Western Avocado Toast Sandwich

 Perfect for brunch (or even a light quick dinner).  Make sure your avocado is ripe!  I used farm fresh eggs for the omelette.

SANDWICHES

1 ripe avocado

4 slices good quality bread

Pinches sea salt

OMELETTE

3 tsp olive oil, divided

2 tbsp each finely chopped red onion and green pepper

4 eggs

pinches salt

tbsp salsa

1.  Begin sandwich assembly by cutting avocado in half and removing pit.  Toast 2 bread slices.  Place toast on plates.  Scoop avocado from peel, dividing between toast slices.  Mash and spread to edges.  Sprinkle with salt.

2.  Prepare ometette by heating small amount of oil in a medium sized pan set over medium low heat.  Add onion and pepper, cook stirring often until softened and fragrant.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Let pan cool and wipe out.  Whisk eggs with salt until frothy.

3.  Coat pan with remaining oil and add prepared egg from side of pan just until curds begin to form, about 1 minute.  Using spatula form omelette evenly in pan.  Gently cook until almost set but still moist.  Evenly scatter onion and pepper mixture overtop.  Cook until eggs are cooked s you like.  

4.  Toast remaining bread.

t.  Using a spatula, fold omelette in half then divide in half.  Remove and slide each folded piece onto the avocado toast.  Spoon Salsa and place remaining bread on top.

Smoky Guacomole

BBQ season is back and this is a great addition to any burger.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tsp minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 soft ripe avocados
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

• Heat oil in a small skillet over medium low heat.  Sauté onion and garlic for about 3 minutes or until soft and just starting to turn golden.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp chipotle.  Let cool.  (Add more chipotle for a hotter guacamole if you like heat).
• Peel and pit avocados and place in a bowl.  Using a fork mash avocados, adding lime juice and 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir in onion mixture.  Add more chipotle to taste, if desired.  Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of guacamole and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• Just before serving, fold tomato and cilantro into guacamole and season to taste with salt.

Makes about 2 cups

Smoky Guacamole

A versatile condiment that will enhance you burgers and bbq chicken.  From Food and Drink Summer 2015.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tsp minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 soft ripe avocados
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

• Heat oil in a small skillet over medium low heat.  Sauté onion and garlic about 3 minutes or until soft and just starting to turn golden.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp of the chipotle.  Let cool.
• Peel and pit avocados and place in a bowl.  Using a fork, mash avocados, adding lime juice and 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir in onion mixture.  Add more chipotle to taste, if desired.  Place plastic wrap erectly on the surface of guacamole and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• Just before serving, fold tomato and cilantro into guacamole and season to taste with salt

Makes about 2 cups

Tomato Cucumber Guacamole

A really fresh side to any meal.

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 medium cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 avocados, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tsp grated lime rind
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper


In a bowl, toss tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, onion, lime juice, rind and cumin.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 8

Avocado and Cheese Tart

I loved this recipe…The Tomato Chili Ketchup and Apple Balsamic Dressing are worth the trouble to make.  A really great mix of flavours.  From Food and Drink Early Summer 2011.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cubed
2 tbsp shortening, cut in pieces
2 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice
2 tbsp cold water

FILLING
1 cup soft goat cheese
3 tbsp whipping cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup Tomato Chili ketchup (recipe follows)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Apple Balsamic Dressing (recipe follows)
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1. Place flour and salt in a bowl.  Cut in butter and shortening until it is the texture of bread crumbs. Combine vinegar and water and sprinkle over flour mixture.  Gently combine with hand and knead together into a smooth ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400F.
3. Roll out dough into 6 - 5 inch circles.   Place circles in 4 inch tart shells or large muffin tins.  Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.  Line tart shells with foil and pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.  Remove foil and weights, prick base with a fork and bake 5 minutes longer or until pastry is fully cooked.
4. Reduce oven to 350F.
5. Combine goat cheese, whipping cream, Parmesan and Tomato chili Ketchup in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fill each tart shell with goat cheese mixture.  Top each with a few slices of avocado and a tiny spoonful of Tomato Chili Ketchup.  Warm through in oven for 8 minutes.  Make a swirl on a plate with Apple and Balsamic Dressing, and place warm tart on top.  Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

APPLE BALSAMIC DRESSING

1 cup apple juice

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Place juice and vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and cook for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened - it will thicken considerably as it cools.  You can whisk in a little warm water if it becomes too thick.

Makes 1/3 cup - will keep in a refrigerator for a month.

TOMATO CHILI KETCHUP

2 cups canned tomatoes chopped (500 ml)

1 tsp (5ml) seeded and chopped red chili

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tbsp ginger, chopped

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Asian chili sauce, optional

Salt to taste

1. Combine tomatoes, chili, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar and red wine vinegar in a saucepan over medium high heat and bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Turn heat to a simmer and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes or until dark red and thick.
2. Add chili sauce and cook 2 minutes longer to blend flavours.  Season with salt to taste.

