- “Creamy” Southwest Gazpacho
For some reason, I am obsessed with cool summer soups lately. I decided to try making the ultimate cool refreshing summer soup: Gazpacho! – with a southwest twist. Many cooks describe gazpacho as a “liquid salad,” and likewise mine could be labeled “liquid salsa.”
I decided to throw in an avocado to try for a “creamy” texture. It worked great and tasted smooth and delicious, but the color was very muddy. I added a small can of tomato paste for color. Result: creaminess with a deep red color! Perfecto! Continue Reading…
- Home-made Southwest Spiced Chips
I love those “gourmet” chips they sell at the grocery stores these days, but the problem is that for a little sprinkle of, say, chipotle powder, they charge you 2 or 3 times the price of regular old potato chips.
So, I decided to experiment with my own spiced chips.
This is so incredibly simple that you’ll be making your own spiced chips in no time!
THIS IS THE ENTIRE RECIPE. NO, REALLY: Spread potato chips on a baking sheet in a single layer. Heat in a 400 degree oven for 2 to 3 minutes, just until chips become oily. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with spice mix of choice.
Try one of our three FFF spice blends, or whip up your own. Chef Bobby Flay has a fabulous 16-spice blend, if you’re feeling ambitious. Or, just use a favorite spice from your pantry. I love just plain smoked paprika or cumin. Yum!
Happy Summer Everyone!
– posted by Donna
Some recipes are so unique that the taste, smell and texture stays with you forever. So it is with Chilled Avocado Soup and my celebration of the 200th birthday of America in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was a foreign exchange student living with a Mexican family and attending the University of Guadalajara. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, but on July 4th, 1976, a particularly notable bicentennial celebration, I was homesick. I was daydreaming of potato salad, barbecued chicken and strawberry shortcake. What the cook of the household set before me was a strange, pale green concoction in a bowl. I sat in stunned silence as she announced: “Sopa de Aguacate.”
When you are a guest in a foreign country, you do not refuse food. It is an insult to your hosts. I reluctantly dipped in my spoon and braced myself for something weird and inedible that must be choked down at any cost. Much to my astonishment, it was creamy, frothy, sweet and savory – one of the most delicious soups I have ever eaten still to this day. Now that I think about it, who doesn’t love avocados in any way, shape or form? And folks have touted the creamy green flesh as having almost magical powers: keeping you thin, protecting your vision and even curing cancer!
I recreated the food memory recently, fearing that I would be disappointed, since almost all recreated dishes pale in comparison to a powerful food memory. Much to my surprise, this soup was even more delicious than that of my memory. I used just a hint of freshly grated nutmeg – not enough to actually taste the nutmeg on its own, but just a hint of something intriguing added to give depth. I also used Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream, which I am sure our Guadalajara cook used.
This refreshing cool and frothy summer soup is a snap to make in your blender and the taste and texture are amazing . Put this soup on your “100 Things to Eat Before I Die” list!
“Feasting is also closely related to memory. We eat certain things in a particular way in order to remember who we are. Why else would you eat grits in Madison, New Jersey?”
Jeff Smith, ‘The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast’
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Who says guacamole is the one and only southwest chip dip?
When I was having some people over a few days ago, I decided I needed a dip to go with my enchiladas. But. No avocados. =Sigh=
When I searched the pantry, I had lots of canned black beans and one can of garbanzo beans, both protein powerhouses and so yummy, but could they be yummy together? Answer: Most definitely!
The cumin and chipotle powders are fabulous together, the raw garlic adds a very nice mild bite, and the garbanzo and black beans are a perfect texture pair. I LOVE this dip, and will make it again and again. Especially when I run out of avocados!
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I’m always looking for a new mocktail recipe to serve poolside during the summer. After all, you can only drink so many diet sodas or lemonades . For some reason, I can’t get the lime sherbet punch served at summer weddings out of my mind. You know the punch I’m talking about. Just about everyone from the local Church Lady to Paula Deen has a recipe for it. We don’t have a lot of weddings in the summer here in Phoenix (like we always say, “If the wedding can’t wait until October, it’s not really love.”) So, it looks like I’m going to have to make it myself. The only problem is… I forgot to invite two hundred of my closest friends over to swim today.
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