A few weeks ago I got a lovely email: would I be interested in hosting a guacamole party and participating in a little Dip and Sip challenge, judged by Gaby Dalkin in celebration of national guacamole day and her new book, Absolutely Avocados?
ME? Guacamole party?
That’s a match made in heaven.
When I was pregnant, I ate guacamole like it was my JOB (usually with cheddar cheese nachos as the delivery system…). I’ve always loved guacamole, but something about those pregnancy hormones have made it pretty much my favorite food.
So, they sent me a copy of Absolutely Avocados (which you can win here!) and a bottle of tequila and a gift card to Whole Foods for procuring avocados. Color me a happy girl!
I rounded up a few friends and invited them around for guacamole and Margaritas. Color them happy, too!
I actually ended up making three kinds of guacamole!
First, I tried Gaby’s recipe for goat cheese guacamole. Sound weird? It is inspired. Creamy, tangy, absolutely fantastic. The book is full of unique and interesting ways to use avocados (only a few of which are guacamole), and is gorgeously illustrated and designed. A perfect gift for the avocado lover in your life! (You know you know one—or are one!)
Next I decided to make up a recipe of my own, inspired by Gaby’s avocado tomatillo salsa. I had recently made up a batch of the best salsa verde ever, and so I mixed half a cup of that with two avocados, and salt and pepper to taste.
I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but let me just say: crazy good. It was my husband’s favorite out of the trio.
The third batch I mixed up was specifically for the kiddos in attendance who might not be excited about goat cheese or tomatillos. This is my go-to recipe for plain guacamole: 1 avocado, about 1 teaspoon lime juice, a shake (or two) of garlic powder, and salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Ah-mazing.
And, since they sent me a lovely bottle of Piedra Azul Tequila, I had to serve some cocktails with my guac!
I mixed up a batch of fresh strawberry margaritas with the last of the strawberries we picked at the berry farm the week before.
Can I just say? Wowza. These were so much better than the artificially flavored stuff you get at restaurants sometimes. I was having a bunch of mommies over, so we added some bubbly water so that we’d all be safe to drive after! 😉 But they’re killer straight up, too.
And just look how pretty!
Overall, the vote was pretty much tied between the salsa verde guacamole and the goat cheese guacamole. The real winners? All of us who got to eat it. YUM.
From "Absolutely Avocados" by Gaby Dalkin.
Ingredients
- 3 Hass avocados
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh chives
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Cut each avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit from the avocado and discard. Remove the avocado from the skin, and place the avocado flesh in a bowl.
- Add the goat cheese, chives, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork until half smooth and creamy. taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Disclaimer: The Baddish Group provided me with a free copy of Absolutely Avocados, a bottle of Piedra Azul Tequila, and a $25 gift certificate to Whole Foods in exchange for participating in the Dip and Sip Challenge. There was no other compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.
