Gringo Green Beans

The picante sauce catches you by surprise, and has people guessing with it's "peculiar pink" color, but once it's tasted....it's a hit. I'm always asked, "What's in that?" Then I'm asked for the recipe. One time I was requested to fix this salad to serve about 150 people. I started with five #10 cans of green beans, 4 cups oil, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 6 cups picante sauce...well, you get the idea. The recipes requires 2 cups green beans, so use fresh green beans from the garden, or a drained 16 ounce can of green beans. I'm sure those of you that make your own picante sauce can use it in this dish to personalize it as your own. I gave up making a "single" recipe, and usually double or triple it. It's one of those salads that seems to be best when it's been in the frig for a couple days... if it lasts that long. (Prep time does not include time for cooking fresh green beans, or for time spent in the frig.)

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 3
• Yields: 1 salad

Ingredients

• 2  cups green beans, cooked or 1 (16 ounce) can green beans, drained
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄3 cup  mild  picante sauce (I use Chunky Pace)
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup onion, diced
• 1⁄3 cup mayonnaise or 1⁄3 cup Miracle Whip
• 2  tablespoons  mild  picante sauce, reserved for garnish

Directions

1. Drain cooked green beans and chill.
2. Mix oil, sugar, picante sauce, lemon juice, salt, onion and mayonnaise.
3. Fold chilled green beans and mayonnaise mixture.
4. Cover and chill overnight, stirring two or three times during that time.
5. When ready to serve, garnish with picante sauce on top.