Easy Peasy Guacamole

I am all about the ease in cooking.  But more, I'm all for the health benefits of my ingredients I use when I cook.  Did you know that avocados are full of 20 vitamins - like vitamin E & C and potassium?  And even better, they are cholesterol and sodium free.  Yes, this creamy fruit (yes, I said fruit) packs a nutrient rich punch when you find that perfectly ripened morsel.

So how do you know it's ripe?  There are two good ways to test when you're in your produce section.  Is there still a stem on the end of that avocado?  If there is, give it a wiggle and see if it comes out easily.  If it comes out with a little tugging effort then it's ripe.  Too easily and it's overripe.  If there's not a stem to check with, it's time to let your fingers do the work.  Palm the avocado and give it a squeeze.. not too hard though, you'll learn the hard way when one is overripe!  Been there, done that - ack, it's not pretty.  So obviously if it's squishy, move on to the next one.  If it's hard as a rock, it's probably not quite ripe yet.  And if you get one that has a little give then you've landed on the ripe avocado.  Once it's passed your squeeze test, give it a once over and make sure there's no scarring or bruising. 

Let's say you can't find any that are ripe, but all rocks.  If you're not making your guacamole the same day you can ripen them am home with a brown paper bag and an apple.  Put them in the bag together and fold closed.  Believe it or not, the gasses in the apple will help ripen the avocados.  Overnight should do the trick!

Once you've picked out all your fresh ingredients (dried works in a pinch but fresh is always best) get your trusty potato masher and a flat bottom dish and let's make some guacamole!

Ingredients
4 medium sized avocados
2 limes, juiced
1 roma tomato, diced (I like roma because they're meaty when you can't get your hands on a beefsteak)
1/4 cup green onion, chopped (red is good too, but I just love green onions!)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (or use a garlic press)
1/4 tsp cumin (if you don't have cumin use some chile powder instead)
2-3 chopped and deseeded jalepeno or serrano chiles (this is optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste (trust me on this, you can't go wrong with sea salt)

You can peel and pit the avocados, but I think it's easier to just cut them in half around the pit and pop the pit out with a spoon.  Then I spoon the "meat" of the avocado out and mash it all up by hand.  If you don't have a potato masher, you can use the back of a large fork.  After it's mashed up good, you simply add the rest of the ingredients and mix them thoroughly.  You can serve immediately or let those flavors marry and put it in the fridge, covered for an hour. 

If you're making your guacamole a day or so after you've selected your avocados, it's important to remember:  DO NOT PUT THE AVOCADOS IN THE FRIDGE.  If you do, you'll have brown avocados.  Just leave them on your kitchen counter until you're ready to use them.  Until you've mixed that acidic lime juice into your mashed avocado, it'll go brown every time. 

If you want to spice it up, there are many variations out there for guacamole.  Just put a little aside and add flavors here and there and before you know it, you'll have created your very own recipe!