Thanksgiving Appetizers: My Mom’s Guacamole

All of our Mothers make Thanksgiving dishes that are family faves. A dish that as soon as it is placed on the table is gone in a matter of minutes. It becomes a survival of the fittest with elbows out and mouths watering. It is my Mom’s Famous Guacamole that puts our family into a food frenzy. We always beg for more because it never seems to last.

You may not think of Guacamole as a dish that is normally served on Thanksgiving. My Mom’s recipe is the exception. It’s hardy, healthy, and full of flavor. It’s unlike any stuff you’ll find in a Tex-Mex place as she only uses the best ingredients. It is the best starter before any family meal.

As I said my Mom only uses the best of the best ingredients.

Ingredients and Prep:
core and seed then dice one tomato
chop red onion for 2 tbs
1 large garlic clove minced, or 2 small ones
1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced (chopped really tiny)
2 tbs cilantro chopped
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

-1 avocado halved, remove pit, take sharp knife run around edge, then slice across and then the other way. You are trying to make small chunks.
-Put cilantro into a mixing bowl, add 1/4 tsp salt, mix
-Add tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin mix
-Add guac last and do not over mix, you do not want a mush, you want texture.
-Add dash of pepper and salt to taste.
The secret to this dish is all of the spices and the fact that you do not puree any of the ingredients. The texture brings out all of the flavors! This is definitely an unconventional approach to making Guacamole but I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. This is not only one of my favorite dishes my Mom makes but it’s a tradition. Every time I’m home for the holidays there is a bowl waiting with a glass of Chardonnay.
My family gathers around this sacred dish, while the turkey is cooking, catching up between bites but mainly we just meditate over how amazing the Guacomole is in blissful silence.