Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This is one of the non-dog themed items I made for Henry's party. It's the third or fourth time I've made it, and it's a hit every single time. My Mom already requested that I make it again for our family reunion in July! I got the recipe from my friend and former boss, Chef Greg. ;o) Ok, so he's not *really* a chef, but he has played one on tv! Seriously - he and a friend had a cooking show on a local tv station back when I started working for him in April 1999. It was called "Taste Buds"... get it? LOL. It still cracks me up today!

Ok, enough about him! Here's the recipe:

3/4 c. Picante Sauce
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Lemon Juice
1 t Ground Cumin
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
1 (11 oz) can of whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 c. sliced green onions with tops
3/4 c. thinly sliced celery
1 small sweet red pepper, diced

Mix the picante sauce, oil, juice, cumin and garlic together (I mix it in my large Pampered Chef Batter Bowl - it's the perfect size once everything else is added and it has a lid of its own too - very handy!). Set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Stir sauce mixture into beans, cheese, and vegetables. Cover and chill several hours or overnight (I vote for overnight).

It is sooooo good! It's kind of a chunky salsa, so I'd recommend getting the Tostito's Scoops to serve with it.

Enjoy!