Who's Cookin' Monsters in the Kitchen?

I love to cook, but I'm not a chef by any means. Usually, I'll find a recipe that I like and tailor it to suit our tastes -- find some way to make it my own. For some strange reason, I started posting photos of my creations on my Facebook page. And I've been getting requests for the recipes. Problem is, I don't always remember what I did to create my version of a recipe. And God forbid I would actually know the amounts of something. I do everything to my taste or whatever I happen to have on hand. Nevertheless, I'm going to try to give you some idea of what went into two of my recent creations.

Texas Caviar (stolen from the former Peppercorns Deli in Marietta, OH)
1 can of white corn, drained
1 can of yellow corn, drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of green onions, sliced (you can use some of the tops if you want)
1 red bell pepper
A handful or bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped (add as much as you like -- we love this stuff!)

In a large bowl, mix all of the above together and set aside while you make the dressing. You may want to double the dressing mixture as it soaks into the beans as it sets.

1/2 c. olive oil (extra virgin)
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp ground cumin (we like a lot of this too)
1 tsp. chili powder
ground black pepper to taste

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and pour over the vegetables. Toss well and chill. Overnight is best. For a real kick, let each person add a little hot sauce to their serving. YUM!

Lemon Mint Shrimp with Rice
2-4 servings of rice (I'm lazy, I use Minute Rice)
1 can vegetable stock
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of that same lemon
1/2 c. olive oil
Ground black pepper
A bunch or handful of fresh mint
Some sliced fresh mushrooms
1 bag of medium shrimp, thawed

In a dutch oven or a deep skillet, put the olive oil, pepper, lemon zest and mint. Sweat over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Prepare the Minute Rice as directed, substituting stock and lemon juice for part of the water. Add mushrooms and shrimp to infused hot oil and increase the heat to medium. When the mushrooms have started to cook through, add the finished rice. Stir thoroughly and add salt or Mrs. Dash to suit your taste just before serving.

I know I still owe some people a recipe for caramel apple cake. Coming soon, I promise.