Corn and Black Bean Dip

If you only knew what we do on the 4th of July. It could get really ugly if we were all honest with each other, yet the word goes unspoken. Seriously... it does. I live in a very kind and sweet neighborhood. We have wonderful neighbors. They are caring for each other and we look out for each other. We watch each others homes when the other is away. We watch each others children to make sure they are safe when they are out and about on the street. Until a couple of months ago, our daughter was the youngest on the block, yet now there is a family across the street renting a home there, and their son is the same age, and a child even younger. However, we still make sure the teens are being safe. We are the neighborhood that bakes for each other during the holidays... and we gather several times a year to enjoy each others companies. HOWEVER, the 4th of July is all about... OUT COOKING OURSELVES from what we brought the year before. That is what I tell myself... as I am not the one that has to be reminded of what I brought the year before. My mind is a volt when it comes to food. SMILE! BUT... ME BEING THE HONEST ONE AROUND HERE, I must tell you that I am also the one that has to tell you a secret.... we are all really trying to out cook each other as well. Again, it is unspoken. When you put your dish on the table to share... it shows... it totally shows. We eye each others dish, like it is the shoot out at sunset from Gun Smoke!

This year, I think that the block party was bigger than any of the past. Each family welcomes other family and friends from all over the place to join in on the festivities as long as they... BRING FOOD!!!! I love seeing when people are carrying over a sliced watermelon... it should disqualify them of the secret contest that is going on.... and people that bring the same dish each year, no competition.... I.... uhm... I mean WE... have found something bigger and better from the year before. We wear that invisible crown, letting the world that we are warriors of the kitchen... but we do it with a little smile or grin and say we will get the recipe to share right away. They obviously don't know... I have a food blog... and that may or may not be kept a secret. I mean... I would hate someone else to win with MY RECIPE... right?

Seriously though, we are very blessed to live in a neighborhood where we can join together and love each other and share our food. We are blessed to live in America. We are blessed to have each other and call each other friends... and we are blessed to be FREE, thanks to the men and women that keep our country safe. Yes that refers to soldiers... and their families, as that is obvious to me. However, we need to also think outside the box, as to the police, ambulance and fire in the area. We need to think of the neighbors that look out for each others home and belongings... to the teachers that go above and beyond for our kids... the daycare and pre school teachers that watch our children and keep them safe as we work. There are smaller scales her too that go without notice... but... AGAIN... on a big scale... people serving in our Armed Forces... I appreciate you.

For the recipe. I found it at this site and I adapted it to our needs. The name is Some Kind of Delicious. She has some great recipes that I saw over there... that I will be trying again very soon. It was the first time I had been to the site, yet I knew I had to try this. And that I did.

Corn and Black Bean Dip

2/3 c. sour cream
½ c. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (15-oz.) can corn, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice & zest of 1 lime
Salt & pepper to taste
Tortilla chips

In a bowl combine the sour cream, cilantro, cumin, cayenne pepper, and lime. Stir in corn & black beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

I increased the sour cream to 1 1/3 cups. I added some tapitio to add some zip, and some carne asada seasoning to it. I also added an extra can of corn and a small onion. Her way was divine, yet, I like a lot of extra spice to my food most often. I also increased the the cumin to 2 tsp. and added some green chilis that were diced in a can. I think next time I will add an extra can of black beans and a can of cheddar cheese soup or shredded cheddar cheese. We shall see what wild hair I get that day. All in all her recipe was fantastic... I always tweek... the way I am made.

I hope you try this... it is super easy. Ooooooohhhh... as I am sitting here and my mind wanders yet again, I am thinking it would be fantastic with Mexican sour cream as well. It is so very yummy.... hmmmmmm..... thinking, thinking, thinking.

I also hope you go over and visit her site. It is a keeper for sure.

Homemade Guacamole... YUM!!!

2 ripe avacados (not too ripe, you don't want them mushy)
1 roma tomato diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 small onion diced
splash lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
three shakes of tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup of sour cream



I smash my avocado with an old pastry blender. I want chunks left in my guacamole, but some do not. I then add all ingredients except for the sour cream and lemon juice. Mix well.

At this point stir in your lemon juice to keep it from turning brown.

Add in your sour cream... you will not taste the sour cream flavor, but it will help give you more guacamole and not be so expensive. It makes it creamier as well and more appealing to the eye. I also learned a trick from my sister. Store the pits from the avocado in the guacamole and it will keep it green longer.

Enjoy. Disclaimer... I was making up measurements. Play around with this... this is a basic recipe but I don't do measurements well... ha.... just keep playing with it to tweek it to your liking.

Potato Fingers

My grandpa tried to convince us when we were little that potatoes were the most universal food and could be prepared so many ways. Maybe this is where the carb obsession grew for me. I to this day find comfort in mashed potatoes... mmmmmmmm.... and loaded baked potatoes might be considered a best friend if I really wanted to go there... So today I ran into a recipe at a website and had to try it. It was a tad different than a recipe I already had for these, but I like variety... so I gave it a try.

Her blog is here and you must check it out It is called See Jane in the kitchen

The recipe is called potato skins

Enjoy... so very good. She has another recipe that I tried out that is similar to a southern gooey butter cake. You will love it... I will be visiting her often.

Potato fingers


8- 10 small baking potatoes, baked
3 TBS. oil
2 TBS. fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I added this... not in original recipe) always a need for bad breath
1/4 tsp black pepper
grated cheese
sliced green onions
bacon
sour cream


Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out the middle then cut them in half again so each potato will make four skins. In a bow, mix oil, cheese and seasonings. Brush the skins with the oil mixture on both sides. Bake in a 475 degree oven for 7 minutes, remove from oven, turn over the potatoes and bake for 7 more minutes. Take out of oven and top with cheese and bacon, bake for another minute or two. Remove from oven and top with onions and sour cream.

The best shimp dip...

One of the greatest inventions by man is......... CREAM CHEESE! I can't get enough of the stuff... and you will see it in my home at ALL times. All of my family (with the exception of Amanda, and she is picky about sooooo many foods...) loves seafood as well. So this is one of our favorites. I first had this in the eighth grade when my Aunt Linda took it to the Lilac Parade on an outing with my folks... NO KIDS allowed... yet, she sent the left overs home with my mom. I think it is best served with wheat thins, yet, I think wheat thins are the second greatest invention by man... maybe.

Enjoy this recipe.

Easiest and best shrimp dip.

2 80z pkg cream cheese
1 can of olives drained and chopped
1 can of tiny shrimp drained
3 green onions or scallions chopped, greens only

Mix all ingredients and serve with assorted crackers... OR... WHEAT THINS... pure heaven. If you want to be lazy and have a kitchen aid mixer, I don't even chop the olives. I just put them in and turn it on high with the whisk and it chops them while it mixes the dip for you. From time to time I put a dash or two of pepper sauce in it... just to get people dancing!