GUACAMOLE (2 banana difficulty)

It's summertime and Guacamole is oh so good and goes with oh so many things.  Every monkey should know how to make fresh guacamole from scratch since it is easy stuff.  Today, 'This Monkey' will show you how to make fresh guacamole!

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 Medium Onion (preferable white)
1 Large Green Pepper (or 2 Jalapenos if you like some spice in your life)
3 Garlic Cloves (peeled)
2 Medium Tomatoes (firm & ripe)
3 Large or 4 Medium Avocados (ie Hass)
4 T Cilantro (chopped)
Fresh Lime Juice from 2 Limes
1 t Kosher salt or to taste
1/2 t Sriracha Sauce or to taste

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Medium Mixing Bowl
Food Processor (mini FP works well)
Chef's Knife skills
Fork & Spoon

WHAT YOU DO: (using a mini FP)
1.  Cut Onions & Peppers in 2" pieces, then cut into 1/4" pieces in food processor by pulsating for 1 sec, 10-15 times.  Then scoop into your Medium Bowl

2.  Peel the Garlic, place in food processor & pulsate in 1 sec bursts until minced, about 10-15 times.  Scoop into Medium Bowl.
3.  Repeat Step 1 using your Tomatoes.
4.  Using a knife carefully cut your avocados in 1/2 lengthwise & remove the pits with your spoon.
5.  Gently score your avocado meat like a tic tac toe board being mindful not to cut into the outer skin.
6.  Using your spoon, scoop out the avocado meat into the medium bowl.  Discard or Compost the Avocado skin.

7.  With your Fork (or a potato masher), mash together the avocado with the everything in your bowl.

8.  Add the chopped Cilantro (can be done in the mini FP in 1 sec bursts), Lime Juice, Kosher Salt, & Sriracha Sauce (optional) & mix thoroughly.

9.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap placed directly on the guacamole to reduce browning.
10.  Enjoy!!

Making Guacamole is a bit like making pesto.  You follow the basic guidelines, but add your own touches.  In the above I left out the tomatoes because I didn't have any.  I like the taste of cilantro and lime juice so I emphasize those flavors.  I also like a bit of spiciness so that's where the Sriracha sauce makes an appearance.  I had some Bell Peppers in my garden so that was my pepper choice, otherwise it would have been Jalapeno! 

See, 'anymonkeycan' make great Guacamole because this one just did!!

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD (a 2 banana difficulty)

On the surface, homemade bread sounds like it would be difficult and time consuming.  In fact, it is quite easy and while the hands on time is quite brief, the rise time stretches it out to 1 full day.  That really doesn't count as OUR work though.

The recipe I mainly use is from a Mark Bittman NY Times recipe that he got from someone else.  He recently said it was "his" most popular recipe that wasn't "his" recipe.

Making bread is interesting because the humidity level and temperature in your house will affect your finished product.  As long as you are ok with that and realize that your loaves will have "uniqueness" to them, let's get started. 

WHAT YOU NEED:
3 c White Whole Wheat flour
2 T Vital Wheat Gluten (optional)
2 T Kosher Salt
1 1/2 t Yeast
2-3 T Olive Oil
1 3/4 c Warm Water

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Dry Measuring Cups
Liquid Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Large Bowl
Whisk
Plastic Wrap
Loaf Pan
Oven
Cooling Rack (optional)

WHAT YOU DO:
1.  Whisk Flour, Vital Wheat Gluten & Salt together in large bowl
2.  Dissolve Yeast in 1 c of the Warm Water & Pour over the dry ingredients
3.  While stirring, slowly add the remaining water. 
4.  Stir until blended.  At this point the dough should have the consistency of a thick batter.  Add a little more water if it seems too dry or a little more flour if it seems too wet.

5.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & let it rest in a warm place (ie: on top of the refrigerator) for 12-24 hours.
6.  The surface will be dotted with bubbles when it is ready.

7.  Grease the sides & bottom of the loaf pan with the olive oil, then pour/scrape the dough into the loaf pan.  Cover with a towel.

8.  Let this rest 1-2 hours allowing it to rise.  Pre-heat oven to 400 deg when it is close to baking time.
9.  Bake until it sounds hollow to tapping (30-45 min.)  An instant read thermometer should register close to 200 deg.

10.  Let it cool about 30 min, then use a thin knife to loosen around the perimeter.  You may need to cut out a small end piece and use a spatula to fully disengage the bread from your pan.

11.  Your bread is now ready to eat!!

If you want your bread to always be nice, soft & the same size, then you will be disappointed in home made bread.  Just keep on going with Mrs. Baird's at your grocery store.  However, if you love the smell of fresh baked bread, then definitely give this a go.

Parting thoughts:
Your bread does NOT have any preservatives in it, therefore it will only last 2-4 days before it starts to become a science experiment.  You may need to cut your bread into thirds & store in the refrigerator.  When I'm ready to use the bread, I'll remove from the fridge, slice what I need, then warm in my toaster oven at 250 for about 5 min.

The Vital Wheat Gluten enhances the bread's texture & elasticity.

Well, be flexible with this bread.  You can definitely add about 1/4 c nuts at step 7 before pouring the dough into the the loaf pan.  Play around with the flours a bit also.  Just remember to be flexible.  Bread is not perfect which is good because 'anymonkeycan' bake a good, but not perfect loaf of bread!

NUTTY ECLAIR PIE (2 banana difficulty level)

Sometimes you just have to make something that you enjoyed from back in the day.  There's just something about the "Eclair Pie."  So easy to make and so tasty to eat.  This is some pretty straight forward stuff, you just have to make it a day or 2 ahead so the graham crackers get nice and soft.  Most recipes call this a "Chocolate Eclair Pie" since you spread chocolate frosting on the top, but of course I have to be different.  I decided to use the spread from "Monkey Marathon Bites."

Let 'This Monkey' show you how to make a delicious dessert!

WHAT YOU NEED:
12 oz boxes of Honey Graham Crackers
2 - 3.5 oz boxes of French Vanilla Instant Pudding
8 oz Cool Whip

For the Spread:
1 c. Mixed Nuts
2 T Sunflower Seeds
1 Medium Banana
1-2 T Honey
1 T Blackstrap Molasses (optional)
Salt to taste
Graham Crackers

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
9x13" Pan
Food Processor for the Spread
Large Bowl
Whisk

WHAT YOU DO:
1.  Go to:  http://www.anymonkeycan.com/2011/02/monkey-marathon-bites-1-banana-recipe.html and make the Spread
2.  In a Large Bowl, whisk together the Milk & Pudding.  As this thickens, fold in the Cool Whip

3.  Make a single layer of Graham Crackers at the bottom of the 9x13" pan

4.  Spread half of the Pudding Mixture over the Graham Crackers

5.  Make another layer of Graham Crackers on top of the Pudding layer

6.  Spread the remainder of the Pudding Mixture on top of the Graham Cracker layer

7.  Spread the 'Monkey Spread' on the Graham Crackers & then build your final Graham Cracker layer

8.  Refrigerate over night in order to soften the Graham Crackers.

9.  Enjoy!

This is a nice, refreshing, summertime dessert although it's quite enjoyable all year round.  The next time I make this I will replace the French Vanilla Pudding with Banana Pudding and use Peanut Butter or homemade Cashew Butter as the topping.

It's as easy as pie!  "Anymonkeycan" make an Eclair Pie!