Avocado Cucumber Tomato Appetizers

Avocado Cucumber Tomato Appetizers

1 avocado peeled and mashed
1 cucumber cut into thick slices
1 lime juiced
seasalt or kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
grape tomatoes slices
garlic powder

Wash all vegetables and fruit. Juice lime. Peel avocado and remove skin. Mash avocado in a small bowl, add the juice of one lime, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, freshly grated black pepper and salt to taste. Smash with a fork leaving some chunks. Slice cucumber in thick slices and slice the grape tomatoes thick round to place on top.
Assembly:

Start with cucumber on the bottom, add a tablespoon of avocado mixture, top with sliced tomato.Pretty delicious, healthy and quick appetizers. Serve them on chilled romaine lettuce for presentation (if you don't eat them all before they hit the plate!)

Black Bean & Avocado Salsa

1 can  or 2 c. frozen corn
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can sliced olives (drained)
1 pkg Italian Seasons dressing (make according to package directions)
3-4 Roma tomatoes
2-3 Avocados
Fresh cilantro

Mix everything together except for avocados and tomatoes and cilantro.  Chill 2-3 hours.  Add avocados and tomatoes and cilantro just before serving.

{ OLIVE GARDEN ALFREDO PASTA }

INGREDIENTS:
	1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups heavy cream 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper pinch salt 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 12-ounce box fettuccine pasta (or your choice of pasta)
DIRECTIONS:
	1.      Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. 2. Add the garlic, cream, pepper and salt, and bring mixture to a simmer. Turn the heat down if the mixture reaches a rapid boil or it could boil over. You just want a simmer. Add the cheese, and continue to simmer sauce for 8 minutes or until thick. 3. While sauce cooks, bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook pasta for about 12 minutes or until done, then drain it. 4. Spoon pasta onto serving plates with Alfredo sauce poured over the top. Makes 2 to 3 large servings. Note: Be sure not to crank the heat up too high when simmering the sauce or it could break, resulting in a not-so-creamy, curdled Alfredo. We also like to use this sauce to make Chicken Alfredo pizzas.

Aunt Teena's Santa Fe Layered Salad

1 - 10 oz. Bag Salad Greens --- Romaine or Iceberg or Mixed (about 6 cups)
2 Cups Halved cherry or grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
1 Cup Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Cups Southwestern Cooked Chicken Strips
1 - 14.5 oz. Can Black Beans or Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup Corn kernels, thawed if frozen or roasted if fresh
¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped, or more to taste
1-2 Cups Corn Chips or Crisp Tortilla Strips, broken in pieces
1 ½ Cups Shredded Pepper Jack or Cheddar or Colby Cheese
½ Cup Green Onions, sliced

2 Cups Mayonnaise blended in blender with 1 canned Chipotle Pepper, chopped, with a tsp. of Adobo Sauce (or more to taste) or the mayonnaise blended in the blender with ¼ Cup of your favorite Salsa, or you use 2 Cups of a thick Ranch dressing and blend with a little salsa for a southwest ranch topping.

*Garnish: Can also top dressing layer with additional cheese, sliced black olives, and sliced green onion, if you like.

Layer in order, starting from the top, in a clear, flat-bottom glass bowl, topping with the mayonnaise dressing. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Before serving, you can garnish with additional cheese, cilantro, sliced green onions or peppers. Take to the table and toss together before serving.

Note: You can also add chopped avocado or chopped hot peppers as layers to this salad. You can omit the chicken for a delicious no-meat dinner.

7 Layer Dip

INGREDIENTS:

2 avocados mashed

15 oz. refried beans

1 can diced green chillis

1 c. sour cream

½ pk. Taco seasoning

1 c. cheddar cheese

1 c. Monterrey jack cheese

1 c. sliced black olives

1 tsp. lemon juice

tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

In a flat dish (I use 9x13) layer the following.

Beans with chillis mixed in.

Avocados with lemons and Tabasco sauce mixed (or whatever guacamole you make)

Sour cream and taco seasoning mixed

Cheese

Black olives

Green onions

Tomatoes

Guacamole

3 Ripe Avacados
1-2 Limes juiced
1 T. Cilantro
1/4 Cup Red Onion
1 clove Garlic
Salt and Pepper

All of these amounts can be altered to taste. I usually just eye it.

OB's Salsa

1 Jalapeño
1/4 Cup. Onion
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 can Whole tomatoes
1/4 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Garlic salt
1/2 tsp Cumin

Blend in blender. Goes great with SO many dishes!

Cheese Bread

Bread

1/2 Cup Sugar
2 T. Yeast
2 Cups Warm Water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Combine above ingredients and let fizzle.

Add: 3 Cups Flour- you may add more if it is to runny.
Roll out onto a pan that has been sprayed with pam and dusted with flour.

Topping

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 tsp. Parsley
1 tsp. Garlic
1/2-1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese

Bake at 375 for 15 min

Vegetable & Stuffing Bake

3/4 cup Mayo
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg. (6 0z.) Stove Top Mix
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dressing and milk in large bowl until well blended. Add remaining ingredients;mix lightly.

Spoon into 11x7 inch baking dish.
Bake 20 to 25 min. or until heated through.
Makes 6 servings.