Lazy Man's Tex Mex: Deconstructed Guacamole Salad

I could eat at On the Border at least five nights a week.  That's how much this Oklahoma girl loves Tex Mex.  One of my favorite things about OTB is their Guacamole Live.  Because I lurve me some guac.  I make guacamole at home on a weekly basis, and I rotate amongst three or four different recipes.  One day when my avocados were a little too green to mash well, I was forced to improvise.  That is how Deconstructed Guacamole Salad came to be.  Now it's a fairly regular occurrence when we want guacamole taste with a bit more substantial texture.  

DECONSTRUCTED GUACAMOLE SALAD

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 lime
• 4 tbs olive oil
• garlic salt

Coarsely chip the avocados into bite-sized pieces and halve the tomatoes.  Toss with the juice of one lime and the olive oil.  Season to taste with garlic salt.

Fresh, cool, and yummers.
I used red and yellow tomatoes.

Damn Dirty Krauts: Sweet and Sour Cabbage Slaw ala Winefest

If there is one thing that Germans get right, it's cabbage.  I am not a particularly big fan of the kraut normally, but I have grown to love it in the two years we have lived in Germany.  This weekend I enjoyed a large plate of cabbage slaw unlike any other I have seen before at the Wiesbaden Winefest.  I tried my best to recreate it tonight at home, and it fell pretty close to the mark, if I do say so myself.


If you like vinegar and things that are crunchy (any salt and vinegar potato chip fans in the house??), you will adore this slaw.

SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE SLAW ALA WINEFEST

• 1 medium head of cabbage
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbs dry ground mustard
• 1 tbs celery salt
• 4 tbs fresh thyme leaves (about 15 stems)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Thinly slice cabbage into 4-inch strips.  Lightly season cabbage with salt and pepper.  In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard, and celery salt.  Over medium heat, cook to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes.  While liquid is still hot, pour over shredded cabbage and toss to coat completely.  Stir in thyme leaves, and refrigerate slaw for at least 2 hours before serving.  Store up to two weeks if refrigerated.

NOTE:  This looks like it makes a TON of slaw right at first, but after half and hour in the fridge the cabbage breaks down to about half the volume.

It's almost enough to make you love Germany...almost.  :)
I heart kraut.