Avocado With Salmon Salsa

Jessica asked for this recipe. It's really phenomenal and definitely deserves its place here! I hope I'm invited to what she's making them for!

1 sm shallot, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno chile, cored, seeded and minced (if mom comes over I only put in a little)
4 oz chopped smoked salmon (I've always used the lox kind although I just realized the recipe does not specify that)
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped
1T minced fresh cilantro
1/4t freshly ground pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon (2T)
2 small avocados, pitted and halved (the recipe says one avocado but it makes way too much filling for only two halves.
2 lemon wedges

Combine all ingredients but avocado and lemon wedges
Spoon into avocado halves and garnish with lemon wedges (I have never done that last part, myself)

These not only look cool, but they taste incredible - so rich and salty and just...mmmmmmmmm!

Roasted Figs

Even though we ate this with Christmas dinner, it was really supposed to be an appetizer. I made it from a recipe, but you really don't need one, because it's very simple to put them together. Here is what you need:

figs (as many as you think will be eaten)
blue cheese (enough so you have a small piece to go with each fig)
prociutto
honey
pepper

Cut a slit in each fig and stuff with a small piece of blue cheese. Wrap each fig in a slice of prosciutto, then place the figs on a baking sheet.

Roast figs in a 400 degree oven (a toaster oven works too) until the prosciutto melts slightly and forms a skin around thee figs (about 12-15 minutes). Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with honey and season with freshly ground pepper.