Guacamole: The Ultimate Crowd Pleaser

Do you love guacamole? Try making it yourself! Do you hate guacamole? Again, I urge you to try making it yourself! Some of my friends didn't like guacamole, until I made it for them. I actually hated guacamole until a few years ago, when I went to a Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood that made fresh guacamole in front of you. Homemade guacamole is infinitely better than the mush you get from a jar or from most restaurants. And the best part is, it's so simple! 

Guacamole I made for the Super Bowl, with two avocados and no tomatoes.

**I don't measure the ingredients when I make guacamole, and I don't really think it's important to. You can add more or less of any ingredient depending on your preferences in taste. The pictures that accompany this post show approximate portions of ingredients that I used to make guacamole using only one avocado. 


Ingredients:
Avocado
Fresh cilantro
Small yellow or white onion
Jalapeño pepper
Lime
Salt
Tomatoes (optional)


Here's how it's done:
• Cut open the avocado, remove the skin and pit.
• Slice and mash the avocado in a bowl until it is mushy. Small chunks of avocado are okay, in fact they are preferred.
• Finely chop some cilantro leaves. The stems are bitter and should be removed as best as possible. 

• Finely chop some of the onion.

• Finley chop some of the pepper. The seeds are what makes it hot, so if you're not looking for heat, don't put those in!

• Now that the ingredients are all chopped and ready to use, begin adding them to the mashed avocado, one by one, and mixing them in. 
     • The cilantro should go in first, because it is the most distinguishing factor between fresh and store-bought guacamole.
**Be sure not to add all of what you have chopped right from the start! If you're unhappy with the flavor you can always add more of something, but you cannot take it out.
• Add freshly squeezed lime juice. (About a quarter of a lime should do for one avocado.)
• Add salt to taste.
• If you choose to add tomatoes, they should only be added when you are ready to serve.


Once you master it and share it with your friends they'll be begging you to make guacamole for every occasion!


PS. When guacamole is left out for a while, like at a party, it can turn brown. Fear not! Add a bit more fresh lime juice, mix it up, and enjoy :)