There was once a time in my life when I sat through long, cold football games pretending to know what the hell was going on. After uprooting my life in New Brunswick and moving to Ontario with my mom, I was the new girl at a new high school where I met the man I would someday marry. But first, I would avoid him like the plague.
“He’s cute.” I gushed to a new friend while pointing to this tall, confident guy walking out of class.
“Tell anyone and I’ll kill you.” I added.
The next day, the entire school heard about the new girl’s crush on Eric.
I did what any mortified girl would do and avoided all eye contact while hiding down random staircases whenever he was within 100 feet of me. Or I would suddenly, urgently, need to go to the washroom. Libraries also made good hiding spots. I was willing to keep this up for the entire year if I had to. I only had a year until I graduated anyways.
That morning, Eric was in the locker room getting ready for football practice when his teammates told him about my rumoured crush. He didn’t believe them. “Why would she go after someone like me?” he asked. “You guys are messing with me.”
When my girlfriend confirmed to him it was true, Eric decided to mortify me even more by approaching me during student photos later that afternoon. I was stuck in a line up, going nowhere fast. Shoot me, he’s coming over!
“Hey Angela…” he said with a quivering smile.
My face turned the shade of a beet…no, make that a fire truck.
“Hey,” I replied casually.
“I’m Eric”
Awkward shaking of hands. Very awkward.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Waiting to get your photo taken…?”
“Yup…”
“You…?”
“Same…”
“Cool…”
“Cool.”
……….
……….
“Hey, are you going to the party on Friday night? I think someone mentioned you are going with the girls…” he asked
“I think so. It should be fun to meet some people. Are you…?”
“Yup, I’ll be there. Hopefully we can talk at the party…”
“Ok, see you then…”
“Thanks…I mean, bye…”
Whew he’s finally gone, I thought to myself.
Then it was time for my photo op.
Does my face look a bit flushed to you in this photo?
That’s what I thought. Thanks for flustering me Eric.
We played this awkward cat and mouse charade for a couple months. I showed up to his football games half watching, half ignoring him, as he tried to show off for me like guys often do. I was really there to examine his butt in spandex and talk with friends, though. He showed up at my locker every morning and waited for me after class. Sometimes he even drove me to Subway for lunch.
Two months later, we had our official first date on October 27, 2001. Football season also came to a close soon enough, and later, my confession that I had zero interest in football. I was a hockey girl through and through. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to mind. He does, however, refuse to give away his stinky football jersey hanging up in our closet. I decided to let him win that battle.
Black Bean Chili Dip
Yield
2.5 cups
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Reminiscent of a hot bowl of black bean chili, this chunky dip is great to pair alongside your favorite corn chips or crackers. I love Food Should Taste Good blue corn chips or sweet potato chips. To garnish, add some chopped green onion, avocado, cilantro, or your favorite cheeze.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups chopped sweet onion
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup mild salsa
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- for garnish: chopped avocado, cilantro, cheeze, or green onion
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add a bit of oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic for about 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, remove seeds from jalapeno and chop finely (I use gloves so the seeds don’t sting my fingers). Add in the chopped jalapeno and sauté for another few minutes.
- Add in the drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, and corn. Stir well and cook for a few minutes. Now add the chili powder, cumin, and salt all to taste. Stir in the nutritional yeast if using. Cook on low until heated through and serve warm with corn chips. Garnish with green onion, chopped avocado, or fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
I love easy appetizers like this one. I was done in 20 minutes and didn’t have to dirty a bunch of dishes or food processor. Touch down!
I’m also working on some crispy cornbread crackers…but they need some work.
If you need me, I’ll be hogging the black bean chili dip, wrapped in a warm blanket reading my book.
Just be sure to let me know when the halftime show begins. Then I’m all over it.
You can also email me the best Super Bowl commercials on Monday. I’ll watch those too.
Hola!
Just wanted to let you know that I serve this bean dip recipe on our full day sailing excursions down in Costa Rica. I have a sailboat and we do tours around the Gulf of Papagayo off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and our full day tours involve a BBQ lunch on a private beach somewhere. I cannot even tell you how many people email me after the tours and ask me for the black bean recipe, including today! I gladly send them this link and hope that they will experiment and try more of your recipes. Everything I’ve ever tried off your site is fabulous. Thank you and PURA VIDA from Costa Rica!!
:-)
Hi,
I tried this out yesterday. It is really delicious. I prepared a soup next to it but had difficulties to finish both. It is quite filling :-). Thanks for the recipe.
Absolutely amazing! Super spicy but so good! I put it on top of a salad and dipped in Salmas corn crackers.
Hey Elizabeth, I’m glad it was such a hit! I too love to put it on salad…such a great topper along with avocado and green onions.
Hi Angela!
I came across this post while searching for a quick+ not too many ingredients bean dip to serve my daycare crew with raw veggies and cassava chips (ended up going with your 60 Second Black Bean Dip…took both 60 seconds to make and 60 seconds for them to inhale it!
I loved reading your “how we met” story…I confess, high school wasn’t my best look (blame the 80’s ha ha ha) and I’m so glad I met my husband at 21 years old instead (no more crimped burgundy hair and shoulder pads that may have rivaled Eric’s football uniform in size!)
Congratulations on your love story!
Thats so great the bean dip was such a hit with the kiddos! I haven’t made it in AGES and need to soon! Sounds like it would pair well with the cheese sauce too (but then again what doesn’t?!) ;)