Avocado | 20something cupcakes

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fried oyster tacos with tomatillo-avocado salsa.

September 6, 2012 — 4 Comments

Oh, how I enjoy fried oysters.

Fried Oyster Tacos

It’s like biting into a little pillow from briny seafood heaven. Creamy oyster surrounded by a crispy-crunchy deep-fried coating? Can’t go wrong with that!

If ever I see them on a menu, I order. Love them on a sandwich, po’ boy-style, and I also love fish tacos – so fried oyster tacos seemed like a perfect idea.

The fried oysters are so good on their own, you just might want to eat them that way. And they’re easy to make at home, as long as you don’t mind getting down with a big pot of oil.

You could serve them on their own as an appetizer with the salsa (probably better more puréed than chunky as it is used in the taco) or the crema as a dip. And really, you could even play with the flavors in the coating to give the oysters a different spin. As in, use 1 cup all-purpose flour and then your own favorite spices to replace the adobo. If you wanted to keep it true to New Orleans, you could make a rémoulade sauce, for example. Major yum.

Fried Oyster Tacos

And of course, you can go with the Mexican route I’ve provided here. I love the tangy tomatillos and creamy avocados with the crunchy oysters, and the smoky-spice and coolness from the chipotle crema adds another layer of flavor.

These bad boys are just begging to be enjoyed over a pitcher of margaritas, don’t you think? And don’t forget to buy some tortilla chips in case you’ve got extra salsa.

In Main Dishes, Obsessed, Uncategorized avocado, chipotle, fried, mexican recipes, oysters, seafood, sour cream, tacos, tomatillos

grilled chicken salad + blackberry vinaigrette.

July 12, 2012 — 8 Comments

It’s time to get back into the {salad} swing of things!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango, Avocado + Blackberry Vinaigrette

I’m seriously creeped by how long it’s been since I’ve shared one. I’ve had so much going on (just got off the phone with ABC again, NBD) that I’ve been pretty lazy about it. This one‘s been my go-to, because I can toss in a can of tuna and white beans and literally have dinner ready in 5 minutes.

But suddenly, I had a craving for something bigger and better. I’ve been obsessing over blackberries lately, because I’ve had some seriously good batches of them – as opposed to the blueberries I’ve been buying, which have for whatever reason been sour and lame. What’s up with that? For a blueberry-fiend like me, it’s pretty much the worst!

The idea of combining blackberry and mango in a salad just took me over, and from there the avocado was a natural addition. And then, pistachios! My new favorite addition to salads. If you buy them already roasted, shelled, and salted, they’re so easy – and they add the most savory flavor. I especially love them with avocados. Plus, they’re one of the lowest-calorie nuts (they are the lowest, actually, until you get into the roasted/salted world) and they’re super-high in potassium. Love, love, love.

Things didn’t really get good, however, until I decided to turn my happy little carton of berries into a vinaigrette.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar avocado, blackberries, dressings + vinaigrettes, main course salads, mango, pistachios, summer recipes

roquefort-avocado dip + beet chips.

July 9, 2012 — 16 Comments

Making chips out of vegetables makes me feel slightly better about sneaking massive amounts of tangy blue cheese into my guacamole.

Roquefort-Avocado Dip + Beet Chips

We all know I’m a cheese freak, and for that matter – an avocado/guacamole freak.

You’ve seen my white bean + avocado dip, which was fantastic but for very different reasons. You see, the white beans make the dip healthier. You’re sneaking fiber and protein into a place which subsequently has less room for fatty avocado (yes, we’re talking healthy fats … but too much of even the good stuff is no bueno for the waistline) and in turn, creating an all-around healthier situation.

But! Here, you’re enjoying the most sinfully delicious spread of chips and dip, and there are no carbs to be had! All because very thinly sliced beets have gone and turned themselves into crunchy, savory little chips rivaling anything that comes out of a bag. Terra chips, you’re out!

In Food Matters Project, Starters avocado, beets, blue cheese, chives, crème fraîche, dips + spreads, guacamole, lemon, orange, shallots, tarragon, vegetable chips

arugula + avocado salad with basil vinaigrette.

June 6, 2012 — 4 Comments

Any decent dinner party menu involves a big green salad. It’s just a fact of life.

Arugula + Avocado Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

A big green salad makes you feel better about indulging in, er, indulgent things. Things like fried chicken and blue cheese grits.

It’s just … a fact.

I hope that you do enjoy a big green salad, because if you do, you won’t try to argue with me here. There are people who do enjoy this sort of thing, you know. As a matter of fact, one of my dinner party guests told me he wanted more of this salad instead of dessert. Well, not entirely true – he still wanted dessert, but he said that this salad was so good that he just wanted to keep eating more of it. And this was after dessert was long gone.

If, on the other hand, you don’t enjoy a big green salad, allow me to let you in on a little secret. And it’s not, “adding bacon, because bacon makes everything better.” That’s also a fact, but it’s a fact everyone knows.

Can I get away with telling you avocado makes everything better? Maybe. You likely already know it, fine – but I think we can let that one slide moreso than the bacon statement.

How about this … how about we talk about the magic that happens when basil vinaigrette is poured, generously, over a vat of arugula? Now, this … this might be news to you.

In On the Side, Salad Bar arugula, avocado, bacon, basil, basil vinaigrette, first-course salads

4-layer {truffled} black bean dip.

May 7, 2012 — 18 Comments

Kids, it’s time to get your fancy-pants on.

