Delicious Dish: Texas Caviar

Snacking...I LOVE to snack! One of my favorite snacks is a little something my dad always makes, Texas Caviar. Its a salsa of sorts and the best part about it is that it makes a ton and keeps for weeks. I have no idea where my dad got this recipe; I've tasted variations on it and heard it called numerous things, but this is our version. This is VERY popular at our house and among the Marines at work. Obviously any tortilla chips will work, but we prefer using either the lime ones or the new pepper jack kind.

TEXAS CAVIAR

• 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow, and 1 green bell pepper - finely diced
• 1 purple onion - peeled and finely diced
• 4 tomatillos - husked and chopped
• 3 jalapeno peppers - chopped with seeds
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. of minced garlic
• 1 (28oz) can petite diced tomatoes - drained
• 1 regular size can of black eyed peas - drained
• 1 regular size can of shoepeg corn - drained
• 1 regular size can of whole kernel corn - drained
• 1 regular size can of black beans - drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup lime juice
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. chili powder
• 3 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. black pepper
• Garlic salt to taste

Blend cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and spices together in a food processor; the pour over chopped ingredients. Store in refrigerator and salsa will keep for at least 3 weeks.

**I tend to pick around onions and peppers and usually end up with a bowl full of them towards the end. To remedy the situation, I use the chop feature on my food processor to chop the onions, peppers, and tomatillos finer than normal. I also double the beans and corn and throw in a Serrano (or two) for a little extra kick.