Quick and Easy Homemade Guacamole Dip Recipe

Guacamole is a wonderful party dip. It really isn't very hard to make, but you have to spend some time gathering the right ingredients, picking a ripe or nearly ripe avocado (more on choosing an avocado later). Finally you have to slice and mix up the ingredients.

Don't forget to taste test along the way!

This guacamole recipe is always a big hit. I've eaten it directly from the bowl with a spoon!

1 Haas Avocado

1 slice onion

Leaves from 4-5 sprigs of fresh cilantro, stems discarded

1 teaspoon seasoned salt (add more if you want later)

garlic to taste

fresh cracked pepper

lemon juice

lime juice

Optional: Oregano and red pepper flakes, for extra spicy guacamole.

Makes: 1 bowl If this is for a party, you will definitely want to make a lot more!

Note, the Haas avocado and the fresh cilantro are critical. Haas avocados are the small, dark, bumpy avocados, not the big green ones. The fresh cilantro holds a flavor that dry and canned simply can't.

Haas avocados have a slightly different taste than the larger, greener avocados. They have become very popular and are available at most supermarkets.

When choosing an avocado, try to find one that gives slightly when squeezed gently. Too hard and it will take a few days to ripen. Too soft and it won't be any good, and may be brown inside.

Slice the avocado in half using a knife, working your way around the pit.

To remove the pit, I find it is easiest to take a sharp knife and hit the pit so the knife sticks in it (don't cut yourself!). Hold the skin/peel side of the avocado half in one hand while turning the knife slightly back and forth with the other. The seed should pop right out.

Scoop the meat into a shallow bowl. Mash a bit, so that it is easier to mix, but leave it a bit chunky. You will be mixing things in shortly which will further smooth the end product.

First, cut up the cilantro leaves. You want them pretty small. You could chiffonade them if you like, but the end taste is pretty much the same. I like to use the flat of my chef's knife the crush them somewhat to release flavor. Add the cut cilantro to the guacamole, mix.

Mince some onion. I like to do 1 slice per avocado, about a quarter inch thick, of a medium onion. Red onion is traditional, but white and yellow onions taste great too. Again, crush the minced onion with the flat of your blade, then add them to the guacamole, mix.

I like to start at about 1 tsp, mix, then taste the result. Tasting how things are going along is half the fun of making dishes!

Crack some pepper. Start with just a little. Fresh cracked pepper is best.

Add whatever other spices you have in mind. Red pepper flakes? Cumin? Fresh Oregano?

Add some minced garlic. I like pre-minced garlic, and use about 1-2 cloves worth. I like it garlicky!

Add 1 diced Roma tomato, if you want.

Spray with a some lime juice, then lemon juice. Use about half the lemon juice as lime.

Mix once more, then EAT with chips!

If you somehow manage to have any guacamole left over, cover it wish plastic wrap, pressing the film down directly onto the guacamole. You want to minimize the guacamole-air contact. Air tends to make avocados turn a brown-grey, unappetizing color. Taste also suffers.

I like to save the left over avocado seed, skin, and onion peel and compost them to use in my garden later.