A couple great recipes from our Memorial Day barbecue

We decided to do a barbecue for Memorial Day, as it was also my last weekend with my family before heading home to Rio.  Since all the meat would be prepared by my father, the master griller, I chose a couple side dishes to make.  I made a delicious salad with pears, gorgonzola, blueberries and candied pecans and I also made a yummy bowl of guacamole.  They were both big hits (if I do say so myself).

For the salad, I made the dressing and candied pecans the day before, just to cut down on time on Memorial Day.

Mixed Greens with Pears, Gorgonzola, Blueberries and Candied Pecans

Baby Spinach and Mixed Greens
3 pears, chopped
6 oz Gorgonzola Cheese crumbled
1 small container of fresh blueberries
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 med red onion, chopped
1/2c dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans (I actually made used a cup of pecans and 1/2c sugar but had a ton left over)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (dijon would also be good)
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper


In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper, sprayed with Pam. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
In a large serving bowl, mix all ingredients except the avocado and pecans. Pour dressing over salad, mix well, gently add avocado and pecans and serve.

This guacamole recipe is my absolute favorite!  I got the recipe from a guy I used to work with many years ago.  This is the only guacamole recipe that I use. I love to serve it with jalapeño chips for a nice kick.


Juice of 1 med lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chipotle powder
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ large red onion
½ c finely chopped cilantro
2 med green onions
3 med roma tomatoes
3 large ripe avocados
1 med lime
Whisk first 5 ingredients together until spices dissolve. Chop red onion and add to mix, along with the cilantro. Mince the green onions and add it to the mix, along with the tomatoes. Peel the avocados and use fork to soften/smash them up a little. Squeeze lime juice into bowl and fold the mix together. Don’t over mix! Salt and Pepper to taste and then chill for at least an hour.

This makes a nice, chunky, slightly spicy guacamole that is highly addictive!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cranberry Bread

I love the bananas here.  I mean, I love bananas period but here they seem more flavorful and a little sweeter.

So, we had a couple bananas that were getting pretty ripe and I decided banana bread would be perfect. I also have a lot of dried cranberries and some chocolate and thought that might all work together.  And it did!   As I sit here typing this, I can't wait for my afternoon coffee so I have an excuse to have another delicious slice.

Here's the recipe --

1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 small bananas chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate (or you can use chocolate chips)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat to 350.  Butter or spray a loaf pan.  Cream sugar and butter together.  Add the eggs, one at time, and mix between each one. Fold in the bananas, cranberries and chocolate, water and vanilla.  Add everything else and mix just until its incorporated.  You don't want to over mix it. Bake for about an hour - until the top is nicely brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes then loosen with a knife and put on a pretty dish.

I really like this bread but I think I'll use more chocolate next time. And maybe throw in some nuts.