This is a special time of year, don’t you think?
Let’s look at the facts:
1. It’s cold outside. Which means you want to stay inside. And probably eat a little more than usual.
2. There are a lot of entertaining things to watch on the TV these days, while you’re stuck inside. Sporting things. Like that big game coming up that’s so super.
3. When you’re inside, watching super games, eating a little more than usual, it’s much more fun to be sitting on the couch with friends. Eating. Watching. Enjoying. Rather than cooking. Working. And hearing all of the fun being had in the next room.
What does all of this mean? Just one thing: it’s time for some simple, super, social snacks that can be enjoyed by friends on couches in front of TVs across the land.
Towering avocado tostadas to the rescue!
I love serving these tostada towers because they are impossibly simple to prepare, incredibly fun to share with friends, and absolutely, absolutely delicious. Plop a platter in front of your couch-sitting friends and watch them disappear – each friend simply pulls off a layer and puts it in their face!
Preparing these babies is the simple work of smashing Avocados From Mexico, then stirring in a few additional ingredients designed to make the fresh, ripe flesh shine: plump cherry tomatoes to bring out the avocados’ natural sweetness, herbaceous cilantro and chives to emphasize their earthy flavor, and of course, bright lime juice and jalapeño to kick things up a notch. Crisp tostada shells provide a vehicle for all of that deliciousness, and stacking them up means you can make a game out of your snacks. Tostada Jenga, anyone?
All you need to do is sit back, snag your own tostada, and offer your friends a napkin.
Oh, and take a moment to enter this amazing Game Day Sweepstakes, courtesy of Avocados From Mexico!
That’s right, Avocados from Mexico is offering six (6!) lucky winners the chance to win a prize pack that includes an iPad2, a $100 gift card, a 5-Speed Hand Blender from KitchenAid, a cloth tortilla warmer, lemon/lime squeezer, and tortilla press from IMUSA, and a signed Muy Bueno cookbook.
How’s that for super?
Here are the details:
All entries to Avocado From Mexico’s Game Day Sweepstakes must be submitted through the Avocados From Mexico website. You can enter to win here.
Entries may be submitted on the Avocados From Mexico website through any of the six (6) hosting bloggers, one of which is ScarlettaBakes.com. One (1) winner will be selected from each of the six participating blogs.
Each winner will receive a prize pack that includes the following:
• An iPad2 and a $100 gift card, compliments of Avocados From Mexico;
• 5-Speed KitchenAid® Hand Blender;
• A cloth tortilla warmer, lemon/lime squeezer, and tortilla press from IMUSA;
• A signed Muy Bueno cookbook.
Winners will be announced within 24 hours after the game on Super Bowl Sunday.
This sweepstakes is open for entry from 12:00 a.m. PST, January 14, 2013 to 11:59 p.m. PST, January 20, 2013, and is open to U.S. residents only.
Loaded Guacamole Tostada Towers
7 large avocados, preferably Avocados From Mexico, pitted, peeled
3 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp. garlic, ground
1/3 c. cilantro, chopped
1/3 c. chives, minced
1 large jalapeno, minced
3/4 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
10 tostada shells (approximately 5” in diameter)
Special Equipment: While you do not need a molcajete to prepare this guacamole, I like using it just to mash my avocados as I feel that it yields the best consistency in the final product. If you do use a molcajete, I recommend transferring the mashed avocado to a regular bowl before folding in cilantro, chives, jalapeno and tomatoes.
Using your tejolete (the pestle part to a molcajete) or a large fork, mash the avocado flesh to a chunky consistency. Immediately toss the mashed pieces with the lime juice, then stir in the garlic. Fold in the cilantro, chives, jalapeno and tomatoes.
To assemble you towers, spread approximately one third of a cup of the avocado mixture on top of one tostada, repeat, and stack each topped tostada on top of the last. This recipe yields enough avocado mixture to produce 2 towers of 5 topped tostadas – you can stack your tostadas however you choose.
YIELD: approximately 10 topped tostadas
This sponsored post is part of the Avocados From Mexico Game Day Sweepstakes. This is a working partnership with Avocados From Mexico and Muy Bueno Cookbook.
