Avocados...more than just guacamole

Don't get me wrong, I love guacamole (even posted my recipe below, which is the best I've had - not that I'm biased!), but sometimes an avocado is worth more than a tasty dip. Thus, I set out on a trek to find alternate uses for this creamy fruit, and was pleasantly surprised by what I came across.

If these recipes don't strike your fancy check out the California Avocado Commission for additional recipes. Also, Women's Health Magazine has a great article on the best fitness foods for women and guess what's number one on the list....avocado!

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Corn Salsa

Salsa:
1 ear corn, roasted (or 2 cups canned)
1 large avocado, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced red or orange bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Cut the kernels off the cob and mix together with all the remaining ingredients. Keep covered and refrigerated. I put the avocado pit in the salsa to keep it from turning brown.

Chicken:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup lemon juice
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper

Preheat grill or a grill pan.
Season chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush with lemon juice. Grill 10 to 15 minutes total on a hot grill, turning 3 times. Top with Avocado Corn Salsa.

I served this with steamed white rice and black beans with some fresh cilantro mixed in.

Recipe courtsey of Food Network.

Guacamole
3 ripe Avocados, peeled & pitted
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded & finely chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Garlic salt to taste

Mash avocado, add onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beat until creamy. Gently fold in tomato. Add garlic salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until served.

Supper Salads

Taking the lead from my friend at pthappyhomemaker I decided to post some of my favorite salad recipes. Enjoy!

Simple Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 C. olive oil

Put the garlic and basil into a blender or food processor; pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and peppper and pulse again. Add olive oil and pulse again. Pour into a serving jar or other container.

Salad:
1 head of Romaine or Bibb Lettuce
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper

Wash and dry lettuce; tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss the greens with 1/2 cup of vinaigrette to coat. Place in a salad bowl. Wash pepper at slice into thin strips. Wash tomatoes and cut in halves. Top salad with peppers and tomatoes; toss & serve with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Spinach & Fruit Salad
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 C. Craisins*
Crumbled goat cheese to taste
1/3 C. Bottled Strawberry Vinaigrette, or to taste
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds**

Wash spinach and place in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Top with Craisins, goat chees, and sunflower seeds.

*Substitute other dried fruits or an assortment of dried fruits
** Substitute pine nuts

More Pesto, Please!

I ventured into the world of pasta making and found it wasn't nearly as difficult as I had anticipated. I love pesto, especially because I can make it from the basil growing in my backyard, so when I saw this recipe I couldn't resist. Now I must give fair warning, this isn't for those with sensitive tummies as it is quite rich, but boy is it tasty!

Gnocchi with Pesto
Serves 4

Kosher salt
2 russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 lb, scrubbed
1/2 C, plus 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 lg egg, beaten
1 1/4 C all-purpose flout, plus more for rolling
6 oz haricots verts or other small slender green beans
1/2 C Pesto (see below)
6 Tbsp butter

To make gnocchi, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the unpeeled whole potatoes until tender when pierced with a small knife, about 30 min. Drain and let cool for a few minutes. Submerge potatoes in a bowl of ice water, skin should peel right off (see Sprint Cuts, How to Peel a Potato on YouTube). Place peeled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the 2 Tbsp grated cheese, 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and nutmeg and mash well with a potato masher. Let cool to lukewarm, mix in the egg and then 1 cup of the flour.

Knead the dough, adding more flour 1 Tbsp at a time as needed, until a soft and sticky dough forms, about 3 minutes (I did this in my Kitchenaid mixer). Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then divide it into 6 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, use your palms to roll each piece into a rope 3/4 in. thick. Cut the ropes into 1 in. pieces. To form the grooves in the gnocchi that will hold the sauce, roll each piece over the tines of a fork or down the length of a wire whisk.

In a large pot of generously salted boiling water, cook the hericots verts until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a skimmer, transfer beans to a colander and drain.

In 2 batches, cook the gnocchi in the same pot of boiling water until just tender, stirring often to prevent sticking, about 5 minutes per batch. Using the skimmer, transfer to a baking sheet.

Put the pesto and remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese in a large bowl. In a large frying pan, melt the butter (I used less thatn 6 Ybsp, but to each his/her own) over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the haricots verts and toss for 1 minute. Transfer the gnocchi and haricots verts to the bowl of pesto and cheese and toss to coat.

The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: The Essential Recipe Collection for Today's Home Cook

Pesto

2 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the tube. Stop the motor when you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.

Do-It-Yourself Composting

Not every gardener has the space for a large compost pile, and not all municipalities allow back yard composting. The good news is that it's very easy to compost in a small space. Even if all you have is a patio or balcony, you can use this method of making compost in a trash can. And, if you need to compost on the sly, no one will be the wiser---they'll just see another trash can.

