Posts Tagged ‘avocado’

I’m really excited about this little dinner Valentines Day dinner party I have been planning.  I’m trying not to go overboard with it but it is really hard!!  I have been trying to plan this meal so that I’m not in the kitchen the entire time which has not been that easy.  This week ya’ll are getting the salad and the invite, next week you will get another portion of the meal.  I don’t know what portion that is yet because I’m still planning this little shin dig. 

I found this glaze in my Reata cookbook and I have been dying to try it because it looked so amazing.  After whipping up a batch of it I have decided I’m pouring this over all meat and vegetable products until the end of time.  It is really that good.  If you swing by our store page you can buy the cookbook: Reata – Legendary Texas Cooking by Mike Micallef.  This is by far one of my all time favorite cook books.

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Pour all the ingredients in  a small pot and heat on the stove until the mixture is simmering.  Stirring occasionally.  You want the glaze to reduce down slightly so that it is nice and thick.  Wait until it coats the back of a spoon nicely.  Gently poor it over everything for a sweet and savory kick!!  Warm it back up to use again if you have extra.

Emily’s Sour Vinaigrette Dressing:

4 tbs olive oil

1 tbs balsalmic vinegar

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

pepper to taste

1 tsp chili powder

1tsp worcestershire sauce

Combine and whisk well.

Salad: (4 Servings)

Lettuce of your choice – enough for 4 people

1 chopped avocado

3 strips of pepper bacon cooked and crumbled

1 large tomato chopped

2 tbs olive oil

4 jalapenos diced and de-seeded

3 large shallots

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

1 lb medium sized shrimp peeled

Asiago Cheese for sprinkling

Saute the shrimp, garlic, worcestershire sauce, jalapenos and shallots in a pan with the olive oil.  While the shrimp is cooking chop and prep all the other ingredients.

Toss the vegetables and the bacon with the vinaigrette and plate.

I did a double dressing/glaze on this salad which gives this salad some complex flavors.  Next, I topped the salad with the sauteed shrimp, shallots, and jalapenos finishing with the glaze.  Sprinkle the salad with some Asiago cheese and TA DA!  You’re done!

For the party I will most likely leave out the shrimp to help keep it less filling but I will do the glaze!

I’m asking all of my guests to send me pictures of them as well as to tell me their wedding songs. I plan to have the pictures popping up on the TV the entire time and I want to add the wedding songs to my music play list for the evening.  This way there is a simple personal touch for each couple to enjoy.  I also plan to ask each couple to talk about the first time they met or how they got engaged.

I’m not sure what is going on, but Dallas has moved to the center of the sun.  It is so freaking hot here and we’ve only had a few days of rain (thank you, Hurricane Alex).  Every time I walk around outside I see people on the street spontaneously combust.  It’s really become a problem.

Since summer arrived early for us and has been sticking around for the long haul, we the people of Dallas have had to improvise on ways to keep cool.  Our poor air conditioner’s are chugging along, moaning in pain from the constant back-breaking work.  Ice cream melts on the spot, so all the little kiddos are moping around sadly on their summer break.  Plus, I’m sure all of the pools will be dried up soon because the water is evaporating at an alarming rate in this bleak, white hot weather.  In order to stay cool, we turn to standing in front of the freezer with the door open, working long hours at the office because the company is footing the electricity bill, and taking baths in ice cubes.

And now it’s August.  Dreadful August.  I usually fear the heat of this month, but this year I am deathly afraid.  If school wasn’t just around the corner, I would pack up and move to Alaska.  But since I’m stuck here on the sun, I’ve been brainstorming other ways to keep cool in hopes that I don’t melt.  Maybe if I could just keep my insides cool enough, the outsides wouldn’t be so, well, let’s just say it…sweaty.  A tasty, frozen-style dessert may just do the trick.  Something with a hint of the south to remind me where I live, but with enough refreshing citrus to help my mind wander to a breezy poolside retreat.

Avocados and limes.  Such a perfect pair.  Mix them into a creamy frozen treat and you may just have the perfect way to beat this crazy summer heat…

Avocado Lime Tart

3/4 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tart crust (recipe below)

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges.  Remove from heat, add sugar, and stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour the liquid in a bowl and allow to cool.

In a food processor, blend the avocado and cream cheese until smooth.  Add lime juice and process again until smooth.  Pour mixture into a bowl and whip in cooled cream.

Pour into tart crust and place in freezer for at least two hours.  Allow to soften on kitchen counter about 15 minutes before serving.

Sugar Free Tart Crust
Recipe from Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

2 cups pecans
3 large medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8-inch tart pan with cooking spray.

In a food processor, blend the pecans and dates until well chopped.  Add the butter and process until dough forms.  Press mixture into the tart pan and bake for 8-10 minutes.  The crust will be light brown and slightly puffed.  Allow to cool completely before adding filling.

I love these little suckers!  They are crispy on the outside but slightly soft on the inside and with a huge scoop of avocado cream and that salty queso fresco this appetizer is a little piece of heaven.  I was trying to come up with something to make for the blogger potluck that was gluten free because I knew Alta from Tasty Eats at Home was going to be there and I wanted her to be able eat my offering.  I also wasn’t sure if any of the girls were vegetarian so I wanted my dish to be safe but exciting for everyone.  I haven’t made these fritters in a long time and I knew they would fit the bill so I was excited to bring back this old favorite of mine.  I had so much fun on Saturday hanging out with the Dallas Blogger’s and it was amazing to meet all of those wonderfully talented people.  I was so stuffed and happy I went home and took a nap!  A Perfect Saturday!

Corn Fritters:

2 cups masa harina flour

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp salt

2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup milk

3 tbs olive oil plus more for frying

1 small block of queso fresco

2 cloves garlic minced

3/4  cup frozen corn

In a large bowl whisk together the masa harina, Parmesan and salt. In a larger bowl whisk together the water, milk, 3 tbs of olive oil, garlic and frozen corn.  Slowly stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture. Knead the mixture together for a few minutes.  Heat about 2″ of olive oil in a large skillet.  It is very important that the oil gets hot before you place the fritters in the pan.  The cooler the oil is the longer the fritters will take to cook, which means they will absorb more oil and have even more calories in them! Test out the oil by placing a tiny dollop of the batter in the oil. If it crackles and gets noisy the oil is probably ready.  In-between each batch allow the oil to heat back up before placing another round in the pan.  Roll the dough into 2″ balls and flatten them out slightly like a pancake.  Prepare as many as possible and place them in the oil at basically the same time. This way they are cooking for the same amount of time.  Allow the fritters to cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side.  Set them on a paper towel once you pull them out of the oil to help absorb some of the excess.  Sprinkle the queso fresco on each fritter and serve warm.

Avocado Crema:

2 whole avocados skinned, pitted and diced

the juice of one whole lemon

1/2 cup of half and half

2 tbs cilantro

1 tsp garlic

salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until creamy.  Serve it in a pretty bowl with a small amount of crumbled queso fresco.