Easy Guacamole Recipe, excerpt from Dorm Room Essentials Cookbook

Easy Guacamole Recipe

Level of Expertise

Bachelor’s Degree

2 Ripe Avocados, mashed

1 Small Onion, diced (purple, white, or yellow onion)

1 ripe tomato, chopped (Campari, Roma, or garden variety tomatoes)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lime, squeezed and juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in diced onion, minced garlic, chopped tomato, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour in the refrigerator to blend flavors.

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Summertime Eats To Beat The Heat, Tomato Caprese Salad with Italian Basil

Summertime Eats To Beat The Heat

Tomato Caprese Salad

Me and my daughter Lauren went to our local Farmer's Market and picked out wonderful tomatoes, as well as basil. This is an easy, healthy and flavorful dish that is perfect for those warm summer days. The balsamic vinegar gives it some acidity while you bite into the juicy tomatoes.

1/2 pound of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes (heirloom and beefsteak, found at Farmer's Market(s)
1 cup of fresh Italian Basil leaves (found at Farmer's Market(s)
Drizzle avocado oil
Drizzle balsamic oil

Directions: In a circular design around the side of a serving plate, alternate fresh mozzarella, slices on a large platter or on an individual plate if you are doing individual portions with sliced tomatoes, overlapping for effect. Wash and tear fresh basil leaves and place liberally over the slices. Drizzle avocado oil as well as balsamic vinegar to taste.

For these and Uni(versity) Tips check out: Dorm Room Essentials Cookbook, by, Gina Meyers

Photo courtesy of KP Phagnasay

Photo courtesy of KP Phagnasay

Kp1studios/Mad Productions

Bat Chips by, Gina Meyers

Bat Chips
6 large flour tortillas
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
Sea salt or salt

Directions: Preheat your broiler. On a cutting board, arrange flour tortillas, use a bat shaped cookie cutter and cut as many bats as possibly can fit per tortilla, about six bats per tortilla. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray and arrange bats. Spray bat tortillas with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Broil and cook until they are brown on one side, then with a spatula, flip over and begin browning the second side. Cool and add additional salt if desired. Makes approximately 36 bat chips.

Corn Confetti Salad, excerpt from Dorm Room Essentials Cookbook, by, Gina Meyers

CORN CONFETTI SALAD

 4 ears of cooked corn
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of avocado oil
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup of white or red onion, chopped finely
2 stalks of celery
1/4 cup of red or green pepper

Directions: 
Slice the corn off the cob, getting as much of each kernel as you can. If corn isn't in season, you may use canned corn. Wash all produce, except the onion. Thinly slice the celery, finely chop the onion. Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss to ensure it is evenly dressed. Place in the fridge for one hour to chill and serve as a refreshing summertime side dish.

Alternate Recipe:
4 ears of cooked corn
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 small jalapeno pepper, diced
2 cups of cherry tomatoes
2 stalks of celery
1/4 cup of white or red onion, finely chopeed
3 ounces of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Notes Summertime is the perfect time to find creative and refreshing ways to use the extra corn on the cob that is so plentiful this time of year.  Ask a Fresno native and they will tell you the Fresno State store has the best corn on the cob around! Dorm Room Delicacy Level of expertise Bachelors Degree