Recap & Dip #1 Smoky Black Bean Dip

Hola A Nickel's Worth of News readers! How is your weekend going? Ours is going splendidly well. We had dinner with friends last night and then made it out to the driving range this morning to warm up our golf game. I must thank you all for giving me some time off last week while we were away on a mini-vacay and a visit to our new specialist. I'm grateful the Bear and I got to spend some relaxing time together before our big appointment. More on the appointment at another time. Still trying to process all of that, but anyhow...We spent plenty of time boating and lounging by the pool in the Ozarks. This year my sister, Erin, and my brother-in-law, Todd came with us. It was so much fun!! Here are some lovely photos to recap our adventure:)

The Bear learned out to drive a boat. Ahoy Captain Bear!

The beautiful view off the deck of the condo. I love this place!

Fun in the sun at the pool.

Great food at my favorite place, Baxter's Lakeside Grille. This place never disappoints.

In other news, it is that time again- dips and a dessert for the 4th of July! I realized last year I had four dips and a dessert. For some odd reason, I thought it was three dips and a dessert. My thinking behind that is really quite elementary- 3+1=4. 4th of July you know? Kind of cheesy, but not real complex in case you were wondering. I guess maybe my math was off last summer? I don't know. This year the plan is for three dips and a dessert and a lot less mayo. Trust me, I love real mayonnaise. The problem with my friend mayo is that it is not that slimming and most important- it does not keep well in the sun. Not great for summer fun at all unless you keep it on ice. In the words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Now let's get this party week started shall we? My first dip takes a simple can of black beans and turns into an amazingly flavorful and creamy dip with a few simple additions. I used my food processor to puree my beans, but if you do not have one handy you can mash the beans by hand or use a blender. Serve with a side of vegetables or tortilla chips and you'll have your fiesta started in no time!

Smoky Black Bean Dip

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a medium sized non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion caramelizes. Remove from heat. Cool for 5 minutes. Place onion, beans, and the remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend or process until smooth. Can be served immediately or chilled with veggies or tortilla chips.