how to make chunky guacamole

For years, I thought I didn’t like guacamole. The bright green goo that would occasionally appear at house parties, game day gatherings and Tex-Mex restaurants held absolutely no appeal for me. I would turn my nose up at it when I saw it on display.

“No, thanks. I’m not a fan of mush,” I’d say.

Others tried to convince me that I didn’t know what I was missing out on, that I should try, ‘insert texture-less, tasteless store-bought brand name here’, because theirs was reaaaally good. I would occasionally, against my better judgement, try the green goop again. Still, I remained unimpressed.

Then, after my first trip to Mexico, I realized that most of what we call guacamole here in the US… ain’t.

What I tasted at beachside shacks and streetfront restaurants in Mexico was not a uniformly smooth green spread, it was more like an avocado salad – it had big chunks of the lovely pale green fruit; it tasted bright and fresh and was something I could literally sink my teeth into. I dug into it gleefully at every meal during my trip, amazed out how simple the mixture of ingredients was, and how unlike the ‘gwaca-mohl’ I was used to seeing and tasting stateside it was.

After returning from my trip, I was inspired to start making this chunky (and dare I say, more authentic) guacamole in my own kitchen. I’d serve it to visiting guests and carry it along to potluck shindigs. Apparently, I got pretty good at making it, since my friend Regina confided in me, “Yours is the only guacamole I’ll eat.” Apparently, she’d had the same ‘get-that-green-go-outta-here’ feelings that I’d had for years, and I had made her a convert.

So, this one is not just for you other would-be converts, it’s for Regina. And for the potluck party that she’s having this weekend that I won’t be able to attend, but my guacamole will be.

How to Make Chunky Guacamole

For me, the perfect guacamole starts with pico de gallo – a mixture of tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime juice that forms the base of the ‘avocado salad’.

how to make chunky guacamole or avocado salad

Some tips to make sure your chunky guacamole comes out perfectly:

• If you don’t yet have the technique down, figure out how to properly cut an avocado. It’ll help cut down on prep time and just make your guac look prettier in the bowl.
• Avoid using a metal bowl or spoon – metal can cause the avocados to turn brown.
• If you’re making the guac ahead of time, squeeze a little extra lime juice over the top of the completed salad (acid acts as a mild preservative), and cover with plastic wrap touching the top of the salad. This will limit the air contact that causes the avocados to oxidize and turn brown.
• Add in extra flavor to the pico as you desire – diced jalapenos, fresh(!) minced garlic, ground cumin, diced mango, finely chopped cooked shrimp. These add-ins will transform your standard guac into something even more impressive.
• Don’t stir too much once the avocado is added. This is especially important if your avocados are very ripe. The more you stir, the mushier they’ll become.

I hope you try this recipe for chunky guacamole at home, and I hope you can make some converts out of your friends who may think they don’t like guac.

Are you a lover or a hater of guacamole? Would you give this recipe a try?

what to do with sh*tty wine

One of the best things about hosting a BYOB party at your house is all the great bottles of wine and liquor left over after the party is finished. Well... usually.

After the last BYOB shindig I hosted, I found myself left with 3 bottles of not-so-great wine that I knew I'd never drink. They sat collecting dust on the bar in the dining room for weeks and weeks. Every so often my gaze would fall on them, and I'd think, "Now what in the hell am I going to do with this wine?" Then: "And who in the hell brought this to my party anyway?" I considered re-gifting the bottles, but didn't want the recipient to get the wrong idea about my wine taste. With my luck, they'd end up thinking these undrinkable wines were my favorites and making that my next birthday present.

No thanks.

To make matters worse, the unwanted wines weren't your standard reds or whites - which I might normally work into a favorite recipe. No sir, the three I had to contend with were: a moscato, a pink moscato, and a sparkling rose with the word 'sweet' in the name. Halp.

Determined not to let even wine that I didn't want to drink go to waste, I turned to the Internets for ideas on how to transform these leftover wines into something delicious.

what to do with leftover ine

What To Do With Leftover Moscato

Moscato Poached Pears - This recipe is super simple and uses a full bottle of moscato (perfect for my needs!) along with a touch of honey to soften and flavor delicious ripe pears. The poached pears can even be sliced and saved for serving later over ice cream or yogurt.

Apples Baked in Moscato - Slow-baked apples and prunes in a wine bath flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar? Not only is this a great way to use up some leftover moscato, it's the perfect healthy dessert for Fall.

What To Do With Leftover Rose'

Homemade Wine Jelly - While the original recipe uses red wine, I think it would work just as well with a rose' like the pink moscato I've got on hand. The original poster recommends pairing the final product with cheese and crackers, but I could see using this jelly on everything from biscuits to burgers.

Gummy Wine Fruit Snacks - This recipe also calls for red - but are you telling me you wouldn't want to tear into these sweet and boozy gummy treats if they were made with rose' instead? I didn't think so. Package some of these easy to make adult treats up and share with your friends!

What to do With Leftover Champagne

Strawberry and Champagne Pancakes - When you think champagne and breakfast, you usually think mimosas. But this recipe infuses champagne into homemade pancake batter to make them even lighter and fluffier, then tops the flapjacks with a fresh strawberry and champagne sauce.

Homemade Champagne Vinegar - The thought of making my own vinegar from wine kinda freaks me out, especially since the process involves fermentation. But since that bottle of sparkling sweet wine is going to just sit there collecting dust anyway, might as well give it a shot. Some recipes for making champagne vinegar, like this one from The Kitchn, opt for natural fermentation (i.e., just sitting the open wine in a dark place for a few weeks), while others, like this one on the Williams-Sonoma blog recommend the use of a bacterial vinegar starter or 'mother'.

More Uses for Leftover Wine

They say you shouldn't cook with wine you wouldn't want to drink. But they didn't say anything about baking with it or using it around the house. These 27 uses for leftover wine from Greatist are range from savory to sweet and even  household uses