ZESTY BLACK BEAN SALSA

My third and last hosting event in less than two weeks was the Friends' Couples' Bridge group. We have not attended any of the gatherings this year due to other commitments, but I signed up for us to host back earlier this year for August so we didn't have any other plans this month. It was good to see everyone since I had not seen most of them this year. I wasn't sure I would remember how to play. As it turned out, I was the big winner ($6) with the highest score and my husband got his dollar back with the lowest score.

Since we hadn't been this whole year, I wasn't sure what the hosts served. We used to do dinner, but stopped that several years ago. I asked Friend Linda and she told me what they had last month...appetizers, cupcakes for dessert, and table snacks. I don't do appetizers well mainly because I don't usually eat them. They usually have onions or peppers or hot spicy stuff I don't eat. 

I found a recipe in Gooseberry Patch Made from Scratch cookbook for this Zesty Black Bean Salsa. Lynn Simone's (from Smithfield, Va) recipe sounded like something everyone would like (but me, of course, but that's ok). I have to share a "text" conversation I had with Linda. I didn't want to have a lot to be making just before everyone showed up but the recipe didn't indicate making it ahead of time and putting it in the refrigerator so I didn't know. I decided to ask Linda. This is how our "conversation" went:

ME: Can you make a bean and corn salsa ahead of time and put it in the frig

Linda: Are u asking Linda?

ME: Yes

Linda: I don't have that recipe but I can make regular salsa

ME: (I realized that she had misunderstood what I was asking her and thought I was asking her to bring a salsa when they came.) I'm sorry. Guess that didn't come out quite right. I am making a bean and corn salsa and I was wondering since I've never made it before can you make it ahead of time and then just put it in the refrigerator so that I don't have to be making it at the last minute.

Linda: I would think so

ME: Ok. Thanks. I thought you would know

Linda: I would do that if it were my recipe.

ME: Didn't mean to scare you

Linda: Lol

When they arrived at our house, I asked her if she had brought the bean and corn salsa. She just laughed.

I did make it about an hour or two before everyone arrived and stored it in the refrigerator. Everyone really enjoyed it. My husband likes it so much that he made it again and he eats it as a side with his dinner.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

ZESTY BLACK BEAN SALSA

1      15-1/2 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1      15-1/4 oz can corn, drained
3/4   cup red pepper, diced (I used several red and orange peppers)
1/2   cup green onion, sliced
1/3   cup cilantro, chopped
1/4   cup lime juice
2      teaspoons cumin
1/4   teaspoon garlic salt

Combine beans, corn, red pepper, onion, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl; 

mix well. 

Whisk together lime juice, cumin, and garlic salt together in a separate bowl;

pour over bean mixture and toss gently. 

I divided it between two serving bowls, covered with lids and stored them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then I stirred the mixture to redistribute the lime juice mixture. 

Serve with tortilla chips. I had blue corn chips and regular tortilla chips. Makes 4 cups.