Memorial Day Appetizers

(Click Spicy Tortilla Chips for a pdf of Tortilla Chip recipe) (Click Pico De Gallo and Guacamole for a pdf of Pico de Gallo and Guacomole recipe)

Spicy Tortilla Chips

Ingredients

• 12 packages of 6” soft tortillas
• Cayenne pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Salt

Method

Heat canola oil in a deep fryer or a large pot.  Cut the tortillas into sixths making little triangles.  Drop the tortillas by the handful into the hot oil.  Fry for about 5 minutes carefully moving the tortillas around in the oil while cooking until they are golden on both sides.

Remove the tortillas from the oil and drain on paper towels for about 1 minute.

Put the tortillas while still hot into a large bowl and add seasonings to taste.  Toss the chips with the seasoning until the chips are evenly coated.  Toe that you have to toss the chips while they’re still hot to get the seasoning to stick.

Pico De Gallo and Guacamole

Ingredients

• 4-6 tomatoes (seeded and diced)
• 1 medium red onion (diced)
• 2-3 jalepeno peppers (diced)
• 1 bunch cilantro (coarsely chopped)
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 limes (juiced)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 ripe avocados

Method

Pico de Gallo:

Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Gently fold all ingredients together.  Set ½ aside.

Guacamole:

Remove the flesh of the avocados.  To do this, cut the avocado in half around the pit.  Twist the halves apart.  To get the pit out of the half it stayed in, hold the half in your hand with the pit facing out, with a little force, plunge the sharp edge of your knife into the pit.  Twist the knife until the pit comes free.  To remove the flesh from the halves, use a spoon to easily scoop it out into a bowl.

Once you have all the flesh removed, cut through the pieces of avocado until it just starts to get a little creamy with some small chunks.  Fold in ½ of the pico de gallo mixture you set aside earler.  Season with salt and pepper to taste

Put your pico de gallo and guacamole in beautiful serving containers and watch it disappear in a snap with your freshly made spicy tortilla chips!