Aggie Muster and Tex Mex

Today is the day that our local chapter of A&M alumni get together for Muster, and honor the memory of "fallen Aggies" or people who passed away that year. It is a really touching ceremony, and it's great to get together with people who also went to school at A&M and reminisce about College Station and food and how Michigan just ISN'T THE SAME. They also do a Tex-Mex pot-luck dinner, and I usually take this opportunity to make the only two dips I would ever choose over queso. If I had to, anyway. I usually have both though, if I'm being honest.

I just finished making both of the dips, and I thought I'd share them with anyone looking for new, yummy, mostly-good-for-you recipes. If not, there's a new photo of Elliott at the bottom so that you didn't waste the trip to my blog.

The first one I stumbled across at a website called Homesicktexan.blogspot.com- I found it right after we moved up here when I was feeling a little homesick myself. The recipe makes a ton, so cut it in half (at least) if it is just for a few people, because it doesn't stay fresh very long. This was my gateway drug to liking avocados and guacamole, and it is served at several Mexican food places in Texas. Namely, Ninfa's!

Ninfa’s Green Sauce
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped (you can substitute yellow if you can’t find green ones, but never use red)
4 tomatillos, cleaned and chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
3 small garlic cloves
3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
4 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. of salt
1 1/2 cups of sour cream

Method:
Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil (tomatoes provide the liquid), reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Place tomato mixture with the avocados, cilantro and salt in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into a bowl and stir in sour cream.

The other recipe is one I discovered while visiting my friend, Lizzy (HI LIZZY!) and her family in Austin. Her dad loves to cook out and her mom threw together lots of fruits and veggies and this amazing Salsa. I think that there was queso along with everything else, and surprisingly I didn't touch it. I got the recipe from her mom and then moved and moved and moved again and have no idea where it is now, but I've managed to get a close enough replica that it will satisfy my cravings. Unlike the Ninfa's sauce, this is actually better after it has been in the fridge for a day, and stays good for a while. I've had it on chips, in tacos, with tortillas, and on top of grilled chicken and it is super tasty. Ready?

Nicki's version of Black Bean Salsa:

1 15 oz can of Black beans, rinsed and drained
1 10 oz can of Rotel or grocery store tomatoes and green chilies
1 15 oz can of yellow and white whole kernel corn
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup (or more) of finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp lime juice or red wine vinegar, whichever you have laying around
1 jalapeno, stemmed (and seeded if you don't want too much spice) and minced
2 green onions, sliced thinly (optional)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp ground cumin, or more to taste
dash cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a large bowl and adjust seasonings and ingredients to your tastes. Refrigerate (they say at least half an hour, but I don't usually wait that long...) to let the flavors blend, and serve however you want.

I hope that if you try out these recipes you will like them! Anyway, for those that are just here to see the cute little one, Here you go!