Avocado Salad with Smoked Salmon

I am Danish - and it doesn't get much more traditional than this.

2 avocados
150g Smoked Salmon

Dressing:
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Sunflower oil
100 ml cold water
Black Pepper

Mix oil and mustard; stir in water for the dressing.  Cut avocado in half.  Peel and remove stone.  Cut meat of the avocados into thin slices; arrange on plates.  Pour dressing over avocado and place salmon, cut into small pieces over top.  Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.  Serve with thin slices of toasted rye bread.

Baja Grilled Chicken Chef's Salad

I love grilled vegetables, what a great assortment of veggies and chicken!

1 cup Diana Sauce Western Smokehouse flavour, divided
1 tbsp each brown sugar and cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp minced chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
2 cobs corn, husked
4 thick rings of pineapple
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 tsp each salt and pepper (I omit the salt)
8 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (I prefer romaine)
1 avocado, pitted peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 green onions, sliced
Lime wedges

1. Preheat the grill to medium high and grease the grate.  Divide the sauce in half.  Stir one half with brown sugar, cider vinegar and vegetable oil.  Reserve.  Stir remaining sauce with lime juice and chipotle peppers until combined.
2. Brush corn, pineapple and chicken with chipotle sauce mixture; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.  Transfer chicken and corn to grill.  Cook, turning once for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium; cook, turning as needed for 9 to 12 minutes or until tender and cooked through.  Add pineapple during last 5 minutes of cooking time; turning as needed.  Remove everything from grill.  Slice chicken and quarter pineapple rings.  Use a sharp knife to cut corn into disks.
3. Divide lettuce between four large plates.  Drizzle with some of the reserved dressing.  Arrange grilled chicken, pineapple, corn, avocado, red pepper and green onions over lettuce.  Drizzle with remaining dressing.  Serve with lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.

Potato Salad with Avocado and Arugula

A wonderful different potato salad.  I love the avocado in it and the Arugula gives it some bite.  You can peel the potatoes but I prefer the skin on.  From Food and Drink 2011

3 lbs (1.5 kg) small new potatoes
3/4 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely diced red onion or thinly sliced green onions or snipped chives
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados
3 to 4 cups baby arugula, coarsely chopped
Grape tomatoes

1. Generously cover potatoes with cold water in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil; cook covered for 20 to 25 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a  skewer.  Drain; cool until able to handle.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, stir sour cream with mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Stir in red onion.
3. Cut warm potatoes into bite size chunks; add to dressing as cut.  Using a large spoon or spatula, gently mix potatoes by lifting up from bottom of bowl and turning over.  To aid in rapid cooling, make a well in salad centre if in a bowl or spread out in a large metal pan.  Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate several hours or up to a day until cold.
4. When ready to serve, dice avocados.  Stir potato salad gently; fold in avocado until just mixed.  Fold in arugula.  Garnish with additional red onion or halved grape tomatoes.

Grilled Steak Fajita Salad

Simplicity and goodness, I love this one!  Once again I get to use my BBQ and the salad is a nice light twist!

1 cup Diana Sauce, original flavour (or your favourite BBQ Sauce)
2 tbsp each lime juice and chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
500 g Sirloin Steak
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
4 corn tortillas or small flour tortillas
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
1 avocado, sliced (love this addition!)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use mozzarella or get creative with goat cheese)
1/2 cup sour cream ( I skipped this)

1. Preheat the grill to medium high and grease lightly.  Stir the sauce with the lime juice, coriander, cumin and hot pepper sauce.  Brush 1/4 cup of the mixture over the steak and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper (I omitted the salt).  Brush the tortillas with the oil.
2. Set the steak and the tortillas on the grate.  Grill the tortillas for 2 minutes, turning as needed or until well marked.  Remove from the grill, cool slightly and break or tear into strips.  Grill the steak for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once.  Rest the steak for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
3. Layer the lettuce, red onion, peppers and avocado onto four serving plates.  Top with the steak and the tortilla strips.  Drizzle with the remaining sauce mixture and garnish with the cheese and the sour cream.  Makes 4 servings.

Texas Beef Tenderloin

a wonderful summer BBQ recipe

4 beef tenderloin medallions, each about 1 inch thick
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 cup Marinade, Spicy Southwest flavour
1 tsp chili powder
2 cobs corn, husked
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 avocado, sliced

• Sprinkle the medallions with salt and pepper.  Stir 1/3 cup of the marinade with the chili powder. Reserve 2 tbsp of this mixture.  Brush the remaining mixture over the steaks and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Preheat the grill to medium high and grease lightly.  Blanch the corn in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Brush with the reserved marinade-chili mixture.  Grill for 10 minutes, turning often, or until well marked.  Cool to room temperature.  Stand the cobs on their ends and cut the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife.  Toss the corn with the remaining marinade, red onion, coriander and lime juice.
• Grill the medallions for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once or until medium rare.  Fan the sliced avocado on four dinner plates.  Spoon over the corn relish and arrange the grilled steaks over top.  Makes 4 servings.

