texas caviar

The ladies in my family make this dish for parties and it is enjoyed by all.  you can make it a couple days in advance, if you have the time, giving the black eyed peas extra time to marinate in the vinegar.  the more time the mix rests before serving, the more the flavors meld together. we serve this like a salsa with corn chips for dipping.  this time, I tried adding a few chopped jalapeños to the mix, that's optional but it did give the mix a nice zing.

4 cups cooked black eyed peas (2 packages in the frozen section, follow the instructions on the bag to cook)
1/2 red onion, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
4 celery stalks, chopped finely
1 jar of chopped pimentos
2 jalapeños, chopped finely

for the dressing:
1 bottle red wine vinegar (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Tostito's Restaurant Style corn chips for dipping

Mix all of the beans and veggies in a large bowl.  Mix dressing in a separate container and stir.  Pour dressing over bean mixture, and stir to combine. I like to pour a little extra vinegar into the bowl after this step just to make sure the entire mixture is covered with vinegar.  Let marinate over night or up to 3 days in advance of when you plan to serve it.  Serve alongside corn tortilla chips.

art to art...dip de dip

Pat had the HMG over to her house on Bainbridge a few weeks back, and made the best artichoke dip. Ever. I liked it when I tasted it, and I liked it even more when I saw that the recipe called for an entire jar of mayonnaise. You can't go wrong with that.

2 (14 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained, chopped coarsely

8 oz. jar mayonnaise

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup grated parmesan

1 teaspoon garlic powder, dip

Paprika (for sprinkling on top)

Mix artichokes, mayonnaise, cheeses and garlic powder. Pour mixture into greased casserole pan. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Pat Beal recommends serving this with Garlic melba rounds...or another sturdy cracker of your choosing.

word to the wise...cwackers

Wisecrackers with Goat Cheese, Nectarines and Honey Drizzle

(A take on crostini with goat cheese, nectarines and honey drizzle)

The meaning is twofold: the crackers are wise because they are low in fat, you are making a wise choice for the bod when you eat them...Kristin and Elof, who made this snack, are wisecrackers because they like to make clever and/or sarcastic remarks. next to making delicious snacks, it is probably what they are best at. (in case you couldn't connect all those dots, i've done the connecting work for you. you are welcome.) we first tried these goat cheese, nectarine & honey niblets at Lily's wedding tasting. it was the best snack at the event. hands down. we would have stayed there all night just eating cheese/bread/fruit snacks if we could have. alas, the event ended along with the endless flow of silver-plattered snacks, and we had to go home.

needless to say, everyone was thrilled to see these things make their homemade debut at lily's italian supper. the sweet and savory flavor combo is complex, but you do not need to be an aeronautical engineer to appreciate it's deliciousness.

What you will need to replicate these at home, for your next party:

INGREDIENTS

1 box Wisecrackers or crostini (or baguette, sliced, brushed with olive oil and toasted)
1 roll of goat cheese or chevre

2 ripe nectarines, sliced into thin segments

honey

Arrange your crackers/crostini on your serving dish and spread each piece with chevre. Atop each cheesed cracker, place a nectarine slice. Drizzle with honey. Honey is key here, so don't be shy people.