Baked Avocado Fries

Every now and then I come across a recipe idea that is just plain brilliant. This recipe for Baked Avocado Fries by Beth at Adventures in Cooking is definitely one.


Baked Avocado Fries


2 medium avocados

@3/4 cup flour
1 tsp sea salt


2 eggs, beaten
Splash of buttermilk
1  tsp onion powder
1  tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin




1 1/4 cups panko 

Grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

Mix flour and salt.  Mix eggs, buttermilk and spices.
Cut avocados lengthwise into about 1/2 thick slices.  Dredge through flour then egg then panko.

Place coated slices on a pregreased rack set on a cookie sheet.  Spray or dab tops with olive oil for even browning.

Bake at 425 degrees(convection) or 450 degrees regular for about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with sea salt and grated Parmesan while still hot.
Brad and I really enjoyed these.  They were crispy outside and buttery rich and soft inside.

Next time I make them I will probably add some additional seasoning-they can take it without losing that fabulous avocado flavor.

This one is definitely a keeper.

Fiesta Lasagna with Avocado Cream Redux

I posted this last year, having just created this recipe from items I had on hand in the pantry.  I recently made it again and tweaked it,  making it even better!

Fiesta Lasagna

* 2 pounds of chopped sirloin

* 1 tbsp. of ground corriander

* 1 tbsp. of smoked Spanish paprika

* 1 1/2 tsp. of cayenne

* 1 1/2 tsp. of ancho chile powder

* 1 cup of marsala wine

* 1 cup of sweet onion, chopped

* 3 tbsp. of garlic, chopped

* 1/2 cup of red or orange bell pepper, chopped
* 1/3 cup of chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
* 2 TB of adobo sauce
* 3 TB tomato paste

* 1 27 ounce package of Pomi strained tomatoes

* One 15 oz can  of  black beans, undrained

* 1 cup of frozen corn

* 1 1/2 pounds of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

* 2 eggs, slightly beaten

* 16-20 no boil lasagna noodles

* 15 ounce(s) jar of bean and cheese dip

* 4 cup(s) of finely shredded Kraft Colby Jack blend cheese

* 1 cup(s) of Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

* 2 tbsp. of olive oil

* 1/2 cup(s) of chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Saute the ground chuck in the olive oil until the meat exudes juices and then add the first four spices. Combine well.Cook meat until the beef browns a bit and then deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine. Once the wine is cooked off remove the beef and add the onions, red pepper and garlic to the pan.

Once the onions are translucent add the tomatoes, corn, beans, chipotle, adobo, tomato paste and chicken stock and cook until it thickens a bit. Add the beef back and combine well.

Mix the cream cheese and eggs and until well blended and a bit fluffy.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish place a thin layer of the meat sauce and top with 5-6 no boil lasagna noodles. Add a layer of cheese and then another thin layer of meat sauce and another layer of noodles.

Add one half of the remaining meat mixture then about one cup of the Colby jack then one half of the cream cheese mixture and one half of the bean and cheese dip and top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Add another layer of Colby Jack and Parmesan then layer on a bit of the meat sauce  then another 5-6 no boil lasagna noodles. Layer the rest of the meat, a sprinkle of Colby jack and then the cream cheese and bean and cheese dip layer, topped with the remainder of the Colby jack and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 until bubbly and golden--about 35 minutes. Let rest on the counter about 5 minutes.  Or you can make this a day ahead and just heat it up before you serve it.

This Avocado Cream I came up with is unbelievably delicious and versatile and best of all, simple.

Avocado Cream

2 Haas avocados

2 tsps fresh lime juice

2 TBs buttermilk

8 ozs. whipped cream cheese

1 tsp sea salt

Cut each avocado in half lengthwise and twist apart. Carefully tap the seed with the blade of your knife and twist it out. Scoop the pulp into a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and mix until mostly smooth and thoroughly blended.

This stores well if you sprinkle the leftover with lime juice and then lay plastic wrap right down on the surface of the cream.

