National Avocado Day - Recipe Videos and a Review

God, how I love avocados. My last bite on earth would be a simple slice of creamy Haas avocado.

This is a most delicious blog post you will want to bookmark for future viewing. And click on any recipe name to see all the original recipe photos and text.

July 31 is National Avocado Day, and I have a ripe basketful of recipes for you to use this most luscious and rich fruit.

The creamiest and richest Avocado, the Haas, was first grafted from a single tree here in La Habra Heights in Los Angeles County almost 100 years ago. Read about the origin story here. And if you need a reminder on how to tell when an avocado is ripe, just click here.

The simplest and most tasty Avocado recipe is for Avocado Toast. Just mash a ripe Avocado, season with salt and pepper, then spread it on warm toast. Use a tasty fresh-baked slice of bread if you have a local bakery or farmers market. But a nice nutty whole-grain grocery store brand is fine.



Here in Los Angeles, Avocado prices are cheap compared to other states since we are trade partners with Mexico. I shop at Latin markets were avocados are less than a dollar apiece. If you keep an eye on seasonal sales, you might find them for bargain prices, too.

I like to start the day with this green bauble of deliciousness, sliced and tucked into a cheesy Omelet. This is too much of a good thing, but what the heck.

Crostini is an Italian appetizer that starts with wedges of toasted bread and any favorite toppings. Add a fried egg, plus avocado, and dig in.

I like a fresh and creamy slice of Avocado on my taco, how about you? And all my yummy Taco Recipes are a click away, here.

If you have a local Latin market in the hood, then this next recipe is for you. Plus, this recipe is a real dollar stretcher. Avocado Crema is a mix of Mexican Crema (substitute with sour cream) and mashed Avocado. 

Mexican Crema is similar to sour cream (okay to use sour cream instead,) just sweeter. Use this recipe at your next Taco Party and serve it with chips, and top a taco or burrito -- so good.

Not all Avocados are created equal, just check out my Cheap$kate Dining Review of Del Monte Fresh Guac, here. Does it rate a perfect 9 or a lowly.... hmm, all I can say is looks can be deceiving.

If you have a favorite cold salad, then add a chopped Avocado for a rich addition. I like Macaroni Salad mixed with mayo, krab, and Avocado, which brings it over the top.

For these immigrant-bashing days, I have a Cesar Chavez Salad made with funky anchovies and illegal Mexican-immigrant-picked Romain lettuce with, of course, Avocado from Mexico.

The sushi California Roll was invented here, and boy, does the rest of the country owe California a big thanks. Even hardcore sushi connoisseurs will pick up a pre-made package in the deli section of a local grocery chain store. Check out my video below and see how easy a California Roll is to make.



You can't do a better sandwich than a BLT, or Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich. Oh, wait, I take that back - you can do better with the addition of Avocado, of course. Okay, now go and make yourself a BLT+A Sammie.

For my vegetarian friends and visitors, my Hummus Veggie Wrap includes a Homemade Hummus recipe. Sliced Avocado rounds out the ingredients list. 

I discovered Cuban cuisine here in Los Angeles. And I like to start my restaurant meal with a Cuban Salad, comprised of Avocado, tomato, sliced onion, and radishes, and mixed with vinegar and oil. Very simple but a great contrast to the typical heavy and rich Cuban Roast Pork.

For the dog days of summer, nothing is better than a cool Ceviche. There is nothing to cook, just drain a can of beans and mix in shredded krab, chopped onion, jalapeño, tomato, and of course, Avocado.

Chill it, then get out the tortilla chips and park yourself under a cool shady tree with a frosty mug of beer or your fave cold beverage and watch the world go by.

I can eat Avocados morning, noon, and night, and you can too if you hang out at the 99 Cent Chef's food blog.

 

Baseball World Series Recipes - L.A. Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays

It's jalapenos vs. cheese curds for a recipe battle between the LA Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 Baseball World Series. So, choose your sides!

First at-bat, Hot Dogs are the King of the ballpark. And boy does this Knight of the Round Dinner Table have royal recipes for you to try...all hail the Winners, I mean the Wieners!!

Mr. & Mrs. 99, plus our friend, Kathy.

Canucks have their own versions, too. Load up a regular hot dog and top it off with a creamy coleslaw sweetened with real Canadian maple syrup. Click here for my basic mayo version, but add a tablespoon of maple syrup. Canadian Coleslaw versions also include a little milk and vinegar. The hot dog animation below guilds the maple leaf with the addition of beef chili. 

