Alton Brown's Guacamole

I contributed for the Super Bowl Hostess pack add on last weekend from Bountiful Baskets, just to add some more variety and quantity of produce into our family's menu.  Included were about 7 gorgeous avocados, jalapeños, garlic, onion, tomatoes.  It was pretty obvious what needed to happen: Guacamole!

I have yet to find a guacamole recipe without a dehydrated starter kit that I like.  So, like any good cook (?) I turned to Alton Brown.  His recipe for Guacamole is available here.  I double the recipe and followed it faithfully.

Pros: It is good and it's not difficult to make.  I love the fresh lime juice in it!  It hasn't turned brown yet.

Cons: It has a longer ingredient list than some other guacamole.  The cumin and cayenne tend to overpower the avocado, and I do like to be able to taste the avocado in it.

Holey Moley! And an amazing Ranch Dressing Mix

Well, so much for switching over from Facebook to my blog and keeping all my recipes here.  I guess it's just too easy to keep using the "same old thing."  However, I was recently searching for the lettuce wrap recipe and ended up back here!

I want to share a fantastic ranch dip mix I found on Facebook.  I'm not sure when people started using Facebook like Pinterest.  I don't think they realize how absolutely difficult it is to find recipes and postings in their timeline.  Just use Pinterest --- or a blog!  By the way, you can follow me on Pinterest HERE or HERE!  Yes, two Pinterest pages.  The first one is more personal, with lots of recipes and household/family related items.  The second one is more professional, relating to my teaching career and curriculum.

I'm not sure of the original source of this Ranch Dressing Mix, though I did find it on the KORD 102.7 FM radio website.  It's super easy, better than anything I've ever eaten anywhere, and people love it!

Here's the recipe:

Ranch Dip Mix
1/4 cup black pepper
1 1/2 cups parsley flakes
1/2 cup garlic salt
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated garlic
3/4 cup granulated onion (I used a mixture of powdered onion and onion flakes)
2 Tablespoons dill weed

Store in an airtight container.  Yields 3 1/2 cups dry mix.  I stored mine in Mason jars.  They made for a pretty gift for my sister's wedding, as well.

Ranch Dressing Recipe
Mix 2 Tablespoons (yes, this recipe goes a loooooong way!)
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sour cream (I just made it easy and used 2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together.  Makes 1 3/4 quarts.  Store in the refrigerator.  I stored mine in Mason jars.

I gave my sister a pint jar of the dry mix for her wedding gift.  She now has enough ranch mix to make gallons of dressing!  I also mixed up a double batch for her beautiful wedding and reception. People could make their own veggie cups: a dipperful of ranch dressing in the cup, then add your favorite veggies.  Kids and grownups alike loved it!

Build Your Own Veggie Cups
With Homemade Ranch Dressing
at my sister's wedding to Prince Charming.
Photo (c) 2013 by Molly Petersen

Anna's Lettuce Wraps

I hit the jackpot this week at the grocery store: 1 pound packages of ground turkey on sale for $1.99 and iceberg lettuce on sale for $0.59 per head!  AMAZING!  I remember about dying this winter when it was over $2 per head.  Too bad you can't freeze it and stock up.  


Anyway, this means that it's time to break out the LETTUCE WRAPS!  We love these at that well-known restaurant that starts with a "PF" and ends with "Chang."    However, now that we have my friend Anna's recipe for her lettuce wraps, there's almost no reason to travel to west Omaha to enjoy these.  In fact, I think these are better!  

 Lettuce Wraps

• Cook & drain 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (I used 2 lbs and then just made all measurements a little bit more)
• Add to the turkey: 
• 1/4 c chopped green onion
• 3 T minced fresh cilantro
• 2 T soy sauce (I use Bragg Liquid Aminos, a soy sauce alternative made from soy, but with insane amounts of protien and way less sodium -- found at HyVee in the Health Food Store)
• 3 T creamy PB (I used super chunky, and then omitted the chopped peanuts at the end of the recipe)
• 2 t. red chile paste (I could only find this at Papillion HyVee in the produce section with the tubes of minced garlic, crushed herbs, etc.)
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes.

Cook the above together 3-4 minutes until heated through and mixed together. 

Serve atop lettuce leaves with shredded carrots (1 cup) and chopped peanuts (1/4 cup).  NO DIPPING SAUCE NEEDED!  

So good!  Perfect balance and not too spicy.  This serves 2 people as an entree, but if you have it as a side this could serve 4.  I find it is best served fresh.