Killer Guacamole

This is a great dip!  For a healthier version I substitute the mayonnaise with Greek Yogurt.

2 ripe medium avocados
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lime juice (use fresh if you can - it makes a difference)
1 clove garlic, minced

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve with pita chips or fresh veggies.  Also not bad on a hamburger.

Firecracker Chicken Salad

A great salad that kids will enjoy because of the salsa - spice it up with a hot salsa or keep it mild depending on your taste.  The avocado in this is my favourite!

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 1/2 lbs (750g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 sweet onion, sliced in thick rounds
1 red pepper cut in quarters
2 zucchini cut in half
salt and freshly ground pepper

Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp chopped coriander
salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
2 cups tortilla chips

1. Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic, lime juice, olive oil and coriander.  Brush on to chicken breasts, onion rounds, red pepper and zucchini.  Marinate for 1 hour.
2. To make dressing, combine mayonnaise, salsa, lime juice and coriander.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reserve.
3. Preheat grill to high.  Season chicken and vegetables with salt and pepper.  Place chicken breasts and vegetables on grill.  Grill chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear.  Cool.
4. Grill vegetables about 4 minutes per side or until tender.  Cool.  Remove skin from peppers.  Slice onions, peppers and zucchini into strips.
5. When chicken has cooled, slice it and mix with dressing.  Add vegetables and toss to lightly coat with the dressing or serve dressing on the side.  Surround platter with sliced avocado and tortilla chips.

Black Bean Tacos

Another vegetarian dish that is kid friendly!  Just don't tell them they are eating beans!

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 cans (19 oz/540 ml each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded fresh lettuce
2 tomatoes, diced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 pkg flour tortillas, 6 in size
salsa and sour cream if desired

• Heat the olive oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent - 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the cumin, chili powder and beans.  Using a fork, mash the beans in the pan, then stir in the water.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often until thickened - 12 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can prepare this filling well ahead of time and just reheat when you're ready).
• While the bans are cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients for the tacos; Shred the cheese and lettuce, dice the tomatoes, slice the avocado.  Arrange topping ingredients in bowls so that diners can assemble tacos to their own taste.  Just before serving, wrap the stack of tortillas in paper towelling and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until they are warmed through.
• To serve, lay a tortilla out on a plate and spread with some of the black bean mixture.  Add cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado (plus salsa and sour cream, if desired). Fold, eat and repeat!

Cobb Salad

Here is a different take on the traditional Cobb Salad.  This one was excellent and did not take long to finish up.

2 cups Baby Spinach
8 strips Bacon
2 cups Grape Tomatoes halved
2 ripe Avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup herbed Goat Cheese, crumbled
500 g peeled, deveined raw shrimp

Cook bacon in heavy bottomed fry pan until crisp, remove and crumble.  Drain all but 1 tbsp of the fat from the fry pan and cook shrimp over medium heat until translucent.  Remove and place on paper towel. Arrange all ingredients in a 13x9 tray - be creative and make a pattern!

Baby Spinach, Avocado and Endive Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Another green side dish!  Got this one out of the same magazine - Food & Drink Early Summer 2011
Never did get a picture before it was eaten - but salads are pretty standard.

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp liquid honey
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
1 large Belgian endive
1/2 cup mint leaves
8 cups baby spinach (2 L)
1 large ripe but firm avocado, diced
4 oz (125 g) Feta, crumbled

1. Whisk oil with lime juice, honey, Dijon, garlic, salt and pepper until blended.
2. Slice endive in half lengthwise.  Cut out and discard core.  Then thinly slice.  Stack mint leaves, then thinly slice.  Place both in a salad bowl along with spinach.  Toss.  Add avocado and feta.
3. Drizzle with as much dressing as you need to coat.  Toss gently.

Serves 4 to 6

Minted Avocado Dip with Tortilla Chips

 If you want something healthier choose veggies instead of the Tortilla Chips

I got this one out of the Food and Drink Early Summer 2011

1/3 to 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream (greek yogurt also works well)
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1/4 tsp salt (I left this out)
dashes of hot sauce to taste
2 large ripe avocados (I am digging the avocados lately)
1 bag tortilla chips

1. In a medium bowl, stir 1/3 cup sour cream with juice, garlic, mint, salt and hot sauce.  (If making ahead, this mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day.)
2. Cut avocados in 2; remove stones.  Using a knife without a sharp point, score flesh into 1/4 inch dice right down to leathery skin.  Scoop flesh out into sour cream mixture.  Mix, breaking up avocado dice as little as possible.  Add more sour cream, tablespoonful by tablespoonful, as needed to achieve a thick yet creamy consistency.
3. This keeps well for up to half a day if plastic wrap is pressed directly onto dip surface and refrigerated.  Pile mixture into a serving dish; garnish with sprigs of mint.  Serve with tortilla chips.