Black Bean & Corn Salsa

The other night we went to one of my Hubsie's co-worker's house for a cook-out. They had made this great black bean corn salsa and it was delicious. My eldest brother was coming in town with my sis-in-law and nephew and I thought I would make a nice fresh salsa for an app. since they were coming for dinner.

I had a recipe years ago for a similar salsa but I can't find it anywhere and my mom doesn't have it either, so I had to search for a new one. I found this really easy and delicious recipe from One Sweet Life's blog. I altered mine slightly with what I had on hand.


Black Bean & Corn Salsa
(for original recipe click here.)

1/2 vidalia sweet onion, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped small
3 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped, with seed centers removed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 can whole black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice from 1/2 lime, or whole depending on your taste
Salt, to taste
Tortilla chips for serving

The makings of a delicious salsa.
How could any of this be bad?!

Empty can of corn into a large bowl. Finely chop the onion and chop tomatoes into small pieces. Chop jalepenos, removing ribs and seeds. Drain and rinse black beans and finely mince up 2 T to a 1/4 cup of cilantro, depending on how much you enjoy the cilantro flavor. Place all ingredients into the bowl with the corn. Squeeze juice from 1/2 a lime over the mixture. Mix well until blended and taste for seasoning. Add salt if you feel it necessary and more lime juice if you like. Refrigerate a few hours before serving or overnight to allow flavors to mingle.

I served mine with some natural multigrain tortilla chips. They were great cause they seemed extra crunchy and the right amount of salt. I do also enjoy the blue corn chips, but you can get what you like. I think I would have enjoyed more tomatoes or something, I felt something missing...maybe if it were juicier. I don't know. But it was still great and kinda refreshing!

Delicious Black Bean and Corn Salsa...mmmmm:)

Cautionary Tale:

Be very careful when cutting and working with hot peppers!! Even wear gloves. If you suspect you may have an unpleasant experience with handling hot peppers, than take those precautions and wear gloves while working with them.

After I had made this salsa I must have touched my forehead cause all of a sudden my head started burning in one spot and it was red. And in between my fingers on my right hand were burning. I kinda started freaking out. I tried googling things I could do to stop the burning. I called my mom and she told me to try milk, while she was laughing at me on the phone...thanks Ma. So I dabbed milk on my forehead with a cotton ball and it helped, but not on my fingers. It was just in between my ring and middle finger and then it spread and it was excruciating after a while.

I honestly called my Hubs at work and started crying cause I was freaking myself out....*sigh* I know...sad. Anyway, so he came home and by that time I had tried soaking my hand in milk, running cold water, pouring alcohol to remove the oils, baking soda paste...nothing was helping. Finally soaking my hands in ice water was helping, unless I took my hands out.

So then my Hubsie remembered we had ice packs in the freezer so I held onto an ice pack for hours and it really helped, then I put some chilled aloe gel on and then it finally went away. But it was horrible...next time I will definitely wear gloves...it was ridiculous.

BE CAREFUL WHEN HANDLING HOT PEPPERS!!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!!...and wear gloves when handling hot peppers!

-BellaRosa