party dips double feature - part 2 - tomato butter

People always seem to like my tomato butter, so I make it sometimes for BBQs and parties.  It's super-easy to make and has a lot of flavor.  All you need to do is chop up the dried tomatos and mix everything together.  You should cool it, but take it out at least an hour before serving so it's not too hard.

• 2 sticks soft butter (room-temp, not melted)
• 1 tube or 2 small cans of tomato paste
• couple tablespoons of soy sauce
• chopped sun-dried tomatos
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of Italian herbs to taste
• pre-mixed or make your own with oregano, basil, etc.
• salt
• pepper

It's best on baguette or some sort of white bread, but I eat the leftovers on wheat for breakfast.  (The sausage in the pic is a smoked-pork version of a merguez sausage, which is really popular in Germany, specifically in Saarland where I live.)

And the party double feature is complete!

party dips double feature - part 1 - guacamole

So, I was invited to a friend's BBQ this week. She asked me to bring the tomato butter I'd made last Summer (see Part 2), which is quick and easy. But I wanted to bring something different, too. I was trying to think of something new and maybe exotic, and ended up on guacamole. Although really common in the States, it's relatively unknown here in Germany (even though Tex-Mex is becoming pretty popular).

The only thing to watch out for are the avocados. Not only are they expensive (alright at $1 each in the US, but 1.49Euro/$2.12 in Europe), but if they are over- or under-ripe they can't be used. I like the smaller black ones best. Choose ones that aren't too hard to the touch, but avoid mushy ones. I always buy an extra one because inevitably one or two will be bad. Also, be quick with the lime juice -- brown guacamole looks gross.

Here's what you'll need:
4 - 5 avocados (or more depending on amount)
2 - 3 limes
1 big tomato
1 medium onion (I like red ones)
Goya Adobo powder (see below)
pepper


The process is pretty easy. As with most of the things I cook, I don't really measure. Cut the avocados in half length-wise and twist apart - save the pit if you want an avocado tree! Hold it in your hand and hatch the inside with a knife into squares; scoop out into bowl with spoon. Roll a lime on the counter to get the juice going, cut in half. Sprinkle a little over each avocado in the bowl to keep it from getting brown. Mash them with a fork, or puree them with a blender/mixer if you want to get fancy (I like it chunky).

Then just add the seasoning and pepper to taste, chopped onion, and chopped tomato (without seeds). All the Adobo really is, is salt, garlic powder, and some oregano. If you don't have it, just use those things.  I don't know about you, but my kitchen always ends up looking like crap after I make it, but it's worth it.  Maybe fill it into a nicer bowl (see next Part 2), bring some tortilla chips, and you'll be the hit of the BBQ.