Texas Caviar and Chicken Kabobs

With the gorgeous weather we had this afternoon, I wanted something summery and light for supper this evening. Usually, coordinating dinner in time for when the husband gets home can be a daunting task, and tonight was no different.

Both boys took short naps this afternoon, which I was partially thankful for, as we had a major grocery shopping trip to do.

What is a major grocery shopping trip? I made it exactly to my shopping budget this week (which includes everything the boys and I might need or do for the week. Including all meals, events out, dinner for Pete, ect.) What day is it? Oh yeah, Monday. Wah-wah.

However, even though we are maxed out, I have meals for everyday of the week! There is nothing that feels more accomplishing in the house than not having to worry about dinner.

Anyway, when we got home from the store, James was ready to eat, David was thirsty and wanted to play outside, the house was a mess. I also had 10 bags of groceries to put away and as I set aside my Texas Caviar ingredients to be prepared immediately following, I had a huge pile-up of veggies to cut, rinse or put together somehow. It took forever.

Not to mention, it was 80 degrees out today and I refused to put the AC on. So, I came to a hot house, gross and sweaty with long pants on after carrying James in his front carrier for an hour and loading in all the groceries - which included two cases of pop and four 2 liters (diet 7-up berry with antioxidants is on sale at cub for $.59!).

Let us think about this for a second... with James in my front carrier, I had to put the two cases of pop in my cart, take them out to be rang in, put them back in my cart to carry to the car, take them out of the cart to put in my car. Then I load James in the car. Then I load David in the car. Then I get home... load in David, load in James, load in 2 cases of pop AGAIN. Load in 109209182098310832 other groceries.

Yep. Should have turned the air on.

So, while I had to actually buy most of the ingredients, the recipe itself is very lenient (really, you can throw whatever you want in the mix you think might taste good. It is near impossible to screw up!), I suggest making it when you have a few ingredients as leftovers.

We were really happy with our chicken kabobs and Texas Caviar this evening! I have never made either quite like the way we did tonight. Of course, I had the kabobs prepared but I had Pete grill them when he got home.

Here is my recipe for the Texas Caviar!

Mix Ingredients:
2 c. Corn (I used thawed frozen corn)
2 c. Black Beans (Rinsed)
1 c. Red Pepper
1 c. Red Onion
1/4 Brick Queso Fresco
1 Avacado
Small Bunch Cilantro (Chopped)

Wisk Dressing in Bowl:
3 Limes (Squeezed)
3 T. Honey
1 t. Salt
1 t. Garlic Powder

Stir together. Tweak to taste.

Here is what I paid for our meal tonight:

1.5 pound Chicken (additive free) $1.99/lb (Aldi)

Black Beans $.59 (Aldi)

Frozen Corn (left over)

Red Onion (left over)

Peppers $.99 for 3 (Aldi)

Limes $.75 for 3 (Aldi)

Honey $2.59 (Aldi)

Fresco Cheese $2.59 (Aldi)

Cilantro $.59 (Cub)

Avocado $.99 (Cub)

Strawberries $1.19 (Aldi)

= $13.78

The honey (I am sure you could use sugar instead) and fresco cheese were more than I wanted to spend but I have so much remaining I will be able to use them for other meals. It helped that we used tortillas I bought in bulk at Sam's Club last month and put in my freezer!

There is also a lot of our meal left over for David and I for lunch tomorrow! I am thinking of making quesadillas!