I live in L.A., so you know who I'll be rooting for...Let's Go Dodgers!

Boy, are hot dog ingredients cheap. This year, I've been getting hot dogs, buns, mustard, and sweet pickle relish from my local Dollar Tree.

Last year, the Dodgers bought in phenom pitcher and home run hitter Shohei Ohtani. He is now the record holder of the most home runs and stolen bases in a single season. He created a new category of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, the first baseball player to do so. All over L.A., there are murals and memorabilia featuring Shohei Ohtani to see and own.

I couldn't help but come up with my switch-hitter version of a Dodger Dog that I call an Ohtani Dodger Dog. It is a regular hot dog with 2 sheets of Dried Seaweed Snacks.

Check out my recipe video below and see how my Ohtani Dodger Dog stacks up!

In this World Series of Recipes,  it's a bacon battle of lean Canadian Bacon vs. American-style Bacon. 

In L.A., we add avocado to everything, including the traditional BLT. For my version of a Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich. I switched hit lean Turkey Bacon and added sliced avocado from the dugout. It's a homerun sammie, with crispy bacon and creamy avocado.

I never had Canadian Bacon until McDonald's pitched the Egg McMuffin to the world. For my homemade version, I couldn't find cheap Canadian Bacon, so I substituted a slice of ham. If you are a Blue Jays fan, then it's back bacon all the way to your home plate. Below is how I stole home with my homemade version - Oh Canada!

In Los Angeles, we invented the California Roll...hold it, Canada also has dibs on it, too. Read about the debate here. Any way you slice it, all baseball fans are the winners.

The ingredient lineup is rice, cucumber, avocado, and fake crab, or krab wrapped in a glove of seaweed.

I like imitation crab or krab as an ingredient because it is the cheapest seafood. Here in L.A., we get avocados all baseball season long.

I made a sushi roll in the video below, but it's easier to just wrap the ingredients loosely as a Hand Roll, if you are a minor league rookie. 

I'll confess, I prefer Canadian Maple Syrup on my Pancakes, so thank you Canucks! And when I make Pancakes, I always add fresh American fruit from California to the pancake batter. Can we get along, at least for breakfast? 

So dig deep into my bullpen and click on any of the tasty treat names above to watch an instant reply of recipes from my food blog. Your guest will be cheering you on -- from their cheap seats!

National Avocado Day - Recipe Videos and a Review

God, how I love avocados. My last bite on earth would be a simple slice of creamy Haas avocado.

This is a most delicious blog post you will want to bookmark for future viewing. And click on any recipe name to see all the original recipe photos and text.

July 31 is National Avocado Day, and I have a ripe basketful of recipes for you to use this most luscious and rich fruit.

The creamiest and richest Avocado, the Haas, was first grafted from a single tree here in La Habra Heights in Los Angeles County almost 100 years ago. Read about the origin story here. And if you need a reminder on how to tell when an avocado is ripe, just click here.

The simplest and most tasty Avocado recipe is for Avocado Toast. Just mash a ripe Avocado, season with salt and pepper, then spread it on warm toast. Use a tasty fresh-baked slice of bread if you have a local bakery or farmers market. But a nice nutty whole-grain grocery store brand is fine.



Here in Los Angeles, Avocado prices are all over the map, from a buck and a half for a large one to six small ones for 99 cents! If you keep an eye on seasonal sales, you might find them for bargain prices, too.

I like to start the day with this green bauble of deliciousness, sliced and tucked into a cheesy Omelet. This is too much of a good thing, but what the heck.

I like a fresh and creamy slice of Avocado on my taco, how about you? And all my yummy Taco Recipes are a click away, here.

If you have a local Latin market in the hood, then this next recipe is for you. Plus, this recipe is a real dollar stretcher. Avocado Crema is a mix of Mexican Crema (substitute with sour cream) and mashed Avocado. 

Mexican Crema is similar to sour cream (okay to use sour cream instead,) just sweeter. Use this recipe at your next Taco Party and serve it with chips, and top a taco or burrito -- so good.

Not all Avocados are created equal, just check out my Cheap$kate Dining Review of Del Monte Fresh Guac, here. Does it rate a perfect 9 or a lowly.... hmm, all I can say is looks can be deceiving.

If you have a favorite cold salad, then add a chopped Avocado for a rich addition. I like Macaroni Salad mixed with mayo, krab, and Avocado, which brings it over the top.

