Summertime Recipies

I got the coolest thing in the mail last night. A cookbook!

A few months ago I was contacted by someone at the King County Library system about contributing to a cookbook full of recipes from authors – “Literary Feast: The Famous Author’s Cookbook”. All the proceeds from the book would go to the local library. I thought it was a great idea, and was very flattered to be considered one of the “famous authors” invited. The only snag? I can’t cook.

So, after racking my brain for anything resembling an original recipe that I’ve ever made… and didn’t burn, over-salt, under-sugar, or otherwise render inedible… I finally came up with one thing I am good at making. Guacamole. Hey, you can’t be born and raised in California without knowing how to make that staple.

After making a couple test batches to get the amounts of the ingredients right (I never measure when I make at home), I wrote it all down, added a little bonus margarita recipe to go along with it, and off it went. And, yesterday, I got the finished product – a 200 page cookbook of TONS of great authors’ recipes. Not only is it super cool to see my own in there (who ever thought a non-cook like me would be in a cookbook?!), but now I can’t wait to try out the others as well.

And, since my recipe is so appropriate for summer, and this Memorial Day weekend is the unofficially start of summer, I thought I’d share here:

Good Time Guacamole
2 ripe avocados
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
¼ onion chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
3 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro leaves
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 limes
tortilla chips

Chop the avocados in half, remove pits, and scoop the insides of the avocado into a small bowl. Add the tomato, onion, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro, being careful to wash your hands after handling the peppers as jalapeño juice can sting your skin and eyes! Stir in garlic powder, salt and pepper. Slice the limes in half and squeeze juice over the guacamole. Serve with tortilla chips, or, for a low-fat alternative, flaky pita chips.

Muy Buenas Margaritas
Cracked ice
Tequila
Grand Marnier
Lime Juice
Coarse salt

In a shaker (or blender if you prefer a frostier drink) add the cracked ice, 2 parts tequila, 1 part Grand Marnier, and 1 part lime juice. Shake thoroughly, letting the ice melt a bit. Take a clean glass and rub lime juice on the rim. Pour your salt onto a plate, and dip the glass upside down in the salt, making sure it covers the wet rim. Fill the glass with ice, then pour in your margarita. Garnish with a slice of lime and enjoy!

If you’d like to check out some of the other recipes, you can purchase the book here: http://www.thriftbooks.com/literaryfeast/


Anyone else have some great recipes they’d like to share for the long weekend?



~Trigger Happy Halliday


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