true confessions of a late-twenties drama queen

About a year and a half ago I started making guacamole. Last summer it was my staple bring-this-to-cookout food. I made it a few times, and people liked it. Some people requested it. I then also began to make Mango Salsa with it. So, Guacamole and Mango Salsa went with me to every party, BBQ, what-have-you. Then I moved to Texas. Where we have cookouts and BBQs year round, where Guacamole and Mango Salsa fits in to every conceivable meal plan. And, I've become "famous" for my guacamole. I joke that my friend Ryan would stop being friends with me if I showed up without guacamole - and while I've showed up empty handed a few times, I do wonder if it's just the hope of more that keeps him around. Yesterday I showed up at a pool party, with Guac and Mango Salsa in tow, and was greeted with shouts of "Oh, give me some of that sweet, sweet guacamole" and "Quick, I'm going to tear that thing open and have my way with it" - all this from people who have eaten it once! When I was packing up ready to leave people were huddled around the left over mango salsa (the guac had disappeared hours ago) and I had to fight them for my bowl back - agreeing to stay a few extra minutes while they all but licked the bowl. And today, I've received two emails telling me how good it was.

All these compliments, I try to be modest and just smile and say thank you - all the while hiding my fraud-status. I do not lace this with intoxicating drugs, and these people have not been hypnotized, and I do not know what they think is so amazing about this stuff. But, for you, I'm going to FINALLY share my secret. Here is how I make Guacamole and Mango Salsa.

*about 5 or 6 avocados
*one large, or two small mangoes
*two containers of mild pico de gallo (fresh from the grocery store, usually in the produce section. I used to use this, but in TX I use a different brand)
*one container of medium pico de gallo
*one small lime
*fresh mint, if I feel like it.

In one bowl I combine all the containers of pico de gallo, this is to let it sit together and the flavors to have more time to marry. (ohh, good word!) Also, this is in case my company shows up before I'm done - and the first thing in the trash is any evidence of store bought ingredients! Then I slice the avocados in half and squeeze the guts into a bowl. Using a potato masher I smash them up. Now I add in about half of the pico de gallo, slowly, until it looks like about the right combination of green and red. Squeeze the juice from half a lime into it, cover it up, and put it in the fridge. Then I cube up the mangoes. I've not yet figured these out - there is no pit, but something hard is in the center. I end up just slicing weird shapes off the sides until I can't go anymore, and I often feel like I am wasting a lot of mango. Once it's all cubed, I throw that in the bowl with the rest of the pico de gallo. Squeeze in the juice of the other lime half, and chop up some fresh mint (if i feel like it) and throw it on top. This gets covered and put in the fridge too, right up until you're ready to go!

And there you have it, my "world" famous, to die for, there must be drugs in this, guacamole and mango salsa. Hey, if Sandra Lee can do it, so can I!