Less is more Guac

last night i went out for mexican and of course i ordered extra guac with everything. i must share my favorite and best guacamole recipe with you. i heart guac because everyone has their own take on it and i think it is really fun to try new things. I started out adding just about everything but the kitchen sink and have gradually began adding less and less. my friends in cali will tell me that im dead wrong in my approach and that they are the only ones who know how to make guac. well, to them i must say - the challenge is on.

without further ado here is my Less is more Guac:

2 hass avacados - not to soft bc you still want it to be chunky after you smash the ingredients.
splash of lime juice
1 jalapeno
1 small clove of garlic
1/4 of a red onion


first - if you have a small food processor this could not get any easier. drop all ingredients, except the avacados, into the food processor and chop.

if you do not have a food processor ask for one for your birthday. they really do change your life. you can find a small one by Cuisinart that takes up no counter space and is small enough to store in a cabinet.

i also heard that if you run an onion under warm water it doesn't make your eyes water when you chop it. so try that if you haven't bought that food processor yet and must chop up your ingredients try that and let me know how it goes.

for the avacados, i like to pit them, section each half and spoon them into the serving bowl. that just makes it easier to blend all the ingredients with out totally mashing the avacados.

add the other ingredients and mix well but avoid smushing the avacados. serve with whatever you want and enjoy!

ps i realize i could have put a picture of guacamole but i am so excited that my husband is taking me to the Pearl Jam show in june i can think of nothing other than that right now....

Shelby's Spaghetti

My favorite easy pasta – it actually tastes better as leftovers!

What you will need:

Olive oil

1 box of pasta – I prefer spaghetti but angel hair or anything else will work.

Crushed red pepper flakes – this is something you def have on hand at all times.

Garlic – you can use 1-3 cloves depending on your preference. Or if you have it already chopped up then a teaspoon will do.

Frozen shrimp – also something that you should have on hand at all times. They sell the big bags in the grocery store seafood freezer section. I get the ones w the tails but that just means you have to cut them off later.

Step 1:

Fill a large pot with water and add salt. This is for flavor as well as a method to help the water boil faster! Set a burner on high and wait for the water to boil. Once the water begins to boil empty the box of pasta in the water. It takes between 7-9 minutes for the pasta to cook. I recommend taking a piece out to bite as a test how firm it is.

After you place the pot of water on the stove take a small bowl and pour in the shrimp – about 5 or 6 per person – and run warm water over them. This helps to defrost them and once they are defrosted you can cut off the tails.

In a large sauce pan pour some olive oil – just enough to cover the bottom of the pan but do not make a lake! Chop up the garlic into very tiny pieces. Then add a few strong shakes of the crushed red pepper – depending on your spicy level – and add the garlic.

Let that cook for two minutes then add the shrimp. Now, the shrimp are already cooked but frozen so you should only cook them for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Once the pasta is finished, turn off the burner and ladle out 2 CUPS OF THE COOKING WATER. Then drain the pasta.

Once the shrimp are done dump the pasta into the large sauce pan. Toss it and add a little bit of the reserved cooking water slowly until you are satisfied with the mixture.

Store any leftovers in a Tupperware in the fridge. It honestly tastes fabulous for lunch the next day!

Cheesy Jalapeno Cous Cous

my husband came up with this idea but considering it's easy enough for me to put together i will make it my first post. i love this dish because its fast, easy, tastes great as leftovers and the ingredients can be adjusted to fit any taste or mood.

here are the ingredients:

1 box of whole wheat cous cous - we got ours at trader joes.
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers - last night i used 1 1/2 and it was pretty spicy but that is different for everyone
garlic - i used 3 very small cloves. i would say 1 is good ***
butter
shredded mexican cheese
lime juice

here is how it's made:

follow the directions for the cous cous on the box - generally you add butter to water, wait for it boil, add the cous cous, turn the heat to low, cover the pot and wait for it to cook - all about 10-15 mins.

while the water is boiling:
if you have a food processor --> add a splash of lime juice, garlic and jalapeños to the food processor and grind until pretty small.
if you don't have a food processor --> chop the garlic and jalapeños until very fine, mix in a small bowl the lime juice, garlic and jalapeño.

*** the finer you chop the garlic, the more potent the taste. so if you are using a food processor you will only need a small amount of garlic. if you are chopping it by hand you can use more.

once the cous cous is ready, turn off the heat and add the garlic/jalapeño mixture. blend that in with the cous cous then start adding the mexican cheese. i do not know how much to add - just start adding handfuls and mixing until you have reached your desired cheesiness.

and that is it!! this is a great starter recipe because we can build on it as we get more creative.

enjoy!