Cowboy Caviar

This is Tami's recipe. Any other veggies (olives, celery, etc.) that your family might like can be added.

1 cup whole corn, drained - frozen or canned
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 2 green onions, chopped
bell pepper, chopped
red onion, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
garlic
cumin
pepper
cilantro, chopped (optional)
Kraft Zesty Italian salad dressing
fresh lime

Combine all ingredients, adding according to your family's taste, except the dressing. Add juice of lime and dressing to taste. Best served after ingredients have mingled for a couple hours. Serve cold with chips.

Mixed Berry Empanadas

This was an experiment and I thought it worked quite nicely. Quick and easy and you could use any flavor canned pie filling your family likes. They taste great the next day as well.

16 oz. mixed berries - mine were frozen
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
8 - 10 flour tortillas
butter

Place berries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. While berries are thawing, mix cornstarch into the cold water. After cornstarch is dissolved add to berries and cook until berry mixture has thickened. Remove from heat.

Butter the top of each tortilla, stacking them and placing them between two damp paper towels. Heat in the microwave until softened.

Scoop 1/4 cup berry mixture into the middle of a tortilla and fold like a burrito and place on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet with the seams down. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream.

Water Punch

This is the punch that we served at Jamie and Beau's wedding reception.

5 quarts water
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon citric acid
1 tablespoon lemon extract

Stir.  Add sliced oranges, lemons, limes or any other citric fruit.