To start out composting, purchase the most inexpensive 32 gallon or larger plastic garbage can you can find. Make sure it has a lid. If rats are a problem in your area, consider purchasing a metal trash can. Then, using a two to three-inch hole saw bit and a drill, drill holes all the way around the trash can (lid, bottom, and sides) six to twelve inches apart. Cover these holes with window screening. Good strong duct tape or epoxy will work. Put your trash can composter in a convenient place. If possible, raise it up on a couple of bricks to get even more air circulation to the contents of the trash can composter.

So, what do you put into your trash can composter?

Fruit and vegetable peels and cores
Leftover cooked veggies (as long as they don't have salt or butter on them)
Produce that's past its prime
Coffee grounds
Tea leaves and tea bags
Egg shells
Shredded newspaper
Weeds, leaves, and spent flowers from the garden

Never add meat or dairy to the composter, as it will spoil (and smell!) and attract pests. Besides that, your compost could then harbor harmful bacteria that could cause illness. It is a good idea, however, to add a shovelful of garden soil to your compost. The soil contains all kinds of microorganisms which will consume the contents of your compost and break it down. If you don't have access to garden soil, don't worry. You'll still get compost, but it will take a little longer.

Most books and articles about composting recommend using specific ratios of “green” and “brown” materials to make perfect compost. You may be able to get away with ignoring ratios if you have a large pile, but in a closed system like this, paying attention to the ratios of your materials is important. If you have too many “greens,” such as fruit and veggie peels, weeds, and grass clippings, the pile will stay too wet and will start to smell. If you have too many “browns,” such as leaves, small twigs, shredded paper, and coffee grounds, the pile will just kind of sit there. Try for a ratio of at least 4:1 of browns to greens. I've seen recommendations as high as 25:1, but the 4:1 ratio works well in my trash can composter.

In addition to a proper ratio of materials,you'll also need to make sure that your compost stays moist, but not wet. In general, your compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Any wetter than that, and it will start to smell because it has become anaerobic, meaning oxygen can't get to parts of the pile. If your pile dries out, it will still break down eventually, but it will take much, much longer than it should.

You'll also need to keep your compost aerated. In a traditional pile, this is done by digging into the pile and turning the contents every week or two. You can aerate your trash can composter by simply laying it on its side and rolling it around a few times. Do this once or twice a week, and you should have finished compost in two to four weeks.

Trash can composter courtesy of Anthony at The Compost Bin.

Two Dishes For Those Who Love Fishes

Fishy Facts: Typically, salmon are anadromous: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean, then return to fresh water to reproduce. However, there are rare species that can only survive in fresh water habitats.

Meal 1:

This meal is so fast, easy and tasty! I cut costs by growing my own basil and garlic.

Baked Pesto Salmon
1 lb of fresh salmon
2 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil through the tube. Stop the motor when you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.

Spary a baking sheet with cooking spray; put salmon on the baking sheet. Generously coat the top of the salmon with the pesto. Tent with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes, until the edges of the pesto begin to brown.

I served this with the left-over quinoa from the stuffed peppers I made the other day, and steamed broccoli.

Meal 2:

I don't particularly care for left-over fish, so I adapted this dish so as not to waste the leftovers.

Salmon Pesto Pasta

8 oz pasta (I use liguine or penne; adjust depending on how much fish you have left-over)
leftover pesto salmon
salt and pepper
5 oz evaporated milk (adjusted depending on how much salmon you have left-over)
½ cup pesto (recipe above)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When water is boiling, add pasta. Cook pasta until al dente; drain. Pour evaporated milk into empty pot and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup. Add cooked pasta to pot and stir to combine.

Add salmon to pasta mixture and stir over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat and stir in pesto. Top with parmesan, if desired.

Dry Fruit Curry

This recipe is from one of my Australian friends. If I hadn't eaten it before I saw the recipe I probably would not have ever made it. The final dish has much more flavor than the ingredients might suggest. Enjoy!

Dry Fruit Curry
1 small red apple, peel on, diced
1 small tomato diced
1 small green pepper diced
1/2 red pepper diced
1/2 small yellow onion diced
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp raisins (I use sweet golden raisins)
1 lb ground pork (I use ground turkey to make it leaner, but the pork certainly has more flavor)
3 Tbsp white wine (water can be substituted, but the wine is much better)
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

Cook the chopped onion, garlic and red pepper in the oil over medium heat. Once the vegetables have softened slightly add the ground meat. Once the meat begins to brown add the wine, sugar, soy, salt and curry powder. Stir as meat continues to cook. Add the tomato, green pepper and raisins and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve over white or brown rice.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Romesco Sauce

1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
4 large red, green or yellow bell peppers (a variety is nice)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 package (10 oz) fresh spinach, tough stems removed, torn into large pieces
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins

Heat oven to 375°F.

In small nonstick skillet, toast almonds over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted. Tip onto a plate and let cool.

