Okay okay, by popular demand (two people asked me), here is my own personal guac recipe! As you might have guessed by now, I love guacamole. It is such a staple in my diet that the avocado scare in California (a result of the drought) literally causes me to lose sleep. And yes, I will justify this addiction all day long by touting the monounsaturated fatty acid content of avocados, which provide those heart-healthy fats to keep me going, but let’s be honest – the real benefit is that guacamole just tastes delicious on anything and everything.

So folks, here is the key to happiness. Right here, in the guacamole. No need to look any further.

The Guac

Yield: This is such a relative term here, because I can eat more guac in one sitting than I care to admit. This recipe makes about 3 cups total, so if we’re talking 1/4 cup serving size, you can serve a party of twelve people. Best of luck with that portion control!

Ingredients: 

4 medium avocados

1 medium beefsteak tomato, seeded and diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 clove garlic, minced or grated

1/4 cup cilantro, stemmed and chopped

1/2 lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions: 

1. First and foremost, none of this will work if you don’t have the perfect avocados. If you don’t know how to pick a ripe avocado, read up and come back when you’re ready for the big leagues.
2. Welcome to the game. Dice and peel the avocados and put them in a medium-sized serving bowl. If you don’t have a  mortar and pestle, don’t freak out! The recipe will work just fine if you use a fork to mash it against the inside of the bowl. Mash the avocado a bit, keeping in mind that it will likely mash more when you mix in the other ingredients. Toss the pits of the avocados into the bowl as well. This, along with the citrus from the lime juice, prevents the avocado from browning from the oxygen exposure after cutting.
3. Add diced tomatoes and onions to the bowl.
4. Jalapeños. Add them in, because we’re fun like that. Avoid the center part of the pepper that has the seeds, as this is the hottest part of the fruit. Even if you’re macho and can handle the heat, the seeds don’t taste great in the dip so opt out anyways. You can show your heat-tolerance later.
5. Add the garlic and cilantro to the mix. Don’t skimp on the cilantro – it’s crucial here.
6. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper.
7. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to set.
8. Bring to party. Make all the friends. All of them.