For these immigrant-bashing days, I have a Cesar Chavez Salad made with funky anchovies and illegal Mexican-immigrant-picked Romain lettuce with, of course, Avocado from Mexico.

The sushi California Roll was invented here, and boy, does the rest of the country owe California a big thanks. Even hardcore sushi connoisseurs will pick up a pre-made package in the deli section of a local grocery chain store. Check out my video below and see how easy a California Roll is to make.



You can't do a better sandwich than a BLT, or Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwich. Oh, wait, I take that back - you can do better with the addition of Avocado, of course. Okay, now go and make yourself a BLT+A Sammie.

For my vegetarian friends and visitors, my Hummus Veggie Wrap includes a Homemade Hummus recipe. Sliced Avocado rounds out the ingredients list. 

I discovered Cuban cuisine here in Los Angeles. And I like to start my restaurant meal with a Cuban Salad, comprised of Avocado, tomato, sliced onion, and radishes, and mixed with vinegar and oil. Very simple but a great contrast to the typical heavy and rich Cuban Roast Pork.

For the dog days of summer, nothing is better than a cool Ceviche. There is nothing to cook, just drain a can of beans and mix in shredded krab, chopped onion, jalapeño, tomato, and of course, Avocado.

Chill it, then get out the tortilla chips and park yourself under a cool shady tree with a frosty mug of beer or your fave cold beverage and watch the world go by.

I can eat Avocados morning, noon, and night, and you can too if you hang out at the 99 Cent Chef's food blog.

 

Avocado Toast Video - San Francisco Sourdough Bread & Avocado

This is an anytime-of-day snack that doubles as an appetizer. Smearing avocado on toast is easier because the sandpaper surface of toast catches the most creamy avocado.

I make my creamy and crunchy Avocado Toast simply, just mash a ripe avocado and add salt and pepper. When a couple slices of bread are toasted and warm, I slather on the avocado - that's it.

Sometimes I don't even mash them in a bowl, I just scoop out some avocado and smear it right on the toast, without salt or pepper.

You can dress it up with smokey crumbled bacon, a runny fried egg, chopped tomato, sliced cucumber and fruit, sauteed veggies -- the additions go on and on, just Google Avocado Toast sometime.

I am lucky to live in the avocado capital city of America. We get them year-round. Well, I'm sure some other cities would argue, but California has the most avocado orchards, and Los Angeles has a plethora of Latin grocery stores that stock avocados from Mexico.

And we get them cheap here in Los Angeles. I like to use smaller ones, just because I hate waste, and a small size is perfect for a single serving. 

And the creamiest and richest avocado, the Haas, was first grafted from a single tree here in La Habra Heights in Los Angeles County, almost 100 years ago. Read about the origin story here.

I've been burned many times picking out avocados. Smooth skin types are not as rich and creamy as the bumpy skin Haas Avocado, but I will take any type rather than go without. 

An avocado is ripe when slightly soft to the touch. Mushy brown spots are a warning. You never know if the flesh will be stringy and bland, or soft and rich.  But most times it all works out. 

Avocados are too delish to be disappointed in for too long. Click here for a few tips on when an avocado is ready to eat.

I like to use bread with flavor for my Avocado Toast. Since avocados are expensive you might as well splurge on the bread, too. If you have a favorite baker, give them a visit, or stroll through the bread section of your local grocery and try a pungent sourdough, nutty multi-grain, or a local specialty. 

One small avocado when mashed is enough for two slices of Avocado Toast. To spread the joy at a party, set out a bowl of mashed avocado with your fave crackers or chips and let your guests help themselves. 

You might as well get in line with hipster diners who have made Avocado Toast de rigueur in Los Angeles eateries.  Go ahead, join us, this is one foodie trend that deserves to keep on keeping-on.

Avocado Toast - VIDEO           Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 22 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• Avocado - slices. I find a small avocado will be enough for a couple of servings
• Bread - about 2 slices toasted. I used sourdough. Okay to use any favorite bread including wheat and multigrain. How much bread you use depends on how much avocado you spread on each slice.
• Salt and Pepper - to taste.

Directions

Simple as can be. Start toasting a couple slices of bread. 

Just slice the avocado in half and remove the seed. 

Scoop out the ripe avocado flesh and salt and pepper to taste.

 You can mash it until creamy or keep it chunky.

For a single serving, I use half an avocado. I leave the seed in the unused avocado half, cover it with the leftover avocado peel, and store it in the refrigerator. Refrigerated, it will last a few days.

Sometimes I just scoop out the avocado flesh and smear it right on the toast.