The recipes here are favorites for at least one of the kids or myself, and tailored to three people with some leftovers. In most cases I have pulled the base if not the entire recipe from one or more sources, and have noted links where applicable. I have no formal training--just YouTube videos, Internet blogs and experimentation--so these are more for the kids in case they want to know how I made something that they remember liking. Of course, if you want a sample of what it is like to eat at the Stein household feel free to try some of the things found here.
This is nice, earthy, cold-weather comfort food. I like to eat it over Basmati rice cooked with chicken stock instead of water, and with some added turmeric. The spices in the recipe can be adjusted such as reducing some of the more "earthly" flavors like cumin, coriander, and cloves, and adding things like thyme, sage, and fennel seeds. I prefer to use ground lamb as the protein, but it is also more difficult to not dry out too much for my tastes. If using lamb I add it back to the sauce later targeting an internal temperature of around 128°F. Note that the USDA recommends that lamb be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
While researching guacamole recipes I found that most were very similar, so I picked one that seemed to have the flavor combinations I liked most and tried that. It was a hit for Thanksgiving, so I saw no need to tweak it with ideas from other recipes. I also use variations on this for things like avocado toast where, for example, I dice things smaller, use white onions instead of red, add sour cream, and replace the cayenne with a liquid hot sauce, (and make a much smaller portion--one avocado is plenty for two servings of avocado toast). This recipe is for the "chunky-style dip for 12 as long as there are other snacks available" that I may make when entertaining. However, the size of your dices and other things can be modified depending on personal preference and use.
I have seen and tried a few different techniques on how to remove the skin and seed from a Haas avocado. The one that works for me is below. Another method may work better for you.
This is nice, earthy, cold-weather comfort food. I like to eat it over Basmati rice cooked with chicken stock instead of water, and with some added turmeric. The spices in the recipe can be adjusted such as reducing some of the more "earthly" flavors like cumin, coriander, and cloves, and adding things like thyme, sage, and fennel seeds. I prefer to use ground lamb as the protein, but it is also more difficult to not dry out too much for my tastes. If using lamb I add it back to the sauce later targeting an internal temperature of around 128°F / 53°C. Note that the USDA recommends that lamb be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C.
Except in certain cases (like breads or making a roux), measurements are estimates. Spices I usually eye then adjust with tasting. Pepper should be freshly ground to get the best flavor.
The following abbreviations are used in the recipes:
C: cup
T: tablespoon
t: teaspoon
lb: pound
oz: ounce
g: gram
fl oz: fluid ounce
in: inch
ft: foot/feet
1T = 3t
1/4C = 8T
8fl oz = 1C