Texas Caviar

I wish I knew who to give the credit to for the basis of this recipe. My mom has been making a version of this ever since we moved to Texas in the mid-90's. It's a part of most of our summer gatherings. I made up my version this afternoon for our dinner group tomorrow night, and I can't stop dipping into it. Yum!

Alicia's Texas Caviar

2 bell peppers (I do one yellow and one red), finely diced

2 stalks of celery, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1 can black-eyed peas, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

salt & pepper

approx. 1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing

Mix everything together in a large bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with tortilla chips (my favorite for this is the Tostitos with a hint of lime), Fritos, or even with shredded chicken as a salad. Make sure to taste some of the caviar on a chip and add salt, pepper, or dressing as needed.

Everyone has their own version of Texas Caviar, and here are a few other things you can add: black olives, tomatoes (even a can of Rotel), avocado, green onions, jalapenos, or chickpeas.

Enjoy!