It’s Home-Made Guacamole Day

Well, not exactly. I’m not sure there is an actual Home-Made Guacamole Day. I do know that in September, some folks celebrate Guacamole Day, while today we celebrate Spicy Guacamole. And yes, Virginia, there is a difference.

So much of a difference, as it turns out, that we haven’t bothered with Guacamole Day since Stuffed Guacamole Burgers two years ago. When it comes to spicy Guacamole (our favorite kind!); we’ve slathered it on Carnitas Asada Fajitas and served it up alongside Home-Made Tortilla Chips.

This year I hadn’t really given Spicy Guacamole much thought. However; a recipe for Taquitos made super easy with the use of canned Roast Beef had been floating about our Menu Planner for quite some time. Life, and that that it entails, kept getting in the way. But when I saw Spicy Guacamole Day creeping up yet again, with no plans to celebrate I knew we had to give the Taquitos a try.

Besides, we are so fortunate that this year Spicy Guacamole Day just happens to fall on a Monday. In our house, that’s known as Mellow Monday – a day that we kick back and relax a bit. The weekends are generally busy – running errands, attending local fairs and festivals, and family get togethers. On Mondays I like to unwind, keep things simple. My guys are generally swamped at work on Monday, after having two whole days off from the Event Business Grind. Mondays are spent taking stock of all that needs to come back from here, there and everywhere. Keeping Mondays simple means keeping Mondays flexible. There’s no telling when the menfolk will walk through the door.

Hope you have an amazing Monday!

Beef Taquitos with Home-Made Guacamole
Roast Beef Taquitos
3 (12 oz) cans Roast Beef
2 tablespoons Cumin
2 teaspoons New Mexican Red Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Pepper
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
1/4 medium Yellow Onion
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray as needed
16 taco size Corn Tortillas
Vegetable Oil for frying
1 Lime for serving

Open cans of roast beef. Remove chunks from the gravy, leaving as much gravy behind as possible. Break meat into small pieced

Season beef with cumin, chili pepper, chipotle pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well, set aside.

Dice onion, add to the meat mixture. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set filling aside.

Spray the tortillas with a little cooking spray, warm on a flat griddle over medium heat for about 30 seconds, just enough so that tortillas roll easily without cracking or falling apart. Transfer warmed tortillas to a flat work surface.

Divide beef mixture evenly among the tortillas, spreading filling to about a half an inch from the edges. Roll tortilla tightly around filling, place in a rimmed baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover with plastic warp. Freeze for 20 minutes for taquitos to hold their shape.

When ready to fry, pour about 3 inches of oil in a deep Dutch Oven or large pot. Heat oil about 350 degrees. Fry taquitos a few at a time. Remove from the oil, blot excess grease with paper towels, arrange on a serving platter lined with paper towels to absorb any remaining oil. Keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

Cut lime in half, then slice into half-rounds. Tuck lime slices around the taquitos for a nice presentation. Serve with Guacamole for dipping.

While you could get some Guacamole from the deli, why not make it fresh? After all, don’t you deserve the best? This has just the right amount of heat. If it’s too mild for your tastes, throw in the Jalapeno Seeds and maybe just a little more of that red onion bite. Paired together, this is an amazingly simple yet oh so delicious satisfying meal. Serve with refried beans and let the margaritas flow!

Spicy Guacamole
1 large Jalapeno Pepper
1/4 Red Onion
1/2 cup Cilantro
1 firm Roma Tomatoes, seeded
2 ripe Avocados
2 teaspoons Lime Juice
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste

Stem Jalapeno, split to remove seeds and dice. Set aside. Peel and finely dice a quarter of a red onion. Set aside.

Rinse Cilantro, shake off excess moisture. Roughly chop stems and leaves. Set aside. Cut tomato into quarters, remove the seeds. Dice the flesh and set aside.

Peel the avocado and remove the core. Mash the avocado in a Molcajete (Mexican mortar and pestle) until it reaches desired consistency.

Add the onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomato, then mix well. Add lime juice and season to taste. Stir well to blend.

The Guacamole can be transferred to pretty bowls or served straight from the Molcajete for an authentic presentation.