Put this in your mouth.

When I get together with the people I love the most, we chop. It's just what we do.

We end up perched in front of a cutting board with a knife in hand and an island full of vegetables, and we chop our way through conversation after conversation. If we were in the Amazon, we'd be doing the same thing, but we'd be topless and have kids hanging in sacks dangling from our necks. This is how we are women; it's in our DNA to use cooking as a reason to get together and talk.

On my last trip home, we assumed the position and set out to make some of the tastiest things I've ever put in my mouth. In honor of summer, of cookouts, of pot lucks and of women, here are some suggestions for you to make with and share with the people you love.

TEXAS CAVIAR

(this one is fun to wing it... add or subtract whatever you want and it'll win friends)

2 16oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 16oz. can white hominy (my mom leaves this out)
1 small jar chopped pimentos, juice included
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, green part only
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
1 tbsp. tabasco sauce
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
3 canned or fresh jalapeno chiles, chopped (wear gloves or something when you chop these, and DO NOT rub your eye while you're chopping)
1 tomato
2 c. Italian dressing
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Put it all in a bowl and stir it up. Serve it with tortilla chips or as a yummy salad.

GUACOMOLE

(because spelling errors on recipe cards automatically mean they're good and because guacamole is so good everyone deserves the secret on how to make it)

2 jalapenos or 2 tbsp. canned, chopped green chiles
2 large ripe avocados, mashed
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. lime or lemon juice (if you microwave them for 30 seconds you get a lot more juice out of them)
1/2 tbsp. salt
dash of pepper

Put it all in a bowl and stir it up. Serve it with tortilla chips or on turkey sandwiches or as part of a tomato sandwich or anywhere you can find to put it.

HILL COUNTRY SALSA

(this one is so good I recommend making it a fixture in your refrigerator)

1 15oz. can of black beans
1 11oz. can of corn
4 large tomatoes, chopped (my mom uses cherry tomatoes)
1 large avocado, peeled and chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (use the microwave trick)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large jalapeno, chopped
1/3 c. chopped cilantro
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil

Put it all in a bowl and stir it up. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side on taco night.