Texas Caviar

2 cans (15.5 oz) Black-Eyed Peas w/ Jalapeño
1 can (10 oz) Rotel
2 Avocados
1 Green pepper
1/2 Purple Onion
3/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 tsp salt

Rinse and drain the black-eyed peas. Stir all ingredients and chill. Serve with Tortilla chips.

Yield: 6 cups

Source: Sherie K
Recipe Author: Unknown

***NOTE: I've never had such a requested recipe! EVERYONE LOVES THIS RECIPE! When I first saw it at my Mom's house, I said, "Raw Green Peppers? Raw Purple Onions? No way, I ain't eatin' that stuff" My Mom told me to just try a bite and I was in love after that. This seems like an odd combination of ingredients, but it is DELICIOUS! This is one that I make for every New Year's party I go to. It's supposed to be good luck to eat black-eyed-peas on New Years...this is so much better than eating a warm soupy bowl of them... :)

APPLE-PABLANO CHUTNEY

1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 cup peeled, cored, diced Granny Smith apples (about 1 large apple)
1 cup diced red onion (about 1/2 onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Roasted Pablano Peppers, diced (see next recipe)
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Jalapeno Jelly
1/2 cup julienned fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

*Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.
*Add the apples, onions, and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are just beginning to soften.
*Blend in the pablanos and sauté briefly.
*Pour in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced, shaking or stirring to prevent sticking, *Add the jelly and stir until jelly has melted.
*The mixture will be thick and jam-like.
*Remove the pan from the heat, fold in the sage, and season with salt and pepper.
*Set aside until serving time.

Chutney may be served warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 3 ½ cups

Mom's Famous Salsa Recipe

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
1 to 2 pickled peppers pieces, to taste
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp (or more) garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbs dried onion flakes
1 tsp (+ or -) sugar
Finely chopped cilantro (to taste)

Put all ingredients into the blender. Blend until desired consistency. To thicken, add a little tomato paste and then re-season to taste. Tastes best when cold. Will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

When buying the pickled peppers, buy a very small can then store the extra in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for several months.

***NOTE: To make this recipe even faster, pre-measure the dry ingredients and store them in separate baggies in an air tight container. This is how Amy (my twin sister) does it. She gets a lot of requests for this becuase she lives up North...and as we all know...there are no REAL Mexican Restaurants up there...only imitators!

Source: Amy T (my Twin Sister)
Author: Sherie K (my Mom)

Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
3 avocados
4-5 serrano chilies, roasted, peeled and seeded
4 garlic cloves, roasted and minced
2 tbs cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot two-thirds full of boiling water, add tomatillos, return to a boil and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain and cool to touch, 20 minutes. In a food processor, combine tomatillos, avocados, chilies, garlic and cilantro; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Yield: 4 cups

***COMMENT: I love the Williams-Sonoma catalog...all my favorite things are in there and they have awesome recipes to showcase their tools and spices. This one happened to not require a spice kit or a mix. It's a killer green salsa. It's become a favorite with me and my extended famly. My Mom really likes it!

Source: Williams-Sonoma Catalog