Simple Pico & Guacamole

I love, love, love salsa.  And I love, love, love pico.  And, after many, many, many years of hating avocados, have developed a deep and abiding love for guacamole.

There are a million different guacamole recipes out there--and even some guacamole seasoning packets you can buy at the store.  I've tried a few recipes over the years, finally settling on a favorite last winter.

I got the Pioneer Woman's cookbook for Christmas in 2010.  The first recipe I tried was the chicken pot pie.  The second was the pico de gallo.  And since then, it's been my go-to recipe!

I've adapted it a little to my tastes, but the concept is still the same.

• Tomatoes (I use whatever I have--I'm not picky!)
• Onion
• Spicy pepper (I use whatever I can find.  I tend to like the milder peppers like Annaheim or serrano because I'm a wimp!  But if you like it spicy, by all means use some jalapenos!)
• Lime juice
• Salt
• Avocados
• (You can add cilantro if you want.  It's not my thing so I leave it out!)

Notice I didn't give any measurements?  That's because you just want to chop equal amounts of tomatoes, onions, and peppers.  That's the secret to good pico--plenty of everything!  Don't be scared of the spice from the onions and peppers!

Chop all of your vegetables and add them to a bowl.  Add a bit of lime juice and some salt, then enjoy! 

To make perfect guacamole, simply mash up some avocados and mix into your pico.  You'll probably need to add a bit more salt at this point.  I like to add just a dash of cayenne pepper powder to my guacamole.  It adds a different kind of heat and brightens up the flavor a bit.

Eat it fast--it doesn't last for much more than a day after you make it!

Old guacamole?  Add it to some beans and enjoy a tasty dinner!