Fresh California Avocados

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I was sent a box of Fresh California Avocados that were hand-grown by one of the nearly 5,000 California Avocado growers on small, family farms.

California produces about 90% of the nation’s crop and is the avocado capital of the United States. The Hass Avocado variety, with its rich, nutty taste and creamy texture is extremely popular. When you see the California Avocado sticker, you can be sure that your avocado was hand-grown in ideal climate conditions by growers who put care into how their trees are nurtured and who are dedicated to bring you fresh, premium fruit.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to use the avocado in a recipe – I know I talked about making the avocado/chocolate/date mousse in my last post  – but I didn’t have all of the ingredients and I was craving simple tostadas.

Tostada Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
1 24 oz. jar of Pace Picante Sauce – Mild
Grape Tomatoes –  Sliced (I grabbed several handfuls)
1/2 Cup Cotija Cheese – Shredded
Fresh Parsley – Chooped (a few handfuls – I was out of Cilantro)
Shredded Romaine Lettuce
1 Package La Tortilla Factory – Handmade White Corn Tortillas
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Guacamole*

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in your crock pot and cover with picante sauce. Set heat to low and let simmer for 6 hours. 30-60 minutes prior to serving, shred chicken in the crock pot. It easily falls apart using a fork. I used a saute pan with some olive oil to crisp the corn tortilla. I spread the crispy tortilla with guacamole, then layered on my shredded chicken. I topped with shredded lettuce, parsley, tomatoes and cheese. If you like spicy, you could easily top with hot sauce. I know tostadas usually have beans, but I opted to skip them in my simplified version. You could definitely add a layer of refried or black beans.

*Guacamole Ingredients
4 Ripe Avocados
1/2 Medium Red Onion – small dice
Juice of 2 large limes
1 Jalapeño Pepper – small dice
2 Roma tomatoes – seeded and diced
Sea Salt to taste

Directions:
Place avocados, onion, jalapeno and tomatoes in a bowl and mash together with a fork. Gradually add the lime juice and salt to taste.

I should have used the avocados right out of the box… a few days made them pretty close to being too ripe. I would have loved to see a more vibrant green color, but that did not matter when it came to taste. My tostada craving was satisfied and I had enough chicken left over for tacos and a few salads. The chicken is so quick and easy to prepare in the morning before heading out the door to work.

Thank you Foodbuzz and the California Avocado Commission for giving me the opportunity to try Fresh California Avocados.

Quick Tip: Avocados should be kept at room temperature 65-75 degrees until they ripen and are ready-to-eat. Placing unripe avocados in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana will hasten ripening.