Am I the only one who uses Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to eat endless amounts of Tex Mex? Alex had been asking for a mortar and pestle for a while and I finally got him one for his birthday. I thought it was kind of silly but quickly realized how much easier it was to make guacamole with it. Since we have been eating guacamole nonstop, I have perfected a simple recipe that doesn’t require a lot of prep time in the kitchen. My fridge is already stocked with avocados for a weekend of Tex Mex to “celebrate” Cinco de Mayo! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Download the recipe for Guacamole

3-4 ripe avocados

1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (only use a dash if you want mild)

1/2 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning

3 tablespoons of Mrs. Renfro’s Mild or Medium Salsa

Mash avocados until the texture is smooth, either using a mortar and pestle or fork. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning, and Mrs. Renfro’s Salsa. Mix well until combined and serve with tortilla chips. Add a squirt of lime juice to preserve avocado from coloring.

Tank: Chloe & Katie // Jeans: Gap // Shoes: Marc Fisher // Sunnies: Karen Walker 

This past weekend I made a quick (24 hour) trip to visit my cousin in Austin. Any Texan knows that no road trip would be complete without a stop at Buc-ee’s, so I had to pick up some beef jerky to hold me over until dinner. I met some friends downtown for dinner at La Condesa, and y’all, I have tired a million mexican restaurants, but this is one of the best! We started off with the guacamole sampler, which had a traditional guacamole, chipotle purée & toasted almond guacamole, strawberry guacamole, and jumbo lump crab guacamole (my favorite of the four). They also served four seasonal salsas, all of which were full of flavor and were very spicy. For my main course I ordered the Vida de Cameròn ceviche, which had poached shrimp, salsa vida, avocado, cherry tomato, cilantro, and smoked pasilla. The ceviche was so fresh and a great lighter option after eating my weight in guacamole. Make sure you have chips left on the table because you will want some to go with your ceviche. I split a side of Elotes (Mexican street corn) with a friend and it was absolutely worth the extra $6. We honestly should have ordered our own sides.

I went to bed happily full on tortilla chips, and looking forward to my next meal, brunch. My cousin took me to Moonshine Grill for their Sunday brunch buffet, which was basically any brunch food you can imagine! I enjoyed everything from jalapeño sausage and deviled eggs, to cinnamon rolls and apple turnovers. I might have gone through the line for seconds or thirds (don’t judge), so plan on having a full meal if you go for brunch. Before I left town, I had to stop at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress for my all time favorite Belgium Bomber (aka the best iced coffee you will ever have).

I am wearing this tank by Chloe & Katie that is currently only $22 during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale (through August 8th). I am wearing a size small, and it fits great under the arms and across the chest. The length is a little shorter than most shirts, but since my torso is not very long the length does not bother me. I am also wearing my favorite pair of ripped skinny jeans from Gap (run large, so order a size smaller) and my Marc Fisher flatforms (fit true to size). Shop the complete look below! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.