Musings of a Middle-Aged Mom: Satisfying, Sumptuous, Savory Saturdays

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Satisfying, Sumptuous, Savory Saturdays

We hosted our supper club on Thursday night of this past week. First time we have all been together (minus Kim) in a couple of months (seems like we were all there at Guy and Phella's house this fall). We usually get together on a Friday night or a Saturday night but since November is already the beginning of the holiday season, we decided a Thursday night would work. Mark had the great idea to do a Mexican food bar. We've done that "menu" many times for our Tuesday night group so we are at least "familiar" with it. Our menu consisted of:

appetizer - four kinds of cheese and two kinds of crackers (picked up at Walmart on the way home from work -- thank goodness for my sweet supervisor - she allowed me to leave early)

main course - already prepared chicken, cheese and bean burritos from Costco. I have searched and searched for a picture online . . .I can't find one. They were in the refrigerated portion - there were six individually wrapped burritos in the package. I took them out of the package and unwrapped them and placed them in a glass pyrex dish (they are large enough that I could only get six in a three quart casserole dish). I spooned some salsa on top and sprinkled grated cheese on top of that and heated them in the oven for 20 minutes. They were really good!!!

I also had hamburger meat that I had browned and seasoned with taco seasoning and chips and tortillas and grated cheese and sour cream and salsa and melted white cheese and tomatoes and lettuce . . .all the fixin's for soft or hard tacos.

side: 2 cans of black beans - warmed in a saucepan and I also prepared and served Cilantro Lime Rice from Target. It is really good!! I did two boxes but only used 1 1/2 pouches of the seasoning mix because it smelled so strong . . .it seemed perfect.

I also served homemade guacamole . . .my sister-in-law, Alice, taught me to make it years ago and I have tweaked and added along the way.

Best advice - buy your avocadoes several days in advance so they have time to ripen. I bought mine on Sunday afternoon and it was cold here this last week and I left them in the basement. Not smart. I had to stop and buy a few more ripe ones on the way home. I used 12 avocados, 1 small to medium onion, chopped very fine, about 6 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped into 1/4 pieces (no, I don't measure - just giving a guestimate), a giant lemon, a tablespoon or two of sour cream (I finally have found the magic . . .if you put some sour cream in . . .it won't turn dark!!!! - I promise!!! . . .by day two in the fridge, it will be dark just on top). I also use a lot of salt, some garlic salt, and a LOT OF black pepper (my daughter-in-law taught me that one!!). I have two other tricks. I have an avocado scraper that will scrape out the inside of each one really well so you don't have waste. I also have an antique potato masher that I use to mix it all together.

I should have wiped the counter off before I snapped the photo. I was in a hurry! I chopped the onions and the tomatoes on Wednesday night and put them in little plastic bowls in the fridge. One less step before dinner!! (actually, two less steps!!)

I also made "homemade" margaritas. You know that stop at Walmart on the way home from work??? I bought a black and decker blender - $29.92 - because we didn't own a blender. How could I not own a blender????

6 ounces of frozen limeaide (any brand will do)

6 ounces of white tequila - I used Jose Cuervo Tequila Silver made with Blue Agave

2 ounces of Bols Triple Sec

Here is the trick - I never knew this before Thursday night. I filled the blender about 2/3 of the way full with crushed ice (from the refrigerator ice maker). Then I added the other ingredients. For years and years, I have been adding the liquid first and then have been frustrated because I couldn't add enough ice. If you put the ice in first, everything else fits. (just like the rocks in the jar . . .priorities?? -- if you put the big rocks in first (God, family, etc.), then the smaller rocks . . .job, exercise, you name it . . .then the sand . . .all those little things (last) . . .it will all fit -- but if you start with the sand (all the little stuff) . . .everything else won't fit??? You know that analogy, right?) The margaritas were the best I've ever made . . .and they were made in my very own handy dandy Black and Decker blender (no - they don't know me from Adam so they are not giving me any money for their free advertising!!)

Dona made dessert . . .little individual flans - yummy!! I'll tell you her secret . . .she said that Jello makes a flan mix . . .you know - like jello pudding??? Who knew??? I sure didn't!!