Avocado Especial

No school. No studying. Working, and doing what I love. Weekends off. Playing in the sun. Those are a few things that I love about summer, but what I REALLY look forward to is that all of my favorite foods are in season, including one of my very favorite foods of all time. That's right... the AVOCADO!!! Get ready to revel in all it's creamy glory, at it's very best, AND at it's least expensive. I urge you to take advantage of these blistering hot months, stock up on avocados weekly, and eat them up everyday!

Avocados are insanely delicious, and extremely good for you! I know a lot of people don't understand the good fat v. bad fat dilemma (I can't say I totally understand), but trust me, while avocado IS full of fat -- it is monounsaturated fat -- a fat that reduces bad cholesterol, and your body just loves (not to mention, it is rich in fiber and B vitamins). It is also SO easy to incorporate into your daily meals -- spread it on some toast, eat it with your eggs, put it on a sandwich or burger, try it in a variety of salsas and salads -- the possibilities are endless...

What I will be helping with, is providing some really fun, easy, and creative dishes that feature avocado. Over the next few weeks, check in for some avocado pasta, avocado hummus, avocado egg salad, avocado & chocolate pudding (yup!), avocado salsas, and so much more...

My only question is, what kind of avocado recipes would you like to see???

**And don't forget -- the Summer Giveaway is going on now -- follow me or comment to enter*

*Summer Giveaway* JUNE 24!! -- DATE CHANGE

How It Works
I'll enter all the eligible names into a drawing, and then randomly select a winner! Drawing date will be Friday, June 24! (4 days after the first official day of summer.) I will deliver or ship the goods to the winner.

** I changed the date because I got a little behind on my postings, and wanted to give people more time to comment -- it will definitely be on Sunday! ** 

How to Enter  
Followers
Simply comment on any of my posts (scroll to bottom of the post to comment). I love to get comments, and answer any questions -- so let me know what you're thinking!! Number of comments = number of times your name is entered (up to five).

Non-Followers
Become an official "follower" by clicking on "join this site" and entering your info - you should then show up as a member.

You can also "subscribe" via email, although I don't have access to who does this, so please become a member as well, so I can enter you into the Giveaway. If you do this, you will get email updates when I post.

The Goods
I was playing in Anthropologie's home goods area, and found this lovely summery stuff that I thought you all would enjoy as well! I fell in love with the Painted Spoon Rest, but thought it might be too pretty for the guys, so I added a second option.

The winner can pick from one of these two options:

Painted Spoon Rest & Striped Dish Towel

OR

Porcelain Produce Basket & Striped Dish Towel

And let the giveaway begin!! Tell your friends!

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes w/ Lemony-Herb Paprika Sauce

For Memorial Day weekend, I went to the coast. (Yes, I have some serious catching up to do on my posts.) It was a wonderful weekend full of fishing, relaxing, and most importantly, eating!! I dined on lots of freshly-caught fish while I was there, and I stiiiilllll hadn't gotten my fill of seafood before I left, so, I swung by the local fish market and picked up some lovely Jumbo Lump Crab to bring back to H-Town. (Fantastic decision on my part.) It was also great timing because I was able to share my crab cake creation with some friends while we were watching one of the games of the Western Conference series. (Let's not talk about the end result). Sooo, here you have it! Some crunchy, savory, slightly sweet and spicy, and OH-SO-CRABBY crab cakes! Pour on a sauce that lightens, and complements the flavors of the crab cake, and you are really in for a summery treat. ENJOY!

Strawberry-Orange Yogurt Cake w/ Honey Whipped Cream

Green Bean, Artichoke, & Mushroom Casserole

After finals, I was craving something warm and gooey to reward myself. Which is funny because all I did over finals was eat my feelings, so I knew this was not a good thing. I found a compromise with this dish. It's a soulful, hearty casserole, but it features spring vegetables! (You can always feel better when there's green stuff in it!) And while it is slightly decadent (there is butter in the sauce after all), it reallyyyy could be a lot worse when it comes to comfort food. And it tastes more decadent than it is. Not to mention it's yummy. Really yummy. I finished the casserole a few days ago, and I'm already craving it again... how is that possible?!

Simply put, this dish rocks. I know that all of us red-blooded Americans are familiar with green bean casserole come Turkey Day, but this dish takes it to the next level with the addition of artichoke and mushroom, and it is seasonal now! So, get your paws on the goods, and get to cooking. I think you will absolutely love this dish!!

Note: This dish pairs very nicely with my Italian Breaded Chicken, and it also utilizes some of the same ingredients, which makes for much easier menu planning! Awesome.

Easy Italian Breaded Chicken

Hey all, I have been wanting to post a basic breaded chicken recipe for a while now. It's something that seems fancy, but once you get down the technique, it's a simple, and incredibly adaptable way to invigorate an otherwise boring weeknight meal. This chicken goes with just about anything -- rice, pasta, seasonal vegetables, served over a bed of greens, etc. -- you name it, and it will be a wonderful, crunchy complement. It is also a versatile dish that will easily suit your mood, or the particular ingredients you have on hand. For the last coating stage (#4 below), instead of using Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, you can substitute crushed corn flakes, crackers, or panko (Japanese style bread crumbs), and then spice it up however you like.

This post is really aimed at showing you a simple way to get good results every time. You will use a few dishes to get everything prepared, but if you take a few minutes to organize at the outset, it will save a lot of stress in the end. Beware: it WILL be a hot mess if you DON'T have an organized plan of attack! So here goes... 

Mango-Nut Granola

Welcome to my heaven. Granola and yogurt heaven. Okay, it's not a big piece of pie, or a decadent slice of cake, but I promise, it's something I enjoy eating almost as much. And it's something I eat everyday. Yup, everyday. It's one of the absolute best breakfasts. Or side dish in a packed lunch. Or snack. OR dessert. As you can see, it's easy to fit in there somewhere. :)

And despite being a diehard granola enthusiast, I must admit that this is the first time I've ever made it myself (shameful, I know). I've had it plenty of times from my wonderful (and very granola) Mom, who has sent it to me in many-a care package over the years. But usually, my granola consumption begins with grabbing a box in the store once a week.

I had dreams about making this recipe over finals (having healthy snacks around and such), however, finals craze took over, and I had to put it off until after. Luckily, it came at a good time because I have been quite enjoying it over these lazy summer days (until next Monday, at least). Also, I'm going to Austin this weekend, which means a belated Happy Mothers Day treat for my awesome Mom (who has served as much of my culinary inspiration). Love you, Mom!!

And here it is. I hope you all try this out -- for yourselves, or a granola-lovin' loved one. It's SO easy, and wayyy better than anything you can find in a bag or box, I promise! Also, this recipe can easily be adapted. I love this particular mix, but you can change it up to your taste using your favorite nuts or dried fruit. Enjoy!