Recipe | S.J. Maylee

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone. My ancestors may not be from Mexico, but I definitely enjoy celebrating their heritage, especially their food. Outside of my family’s Italian recipes, probably my next favorite recipes to learn are Mexican.

Just a few weeks ago I shared my Taco Soup recipe over at Romance Cooks. This post also included my magic recipe for Taco seasoning. It’s good on anything. I’m serious, lol.

I also regularly make salsa, tortillas, Mexican rice, and burritos, but today I want to talk about one of my all time favorite things, Guacamole. The avocado is high in fat, but it’s mostly the monounsaturated kind. Score!

Today’s recipe is my Naked Guacamole. From this state, you can add anything you want, cilantro, lime, tomatoes, peppers and even shredded chicken, fish, your shell fish of choice… Pretty much anything added to this simple recipe will be good, especially a tortilla chip. However, naked guacamole is kind of perfect just as it is. Aw. 🙂

The key to great Guacamole is perfectly ripe avocados that yield to moderate pressure when squeezed. Here are several tips to help you make this happen:

Tip: I suggest buying firm avocados days before you plan on using them. Letting them finish ripening on your counter is the best way to know you don’t have over ripe fruit.

Tip: The key is under the little brown stem on the end of the avocado, peel it away and if the fruit is green you’ve got a winner. If it’s turned dark, it’s overripe.

Tip: If your avocado is still firm the night before you intend use it, put it in a brown paper bag or next to a bunch of bananas. Both options will speed up the ripening process. If your avocado yields to moderate pressure the day before you intend to use it, stick it in the frig. This can buy you an extra day and stop the fruit from getting overripe.

Tip: Here’s a great video that shows several different ways to peal an avocado

SJ’s Naked Guacamole:

2 perfectly ripe avocados, pealed, de-seeded, and mashed
1/4 cup finally diced onions (red onions are the sweetest option I’d recommend, next is white, and finally yellow- any of these will be great)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt

Mix it all together and eat it. This naked version does not go brown quickly, but I still encourage you to make sure it’s all eaten the day you make it.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

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The Sin Circus

Everyone remembers their first trip to the circus–the home of fantasy and dreams. Where the idea that anything is possible meets a creative reality of alluring tricks and amazing acts of defiance. The big top is known for inspiring lust, awe, and happy memories, and now you’ll see it like never before.

Some of today’s hottest romance authors combine the decadent memories of the center ring with all the flavors in erotic fiction in The Sin Circus. Whether it’s with a dominating Ringmaster, a lion tamer’s bratty kittens, or a dark Harlequin King, this show is sure to shock the audience with its dazzling dares and tantalizing tales.

Oh, that sounds fun and now here’s something Sweet and Sticky from Sabrina Garie

The circus abounds with very naughty food. Cotton candy, popcorn, snow-cones, cracker jacks and so much more. In the The Sin Circus, my story “Sweet and Sticky,” uses edibles in tantalizing and sexy ways. You may find some new uses for cotton candy after you read it. 🙂

In addition to serving as sexy props, food is also woven into the main story. The hero, Nick, is a literary agent specializing in cook books and food writers. Here’s a pretty decadent recipe from his most successful, and eccentric, authors. Sweet and sticky, just like the story.

Dorothy Blaine’s Vanilla-iced Cinnamon Buns

Bun Ingredients

2 (.25 oz) active dry yeast packages
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups warm water
6 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (this will be divided)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup of sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Vanilla Icing Ingredients

1/3 cup of softened butter
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 and ½ tablespoons of Milk
1and ½ teaspoons Vanilla extract

Bun Directions

Dissolve yeast and 1/3 cup sugar in warm water. Best to use a large mixing bowl for this. Then, stir in 2 cups of flour and beat for two minutes, then add in the eggs and oil. Add one half cup at a time, then beat well. Continue to do so, one half cup at a time, until you’ve used all the flour.
Once the dough is ready, knead it for five minutes on a lightly floured surface. Butter a large bowl (you can use oil if you prefer), add the dough and coat it with the butter (or oil). Cover and let rise. You want it to double in size. This will take about forty minutes.
While the dough is rising, mix together the cinnamon and the remaining ½ cup of sugar.
When the dough has doubled, divide it into 12 pieces and roll in the cinnamon sugar then put in a greased baking pan. Cover the pan and let it rise, again about 40 minutes until it doubles yet again.
Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F
Let cool then add the icing.

Vanilla Icing

Stir all the ingredients (butter, sugar, milk, vanilla) together. Add when the buns are cool.

Yum! Thank you, Sabrina Garie for sharing that recipe. I can’t wait to try it out. Now, let’s read more about each story in The Sin Circus.

Dark Surrender by Rachel Firasek

He stole her control, but she hasn’t completely surrendered her heart…yet.

http://www.rachelfirasek.com

Claimed by the Blade by Mina Carter

He’s waited years to claim her. Tonight, she’s all out of excuses…

http://mina-carter.com

Ring of Fire by Lacey Wolfe

The Ringmaster must figure out his feelings before his ballerina goes up in
flames…

http://www.laceywolfe.com

Unmasking Her Dom by Jennifer James

Tormented by touch, the King of the Harlequin resolves to release his bratty
sub before she strips away the last barriers between them, and discovers his
secret shame.

http://www.authorjenniferjames.com

The Bratty Lioness Tamer by April Angel

Two sexy female lovers. A new master ready to tame them.
And the performance they’ll never forget.

http://millytaiden.com/

Sweet & Sticky by Sabrina Garie

Recipe for forever: Mix a flailing writer with a down-on-his-luck agent, toss
in a pound of cotton candy and an empty bleacher. Let simmer.

http://sabrinagarie.com/

Twice the Pleasure by Georgina DeBurca

As the bindings unravel, two brothers race to save the woman who has captured
their hearts.

https://www.facebook.com/author.deburca

With the Greatest of Ease by Anne Lange

He traded a trapeze and the catch of a lifetime for a life in a courtroom. Now
he’ll share her, to catch her, one last time.