Guacamole

People love my guacamole. Having said that, I can tell you it's not mine and it's secret comes from a bottle. Lisa Gibbles, a local legend in the cooking world...well at least, in my cooking world tipped me off to Frank's Hot sauce. In the past, I would seed the jalapenos or serranos, and then when removing my contacts later that night, curse the fact that I hadn't worn latex gloves while seeding. Ouch! But really, are there any latex gloves in your kitchen? So save yourself a little work (or worse, pain) and don't fret if you're fresh out of jalapenos, just keep a big ol' bottle of Frank's in your fridge and you're ready to go.


Guacamole:
serves 4 to 6

1/2 red onion
1 small bunch cilantro, thoroughly washed
kosher salt
4 to 6 ripe avocados
1 lime
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh store-bought salsa, (or 1 seeded and diced tomato)
Frank's Hot sauce, to taste

Chop the onion and soak in cold water for 1 minute. Rinse and pat dry, set aside. Roughly chop cilantro, add red onion to chopped cilantro, sprinkle with salt and continue to chop, not too fine. (If you own a mortar and pestle, by all means do this step using the mortar, gently crushing the onion and cilantro with a sprinkling of salt). Transfer cilantro mixture to a large bowl. Halve avocados, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Place avocado flesh in the bowl with cilantro mixture. Squeeze the juice from 1 lime over the avocados, add salsa (or diced tomato) and then season with Frank's Hot sauce and additional salt. Gently mash with a potato masher. I prefer big chunks of avocado, but find most people like it on the smooth side. Taste with chips to determine how much more seasoning, if any, is needed.

Summer Sangria

The first time I made this sangria was when a group of my husband's college buddies gathered on our deck for a reunion of sorts. All self-proclaimed beer drinking guys, "No thanks, I'm not much of a fruity-drink man" is how my offer was politely declined. To me, this drink is summer in a glass, and I wasn't about to give up so easily. Long story short, by the end of dinner the boys were squeezing every last drop from the basil at the bottom of the pitcher. Need I say more? Make it before these long hot days come to an end. You will be happy you did, I promise.

Summer Sangria
adapted from Gourmet

8 to 10 basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup, plus 2 T. sugar
1 can pear nectar
1 750 ml dry white wine
2 small peaches (or nectarines) pitted and diced
basil leaves, for garnish

In a small sauce pan place basil leaves, lemon juice and sugar and gently bruise basil with the back of a spoon. Add pear nectar and bring just to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep 5 minutes.

Pour wine into a pitcher. Strain nectar mixture through a sieve (discard basil) and add mixture to wine. Add diced fruit and fresh basil leaves. Pour over ice-filled glasses and top with small sprigs of basil.

Apology Pancakes

This is what you promise someone when they go to bed mad at you. Could be a child or a grown man, works for either one.

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 T. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt (kosher)
Wet Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 stick melted butter

2 eggs

1 t. pure vanilla extract

First whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir together the wet ingredients in another container. Add wet to dry and mix until just combined. Ladle 1/4 cup measures onto preheated griddle (that has been nicely greased--you choose, butter, Pam, whichever). Cook until pancakes start to bubble. Flip and cook (less time on the second side) until golden brown. Everyone will forgive you your shortcomings after a few forkfuls.
Note: I'll often add blueberries or sometimes small chocolate morsels, depending on how evil I've been. If you choose to do the same, gently drop the treats onto the batter right after it is ladled onto the skillet. This way you don't have to eat chocolate chips in YOUR pancakes. Guilt is punishment enough. Enjoy and remember no one is perfect, but your pancakes can be!

A thirteen hour car ride with two boys under the age of ten is quite an adventure. Some fights, but also wonderful moments full of laughter, the kind of punch-drunk laughter that brings tears to your eyes. Eamon surely loves his big brother. He makes him laugh often.