Recipe Friday--Hot Chessy Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Once upon a time Oldest Friend and I were active members of the Junior League of Morgan County. (We are now sustaining members and sit on the Community Advisory Board. Junior League is like Hotel California. You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.)

Anyway, it was decreed that a cookbook would be made. We lay on the floor of my living room painting the baseboards and discussed whether or not we really wanted to take on cookbook making. Maybe it was the paint fumes. I don't know. But what could we do? Mrs. Classy was president, and she needed us. Oldest Friend ended up chair of the whole shebang and I ended up recipe chair. It was a long ride, but I have to say I learned more organizational and managerial skills from that experience than from any other in my life. I learned that I was glad to have made a cookbook and I'll never make another one.

I also learned about this black-eyed pea dip. It was Oldest Friend's recipe and it's now a standard in our community. You can't go to a party without seeing it. I'm going to give the recipe like God and Oldest Friend intended but I have to add this little tidbit, else those who know me well will say, "She's lying. She would not eat that." And I wouldn't except for one little substitution that I make. I cannot abide sour cream so I leave it out and double the mayo. It works out fine. But if you like sour cream--and apart from me, who doesn't?--make it by the recipe.

Hot Cheesy Black-Eyed Pea Dip

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 151/2 ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Pkg. Dry Ranch dressing mix
• 4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
• 
  

1. Sauté onion in butter.
2. Mix all ingredients
3. Bake 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

• Serve with Corn Chips.