'eyes of Texas' Salad

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.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 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 onion, 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

Directions

1. SALAD:
2. Combine black-eyed peas, rice and chicken.
3. Add celery, onions mayonnaise, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
4. Stir well.
5. Pack into an oiled 5 1/2 cup mold.
6. Refrigerate until set.
7. Unmold and spread with Avocado Topping.
8. AVOCADO TOPPING:
9. Blend ingredients together until smooth.
10. Smooth over black-eyed pea ring as though frosting a cake.