WEEK 17: Guacamole and Flooding

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We've had a very uneventful week, followed by a most eventful weekend. I have a variety of experiences to share with new tastes, utensils, and an unforeseen value of batch food preparation.

FOOD DESCRIPTION
The only new food this week was homemade guacamole. But, we also introduced the fork and cup. A couple of family visits and being inundated by rain have really confirmed my thoughts about batch preparation as well.

My boys are definitely very different with everything from weight to personality to development. One of my boys seems to be better with fine motor skills, so he has really taken off with using the fork and sometimes spoon. I use these utensils which I like because they have stainless steel ends on them with the larger handles for holding. I put the food on and he picks up the utensil and puts the food right in his mouth. He has also done fairly well with the cup as he grabs on with 2 hands, but is just trying to catch on to the fact that he has to tilt it up to get some water out. My bigger guy has taken a few bites from utensils with some help and he does basically the same thing with the cup, but tends to just drop it when he's done. For this reason, we've done some cup training while outside with water only.

We had an interesting end to our week. Friday we went to visit my grandparents who live a little over an hour away. The drive was great and the boys showed off their fine eating skills by literally pigging out while we waiting for pizza. And after they had gobbled up a ton of chicken, kiwi, pears, cheese, and crackers, they finished off by splitting a piece of pizza. My grandparents and aunt were amazed at the amount of food they ate. I've mentioned this before, but my boys favorite meal is definitely lunch! And, I must say that I am the same way.

Saturday, we enjoyed a visit from my in-laws. They arrived close to lunch time, so we decided to all go out for some Mexican food (you're probably catching on to a theme by now). The boys showed off their huge lunch appetites once again and ate a cheese quesadilla, shredded chicken quesadilla, banana, and kiwi while we were able to enjoy a yummy meal as well. It is interesting to note that the chicken was quite spicy with onions and peppers and they really loved it!

Our other not-so-great experience has been non-stop rain Saturday to Sunday. We have had major storms with numerous tornado warnings and massive flooding all around our area. I'm thankful to say that we've only experienced a couple hours of a power outage (so far), unlike many other unfortunate people nearby. However, I share this to tell you that this experience has made me super grateful for batch food preparation. With the electricity off, I still knew that we had many things in the freezer that would stay good for quite a while with the door closed and I didn't have to worry about having to cook anything for any meals

PROCESS

• Guacamole (this recipe does not include any sugar or salt, but adjust how you prefer)
  

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed

1. Cut avocados in half, remove seed, and scoop out avacado from the peel and use a fork to mash in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. 
2. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. 
3. Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve. 
4. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready
5. 4 Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

WHAT I LEARNED
Remember that guacamole is definitely made to personal taste. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste. I found that I wanted to add garlic and will actually use fresh garlic next time.

REACTION
Both boys loved the pizza and Mexican food (surprise, surprise). They also liked the guacamole and kept going strong during the short power outage.

SUMMARY
I loved this fresh guacamole and plan to make it again real soon, adjusting slightly for my preferences. Check out this recipe for some yummy quesadillas to enjoy with your guacamole.

Please share your thoughts or ideas.
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