black bean & corn pico de gallo

I make this every single summer. Sometimes multiple times. It is such a fresh, summery favorite and a perfect snack to have ready when a friend stops by for a visit! I serve it with tortilla chips usually, but this time I served it with romaine "chips" for a healthier alternative. You can add a little sour cream as a topper or feta cheese is so yummy on this as well. I try to use homegrown cherry tomatoes, but any good homegrown tomatoes will do.

Start with one can of black beans, drained and rinsed well.

Add a couple of handfuls of fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels.

Remove the seeds and stems from a large jalapeño. If you like it super hot, leave them in, but be forwarned.

Slice the pepper into long slices then bunch them together and dice them as small as you can get them.

Toss the jalapeño peppers into your bowl.

Add the zest of one fragrant lime.

Add as much of the zest as you can get from the lime. It adds so much flavor and aroma. It's really an important step.

And of course, you must use all of that yummy juice as well. Squeeze all of it into your bowl.

Next, dice up a good handful of fresh cilantro and toss it in as well.

Garlic. mmmm. I like to add 3 cloves. You might like less. I love garlic.

Smash them with the side of the knife and dice them up really small.

Toss them into the pool.

Then add your diced cherry tomatoes. Good tomatoes are the key to this dish. Whatever type you use, make sure they are red and juicy!

Next add about a 1/4 of a large red onion. Diced up small.

Add that to the bowl.

Stir all these ingredients together and taste. I added a little salt since I was serving mine with romaine "chips." If you are serving it with tortilla chips, you might not want to add salt.

Ta dah! Fresh and yummy feast!

Fix a good bite and enjoy!

worldly ingredients, right down the road

My mother has been telling me for a while now to visit K & S World Market on Charlotte Avenue here in Nashville. I finally went the other day and was so pleasantly surprised at what I found. That place is really cool! Not only can you see things that you've never seen before, but they have great fresh produce, and very affordable. It is a bit disheartening at first, due to the immediate burst of overwhelming fish aroma as soon as you walk through the door. But there is a good reason for that... they carry a lot of fresh fish. Any by a lot I mean the entire back wall of the place is loaded with seafood varieties, some even swimming in tanks. How fresh is that?! I was able to get avocados for $1.29, where they are $2.25 most everywhere else. Now, some of you may not have time to run all over town just to save a buck. I say go for the adventure of it. I just got produce this time, but next time... I'm trying one of the fish! I just have to check with Julia and see which one she recommends I try first.

Southern Summer Staples

Tomatoes, corn, squash, okra, green beans... ahhhh. This time of year in the South, there is just nothing better than homegrown veggies. And most of us who do not have a garden of our own, have someone, somewhere with more than enough that is willing to share. If not, then these succulent summer veggies are widely available at roadside stands all over the place.

I made a couple of my favorites a few nights ago. Squash and zucchini sauteed with a little purple onion, salt, pepper, and olive oil. And fresh cabbage sauteed as opposed to boiled. I char the edges and then top it with my favorite vinaigrette dressing. Serve with a few homegrown sliced tomatoes and you have a perfect little vegetarian meal.

my vinaigrette recipe:

tbsp soy sauce
tbsp red wine vinegar
tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Add chopped fresh herbs for a little added color. Or substitute lemon juice instead of the soy sauce for something a little different.

I LOVE Julia!

Last night the women of my family went to see the new movie Julie & Julia. I absolutely loved it! The inspirational tale of 2 women trying to make something happen in their lives through food and cooking. It was right up my alley. I couldn't wait to get home and start thinking of my ideas. How can I improve what I'm doing here? I love my blog and I think I had a pretty good idea at first, but I can only show you what I eat for so long before it gets boring. I think I'm going to try some new directions.

One idea, in similar form to my new friend Julie, would be to try out new recipes from my existing cobweb coated collection at home. When my maternal grandmother passed away 8 years ago, I wanted to keep every single thing that belonged to her. I have boxes of old costume jewelry, hats, scarves, and many other things. But one of my most treasured things is my collection of her cookbooks. They all still have multi-colored post-it notes throughout them so she could remember which recipes she enjoyed or had made, or wanted to make again. I open them to these pages often and think about her and why she picked that particular recipe. Why did she want to make a French Cassoulet? Was she having a dinner party? I've looked at these books time and time again, but I have never actually worked through any of the recipes. In fact, I abhor following recipes. I always tell myself that I am a way better cook than anyone else and using a recipe would be ridiculous and unnecessary. After seeing this movie, I am starting to think that maybe I don't have the patience necessary to follow a recipe. I think I might give it a try.

So, with my sweet grandmother's collection in hand, I might try and work my way through some of the recipes that she's marked. And of course, I'll keep you posted along the way.

Oh, and by the way, if you have a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but haven't ever really looked through it... open it up. Read the forward. I could practically hear Julia's voice reading it to me. And I am officially inspired!