The {Life Changing} Guacamole Recipe

A few years ago, Dan and I had some people over on a Saturday to watch his Boilermakers play some football. We always made some sort of appetizer, and our friends would bring over other delicious goods. Our friend Randy, was notorious for bringing over interesting choices. Like, once we made burgers, and Randy brought over tamales from HEB. The next time, we had a "mexican" themed menu, and he decided on the world's largest pumpkin pie from Costco. Always made for a good laugh. During this mexican themed menu, Dan and I made homemade guacamole. Our friends raved about it, and one friend said that it changed her life. Ha! What a compliment. Ever sense, it has been some what of a {Moore} Zaleski staple food item. It is our dish, and here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

3 Haas Avocados 

Onion (I prefer white, the husband likes  yellow, do what suits your fancy.)

Jalapeno 

Tomato 

Cilantro 

Garlic 

Salt 

Tostitos chips (we prefer the multigrain scoop kind...always.)

Steps 1, 2, and 3

Step 1

Cut Avocados in half and put in a bowl.  I mash them with a potato masher.

Step 2

Add onion to your liking.  We like onion, so I don't cut it into super small pieces, and I add a lot.  Add more or less, small or big, however you want.

Step 3

Add jalapeno.  In Canada, the jalapenos are not spicy, at least not the ones I have bought and tried, so I leave all the seeds.  I always put in the onions and jalapenos in first since they are firmer in texture, then mix.

Step 4

Cut up a tomato and the cilantro.  I like the ones that come on the vine.  I just got these fresh from the farmer's market on Wednesday.  However, I have also used roma tomatoes as well, which means I would use 2 tomatoes, since they are typically a bit smaller.  I LOVE cilantro, the husband, not so much.  I add enough to give the flavor at the color.  Not the whole bunch, which I totally would, if I was eating it by myself.  

Step 5

Add about 1/8 tsp or less of salt (remember the chips will be salty too!) and a spoonful of garlic.  If you don't have garlic on hand, you could always use garlic powder or garlic salt.  If you use garlic salt, then obviously, skip the salt part.  Then just mix with the masher (don't mash !), if you don't want to do more dishes, or get a spoon if you do.

Step 6

Serve with your favorite chips.  We love the Tostitos multi-grain scoops.  Delish!

My mom always used to buy the packet that you just add to avocados, but I think this is so much better!  

--E

DIY Doormat

So, D and I recently tied the knot, and now my last name is Zaleski.  Zaleski.  Yep.  Totally Polish.  Totally unpronounceable by those who have never been exposed to it.  Even the DJ at our wedding couldn't get it right.  I can't imagine what will happen when I get back in the classroom.  Pretty sure I will be "Mrs. Z" to those cute little 6 and 7 year olds.

Zaleski.  Z.  Zed (to those Canadians).  It is the LAST letter of the alphabet.  My poor future children...they will forever be at the end of the line.  And poor us...I mean, think college graduations.  I pray they go to a small school because I might have to take a little nap between A-Y if it is a huge public institution.

Z.  Do you know how hard it is to find things that are monogrammed with a letter Z?  You know those cute block letters?  Have you ever seen a Z?  Nope.  What about those cute towels all my friends have in their bathrooms with their initial sewn perfectly?  Not the Zaleskis.




While I was back in Houston, I noticed a few friends had these great doormats from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  I went to a few to scope it out.  Can you guess what happens next?  I didn't find one. UGH!  So, I decided to make my own.  Of course, HGTV, has decorations on how to make your own here.  I used this as a guide, and it was pretty simple, however I did have some variations.

Materials:

Sisal doormat

Square cardstock (HGTV had a circle around theirs, and used plates)

Initial Stencil

Sharpie

Acrylic Paint

Paint Brush

1.  I cut my cardstock to be 10x10 for the outer square, and traced on the mat with Sharpie

 after measuring equal distances from the sides and top so it would be centered. I was thinking the Sharpie would come out darker than what it did.  I thought I wouldn't be able to see it, but I could...

2.  I then cut the cardstock 9.5x9.5 for the inner square, and traced on the mat with Sharpie.

3.  I freehanded my Z on the remaining cardstock, and cut it out.  I traced it on the doormat with Sharpie.

4.  I then used black Acrylic paint and "colored" it in.  Don't be scared to get a good scoop of paint on your brush...it takes a lot!  After I got it all filled in, I went back with my paint brush and filled in some spots using a blotting motion.

Can you see the outline of my Z?  It is pretty light, but still there!

After filling it in with a blotting motion.

5.  Put on your doorstep!

See Sadie Cakes in the window??  Ha....I love her.

I am pretty happy with the result.  It was so much cheaper too!  I think I paid less than $10 for the doormat, and had all the other materials at home already. HOLLER!

--E