While burgers, fruit skewers, and the latest and greatest green salad are all fine and good, it's nice to have new ideas and inspiration for what to do for your next outdoor gathering. Thankfully, a new idea has arrived!
In the August 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living, the Avocado Bar is introduced. Why hadn't we thought of this before?! The gist of the avocado bar is this: Lay out nice, ripe avocado halves and bowls of different toppings and guests can mix and mingle and put together their own fresh creations. We're inspired by the endless options, ranging from Mexican fillings like black beans, chopped tomato and shredded cheese to interesting combinations like edamame and toasted coconut (pictured).
Topping Ideas For Your Avocado Bar:
• Shredded cheddar or cojita cheese
• Toasted pepita seeds or walnuts
• Black or pinto beans
• Ground beef or pulled pork
• Chopped papaya and mango
• Salsa Fresca, sour cream
• Shredded lettuce, kale, or spinach
Related: Look! Crispy, Creamy Avocado Fries!
(Image: Joy the Baker)
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
TW Salt Mill by Wil...
The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
Ana Creates a Community at Home
I love making a large platter of sliced avocado topped with lots of lemon juice, finely diced shallots, salt and pepper. Simple side for summer!
Old school! My grandmother would fill avocados with some sort of awful mayonnaise and surimi mixture (or something equally horrifying).
But my grandfather's secret recipe was to make egg salad but using avocado instead of the mayo. It makes an amazing dip and is totally delicious! Hardboiled eggs and avocado have a marvelous flavor affinity. So, I recommend filling your avocado haves with some sort of egg mixture.
(My grandmother did better with melons: she would fill the hole in the middle with Port. Yum!)
"halves", not "haves", obviously...