Pineapple Guacamole

Pineapple Guacamole recipe from Gimme Some Oven. This recipe combines the perfect mix of sweet, salty and my favorite thing - avocado. Though we're nearing the end of pineapple season, I strongly recommend making this recipe before it's too late!

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, minced*
• 1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple, plus extra for topping
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• Optional: 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

*I substituted sriracha for spice (to taste)

Half, de-pit and scoop out the avocados. (I actually have this handy little device my brother gave me as a joke. I really don't like kitchen products that only have one use, I find that they just add clutter to my apartment. This one I happen to really like though, it's great for getting that last bit of avocado out of the shell). Mash them with a fork. Make sure they're nice and ripe otherwise you'll end up bending a fork like my boyfriend and I did!

Add the onion, pineapple, jalapeno (or sriracha) and salt. Optional to add garlic, cilantro, or whatever you want. 

Serve with chips and enjoy!

Vegan grilled cheese with beer caramelized onions

So in this post I mentioned that I needed to get rid of vegan cheese that was about to expire. The perfect solution - grilled cheese, please! I like vegan cheese enough on it's own, but I thought I'd add some other elements to it, caramelized onions, fake deli meat, sriracha (which I put on everything...I mean it).

While I was caramelizing the onions I was drinking a beer. I was planning on deglazing the pan with balsamic vinegar, but in a stroke of self-proclaimed genius I poured some of my beer in the pan instead. It turned out better than I could have imagined! The beer flavor isn't that strong, but the result is pretty delicious. When I bake I'm all about precision, but when I cook it's a whole different ballgame...a little of this, a little of that! So this recipe is very approximate. Feel free to add more of, subtract anything! It's all goooood

Vegan Grilled Cheese with beer caramelized onions:

Serving size: 2 sandwiches

4 slices of whole wheat bread

4 slices of vegan cheese (I use Go Veggie Pepperjack)

Margarine

2 slices of fake deli meat 

Sriracha

Beer caramelized onions (recipe to follow)

1. Spread a thin layer of margarine on the outsides of the bread.

2. Place bread butter-side down and put two slices of cheese on each sandwich.

3. Top with onions, deli meat, and a couple drops of sriracha. This is where you get creative! Look through your pantry and get fancy. Top it off with your second piece of bread.

4. On a low heat cook on each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Keep covered in between flipping.

5. So this is a tip that got passed along to me from my roommate. Once your grilled cheese is all nice and toasty, lift the lid, add a couple drops of water and quickly close it. The steam from the water helps melt the cheese. This is needed for the vegan cheese, but is definitely a good tip for anyone who likes their sandwiches dripping with ooey gooey goodness!

6. Optional - serve with a side salad. My go to salad is so simple - arugula, lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt.

Beer Caramelized onions:

2 tablespoons margarine

1 small red onion, sliced

About 1/3 cup of good beer (whatever is on hand. I happened to be drinking Harpoon)

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/4 tsp Pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Melt margarine in a skillet.

2. Add onions, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions become soft.

3. Add the sugar and stir. Onions will start to brown.

4. Now comes the deglazing part! When the onions look like they need a little liquid and/or start sticking to the pan, add a little of the beer. I did a small pour, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Stir until the liquid evaporates and repeat these steps for about 20 minutes or until onions are the amount of doneness you desire.

 

Kitty Cat

sheer cat top//american apparel, halter bra//free people, jeans//urban outfitters, flannel//boyfriend, sunnies//street vendor

Now that it's warming up, I find myself reaching into the very back of my shirt drawer to grab the itty bitty sheer tops that have been hiding all winter. This one in particular was given to me by Katherine a little over a year ago for my birthday. I wore this outfit with my jean jacket. While I was standing on the street a man came up to me and said "hey, I like your style! It reminds me of...well, me! Aloha!" Spring is making everyone friendlier!

Did you know vegan cheese has a very short expiration date? I definitely didn't. In an attempt to use up the cheese before it spoiled, Chloe and I made some killer vegan grilled cheeses with beer caramelized onions, sriracha and fake turkey (recipe will be posted soon). I'm going to start dedicating more time to documenting the food, especially vegan food, I've been making! 

Recipe: Buffalo Cheese Dip

I hope you all enjoyed watching the Superbowl yesterday! I was rooting for Seattle, so I don't have too much to complain about, but it's always more entertaining when it's a close game. I have to be honest, I was pretty disappointed in the commercials. Though I'm not even going to pretend I didn't cry during the puppy/horse budweiser commercial, I know I'm not the only one. Other than the commercials, I'm all about the food. Chloe made the most delicious vegetarian buffalo cheese dip and I'm very excited to share the recipe with you! Since it was just the two of us, we decided to have a fully vegetarian spread. The rice in the dip is to replace any meat and it adds substance. I always like having veggie dips in my arsenal, because when they're this good no one is going to care that there's no meat! 

Buffalo Cheese Dip

Serves 4-6 people

What you need:

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (about a cup of uncooked rice)

1/2 cup ranch dressing

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup buffalo sauce (more in my opinion)

1 cup shredded cheese 

What to do:

1. Melt cream cheese and ranch dressing together in a sauce pan
2. Add and stir in about a third of the cheese
3. Add buffalo sauce and stir until thoroughly mixed together
4. Stir in the cooked rice and the rest of the cheese
5. Serve hot with tortilla chips!

Something I learned while documenting this, it's pretty hard to take a picture of dip and have it look appetizing. Though dip is probably one of the best party foods, it's not great to look at. Rest assured that though this dip isn't winning any beauty contests, it's oh so addicting. I recommend making a big bowl for guests, then strategically planting yourself next to it so you can subtly eat it all. Or if you're not as food-sneaky as I am, maybe just eat a bunch while you're making it before guests come over to judge you.

Tater tot casserole recipe

Chloe's tater tot casserole recipe:

1 Bag frozen tater tots

1 Bag shredded cheddar cheese

1 Can cream of mushroom soup

1 small onion, diced

3 Tbsp milk

Dash of garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish. Sautee the onion in a sauce pan with oil until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the mushroom soup, milk and garlic powder and combine. Place half of the frozen tots on the bottom of the dish. Next add 3/4 of the gravy mixture and half the cheese. Then layer the rest of the tots, gravy and cheese. Bake it for 45-60 minutes until the tots are golden brown. 

**my tip: add some chipotle chilis in adobo sauce for spice and flavor