ALABAMA CAVIAR -- TEXAS CAVIAR - BLACK-EYED PEA SALSA

Black-eyed Pea Salsa on Salad

No matter what you call it, this is a great treat. I though my momma had lost her mind when she first told me about black-eyed pea salad… it took me years to try it but when I did I fell in love with it.


2 cups black-eyed peas, cooked
3 Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup purple onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 chopped yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup cider, red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup water
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine black-eyed peas, onion, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, vinegar, oil and sugar
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Marinate for 12 to 24 hours before serving.
4. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a side salad.

FROZEN FRUIT SALAD

This recipe has been handed down through 4 generations of my family. It was a favorite summer treat that both my mother and grandmother whipped up. It may be used as either a salad or a dessert. You can also use canned peaches, pears or other mixtures of fruit. Serve it on a crisp leaf of lettuce for a wonderful presentation.


6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
3 1/2 cups fruit cocktail drained
1 small jar maraschino cherries halved and drained (reserve liquid)
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Blend cheese and mayonnaise, stir in the fruits and marshmallows. Add a few drops of cherry juice for color. Fold in whipped cream and pour into two loaf pans. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. To serve, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, remove from pan and slice. Place each slice on a lettuce leaf.

DELICIOUS APPLE AND MIXED GREENS SALAD

This is a wonderul salad that makes 50+ servings. I used this recipe at my daughter's wedding and again at a church social.

SALAD

6 bags baby greens
2 packs Romaine
3 cups peeled and chopped Golden Delicious Apple
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
2 packs of bacon cooked and crumbled
2 cups walnuts


DRESSING

6 cups frozen raspberries
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped apple
6 tablespoons sugar

Cook about 5 minutes on medium until apples are soft. Cool.

Put in blender with

1 1/2 cups white balsamic or raspberry vinegar.
Cover and blend until smooth, slowly add
1 1/2 cups salad oil and mix until blended.


Chill until ready to serve. Toss greens with dressing and top with apples, bacon, cheese and walnuts.

CAMELLA’S APPLE SALAD

3 to 4 cups diced Apples
2 cups diced Celery
2 cups of mini marshmallows
Juice of 1 Lime
2 cups of Mayonnaise
1 cup red Grapes cut in half
1 ½ cups chopped Pecans or Walnuts

Mix Apples with Lime juice then mix in all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly then chill until ready to eat.

TROPICAL CHICKEN SALAD

Small Palm along the coast of South Carolina

2 cups cooked boneless chicken cut into cubes or chunks
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp of McCormick’s Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1 small can crushed pineapple—drained

I like to use grilled chicken or left-over rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Simply mix all of the ingredients in bowl. Let chill and serve with your favorite crackers. Seasonings may be adjusted to taste and for a crunchier version just add 1/4 cup of celery finely chopped.

Serving suggestions:

For a small party you may place this in a mound along with a selection of grapes and crackers on the same platter. Or fill small croissants or party shells with salad and arrange on tray. Also wonderful served on a bed of crisp lettuce with either crackers or dinner roll.

PANZANELLA

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread made into croutons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
10 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 head of romaine lettuce rough chopped


Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Spicy Brown mustard
3 tablespoons White Wine vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Croutons

½ French Baguette cut into thin slices
1 ½ tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 – 2 tablespoon of your Favorite Seasoning Mix (Italian, Herb de Provence, etc)
Pinch of salt

Brush bread slices with olive oil, toss with seasoning and either grill until golden brown or toast in pan over medium heat about 10 minutes. Add to salad.

CUBAN SALAD

This salad is adapted from a wonderful meal Frank and I had while vacationing in Florida and is a favorite meal at our house. It goes great with the Spanish Bean Soup.

Courtyard at the Hampton Inn & Suites, Vilano Beach, FL

Salad

½ head iceberg or romaine lettuce

1 ripe tomato cut into eighths

½ cup Swiss cheese cut into strips

½ cup ham cut into strips

½ cup black olives (optional)

2 tsp grated Romano Cheese

Dressing

1/8 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp lemon or lime juice

Mix garlic, oregano and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, beat until smooth with whisk add oil and beat to blend together, stir in vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, add to salad and toss well.

Serves 4