So I’m still trying to find my way into what I want to blog about. It’s a good thing I added the category “cooking.” Otherwise this would have to go under “posts to keep me from giving advice to random people in stores.” 🙂 I just hate to see someone an inferior product. I know they would really like for me to share my advice. I just know it.

Or maybe not.

Moving on…

Avocados are a staple at our house, just like lettuce and carrots. This isn’t a health blog so I won’t go into all the nutritional benefits or good fat vs. bad fat arguments and potassium content.

Suffice it to say that a taco’s not a taco without guacamole. And a salad is better with chunks of avocado. And avocado is even good on hamburgers. Okay, so I can’t “suffice it to say.” I really love avocados!

Whenever you need an avocado there aren’t any ripe ones at the grocery store. And if they’re ripe, they’re all bruised. Or worse. Have you ever taken home a green avocado to ripen, only to find when you cut it that it is all bruised on the inside and slightly soapy tasting? Blech.

For a while it was a mystery why my hubby could pick better avocados than I could. Turns out, one thing that helps is to always pick avocados at the top of the bin that haven’t been handled too much. My 6’6″ hubby has more luck with this than my 5’2″ self. Pick ones with medium green skin to ripen in  a paper bag for a couple of days on your kitchen counter.  If you do more than one at a time they ripen better.

The almost fool proof way to pick an avocado? Buy the ones that come 4-6 to a bag. If you want them to ripen more quickly, put them in a closed paper bag. But I’ve had them ripen just fine in only their mesh bag on the counter as well.
They are ripe when the skin is dark and they yield a little to gentle pressure. They aren’t mushy when you test them, they just have a slight springiness under your fingers.

Not sure you can eat that many avocados? If you put them in the refrigerator when they are just barely ripe they last longer.

Caught with a bunch about to go bad? Freeze them.

Mash the avocados with a fork and add a squirt of lemon juice. (I keep Minute Maid 100% Pure Lemon Juice on hand to use in recipes. You can find it in the frozen juice section.) Then freeze it in a plastic bag. I usually do individual servings in sandwich bags. Then thaw it by putting the bag in hot water. Or pop the frozen avocado out of the bag and thaw in the microwave for a few seconds. Take it out when most of it is still icy and mash it around with a fork and continue to thaw at room temperature.

Freezing is a great way to store left over guacamole as well. Even if you plan to eat it the next day, guacamole will turn brown in the refrigerator. Freezing it prevents the browning and preserves the flavor.

Now you will never be without guacamole again! (And we all know how important that is.) So buy an avocado, or 4 or 6, and have tacos in a couple of days!

Just in case you need it, I’ve added our family guacamole recipe at the bottom. I have no idea if it’s authentic or not. I’m pretty sure it’s not authentic according to Mexican cooking, but there’s a chance it has some authenticity when it comes to TexMex. Parts of my family have been here since the Texas Revolution!

My Family’s Recipe for Guacamole

Everything is done to taste. This is great on all Mexican food, chips, and in place of salad dressing.

• Avocado mashed with a fork or blended smooth in a food processor (The different ways makes it taste differently. On tacos I like it smooth.)
• lemon or lime juice
• sour cream (about one tablespoon per avocado)
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• salt

That’s it! That’s how my family has made guacamole all my life! The one thing I’m not sure I’ve seen anywhere else is the addition of sour cream.

Traditionally my family ate it without any tomatoes or raw onions, but you can add them if you like. Occasionally I add fresh tomatoes when I eat it on chips. (But don’t tell my 5 year-old-self! She would be appalled. She thinks tomatoes only belong well cooked in ketchup and Italian sauces.)