Smoky Guacamole

Greetings! How is everyone? I am so excited because of this heat wave we are having in the Midwest. It is actually suppose to be hotter than I thought, but it is going to make a great weekend. I am also excited about this weekend because its Memorial Day weekend which means good food. I am hoping to bring out the grill to do some grilling.

One problem I always have is coming up with sides. I don’t know why, but I can never think of anything and I always like to try something different besides potato salad. One thing that I really love is dips. I love chips and love dipping my chips in the dip. 

This one dip is so simple and amazing, and you guys are going to love it. Guacamole! This couldn’t be simpler. You pretty much throw everything into a bowl and mix. One thing that I tried this time was soaking my red onion in the lime and lemon juice. I saw this on Rachael Ray, of course lol, and thought the flavors of the guacamole were amazing. I added two small chipotle in adobo to the mix to make a smoke guacamole. This is optional you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. The guacamole tastes great also without it.  I hope you guys try this this weekend and enjoy!

Here’s how you do it.

 

Ingredients/recipe

½ small red onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

2 avocados

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Cilantro- to taste

2 small chipotle in adobo from the can , finally chopped. (this is optional, do not through in the while can!)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

First chop your onion and put in a small bowl, add the juice of the lemon and lime and salt. Let sit for ten minutes.

Put your chopped avocado, cilantro and garlic in another bowl.

Once the onion has been sitting in the juice for ten minutes add to your avocado mixture, mix and enjoy!

 

To help your guacamole from browning fast, cover with plastic wrap and put it directly on the guacamole. The juice from the lemon and lime will also help, but I find that keeping the plastic wrap on top helps too.

Enjoy!

Reuben Pull Apart Bread

Hello and Happy Pre-St. Patty’s Day! I really enjoy all the festivities that take place around this holiday. I think it is so cool that Chicago dyes the Chicago river green. I have never gone there the day it is being done, but I have visited a few days after when it still has a light green tint. I am not a big drinker so for me it is all about the food. I love being able to have sweets or Reuben’s, even though I can make this anytime of the year. 

I saw this recipe on The Rachael Ray Talk Show awhile ago, made it and saved it just for this week. It's very simple and you make your own homemade dressing! Love it! It is so good and I really hope you guys try this and like it. 

Oh yes homemade Thousand Island Dressing! Its easy, trust me!

I used a smaller bread and it was a sourdough bread.

The Finished product, so good!

 You can find the original recipe and a video here.

Adapted from Rachael Ray.

Ingredients/recipe

1 loaf of Sourdough bread
1/2 cup sauerkraut, washed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped corned beef
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup relish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut the bread so it forms squares, not cutting to the bottom.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and stuff the bread with sauerkraut, corned beef and Swiss cheese. Bake in the oven for about 10- 12 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, ketchup and relish. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bread from oven and top with the ketchup and sour cream sauce.

Yay for Lavash!

Hello all! How are you this fine night/morning/afternoon? I am super excited because I received a phone call from my roommate saying he found….Lavash…yes say it with me…Lavash. 

Lavash is flat bread. You can do a million things with these and they are very low in calories…1 sheet is only 100 calories. They are also filled with protein, 5 grams and fiber, 3 grams. I saw them on Hungry Girl almost a year ago when her show first aired. I thought I would never come across this unless I went to a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes. It was definitely a surprise when I received that phone call today.

I know right now that you are thinking that you are never going to find Lavash either, but hold on to your seats because I am going to tell you that you should be able to find it at a local store. Super-Wal-Mart. Yep. Wal-Mart. Who knew? I also live in a small town in the Midwest, so I am sure if mine have it, yours have it. My roommate found it in the bakery section where they store all the baked bread. Take a look. I really hope yours have it, and if not try your local grocery store. Mine was by the Flat Out bread. 

I made wraps, which I will share with you later, but for tonight I am going to show you how to make Lavash chips. 

Here it is!

This is it, a big sheet of flat bread

cut them into little chips, whatever shape you like and spray with pam

Here they are nice and crispy an ready to be dipped into salsa!

Adapted from Hungry Girl

Ingredients/recipe

1 package of Lavash

Salt to taste

Anything you want to dip your chips in, I used salsa but hummus would be really good.

First, cut all your lavash into pieces, any shape you like. Lay on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Heat your oven to 425 and bake 2-3 minutes until light brown and crispy. Take out, let cool and enjoy!

These chips are so easy, and so worth it. I hope you guys run out and find this. 

Enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Roll Ups

Hello and happy Monday! I am excited today because I finished my taxes today, and I am going for a quick visit to the doctors (nothings wrong, just going to make sure I'm healthy) I  wanted to give you guys a super simple appetizer/snack that will be sure to please (at least I hope so). 

I served these garlic Parmesan Rolls Ups for a store meeting and everyone loved them! I was excited because I wasn't sure these turned out how I wanted, but everyone said how much they liked them and wanted the recipe. We were having a potluck, and the main dish was pizza. These went great with that, but these would also go great with pasta. 

Make your Garlic Butter (I put my Italian Seasoning w/the butter, you don't have to though)

Roll out your pie crust

Brush with butter

Top with Parmesan Cheese and Italian Seasoning

Cut into strips and twist (don't mind my peanut butter balls in the background, I was multitasking)

Golden brown and ready to serve!

Ingredients/recipe

1 box refrigerated pie crusts

½ cup butter

2 Cloves of Garlic (or 1 it’s up to you)

Parmesan Cheese (to taste)

Italian Seasoning (to taste)

First, soften your pie crust as directed on the box. While your pie crust is coming to room temperature, melt your butter and a cut your garlic open, don’t worry about slicing it you just want to get the garlic flavor) and put it in the pot with the butter. Let this infuse for about 5 minutes or longer if you want more of a garlicky flavor.

Next unroll one of your pie crusts. Once the butter is melted, brush the garlic butter mixture on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning to taste. Place the next pie crust on top of the first pie crust. Use a rolling pin roll over the top pie crust to seal these together.

Once you roll the two pie crusts together, brush the top layer with more butter, Parmesan Cheese and season to taste with your Italian Seasoning.  Using a large knife or a pizza cutter, cut into long strips. Once you have them all cut, hold the two ends and slowly twist. *** Place on a baking sheet (I covered mine with tin foil) and brush with the remaining garlic butter. If you don’t have any left just spray with a little pam.

Bake at 425 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

 

These are a fun snack and also fun to do with your kids too. I hope you guys try these. Enjoy!

***Quite a few of mine started coming apart when I twisted them. If this happens, no worries just keep moving along and just go for that rustic look.