Summer is the perfect time for snacking. After a day at a splash pad or pool with the kids or when you want to have some friends over to beat the summer heat, snacks are a great option to fill hungry bellies while you throw together something more substantial. And the most quintessential Texas appetizers are chips with guacamole and queso. And, of course, the obvious adult beverage to accompany this trio of goodness is a cold margarita.
Often, summertime entertaining can be spontaneous, and you don’t have time to get out labor-intensive recipes. Sometimes the neighbors wander over after the kids’ playdate, or your friends or family at your vacation rental house want something to tide them over. We all need some super simple go-to snacks that keep people snacking until the grill is fired up. And we need recipes that are not measuring cup dependent. (Who can ever find them in rental houses, especially when you have had an adult beverage or three?)
I love all things Tex-Mex, but I had never made tableside guacamole, queso, or margaritas. A few years ago, my New Year’s resolution was to learn how to make tasty homemade guacamole that I could replicate without using a recipe. This was a challenge for me because I am a recipe follower. So, over a few months, I experimented with different ingredients until I mastered learning a recipe by heart that worked whether I had some or all of the ingredients. Later that year, a friend introduced us to the easiest sausage queso recipe on the planet that requires zero culinary skills, but disappears as soon as it’s on the table.
Two other friends helped with margarita recipes. One is frozen and super delicious on a hot summer day. The other is on the rocks, and perfect for making pitchers for a party when a lone blender cannot keep up with the demand. Bonus: it does not require making simple syrup and measuring out exact ounces.
So, go purchase your favorite tortilla chips (or veggies if you are healthier than me!) and get ready to impress your family and friends with easy, no-measuring-cup-required appetizers. Experiment with them until you find the perfect combination. And be ready to be asked to make them again — all of these are now our summer traditions with family and friends!
- 3 Avocados, halved, peeled, and de-stoned
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
- ½ Medium Onion, diced
- 1 Lime, juiced
- ½ Tsp. Salt -- or to your liking (Remember, no measuring devices needed! I usually do about 2 pinches.)
- 1 Clove Garlic, minced
- ½ Tsp. Ground Cumin -- or to your liking
- Optional: ½ Tsp. Cayenne
- Optional: 1 Tbs. cilantro, chopped
- Optional: ½ Jalapeño, seeded and diced
- Coat avocado pulp with the lime juice in a large bowl.
- Mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Add salt, cumin, and the optional cayenne. Combine.
- Fold in tomatoes, onions, garlic, and optional jalapeños.
- Garnish with or mix in optional cilantro.
- 10 oz. Rotel
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
- 1 Lb. Sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
- Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Add undrained can of Rotel and cream cheese.
- Stir until cheese melts.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips.
- Frozen Limeade -- one can
- 10 oz. Tequila
- 3 oz. Triple Sec
- Ice
- Optional: 1 Lime, cut into wedges
- Optional: Salt
- Fill a blender a little less than halfway with ice, and add the can of frozen limeade.
- Use empty limeade container to measure out tequila (fill the limeade container mostly full).
- Add a splash or two of Triple Sec.
- Blend until the ice is liquified.
- Serve in a glass garnished with lime and salt, if desired.
- Lemon-Lime Soda -- one 12 oz. can (I use a low-calorie Sprite)
- Frozen Limeade -- one can
- 12 oz. Tequila
- 12 oz. Light Beer (I use Corona Light)
- Ice
- 1 Lime, quartered
- Optional: 1 Lime, cut into wedges
- Optional: Salt
- In a pitcher, stir together frozen limeade, light beer, and lemon-lime soda.
- Use empty limeade container to measure out tequila.
- Add ice and quartered lime to the pitcher.
- Serve in a glass garnished with lime and salt, if desired.