SUMMERTIME REFRESHING BEAN SALAD

OK, the heat has hit hard in NC this week and it is only Tuesday!!  Last night I took Charley out to potty before bedtime, which was at 10:32 and it was still over 80 and the humidity was just horrible.  Needless to say, it is supposed to be miserable all week.  It is 82 right now but feels more like 90.  It is only June!!  What the heck.

With it being so miserably hot outside I have to be very diligent with all the rabbits and quail.  You would not believe all the work they are because the heat will kill em' in a heartbeat.  Matter of a fact we lost 2 quail Sunday night.  I try to get out no later than 6:30 am to feed and water the animals.  I also have to water the garden and other plants.  I go out a few hours later and put frozen water bottles out for them and also replenish their water.  This goes on every couple of hours with ice, new water, cold veggies and then again before dark to take up the water bottles and fill their water bowls up one more time.  

Well, they are not the only ones who do not want something too hot to eat during the day.  I too want something cool and refreshing to revive my spirit.  That is why when my friend Tammy told me about this bean salad I was all over it.  I need something cool with protein to eat.  She told me the beans she used and the ingredients to make a dressing but she also said Kim, her husband, just used Italian dressing.  Since I did not have the measurements for the ingredients to make the dressing I opted for the salad dressing as well.

I started by gathering my ingredients, or what I thought would be my ingredients.  Keep reading you will see I added more stuff to spice it up.

Pay attention to the beans I chose to use.  Please remember you can pretty much use any type beans you wish to or care to.  I chose to use stuff I have canned.  I drained the Cuban Black Beans, Kidney beans, and Taco Chickpeas.  I left the onions and peppers that are in the Cuban Black beans in the mix.  I decided to use dilly beans, which are pickled green beans so I would have a pickled flavor.  

Once I threw everything in my bowl I decided to add purple onion. I love purple onion in summertime salads.  I like the bit of bite it add to the flavor.

I put everything in a bowl.

Then added the garlic powder but I changed it for garlic salt.  I wanted a bit of salt but also garlic so I used it.  Look to see the spices in the picture below.

Once I started mixing this up I decided it needed some heat.  If you know me I like my food a bit spicy.  Nothing like Scott likes his food.  I have to remind him to please not alter what I make for his taste because I can not eat it that hot.  

I decided to add some Texas Pete Hot Sauce.  This is a great hot sauce straight out of Winston Salem, NC. I grew up on this sauce.  Good good stuff.  Sure hate they stopped making their chili.  

Once I combined the hot sauce with the bean salad and tasted it, I decided to add more one ingredient.  Jalapenos!!  I figured just a few chopped up would give it a bit of heat but not overpower the idea of this salad.

Mix that all together and yum. It is good now but I can not wait for dinner because it is really gonna be great then.  

I am still considering adding some tomatoes but not sure if I will.  

SUMMERTIME BEAN SALAD

Ingredients

• One can of each, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans and pickled green beans - rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup of Italian dressing
• 1 ear of fresh corn-kernels cut off the cob
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
• 1/2 chopped purple onion
• 1/2 chopped jalapeno
• 1/2 cup juice from the pickled green beans
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce 

Directions

• Rinsed and drain the beans
• Add all other ingredients and combine well
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours

Again you pretty much can use any type bean you wish to use.  I purposely chose to use the pickled beans for the flavor.  If you wish not to have the pickled flavor you can use normal green beans.  You could also add pinto beans.  This pretty much is a dump recipe where you just dump stuff in per your taste.

When it is hot and humidy I really need stuff that will cool me off quick.  I also keep fruit cut up in the fridge.  

Stay cool and ENJOY!!