Cowboy Caviar

I went on my first camping trip of the season last weekend. Have I mentioned how much I love camping? Because I do.Two days later and my hair still smells like campfire - and I love it! I love campfires and the woods and dirt and just everything about it. Anyway, I'm rambling.

Cowboy caviar is my go-to camping snack. You can prepare a giant bowl of it in advance and it will last the whole weekend... kind of. I mean it COULD last the whole weekend and not spoil, but people will usually eat it before the end of the the trip - like they will eat it the first night. It's just magical. It's fresh and healthy and filling and just all around fantastic. I can't say enough about it.

If you look on Pinterest there are literally TONS of recipes for cowboy caviar. I've messed with several of them and Frankenstein-ed a few of them together and this is my favorite combination.

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz. can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 12 oz. bag frozen corn, drained and rinsed
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 3/4 c. zesty Italian dressing
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• salt to taste

Poor puppy, I think taking pictures was tormenting my helper. Like I said, everybody loves cowboy caviar! 

How To Make It:

• combine all ingredients in a large bowl 
• make sure Italian dressing and lime juice have completely covered all ingredients, add more of each if desired
• salt to taste
• serve with tortilla chips

Carne Asada Tacos

I'm not usually a home made taco person, ground beef covered in taco seasoning and crunchy shell tacos are just not my thing. I prefer my tacos to be more authentic and that usually means they are sold out of the back of a truck and that is a-ok with me.

I went on a cruise over spring break for my best friend's 30th birthday. While in Mexico, we stopped at a tent where the nicest man made us some of the most amazing tacos I have ever stuffed in my face. I'm tempted to book another cruise JUST so I can go back to that very same tent and park myself there and never leave.

Since then I have tried (and failed) to recreate those amazeballs tacos. I'm still not even close but this recipe has been tiding me over until I can get myself back to Mexico.

Ingredients

For the tacos

• 2 lbs. flank steak
• 1/3 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 limes
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. paprika
• flour or corn tortillas, 8 inch
• white onion, for garnish
• cilantro, for garnish

For the salsa

• 1 avocado
• 3 tomatillos
• 1 c. cilantro
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, cut in half, seeded
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

How To Make It

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

• combine white vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt, black and white peppers, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano and paprika in a large bowl
• slice the raw flank steak and place the meat in the marinade
• cover and keep in fridge over night

Salsa

• preheat oven to 450 degrees
• place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, and garlic on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 20 minutes, they should blister but not burn
• place in blender or food processor with avocado, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper 
• puree until smooth

 Tacos

• heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat
• cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips
• cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated
• warm the tortillas in a skillet for about a minute on each side to make them pliable
• arrange two or three tortillas on a plate, and lay a generous amount of beef over them
• top with a large spoonful of the pureed salsa
• garnish with onion, cilantro, lime juice