Black bean, corn and tomato salsa

My good friend Carol shared this black bean, corn and tomato salsa recipe with me years ago and it's been one of our favorites ever since the first bite. We like to make this a lot in the summer when tomatoes are fresh and delicious.

The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, and you can also remove any ingredients you don't like. A friend of ours does not like cucumbers, so they add a diced avocado instead. Still tastes delicious, just a little creamery than this version. And this calls for basil, but you could just as easily substitute cilantro for a more Mexican flavor. Go with whatever tastes you prefer. Just be sure to have enough Fritos Scoops or Tostitos Scoops - this salsa is addictive and you'll be licking the bowl once it's done!

Ingredients:

• 1 can corn kernels
• 1 can black beans
• 3-4 large tomatoes or ~8 roma tomatoes
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cucumber
• 15-20 basil leaves
• 1/4 cup (upwards to 1/2 cup) balsamic vinaigrette
• 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions:

1. Grab a medium sized bowl and an apron, the tomatoes make a mess. 
2. Drain cans of corn and black beans and add to the bowl.
3. Remove seeds from tomatoes as best you can. We like to use roma tomatoes, also called plum tomatoes, as they are easy to slice 1/4 inch thick and then cut a circle around the seeds in the middle. Then dice your slices about the size of the corn kernels and beans. 
4. Mince or finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic and add them to the bowl. If you've got large cloves, go with 2. If they're small, use 3.
5. Slice and then dice the cucumber and add it to the bowl.
6. Julienne the basil leaves. Don't know how to julienne basil? It's easy. Just stack the basil leaves on top of each other, roll up the pile and then slice across to make very small strips. Toss these in the bowl also.
7. Give it all a good mix and then stir in 1/4 cup of the best balsamic vinaigrette you can find. We like Newman's Own, as it's relatively inexpensive and tastes great. 
8. If you really like the taste of balsamic, add 2-3 tablespoons of a good balsamic vinegar and mix well. If you aren't a fan of the taste, omit this step. 
9. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for the flavors to marry for an hour or two (or can sit overnight if you have to make it in advance... just leave the basil leaves out until ready to serve).
10. Serve cold or room temperature with Tostitos Scoops or Fritos Scoops. 

We love to bring this salsa to BBQs and friends houses when we are invited to swim because it's an easy snack that doesn't have to stay refrigerated. Hope you enjoy!