Homemade Guacamole

I have an affinity for anything avocado, so naturally I am a huge Guacamole fan.  With that being said, I am not a big fan of onions, and I'm always striving to come up with the best onion free guacamole recipe.  Last night I concocted something amazing.  So amazing in fact, that it just had to be shared.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 Avocados (seeded and peeled)
Juice of 2 Limes (only use 1 if you don't love the hint of lime taste)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (seeded and chopped)
8 Champagne Tomatoes (chopped, can substitute grape tomatoes)
1/2 Jalapeno (Seeded and Minced)
1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
1 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
1-2 tsp Cumin Powder


Directions:
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Enjoy! 

Avocado Mac & Cheese

I came across this delicious recipe awhile back and have been wanting to try it but was a little fearful of how it would turn out.  With as weird as it sounds, it definitely was VERY delicious!  Of course I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't a big fan of Avocados or cheese ;)  I also made up some quick and easy grilled vegetable spears that were a nice compliment to the flavor.


Ingredients:

13 ounces dry medium shell pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Alpine Touch, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese (cubed)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh avocado chunks, for garnish, if desired

Grilled Veggies:
1 Zucchini (Peeled & cut into spears)
3 Large Carrots (Peeled & cut into spears)
Olive Oil
Alpine Touch

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water and add in the pasta. Stir and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, make the avocado sauce by placing the garlic, avocados, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper into a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3. To make the cheese sauce, place butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When butter is melted, whisk in flour to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in both cheeses and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.
4. Place macaroni in a large bowl. Pour the avocado sauce over the macaroni and stir until well coated. Add the cheese sauce and stir until macaroni is coated and creamy. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh avocado chunks, if desired.
*Note-the lime juice keeps the avocado from browning. The mac and cheese is best eaten the first day, but it is still good the second day. The pasta may turn slightly brown, but not bad.

Grilled Veggies:
Preheat oven to 425.  Lay tinfoil out on a cookie sheet.  Place the speared vegetables onto the tinfoil and coat with olive oil and season with Alpine Touch.  Cook for about 15 minutes, allow a couple of minutes to cool and serve. 

Cook pasta until Al Dente

Blend avocado sauce until creamy

Melt butter in a pan

Mix in the flour

Mix in the milk

Lay the vegetable spears out on the tin foil and cover with oil and seasoning

Place pasta in a large bowl and coat with the avocado sauce

Coat with the cheese sauce until mixed thoroughly

Remove grilled veggies from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes

Serve pasta with additional avocado slices and cilantro and enjoy!

Smoked Cheesy Chicken Pasta

A delicious and fresh tasting pasta.  My first try and I love how it turned out.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Large Chicken Breasts (Chopped)

Seasoning (Tarragon, Oregano, Rosemary & Crushed Rep Pepper)

8 oz of pasta (I used large shells however rotini or bowtie would have also been a great choice)

1/2 Cup Sliced Black Olives

4 Stalks Green Onions

1/2 Cup Diced Smoked Gouda

Sliced Avocado 

 

 Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottom skillet.  Add the chicken and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until cooked thoroughly.  Add the black olives and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Stir the cheese and green onions into the skillet.

At the same time bring a pan of lightly salted water to boil and add the pasta.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes until al-dente.  Drain and set aside.  

Spoon the chicken mixture onto the pasta and toss lightly.  Garnish with green onions and sliced avocado.

Cook the chicken thoroughly

Cook the pasta thoroughly

Add the black olives

Add the cheese and green onions

Toss the chicken mixture with the pasta

Garnish with green onions and avocado slices

Chicken Tarragon & Avocado Wrap Recipe

Easy and delicious!  A great light dinner. 

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts (cubed) 

Seasoning: Tarragon & Sweet & Smokey Rub

1 Lemon

1/4 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

2 Tbsp Tarragon

1 Avocado (peeled & chopped)

8 Grape Tomatoes (quartered)

Tortillas (size to suit I used the minis)

1 small bunch of salad greens 

Dash of Italian Cheese

 Directions:

Season the chicken and cook until thoroughly browned.  Set aside.

To make the dressing finely grate 1 tsp lemon zest and squeeze 1 1/2 Tbsp juice from the lemon into a bowl.  Add the mayonnaise and tarragon and stir to mix.

Lay out the tortilla and assemble the chicken, sauce and avocado, tomatoes and salad greens and sprinkle the cheese on top.  Wrap and enjoy.

Season the chicken and cook

Combine the lemon, mayonnaise and cream

Add the tarragon and mix

Get the ingredients together to combine into the wrap

Assemble the wrap, wrap and serve

Chicken Avocado Enchiladas

I was inspired to make these from a recipe I saw on facebook, but of course I had to put my own twist on it and make it even more delicious!

Ingredients:

Enchilada Sauce:

2Tbsp Butter

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Cup Chicken Stock

2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)

1 Red Pepper Chopped

1 Cup Mild Salsa

1 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

 Enchilada:

6 Chicken Tenderloins (1 Tbsp Oil)

2 Cups Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

2 Large Avocados (3 small)

6 Large flour tortillas (8 small)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Chop the chicken into small pieces.  Pour 1 Tbsp of oil into a skillet, add the chopped chicken and thoroughly brown.  Set aside.

To make the enchilada sauce: in a medium sauce pan saute' the garlic and the butter for about 1 minute on med-high heat.  Stir in the flour and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Turn heat down to medium and add the chicken stock, red pepper and seasonings, stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and mix in the sour cream and salsa.  

Prepare a 9x13 or similar size pan by spraying dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan.

To make the enchiladas lay out a tortilla and add some of the chicken, cheese and avocodo to fill the inside, roll and place the seam side down in the pan.  Repeat until the pan is full.  

Pour the remaining sauce over top of the enchiladas and add 1 Cup cheese.  Cook for 10 minutes or until cheese bubbles then turn the oven off.  Leave the pan for another 10 minutes.  Remove and serve with dollops of sour cream on top. Enjoy!

 

6 Chicken tenderloins about to be chopped

Thoroughly cook the chopped chicken

Saute' the garlic in butter in a sauce pan

Once smooth, add the sour cream and salsa to the sauce

Pour 1 1/2 Cups of the sauce into the bottom of the pan

Place the rolled up ingredient filled enchiladas in the pan over the sauce

Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and cover with a cup of cheese

Cook until the cheese starts bubbling

Serve with dollops of sour cream and enjoy!