!

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Feels Like Home

Maybe it's because my mom will be here in exactly 26 days....

And my sister and brother and law will be here in a month and a half...

Or maybe because several of my friends in Charleston have either had babies or getting ready to have babies....

Maybe it's because my nephew wants to come visit me because I "have 4 pools" (the apartments we live in do, not me personally)...

Or maybe because Southern Living is featuring Charleston this month...

Or even just maybe because I saw some pictures of my dad in some wedding pictures of some friends (he's a pastor and officiated the ceremony)...

All of this = me feeling a little homesick lately :(

So when I'm feeling a little homesick, I need to vent by cooking. And what better thing to cook than something that reminds me of my childhood. Peanut butter cookies. These aren't just any peanut butter cookies though - they're peanut butter sandwich cookies with peanut butter frosting. Yeah, I know, that's a whole lot of peanut butter!

I used to make these as a teenager all the time! People LOVED them so much, that they would literally pay me to make them - I told them they didn't have to. But then so many people would offer I started using it as a fundraiser to help pay for the mission's trips I would go on in the summer. My brother-in-law LOVES them. My sister has to make them for him frequently. Even people who claim to not like peanut butter somehow LOVE these cookies. So, I pulled out the P.B. and got baking.

These cookies are so stinkin' easy though, that it gives you even more of an excuse to make them. Not good! :) And FOUR ingredients for the cookies... FOUR. So easy, you can just memorize the recipe and make them all the time!

They are a little bit better for you than normal cookies though - they are flourless! So they are melt in your mouth good. I made half of this batch with Splenda also, just to see how it would taste. Still okay, like you could get away with it, but if you're going to enjoy eating a peanut butter cookie, than you might as well just go all the way and eat a peanut butter cookie! I made these for our small group game night last night, and the general consensus was definitely, regular sugar = better!

What makes you homesick? You know my triggers now! :)

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting (By: My Family)

Ingredients:

For Cookies:

1 cup JIF peanut butter (JIF is the ONLY way to go!!! and no I wasn't paid to say that! :) )

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. baking soda

For Frosting:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbs. milk or cream

Directions:

FOR COOKIES:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients for cookies together by hand until smooth, making sure there are not baking soda lumps. Dough will be very sticky.

Yes, I took a picture of the peanut butter, because using JIF is THAT important! :)

Splenda mixture on the left, sugar mixture on the right - the consistency was a bit different.

3. Roll into 1/2" balls (I make them super small so the sandwich cookies are almost bite sized, because they are so peanut buttery) and place on cookie sheets - I used my stones.

4. Using a fork, dip into small bowl of sugar, and make criss-cross pattern on top of cookies to flatten.

5. Bake for 8-10 min. or until golden brown. Allow to cool for ~ 1-2 min. and transfer to wire cooling rack - be careful they will be VERY crumbly until cool. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

FOR FROSTING:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl - mixture will be pretty runny, don't add more powdered sugar, it needs to be this runny so it doesn't break the cookies.

2. Once cookies are completely cool, carefully spread a generous amount of frosting onto inside of one cookie, and sandwich another on top. YUM!

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Not Your Mama's Mac and Cheese

My husband and I have started a new tradition in our dates. Yes, we still go on a date weekly (at least we try REALLY hard to go weekly).

We decided that each week we would switch and each be responsible for planning a date for the other based on what they would want to do and enjoy. It really makes you think about what the other would really like, makes you listen to them really hard throughout the week about what they have mentioned they really want to eat or do, and in general has been really fun for us to be creative with each other.

This past week was my turn, and I wanted to take my husband to the Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton here in San Jose. He's said several times he's wanted to go there, and he's a loyal fan of the History Channel, where he found out that Albert Einstein has actually studied there in order to create part of the theory of relativity. Pretty amazing.

So, we went on Saturday, because it's only open during the daylight. It takes an hour to drive up the mountain in the most nausea-inducing curves you've ever seen! Apparently it was created for horse and carriage so they could deliver materials, and it couldn't be too steep, so I'm pretty sure we did at least 3 or 4 FULL u-turns, even though we were just following the road. Did I mention I'm scared of heights!

After the fun at the observatory, we came home and I cooked dinner rather than going out. I have been wanting to try this amazing macaroni and cheese recipe listed in the Top Chefs cookbook my friend Patrick gave me for my birthday last year. I've been kind of chicken to try it though, mostly because 1) every time I try a form of mac and cheese it ends up really dry and 2) this is one of the signature recipes from one of the guys on Top Chef - not just something he came up with on a whim during the show - he cooks this at his restaurant, etc. Scary stuff.

Like I mentioned, it's definitely not your mama's mac and cheese - Truffle and Cognac Cream Macaroni and Cheese - amazing! Seriously, amazing! How can you go wrong, why was I so stinkin scared! :)

I changed it up a little, because the recipe actually calls for black truffles, which run up to $1,000/pound - yeah right! I love my husband and all, but date nights are usually pretty inexpensive - like I would buy them EVER! Maybe if someone paid me $2,000 to eat it. HA.

