California Avocado season has begun and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is jumping up and down in delight. I can’t get enough of that delicious green fruit, it’s practically a staple in my diet.

So I’m over the moon excited to tell you that I’m going to be acting as an ambassador for the California Avocado Commission, as well as my dear blogging girl friends – Dara from Cookin’ Canuck, Kristen from Dine and Dish, and Rachel from Southern Fairytale. Each week between April and October, one of us will be sharing an avocado-inspired recipe with you!

If you’re an avocado lover like me, then you’re going to LOVE what I’m going to tell you next.

To kick off the California Avocado season, my girl Rachel and I are going to be hosting one heck of a party… or maybe a fiesta?? With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner we want you to put on your thinking caps and bring some California Avocado inspired recipes to our Cinco de Mayo Recipe Fiesta link up party starting April 24, 2013!

Here are some examples to get your creative juices flowing – Guacamole Deviled Eggs, and Avocado Egg Rolls!

Want to come to the Fiesta and have a chance at winning some great prizes?? Here are the guidelines to enter:

1. Get busy in the kitchen with California Avocados and create a Cinco de Mayo-ish recipe, then post it on your blog. You can enter up to 3 recipes, including ones that have previously been posted (as long as it has the information from #3 in it).

If you don’t have a blog, don’t worry! You can leave your recipe in the comments section for a chance to win as well. 🙂

2. During the two weeks of the Link-Up Fiesta (April 24th – May 8th) come back to either I Wash You Dry or Southern Fairytale to submit your link in the widget of the Cinco de Mayo Recipe Fiesta Contest post. (You only need to add it once and it will show up on each of our sites)

3. Recipes must include fresh California Avocados, and be listed as such in the ingredients section. Somewhere in your post, please include the following, “Join I Wash… You Dry and Southern Fairytale for the California Avocado Cinco de Mayo Recipe Fiesta, sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.” This must be included in your post for you to be eligible for the giveaway prizes, and it must link back to I Wash…You Dry, Southern Fairytale and California Avocado Commission.

Let me tell you how fantastic the Giveaway prizes are!

The lovely folks at the California Avocado Commission are giving the fiesta participants the chance to win over $1600 worth of prizes! The prizes include two $500 American Express gift cards, two $250 American Express gift cards, and two California Avocado gift baskets (worth $75 each)!

Sounds like a FIESTA to me!!

Want to help us spread the word?? {cause what’s a party without friends?}

*Try tweeting something like this: “Join @iwashyoudry and @sthrnfairytale for #CaAvoCincoFiesta! Share your @Ca_Avocado recipes. $1600 in prizes. Plz RT! https://tinyurl.com/cu7fua7“

We’d love to see your tasty avocado creations on Instagram with the hashtag #CaAvoCincoFiesta.

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

The giveaway will be open to US Residents only, and all winners will be chosen using a random number generator.

disclosure: this post and the giveaway/contest is sponsored by the good people at the California Avocado Commission.