Chips and Dip.

Alright, somebody hand me a margarita! Let's get this Easter weekend started off with some good ole' chips and dip. Now, I am a huge fan of chips and dip, yet I am more partial to the actual dip. If you know me...and I mean, really, really, ridiculously know me...I am a dipper. A meal without some sort of dip is just not a meal to me. I have to have salsa and green sauce with my tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants, a side of barbecue sauce with my grilled chicken, and don't even get me started on the hummus situation...I put it on just about everything that I eat. My new fave is hummus and apple...sweet and savory at the same time, and a healthy alternative to greasy potato chips! It's pretty much an obsession. 

Oh, but we are totally not here to discuss my "I'm a high maintenance foodie and if I see a grilled chicken taco salad on a menu you can sure as hell bet that I am going to pick it apart, request extra veggies on it, a side of honey mustard dressing, and a side of bbq sauce with it" problems. I am getting better, I swear. Seriously, whenever I am dining out I now just request the dressing on the side...if it's a salad, if it's a meal...I take it as is. 

Okay, okay. Let's talk about how I love this whole three day weekend Easter thing. It was awesome throughout my elementary days, even better in high school, and once I could drink in college, we all know how much better it got. Now, it's a breeze. I love it. Three day weekends mean one thing...getting the party started early. Start the party with this...

Homemade Citrus Guacamole 

and Spicy (BAKED) Corn Tortilla Chips. 

Now, normally my stomach doesn't agree with guacamole, but when I pair it with a margarita, I know it's all going down-hill from there, so might as well have a bowl...or two. 

This guacamole is delicious, I didn't have limes on hand, so instead, I used the juice of an orange to give it some zing! Oh, and I added some garlic, just because I'm Italian and can't get enough. Oh, and the homemade corn tortilla chips...watch out world! So easy...this took me 10 minutes to throw together. Ole!

Citrus Guacamole with Spicy Corn Tortilla Chips:

Citrus Guacamole:

Ingredients:

3 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted

1/2 small red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely diced

juice of 1 blood orange (you can use any orange that you want...it's just all I had on hand)

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mash the avocado, not too much, but just enough to where it still has a chunky consistency.

2. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, orange juice, and cilantro. Gently mix until well incorporated.

3 Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with spicy corn tortilla chips.

Spicy Corn Tortilla Chips:

Ingredients:

12 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters

sprinkles of each spice: ground cumin, ground smoked Spanish paprika, ground red pepper.

sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Evenly spread the quarters of tortilla  onto the prepared baking sheet.

4. Sprinkle each tortilla with cumin, paprika, and red pepper.

5. Season each tortilla with a pinch of sea salt. 

6. Bake for 13-15 minutes in the oven, checking on the chips occasionally to make sure they don't burn.

7. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve immediately with guacamole.

MANGIA!!!