Holy Guacamole!

I’m the first to admit that I often reach for store-bought pre-made and packaged items I could otherwise easily make, usually because I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to spend time in the kitchen doing it myself. It’s a loser move though, because it’s almost always more expensive, and it never tastes as good as the homemade version. It makes even less sense if the dish is a simple one that requires only a handful of ingredients and can be made in a few minutes – like homemade guacamole for example!

I’m guilty of wasting money at the grocery store for convenience-sake. In some cases, it’s absolutely worth it. For example, pre-packaged peeled garlic cloves are worth every extra penny they cost me so I can avoid the time-consuming process of peeling individual cloves myself. But in other cases, I’m just being lazy and stupid. Like when I buy pre-cut butternut squash in the prepared food section for $5 a pound instead of simply buying a butternut squash for $1.50 a pound and peeling, seeding, and cutting it up myself. Lame, right? Especially since preparing the squash myself takes about 10 minutes or less.

Another example is when I grab a tub of store-bought guacamole. Filled with preservatives and tons of sodium, these pre-made versions are usually bland and boring. And they are really expensive. So, why not make your own homemade version that costs less, is healthier, tastes much better, is more authentic, and is quick and easy to make as well?

Laurie has mastered her own recipe for homemade guacamole, and it’s the best I’ve ever tasted! Even better, it has only six ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes. I call it “Laurie’s Holy Guacamole”. The name was inspired by my all-time favorite traffic reporter, Lisa Baden, who used to work for the radio station WTOP in Washington DC. Every morning I would drive to work, and Lisa would entertain me with her funny and lively traffic reports. She would scold drivers for doing stupid things (like backing up on an exit ramp and back onto a busy highway because they took the wrong exit – “Stop doing that RIGHT NOW!” she would admonish the offenders) and would usually just say what came to mind at the time. One morning, she was checking the traffic cameras and out of the blue, said: “Holy guacamole! There’s a car on fire on the beltway!”. I stole her line to name Laurie’s fantastic version of this classic dish. Once you make it, I promise you’ll never go back to the store-bought version!

Laurie’s Holy Guacamole (makes about 4-5 cups)

This homemade guacamole couldn’t be easier to make and uses only fresh ingredients from the market. Make it right before you plan to serve it – it doesn’t get better with age and since it doesn’t have any preservatives other than the lime juice, it will discolor pretty quickly if you store it in the refrigerator. Serve with good tortilla chips or as a topping for fajitas or tacos.

Ingredients

4 medium Hass avocados, halved, pitted and peeled

2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced

½ small red onion, diced

½ medium jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed and minced

1 lime

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, place the avocado halves and mash with the back of a fork, making sure to keep some large chunks in the mash. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and the juice of one lime. Mix together with a fork. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.