Simple + Fresh = Amazing Guac

I was a medium picky eater as a child.  If my father ate it, I wanted to try it.  If my mother said she didn't like it, I would likely avoid it.  If I never saw it before, I was quite hesitant.

As a mother, I tried to expand my children's culinary world.  As an aunt, I push the envelope even a little further and overall try to offer a wide menu to my family. I remember my sons not only loving fresh fruits and vegetables, but seafood (which I didn't try until late teens) and seemingly exotic ethnic foods I'd never even heard of until I was an adult.

Preparing foods I may not be altogether familiar with is also tricky but forces me to stretch my culinary muscles.  I confess, guacamole has only become a fairly recent favorite of mine and so preparing my own had been a trial and series of experiments until I think I have perfected a blend my family enjoys.

First and most importantly is to begin with fresh, ripe produce.  The avocados have a small window between soft and creamy before they are overripe.  They also prefer to not be really rushed in their ripening process.  The tomatoes I used were hydroponically but locally grown and a small amount of onion, very finely chopped is what this gang prefers.

Once the magic three (I used 2 avocados to half a tomato with the little bit of onion shown) are blended in a mixing bowl, I squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a fresh lime.

A bit of chopped cilantro, salt and refrigerate a bit before serving.

Served with mutli-grain scoop style chips, the guacamole was "all gone" by the end of a special nephew's birthday meal.  Tacos were the main dish and a fancy home baked chocolate cake with berry filling and a selection of ice creams were the final course.

A family birthday dream...

So lucky and grateful to be fed so well with fabulous food and a wonderful family.