So I used white truffle oil which my hubby bought me for Christmas as a stocking stuffer. Hadn't used it yet, and was super excited to give it a shot. I added shiitake mushrooms to the dish to make it feel like truffles. I also substituted part romano cheese for the parmesan, because I only had half the amount of each, so I just combined them. Lastly, I also substituted half the amount of cream with fat free half and half. I would love to say that it was for health reasons (it really was! ), but it was because I didn't have enough cream. Be prepared, this makes ALOT!!!

What do you do for date night? Do you plan it, does your spouse? What's your favorite date night activity? I'm always looking for new ideas!

White Truffle and Cognac Cream Macaroni and Cheese (Adapted from Chef Dave - Top Chef Season 1)

Ingredients

Unsalted butter for the baking dishes

1 cup cognac

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

6 garlic cloves (roasted)

1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms, if desired

1 Tbs. sherry

2 Tbs. white truffle oil (can be purchased at Whole Foods)

+ 1 Tbs. white truffle oil for bottom of baking dishes

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups fat free half and half

1 cup finely grated Parmesan (plus more for sprinkling)

1 cup finely grated Romano cheese (you can do just Parmesan or just Romano if desired)

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound penne - cooked al dente

2 1/2 cups finely grated fontina cheese

2 cups sourdough bread, cubed

DIRECTIONS

1. Place small amount of truffle oil in bottom and sides of 8 medium sized ramekins or 9x13 baking dish

2. Place the cognac in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Finely grate cheeses and set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add the sherry and stir until evaporated.

5. Add the cream and reduced cognac. Then add the truffle oil.

6. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half and the truffle flavor is infused, about 20 minutes. Add more truffle oil if desired. Watch the pot carefully, so the cream doesn't boil over.

7. While the cream is reducing, cube bread, drizzling enough olive oil over to cover each piece of bread, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

8. Bake in single layer on baking sheet for 15 min.

9. Place croutons in food processor or blender and process until broken down into crumbs.

10. Once cream is reduced, add Tabasco, Parmesan and Romano cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine until cheese is melted.

12. Add the cooked pasta and fontina cheese and stir until all cheeses are melted. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

13. Divide the pasta among the baking dishes and top with the crouton crumbs and grated cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees for ~ 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.

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A Unique Pair

There are so many yummy foods that taste absolutely divine together -

Chocolate and raspberry

Peanut butter and jelly (or peanut butter and chocolate)

Strawberries and chocolate

Coffee and chocolate

Chocolate and oranges

I think you get my point, chocolate tastes good with just about anything, so when I saw this recipe on Joy The Baker's website, I seriously had to try this. So what's the unique pairing, you ask??

Chocolate and Avocado!!!

I know, I know, that sounds disgusting - but don't take me off your google reader because I said chocolate and avocado together... or because my cake is green and looks like snot.... or because my cake might be better suited at a kids birthday party than a fancy adult dinner party. Because I'm telling you, this is at least worth a try.

Why, you ask, should I even keep reading this, let alone try cooking this crazy recipe with avocado in the cake and the frosting?

1) Because chocolate is amazing with anything.

2) Because it's vegan, and since the avocados are the "fat" instead of butter - it's heart healthy fat, and that's a good thing.

3) Because it's still dessert.

4) Because maybe, just maybe you trust me by now and you think you might wanna give it a go.

5) Because it's chocolate.

You can't taste avocado in this cake at all! I promise! The cake tastes like chocolate cake and the frosting tastes like buttercream frosting with a little citrus flavor.

I will admit that the cake was not my favorite - but not because it tasted like avocado, or even bad - I just didn't like the texture. It was so moist, that it was almost a little mushy. My husband is in love with it. But the frosting... mmm the frosting - I won't tell you how many times I licked a spoon full of the frosting. It's my little secret!

So go make it, and then come rave to me how yummy it really was, and tell me how you doubted me that chocolate and avocado could really actually taste good! :) Of course you can tell me if you didn't like it too!

Vegan Chocolate and Avocado Cake with Avocado Buttercream Frosting: (By Joy the Baker)

Ingredients:

For the Cake -

3 cups all purpose flour

6 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup well mashed avocado (about 1 medium avocado)

2 cups water

2 Tbs. vinegar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

8 oz avocado meat (about 2 medium avocados)

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 lb powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 cake pans and set aside.

2. Sift together all the dry ingredients except the sugar and set aside.

3. Mash the avocado meat VERY well, trying to get as smooth as possible.

4. Mix all the wet ingredients together, including the super well mashed avocado. Add the sugar into the wet ingredients and stir well.

(I know this looks disgusting, but bear with me)

5. Combine all the wet ingredients with the dry in a bowl and mix by hand with a whisk until well combined.

6. Pour batter into greased cake pans and bake for ~ 30 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for 15 min. in pans, then carefully transfer to wire racks to completely cool before frosting.

For Buttercream Frosting:

1. Peel and pit the soft avocados. It's important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on. If they have brown spots in the meat, avoid those spots when you scoop the meat into the bowl.

2. Place the avocado meat into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Add lemon juice and whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl several times in order to get smooth. (I even used my hand mixer for a minute or two because it made better contact with the avocados, and I didn't want lumps of avocado )in my frosting.

3. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat. Add vanilla extract until combined. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator. Don't worry, it won't turn brown!

4. Frost the cake!

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