Texas Caviar

Unfortunately, the Chumados lost their 3rd game of the season after a 7-game winning streak. The team was short a few players but the opponent seemed to have added a few ringers from the last time they played. The other team was overheard congratulating themselves for beating the best team in the league (that's right, the Chumados!!!), which is actually pretty cool, despite the loss.

I'd like to share with you one of my favorite summertime recipes, TEXAS CAVIAR. This was given to me by Norma Lampariello, a fabulous cook. I've gotten a few no-fail recipes from Norma. This one is a little labor-tedious, as there's a lot of chopping and dicing, but well worth the time! It can be served as a side dish or with tortilla chips as a dip.

2 cans black beans - drained & rinsed
2 cans black eyed peas - drained & rinsed
4 spring onions - chopped
1 cup cilantro - chopped
2 ribs celery - diced
1/2 cup pickled jalapenos - diced (adjust amount to taste)
2 bell peppers - diced (used any color to make it pretty)

Dressing:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (balsamic is very tasty too!)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 teaspoon salt - optional

Mix beans, peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, onions and celery in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over bean mixture and combine gently. Refrigerate overnight, making sure to gently stir the mixture at least once while salad is marinating.

So there you have it! Hope you'll give this a try for your next bbq or picnic. Till next time, happy weekend! Hopefully, I'll have some beautiful pictures to post from LL and Austin's wedding this Sunday.