If you try it please let me know how it turned out.

As always feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Beer Cheese Festival 2011

Last Saturday Brad and I attended the Beer Cheese Festival in beautiful downtown Winchester, Kentucky. This was our second year and we plan on making this an annual event.

"Beer Cheese Boulevard" --facing north--this was after we had been through 'the gauntlet'.

This is facing south through the main drag of the commercial tasting area, i.e. 'the gauntlet'.   I took this when we first got there around 11 am.  It was not even crowded yet.  This year the tasting area was cordoned off  and the ten commercial vendors were squished into a one block area with very little room in between them.  You could enter on either end and pay the $5 per person tasting fee and get your wristband.

I assume that this was done to respond to the problems I saw last year where folks would just walk up to the widely spread out individual commercial entrants and had to be screened by the entrants to see if they had wrist bands for the tasting.

While it may have cured one problem it created a few more.  The space was too small and making it a 'loop' essentially to get to taste all the cheeses--because there was a line at every station--and allowing people to enter at both ends caused a lot of back ups and 'line jumping'.    It also caused problems with being able to get back to some of the tables in the middle of the group to be able to drop our votes in and to take photos.  And this year there was little chance to talk to vendors as they were swamped with folks lined up to taste.

I know the festival organizers will take into consideration all of the comments and information folks have been relaying to them through their Facebook page and via email and make next year's set up even better.  I think it's smart to cordon off the tasting area.  However I think it needs to be in a straight line down the street so that people have room to enjoy the fine fare.

Now on to the beer cheese!

I like a beer cheese that is thick but not 'gluey' .  I want to taste real cheese not anything 'Velveeta-like'.  I like a nice spice kick but not so much heat that you lose the flavor of the cheese/beer combination.  My preferred tasting 'vehicle' is a little spoon but the carrot/celery/radish is a close second.

The hands down winner as far as 'presentation' was the ValuMarket beer cheese entry.  Their tastings were in individual little beer stein shot glasses.  And while pretzels are our least favorite vehicle for tasting beer cheese this combination was spot on.  It wasn't my favorite cheese--far too Velveeta-like in texture and taste--but they did a wonderful job 'selling it'.  I'd like to see the Festival organizers give an award for 'presentation' next year. They got a vote from us this year on presentation alone.

This little guy was digging it!

While it was tough to pick a winner--there were several entrants we liked very much--the entry of Howard's Creek got my vote.  The cheese was the perfect texture and thickness with a good cheese flavor and just enough tingle.  I also liked that they offered all sorts of tasting options--crackers, celery, carrots and radishes.

After surviving 'the gauntlet' and casting our votes we headed to the Engine House Deli for a nice cold beer.  It's a neat little place and the beer was refreshing . Armed with our red cups we headed back out for a look at the vendors wares.

These were so cute!

I of course became fascinated with this house on Main Street.  It stands out as a sea of neglect amidst a wonderfully preserved collection of old and lovely buildings.  Anyone know the story?

At the other end of Main street, in addition to various trade and craft booths, several vineyards had wine tastings which was a nice addition.  I had some lovely sangria and found some very nice balsamic and olive oil at the Stuarto's Olive Oil Company booth. 

The official winners of the 2011 Beer Cheese Festival were:

Commercial

 1st Kentucky Beer Cheese--good flavor and texture with consistent quality--our number 3


2nd Woody's--good but the heat overwhelmed on the finish--Brad liked it more than I did


3rd Full Circle Market--much improved over last year --better cheese flavor and texture--a strong contender at number 4 for us


I would have placed Allman's Beer Cheese 2nd--I really loved the strong cheese flavor and the thickness and texture.

Amateur

1st Hunt Rouse
2nd Ollie Puckett
3rd Brennan Gilkison

The general public did not have access to the amateur contestants entries due to health code restrictions.

I always get in a mood to make my own beer cheese after I attend this festival. 

I'll keep you posted *smile*