“Eyes of Texas” Salad

The “Eyes of Texas” salad was created by Linda Martin in the 1970s and named after the “Eyes of Texas” song. The salad features black-eyed peas with avocado dressing.
 
 
Recipezaar.com
‘Eyes of Texas’ Salad
Recipe #95193
This was the winning recipe in 1982 in the Athens, Texas Black-Eyed Pea Cookoff. A Southern tradition says that you will have good luck all year long if you eat black-eyed peas on New Years. This is an interesting dish to serve, but I don’t know how much luck it will bring you! It may be made using left over roasted chicken. I didn’t include cooking time for the chicken or rice in the recipe.
by Julie in TX
 
8 servings
30 min 30 min prep
Change to:  servings US Metric  
1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas, cooked &,drained (may use canned) 
1 cup rice, cooked
1 cup cooked chicken, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 dash Tabasco sauce
AVOCADO TOPPING
1 avocado, mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Not the one? See other ‘eyes of Texas’ Salad Recipes
 
Combine black-eyed peas, rice and chicken.
Add celery, onions mayonnaise, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Stir well.
Pack into an oiled 5 1/2 cup mold.
Refrigerate until set.
Unmold and spread with Avocado Topping.
AVOCADO TOPPING:.
Blend ingredients together until smooth.
Smooth over black-eyed pea ring as though frosting a cake.
 
Tastes & Tales From Texas With Love
by Peg Hein
Austin, TX: Heinco, Inc.
1984
Eighteenth Printing February 2003
Pg. 48:
“THE EYES OF TEXAS,” official song of the University of Texas at Austin, began as a student prank. University President William L. Prather had a habit of closing his speeches to students with the weighty admonition, “Remember, the eyes of Texas are upon you.” John L. SInclair took the phrase and twisted it into a song to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” for a 1903 student minstrel show.
‘Eyes of Texas’ Salad
Athens has a Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree every summer, and along with all the rest of the fun there is a Black-Eyed Pea Cookoff. Linda Martin won the cookoff in 1979 and 1980, and again in 1982 with this Grand Champion recipe.
(Recipe follows, same as above—ed.)