Party-Sense

As temperatures rise during the summer it’s always nice to take your gathering outside. However, Potato salad, pasta salad, Cole slaw, and other side dishes are often dairy based and spoil quickly when left out in warm weather. For this reason I tend to avoid using dairy products when hosting a gathering. Vinegar based salads, fresh fruit kabobs; hummus and pita chips frequently top my list of “safe” summer sides.


Other food safety tips to remember in the summer are to plan for no leftovers, eat food within two hours (one hour for dairy based foods), keep all food refrigerated or in a cooler until ready to eat, and when in doubt – toss it out!

Mexican Bean Salad is one of my favorite warm weather accompaniments to serve. It can be set out on an appetizer spread along with tortilla chips, or served alongside the main course as a salad. Its bright colors always make for a spectacular presentation, and combination of flavors will have your guests asking for the recipe. Adjust the spice level to your liking by increasing or decreasing the amount of jalapeños in the recipe.



Mexican Bean Salad

4 tablespoons cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped jicama
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cumin, coriander and salt in small mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.

Combine the beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, jicama, green onions, and cilantro in large mixing bowl and mix well. Pour the reserved mixture over and toss to coat. Chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serves 16

Visit the recipes tab to download a printable version of this recipe. I hope you enjoy it. Please send me some of your favorite sides you serve at summer gatherings!


Mexican Bean Salad