Tuesday's Tastings, Part Tres

Dear Winter,

Um, excuse me. What in the world are you still doing here? It's March, for crying out loud. And you should be ushering yourself out the back door. Besides, I thought I told you to GO AWAY. Did I stutter? Did I not speak loudly enough? Could you not understand because of my thick southern accent? Well let me be good and clear - I might just go crazy if you stick around much longer. So the time has come for you to shimmy on back to Alaska where you belong. No more snow. Yes it's pretty but now it only ellicits a yawn out of the girl who was once so giddy to make a snowman in the front yard. No more dipping under 40 degrees, please. I'm tired of shaving only to have my chillbump-covered legs immediately back to their original state once I step outside. No, this gal is dreaming of days filled with the following:

Ice-cold lemonade in hand - check.

Kabobs on the grill - check. (Which means Mr. T in charge of dinner - double check).

A big heaping cone of gelato for dessert - Triple Check. (Or my personal favorite pit-stop, Tasti Delight, for you lucky local ladies).

So in the spirit of summer, this edition of Tuesday's Tastings will be dedicated to one of my favorite warm-weather foods, the amazing avocado.

I could truly eat an avocado every day - sprinkle it with a little sea salt and lime juice and you've got one delicious little snack that you feel only semi-guilty for. I mean, it's a veggie, right?

Now of course I could share my favorite guacamole recipe, or perhaps a yummy salad, but I've decided to feature a little number that's packed with healthy ingredients, and is perfect for bringing to an outdoor picnic once the weather cooperates. We can dream, right?

Black Bean and Corn Salad
submitted by The Sisters Cafe

2-3 cups black beans OR 2 (15 oz) cans black beans rinsed and drained
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 avocado, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
6 green onions (tops and all) finely chopped
1 jalopeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Put the lime juice, oil, garlic, salt and cayenne in a small jar. Cover with lid an shake until well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the beans, corn, avacado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, hot pepper and cilantro. Pour the lime dressing over the salad. Stir well to coat.
Makes 4-5 main course servings or 8-10 side-dish servings.

The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead, but don't add the avocado until serving time. Refrigerate, and adjust the seasonings before serving.