Guacamole is a wonderful accompaniment to southwestern and Mexican food. It is also a wonderful dip on its own and can even be used as a spread on sandwiches as well. It isn’t complicated to make and you can make it spicy or not depending upon your taste. One of the things that makes it delicious is the use of fresh ingredients. We go to Mexico almost every year and we enjoy getting guacamole every time that we do and enjoy the large portions that we get.
INGREDIENTS
2 Avocados – diced
1 Medium Tomato – finely diced
1 Jalapeno – finely diced (seeds removed if you don’t want it spicy)
1 Garlic Clove – minced
1 tbsp Red or Yellow Onion – finely diced
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste
Ingredients in Bowl
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the avocados in half, using your knife to carve around the large seed. Twist the avocado to separate the two halves, the seed will remain in one of the halves. Using a knife, carefully chop into the seed so that the knife is slightly embedded. Twist the knife to remove the seed and carefully remove the seed from the knife blade. Use a spoon to separate the flesh of the avocado from the skin by tracing the spoon along the inside of the skin and place the flesh into a medium bowl. You can dice the avocado prior to removing it from the skin or after it is in the bowl. Add the rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. If you prefer a creamy guacamole, you can mash the avocado dices as you stir, or leave some of the dices whole if you prefer a chunkier guacamole. Serve with chips.
Remove the SeedDiced AvocadoMince GarlicGuacamole Dip with Chips
Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Coast in Mexico, has a wide variety of activities that will suit anyone’s vacation style. Especially for those who live in the western half of the United States, Puerto Vallarta is an easy destination to reach with flights that are convenient and typically affordable. Obviously, it is a resort area with plenty of resorts that range from five star, all-inclusive, resorts to more humble places to stay. Most places do not require you to purchase an all-inclusive meal plan and with the abundance of restaurants in the downtown area, we would recommend that you don’t so that you can spend more time dining out.
Ship on the OceanResort AreaBoardwalk on the BeachDowntown Puerto Vallarta
Whether you just want to sit on the beach with your toes in the sand and a drink in your hand or you want to fly through the jungle, there are activities for everyone. Obviously, there are the typical beach activities such as parasailing, jet skiing, and paddle boarding, which you can get from almost any of the beaches in the area. If you are more adventurous, you can go snorkeling or diving in the beautiful blue water of the Pacific Ocean. You can also charter a boat to go deep sea fishing or, during December and January, you can take a tour to go whale watching. For a more relaxing time, there are plenty of dinner cruise options from private catamarans for a romantic dinner, a sunset cruise with drinks and music, or a fine dining experience that will take you on a tour along the coast. There are pirate ships with raucous shows that are fun for everyone or you can take a ship to an island to watch a performance tracing the history of the people who settled the area followed by torch-lit dinner on the beach.
Pirate PerformanceResorts on the BeachPirate Ship in the MarinaArt on the Boardwalk
If you are even more daring, you can go zip-lining in the jungle across deep mountain ravines, including the location where the movie Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger was filmed. You can also rent ATV’s and roar through the forest and along one of the many streams in the area. There are tours that will take you hiking in the hills that surround the city or take you on an off-road experience with a professional driver. If you enjoy golf, there are several courses in the area for you to play a few holes while enjoying the beautiful views. Needless to say, there are also plenty of stores and restaurants to explore and depending upon the time of year, many of them offer drink specials and discounts that you can get from your resort. There is also a thriving art district where you can find something a little more special to bring back home with you if that is something that you desire.
Zip-Lining in the JungleFeeding MonkeysWatching the Sunset from the BeachResort Room
Regardless of your vacation style, Puerto Vallarta has something that will meet your needs. With a variety of beautiful beaches, the historic downtown area with the Zona Romantica, a boardwalk area with small restaurants and pubs that look out onto the ocean, you can do something different on every day of your vacation. Don’t forget to take time to relax, though, as that is the main reason to head to the beach for vacation. Take time to sip on a margarita and simply watch the waves crash on the beach and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
Zona RomanticaCultural Show on the BeachBeach ResortLooking Down the Beaches
We spent the last week in Cabo San Lucas, which is our favorite place to go and unwind from our hectic lives. This was definitely a vacation where we pretty much sat by the pool and watched the sun set every day. Unlike normal travel that is filled daily with different adventures and sightseeing activities, our time in Cabo is about relaxation and refueling our batteries. We have been to Cabo many times, so we didn’t plan any activities like parasailing, paddle boarding, or snorkeling. We did go on a jazz cruise out to the arch, however, which was beautiful as always. After a week of silence, we should be back to our normal routine this week. Here are a few photos from our time at the beach last week.
Sunset at the ArchView from Our RoomLooking Out from the ResortSunsetHeading out on the Jazz CruiseWe Walked the Beach to a Favorite RestaurantSunset on the Jazz CruiseCatamaran RaceSeagulls OverheadHeading HomeSunset over the Ocean