4-Layer {Truffled} Black Bean Dip

Because today we’re going where no layered bean dip has gone before. We’re doing it up in a totally modern, fresh, and – yes, fancy-pants kind of a way.

It all started with Geoffrey Zakarian. Well, technically that’s a lie. It really started with this week’s pick for The Food Matters Project, Five Quick Salsas.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have absolutely nothing against a good salsa. And I happen to think that the five ideas Bittman puts forth in the book (find them here on Alissa’s blog, BIG EATS…tinykitchen and see the rest of the group’s takes here) are great – super-quick and super-simple.

I toyed with the idea of a black bean salsa, and then BAM – I got inspired. I was leafing through my newest cookbook, Town Country, by Geoffrey Z. I adore him, for reasons of which I’m not entirely sure, other than the fact that I thought he kicked major ass on Iron Chef and I love him on Chopped … oh, and he also happens to be Armenian, which he has in common with the sickest human on earth, a.k.a. Daniel.

In Starters avocado, black beans, dips + spreads, goat cheese, truffle oil

white bean + avocado dip.

January 31, 2012 — 11 Comments

I’ve always wondered if there was a way that guacamole could be improved upon.

I’ve discovered that there is. Well, that’s if you consider making it healthier an improvement. I do, when it still tastes just as good – if not better.

Question: Do you ever think it’s funny when you hear people say, “Oh, I make the best guacamole!” or “I don’t know what my dad puts in his guacamole, but it’s the best ever!” Now I’ve made guac many, many times. It’s, like, always good. I like to think I make the best guac, but in truth, I think pretty much everyone that takes a stab at it does a decent job.

This stuff is hard to mess up, peeps! Mash up some avocado, add lime or lemon juice to taste, maybe a chopped tomato if you’re in the mood, a little minced something from the allium family…are you WTF-ing over there? New vocab word of the day comin’ at ya: The allium family is made up of garlic, onions, shallots, scallions, leeks, and chives – yes, these little guys are imperative in the world of good eats when it comes to building and adding flavor. Lesson concluded.

Now back to the guac…seasoning! Seasoning can make or break your guacamole. And by seasoning, I mean salt. Add all of these ingredients – to TASTE, by the way, which anyone is capable of doing – and you too can make the very best guac that your mother, cousin, half-brother and his wife and kids have ever tasted.

In Healthy Eats, Starters avocado, basil, cilantro, dips + spreads, football fun-day, guacamole, lemon, mexican recipes, white beans

huevos rancheros bake.

December 30, 2011 — 7 Comments

Huevos rancheros is high on the list of my all-time favorite breakfast dishes.

And it’s a super-simple concept: Fried eggs, corn tortillas, and some type of tomato sauce. There are, of course, a few variations you can toss in there – like black beans, or salsa instead of a tomato sauce – but those are the building blocks.

When I discovered Deb of Smitten Kitchen‘s way of frying the egg on top of the tortilla over a layer of cheese, I fell in love with this breakfast. Daniel really fell in love with this breakfast. In fact, on any given weekend when I ask him what he’d like to eat in the morning, this is probably his most frequent answer. Sometimes if I have store-bought salsa on hand, I’ll make it with that – though I do prefer the homemade stuff.

Now that I’ve created this new way of making huevos rancheros, however, I have a feeling I’ll be making it much more often.

You heard the story – one of my bestest girlfriend’s also loves her some huevos rancheros, so it’s really her and Daniel you can thank for inspiring this idea. I wanted to make this dish for a group, without frying eggs to order. As I surfed around for a recipe, I couldn’t find what I was looking for – but I did stumble upon this recipe using chipotle and an avocado salsa. It wasn’t a bake, it was still going the traditional fry-to-order route, but I figured I could take the same flavors and create a recipe for a bake. So, that’s what I did – and here it is.

In Main Dishes, Weekend Brunch avocado, black beans, breakfast casseroles, chipotle, corn tortillas, eggs, mexican recipes

simple guacamole, rick bayless-style.

November 1, 2011 — 2 Comments

Can one ever have too many recipes for guacamole?

I’ll give you a hint: It’s the same answer you’d receive if you were to ask me if one could ever have too many margarita recipes.

Duh.

These types of things just aren’t possible. So, I invite you to try this simple guacamole recipe from the wonderful Rick Bayless. Because…well, he may kiiinda know a thing or two about good Mexican food.

In Fabulously Simple, Starters avocado, guacamole, mexican recipes, rick bayless

romaine + avocado salad with red onion.

October 12, 2011 — 1 Comment

Oh… It’s a salad.

Yeah… I know what you’re thinking. Romaine, avocado, and red onion? Is that all?

B-O-R-I-N-G.

This salad isn’t rocket science – it’s true. But we all know what I’m about to say, don’t we? Here, now it’s your turn to be a know-it-all… That’s right: Simplicity isn’t a bad thing. Simplicity is good.

In On the Side, Salad Bar avocado, cuban recipes, mexican recipes, side salads

tomato + avocado salad with blue cheese.

September 6, 2011 — Leave a comment

Here’s a super-simple idea to help you use up all of those gorgeous tomatoes at the market right now.

{Not that you needed any help in that area}

There’s something about yellow tomatoes that I just love – they always seem to be extra-firm, even when perfectly ripe. My picky tomato eater – who never ate them until the ripe old age of 34 – is also partial to the yellow variety, so that has to mean something.

In On the Side arugula, avocado, blue cheese, side salads, summer recipes, tomatoes