Foodie Fridays - Black-eyed Pea Dip aka Southern Caviar

I'm back!  Did you miss me?  Awe you did!  I missed you too.

All that mushy stuff out of the way let's get to the recipe.

We're in the tail end of summer and you know what?  I still don't want to cook.  I don't want to turn my oven on for much and I'd just as soon have a BLT for supper most nights.  My tomatoes are finally coming in and that's all I really care about right now.  But you do need a side from time to time and here's another great way to use up some of those extra tomatoes you may have lying around.  I love to make this with grape tomatoes as I have those coming out of my ears!  This is a recipe adapted from Paula Deen's cookbook Paula Deen Celebrates!  I've had it several years and it has many recipes that are sooo good but this is one I turn to time and again in the summer when I get asked to bring a dish or an appetizer to an event.  It makes a _TON_ so you might want to cut the recipe in half, but it will keep for several days in the fridge.  Serve it with tortilla chips as an appetizer or as a side.  It works great either way.  It's definitely a recipe I get asked for again and again.  Hope you enjoy!

Black-eyed Pea Dip aka Southern Caviar 

Ingredients:  
2 fifteen ounce cans black-eyed peas - drained
1 fifteen ounce can whole kernel corn - drained (I prefer shoe-peg corn)
1 can Rotel tomatoes drained or 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
1 four ounce jar chopped pimentos drained

Dressing: 
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup olive oil

Combine all your ingredients in a large bowl, whisk together your dressing ingredients, pour over your black-eyed pea mixture, and refrigerate until ready to use.  I usually make this the night before serving to give all the ingredients and flavors time to meld and get super yummy.  

Serve with tortilla chips, I like scoops, or as a side for anything from sandwiches to chicken.  

Hope you enjoy!