Before my youngest daughter could speak in more than one word sentences, she’d
formed an intense love affair with guacamole. Ate it with a spoon. And when she’d
licked her bowl clean, screamed for more. No matter how spicy I made it, she
would wolf it down, tears streaming down her plump little apple cheeks. I’m not
sure exactly when the tradition started, but since my girls were small, Guacamole
Friday has been a long-standing ritual in the Ford home. In fact, if family and/or
friends invite us for supper on a Friday, we respectfully decline. My daughters,
now teenagers, still schedule their busy social calendars around this particular
meal. Then, a few years ago, we bought a quesadilla maker, and Guacamole Fridays
morphed into Quesadilla Fridays.

Julie’s Famous Guacamole:

Avocados.
(Four-five makes a medium sized bowl. The avocados are the most important
ingratiate so choose wisely. Too hard will be tasteless and also kill your hand
when smashing. Too soft will be rotten when you slice them open. Ew! When
choosing avocados, squeeze, pressing firmly with your thumb. The meat right
under the skin should be soft but grow firm the deeper you press.)
Roma Tomatoes, diced.
(One less than the amount of avocados you’re using. Roma tomatoes are the
best choice because they are less juicy than other varieties.)
Finley chopped Yellow Onion to taste.
(About two tablespoons for a medium bowl.)
Chopped, fresh Cilantro.
(Don’t skip the cilantro. If you don’t like cilantro then don’t eat guacamole.
Sorry, I have unreasonably strong opinions about this and very little patience
for people who say they don’t like cilantro. It’s the best herb ever!)
Jalapeno to taste.
(I use dried, but pickled work too. Fresh is harder to control the intensity of
the heat. Two or three seeds from a fresh jalapeno will likely pack a sufficient
punch.)
Garlic Powder to taste.
(I usually just shake some over the top, mix and taste. Tasting is the best part.
Sometimes I taste a few extra times just to make sure. It never hurts to be
thorough J)
Lime juice.
(Squeeze half a lime over the top.)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and then stir with a fork, smashing down on the
firmer chunks of avocado, until combined.

Quesadillas:

Flour tortillas.
(For obvious reasons, you’ll need two for each quesadilla.)

Pico de Gallo.
(Finely diced Roma tomatoes, yellow onion, cilantro mixed together.)
Shredded Cheese.
(We use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack. For those of you who are
lactose intolerant, I’ve found that the veggie shreds, cheddar/pepper jack
mix, work well as an alternative.)
Cubed, Seasoned, Sautéed or Grilled, Chicken or Beef.

Layer bottom tortilla with chicken or beef, Pico and then cheese. Don’t over due it
with the cheese. It’ll just melt, run out from between the tortillas and make a mess.

Grill. Lightly brushing the top of the tortilla with oil will make it brown and crispy.

Unless you possess an aptitude for flipping hot, floppy tortillas stuffed with chicken,
Pico and cheese without the contents spilling out, you’ll need a quesadilla maker. I
bought mine at Target—the most magical place on earth.

Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter. Top with Julie’s Famous Guacamole.

And, do you what goes really well with quesadillas and guacamole?

A book. More specifically, my newest novel, Replacing Gentry.

A modern, Southern twist on the classic Gothic romance novels of Rebecca and Jane
Eyre, Replacing Gentry follows a woman’s precarious journey as she learns the truth
about the man she married.

Enjoy!