Smashed Avocado Toast with Oiled Tomatoes (and lots of pepper!)

Standing on the deck, our group of 11 huddled into our jackets as the ship turned towards the looming volcano, Stromboli.  The Captain had promised (with reservations) a fantastic show if we made our way up to the bridge at 3:15 AM - not an easy feat after a few glasses of the ever flowing champagne that had been served at dinner aboard the Seabourn Legend.


However this seemed to be one of those not to be missed, once in a lifetime moments that deserved the effort of pulling myself out of the warm bed.  And it was.  Some 20 minutes after arriving to the bridge, the Captain began a short apology, saying perhaps the volcano may be sleeping as well... and with that comment the sky lit up a brilliant orange as a fireball of lava launched into the air and then dripped down the sides of the volcano.  And then it did it again... and again!!  And it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  Truly, a once in a lifetime moment forever embedded in my memory.

Thankfully, some experiences in life are equally as fabulous, but not reserved for only once in a lifetime.  For example... Smashed Avocado Toast.  Add a few chopped up tomatoes drizzled with Italian olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and lots and lots of pepper and you have the:  Best.  Breakfast.  Ever.

You may be aware of  my complete and true California avocado love, but my family somehow doesn't embrace the fruit on quite the same level.  They like avocado, but I don't know as they would profess their undying love for it.

With health benefits abound, avocados bring high doses of vitamins K, C, B5, B6 and E in addition to folate and potassium, and living in California we have a near year round avocado season which keeps my avo bowl full at all times.  And I work tirelessly to incorporate my beloved avocados into our daily meals.

Trying to fill my girl with various plants every day I suggested my favorite smashed avo toast and she wrinkled her nose.  "No thanks..." was her answer, "How about toast with butter instead?"

But I insisted.  I've had a small can of Nudo Olive Oil with Basil on my counter which had been sent to me for an upcoming post, and I've been experimenting with it.  Being a food blogger often brings things into my life that I would never have otherwise known about, and this is one of those cases where I'm so happy I discovered this product!  More to come.

In any case... we tossed our organic farmers market cherry tomatoes in the olive oil and gently spooned them over the smashed avocado (on nicely toasted sourdough bread - but I must say a nice hearty, seedy bread works beautifully as well), then topped it all off with a sprinkle of Pink Himalayan Salt and lots and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Liv gave me an "I'm not so sure about this look..." then hesitantly took a bite.  Her eyes told the whole story as they opened wide and the worried lines on her forehead completely disappeared.

She took another bite, and then another, then looked up and said, "It's so good.  It's just so, so good..." as she finished the piece and promptly asked for another.

An easy recipe that I almost didn't share, but I've had so many people say, "I've never thought of that!" that I wanted to get this out there.

This is one of those experiences that ranks up there with those once in a lifetime moments, but luckily this one you can enjoy everyday.

Lemon Cornmeal Olive Oil Cake

While I've been told often that I should be morally against the 5 furlough days our local school district is imposing on our schools this year, I'm secretly loving these extra days off.  Sprinkled throughout the year, these extra days seem to come at the time when we most need them, and to be honest, I'm quietly celebrating each and every one of them.

My son, a junior in high school, is working harder this year than I ever did even when in college.   With A/P English, Honors Chem and Spanish along with the rest of his classes and after school activities, his days last long into the night.  I've this year given up waiting for him to go to sleep before closing my own eyes as there is no way I could live on the little amount of sleep that he gets.  He's discovered espresso, not for the flavor, but as the caffeine stimulant that helps his mind stay clear just a little longer, and he's ever so welcoming of Saturday mornings where he sleeps till noon and often heads back to bed hours earlier than during the week.

With Valentine's Day, 2013, being one of those beloved furlough days, we embarked on this President's Day weekend with 5 days of no school.  Heavenly extra hours are being spent resting the kid's tired bodies, and I enjoyed waking to the sun actually being over the horizon instead of just beginning to erase the night.

As my boy rested his weary head, Liv and I puttered around the kitchen and she proclaimed the moment perfect for baking.  Our tree laden with at least 50 perfect lemons, something sweet and tart seemed to fit the bill, and a quick recipe search into my mounds of saved recipes found a Lemon Cornmeal Cake by Abby Dodge.  Liv turned her nose up at the sound of the cornmeal, but I told her if she didn't like it we would try something else.  Having found Abby's name attached to at least 4 of the recipes I've used in the last few weeks, I had no doubt that this one would be a winner just like all of the rest.

I first "met" Abby when I made her 4 ingredient Nutella Brownies and have been loving her recipes ever since (our last being those fabulous Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies we made for Super Bowl).  Taking those Nutella treats to one of Liv's dance events, my baking status rose by leaps and bounds as the girls devoured the little bites in mere minutes.  Since then I've noticed that many of the recipes that catch my eye in magazines such as Fine Cooking or various online websites often have the same name, Abby Dodge, attached to the byline.

Olive Oil Tasting - Puglia, Italy

Sending Liv out to pick fresh lemon, I set to pulling out the pantry ingredients, and in no time our Lemon Cake was mixed, poured into the round cake tin and headed for the oven.  The only change we made to the recipe was the substitution of my precious Citrus Olive Oil that I carried back from our trip to Italy last summer.

Purchased at the olive field itself, our visit to the family owned business gave us an inside look at the production of this liquid gold.  Deep in the boot of Italy in the Puglia region, this little farm dates back to 1917 and the oil became a must have when I heard the word "organic".  Add to that the tasting we participated in, Liv and my son were the two to insist on the citrus flavor ending up in our suitcase.

Having saved the oil for just such a recipe, we swapped out Abby's butter ingredient for our precious oil and sat back to wait for the finished product.  Mixing together a tangy, lemony glaze, Liv enjoyed creating the perfect drizzle and I have to admit that we didn't wait for the cake to cool before slicing ourselves a taste.  With eyes the size of the giant lemons from our tree, Liv immediately proclaimed this cake "utterly divine", and she completely forgot that she had questioned the addition of the cornmeal.

Sweet, tangy and with a perfect crumb, I'd suggest making two of these cakes as one just doesn't seem to last very long...