In a saucepan, heat water and salt to boiling. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer; rinse under cold running water 2 minutes. Stir quinoa into boiling water. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Uncover and set aside.

Fill a saucepan half full with water; heat to boiling. Cut off and reserve tops of peppers. Remove seeds and ribs. Add peppers and tops to boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Drain. In same saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 6 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Stir in garlic. Remove 2 tablespoons of onion mixture; set aside. Add spinach to saucepan; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted and any water evaporates. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir goat cheese, currants, almonds and quinoa into spinach mixture.

Arrange peppers in shallow baking dish. Spoon stuffing into peppers, mounding to fill; replace tops. Bake 20 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Romesco Sauce
1 oz French bread chunks, crusts removed
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup drained diced tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper, charred skins removed and sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a bowl, combine the bread with the red wine vinegar. Put the toasted almonds in the food processor and pulse until grainy. Add the bread, tomatoes, red pepper, garlic, paprika and cayenne. Puree until smooth. With the motor running, pour the oil in a slow stream and process until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Spoon Romesco sauce on plate and top with a cooked pepper.

4 Ways to Eat a Chicken

Last weekend I purchased a whole, uncooked, chicken from my grocer thinking I'd roast it for dinner and use the leftovers to make sandwiches for our lunches. Good thing creativity struck! Using items from the garden and pantry we ended up with 4 distinct meals.

Meal 1:

Herbed Roast Chicken
1 chicken, 4-4 1/2 lb
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped fresh taragon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of paprika
salt & pepper, ground
whole fresh rosemary and taragon sprigs
1/2 of a small apple

Preheat the over to 425 F. In a small mixing bowl combine the fresh chopped herbs, garlic, lemon juice, butter and spices. Coat the outside of the chicken, all over, with this mixture. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a stoneware baker. or on an oiled rack in roasting pan (if using roasting pan add 1 cup water into the pan to prevent the drippings from burning). Place the apple half and the whole fresh herbs in the body cavity. Roast the chicken, basting several times with the pan juices until golden brown, about 50-65 minutes. An instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh should register at least 170 F. Remove chicken from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

*In order to make the remaining meals, pull as much chicken from the carcass as possible and shredd it into bite-sized pieces. Put the carcass in a pot of boiling water for at least 45 minutes or until the remaining meat falls from the bones. Discard skin, bones and cartilage, saving the pieces of meat that have fallen from the bone. Cool the chicken stock and freeze in glass jars or small plastic containers for later use.

Meal 2:

Dried Fruit Chicken Salad
2 c shredded cooked chicken (or turkey), chilled
1/4 c pine nuts
1/4 c assorted dried fruits, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbsp light sour cream
2 Tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add chicken, nuts and dried fruits, stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight before serving. Serve over bibb lettuce as a salad or in whole wheat toritillas with lettuce as a sandwich.

Meal 3:

Baked Chicken, Vegetable and Rice Casserole
1 c white rice
1 c shredded chicken
1/2 c chopped zuchinni
1/2 c chopped summer squash
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh taragon
1 c chicken stock or water
1/2 c light mayonnaise
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c chopped fresh or frozen broccoli
1/4 c plain bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the rice and stock (or water). Sprinkle the top with the chopped fresh herbs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove dish fromt he oven and sprinkle the top with the chicken and squashes. Cover and cook another 20 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. While that is cooking, mix the mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and egg together. After the 20 minutes has elapsed, remove the dish from the oven; add salt and pepper to taste and stir so the meat and vegetables are evenly distributed. Evenly arrange the broccoli on the top of the rice mixture. Pour the mayonnaise, egg and cheddar mixture over the top and lightly coat with the bread crumbs. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and cook for another 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.

Meal 4:

Chicken Nachos with Creamy Barbeque Cilantro Dipping Sauce
1/4 bag of tortilla chips (I like Hint of Lime for this dish)
1 c shredded cooked chicken
1/2 c bbq sauce (recipe to follow, or store bought)
1 can black beans or chili beans
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 of a small tomato, chopped
1/4 of a medium sweet onion, chopped
1/2 c chopped Romaine lettuce

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add cooked chicken and half of the barbeque sauce. Continue cooking until chicken is thoroughly coated with sauce, adding more sauce as necessary. Spread tortilla chips on a baking sheet, overlapping them so there are no gaps. Spread the chicken, beans, cilantro, and cheese on top of the chips; bake until cheese is melted about 10 minutes. When cheese is melted remove baking sheet from oven and top with tomato, onion and lettuce. Serve with Barbeque Cilantro Dipping Sauce.

Simple Barbeque Sauce
2 c ketchup
1/4 c distilled white vinegar
1/4 c molasses
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
dried oregano and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)

In a saucepan over low heat whisk all ingredients together. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Creamy Barbeque Cilantro Dipping Sauce
1/3 c light sour cream
1/4 c light Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1/4 c barbeque sauce
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.