guacamole and baked tortilla chips party!

I could eat this guacamole every single day and always get raves when I make it for friends or family. You can add or subtract any ingredient and make it your own, just the way you like it. You might want to double the recipe, it’s THAT GOOD!

We also love baked tortilla chips. In my opinion they are better than store bought chips. They turn out crunchier & thicker & much less greasy than a store bought tortilla chip & will hold up to any dip. They are also great served with chicken chili or homemade salsa! I love them warm out of the oven.

Guacamole

2 medium ripe avocados, halved, peeled & pitted

2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice, fresh or bottled

½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1 medium tomato, seeded & chopped finely

1/3 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ a jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-veined and finely chopped (don't forget to use plastic gloves or cover your hands with plastic baggies when cutting)

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped, optional

fresh ground pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice and salt with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover tightly with plastic wrap against the guacamole. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor or up to 4 hours. 

P.S. Make sure your avocados are ripe. They should be soft yet slightly firm, kind of like a ripe tomato. You don't want them to be firm like an apple. If you buy them firm you can just let them sit on your kitchen counter for a few days & they will ripen. Or to speed up the process stick them in a paper bag on your counter.

Baked Tortilla Chips

12 ounce package corn tortillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice, fresh or bottled

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.     Stack tortillas on a cutting board and cut through the stack into wedges. I cut mine into eighths. Arrange on a large cookie sheet in single layer. You will probably need to do this in 2 batches unless you have a larger cookie sheet than I have.

3.     Mix oil & lime juice in a small bowl & brush each chip with the mixture, just on the top. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

4.     Bake 12 minutes or until chips start to brown. Remove from oven, stir the chips around on the pan & rearrange in somewhat of a single layer. The single layer is not as important now. Return to oven and bake for another 3-4 minutes or until chips are crisp and browned. Watch them closely as they can burn quickly. I have had different results with cooking times, depending on the brand of corn tortillas I buy. Some are thicker than others so just keep your eye on them so they don't get too browned. If the chips are still chewy, they need to bake for a couple more minutes. They will also crisp up a bit more upon cooling.

P.S. For more flavor you can also sprinkle the chips with some cumin or chili powder along with the salt before baking.