Texas Caviar

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Texas Caviar

Texas Caviar

This one goes hand-in-hand with my Not Your Fergie’s Black Eyed Peas recipe. If you’re like me, I like to make my black eyed as a side-dish for a country meal (perhaps some savory pork chops or fried chicken) but then I have half a pot of beans left over! This is a great way to revamp those peas. I last served this cold as a side salad, but I’ve also served as a dip with a side of tortilla chips. Preppin’ 4 cups (about 650 grams) cooked black eyed peas (if you’re pressed for time, a couple cans of

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

The majority of the members of my bookclub in Leiden were vegetarians and I brought this dish to one of our first meetings. The girls were so impressed. “Oh my, did you boil the artichokes yourself and use fresh spinach?” the hostess asked. I laughed, flattered that she thought I’d go to so much effort, and I had to admit – “Uh, no. . . I used frozen spinach and canned artichokes,” and in between mouthfuls she nodded. “Well, it tastes fantastic,” and we agreed. This recipe is so easy, but tastes like a million bucks. Preppin’ 1 package (8

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Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Shannon is an old friend from college who’s lived in the U.K. for what seems like forever. She visits Texas often and last summer I hosted her and a two of our close college girlfriends for dinner. After popping champagne to celebrate the momentous occasion of the four of us actually being in the same country at the same time, the conversation turned to her ‘must dos’ in Texas. “Oh, I have to go to Chuy’s,” she exclaimed. I cocked my head. “Really? Chuy’s is your Tex-Mex of choice? I’m more of a fan of Pappasito’s, Mi Cocina, or rather

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Tex-Mex Layered Dip

Tex-Mex Layered Dip

I recently made this dip for my daughter’s birthday party during our visit back to Texas. As always, it was devoured and my Canadian friend requested the recipe. As I typed it, I was having trouble converting everything to European ingredients. . . I knew I’d made it in the Netherlands. . . but where are refried beans in Belgium?! I first tried making my own refried beans (fail!). So I was just scratching my head. . . until last week. I noticed the Albert Heijn Mexican brand now has refried beans stocked. Game changer!! I bought a can and

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Benchwarmer Beer Dip

Benchwarmer Beer Dip

My good friend, Tess is originally from Minnesota and she gave me this recipe years ago when I got married. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it – but Texans, Dutch, Cajuns, Belgians, Estonians, Chicagoans, Romanians, and Italians have munched on this cheezy goodness with pleasure. Of course, it took me a while to figure out a substitute for Velveeta in the Netherlands – “What IS a substitute for Velveeta?!” Tess gasped when I told her my dilemma – but once I did, I’d stock up when I found it. Preppin’ 8 oz. (180 gram) cream cheese,

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