Challenge 1: Pico De Gallo and Guacamole

Okay, I set out to do the cookbook start to finish, as in I start on page one and cook through to the end. But Husby told me that wasn't a very good idea and that I should skip around the book to make it more exciting. So, that is what I am doing. Hop skip and jumping around the cook book trying to knock them all out! So if you were about to point your finger at me and say, "Whitney! The jalepeno bbq poppers are the first recipe!", then you can rest easy.

Today, I made pico.

Cold, fresh, crisp, delightful pico.

Yum.



The produce selection in my local store was pretty sparse, but I found all the necessary ingredients...luckily.

Roma tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, lime and my personal favorite, cilantro.

I was very excited to make this for 2 reasons.

1. I love anything in the mexican food family.

2. I was excited to use the chef's chopping knife I got for Christmas.

The thing will cut through anything. And with all the chopping I had to do today, it was a dreamboat. Love it!

First I chopped up the 'maters. I'm not going to lie. I tried chopping like I was a Food Network Pro. Tomato juice ended up all over the place. It wasn't pretty.

It was way more fun chopping the onion. I was better and faster...and I didn't even cry. The toothpick between my lips helped with that little problem. Did you guys know that little trick? It works!

So, I avoided crying while I chopped the onion. But after I chopped the jaleps, I scratched my eye.

Bad. Idea.

P-dub, why did you not warn me???

I threw my knife down, ran the bathroom and proceeded to cry it out.

And then I threw in the cilantro. Cilantro always soothes the soul.

After all of the goodies were in the bowl, I squeezed the lime, dashed with salt and commenced to stirring.

Here is the result.

Can I just tell you right now that it was AMAZING?!

I actually did back flips and cartwheels for this stuff. It made my taste buds do the Macerana and my tummy do the Jitterbug. It was a flavor explosion!!

I went ahead and made her guacamole, too, since all you do is mash up some avocados and throw in some of the pico. Simple and delicious!

I had a bit of a problem with the avocados. They were hard as a rock and impossible to even cut open! I guess that's what happens when you want guacamole in January.

The. Worst. Avocados. On. God's. Green. Earth.

Or His green and white earth where I live.

Both recipes were a raging success with the ole Husby and me. I made tacos to enjoy them with.

Great recipe, PW. I give it 2 thumbs up and will continue making the pico til death do me part.