This recipe is easy to make and can be made a day ahead. If you make it the same day, it needs to be chilled at least three hours before serving. I always use Jiffy cornbread instead of making my own, mostly because it’s easier. But the sweeter taste of Jiffy’s cornbread mix blends nicely with the Ranch dressing.
I hope you all have a great weekend and are enjoying these hot and humid summer days!
KINGSMILL REHEARSAL DINNER MENU SERIES
Welcome to my Kingsmill Rehearsal Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional wedding celebration in my two new stories, A Room with a Groom (from Save the Date Anthology) and Luke’s Last Love Kiss (from Finding Forever Anthology). This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table.
Both love stories unfold in the heart of the Virginia mountains, and each features a special rehearsal dinner held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration and today’s recipe is one of my favorites: Cornbread Salad.
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Cornbread Salad
I love this salad, but I don't love raw onions and peppers so I often leave them out and the salad is just as delicious.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 10-ounce package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
Salad
- 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 2 egg
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 16-ounce cans black beans rinsed (or your favorite kind of bean)
- 3 large tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup red peppers chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 2 cans sweet corn drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Dressing
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In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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Make the Jiffy Corn Muffin mix according to the directions (using 1 egg and 1/3 cup milk per box) and bake in two greased 9" round cake pans. Bake for about 10 minutes, but check at 8 minutes to make sure the cornbread doesn't burn. Once it's baked, cool in a baking rack for at least 15 minutes.
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While cornbread is baking, mix the black beans, tomatoes, corn, green onions and peppers in a large bowl. Stir until the veggies are combined and blended. Set aside.
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Build this salad in a large, glass bowl. Layer the salad with 1 cornbread crumbled in the bottom of the bowl. On top of the cornbread, spoon half of the veggie mixture. Then layer half the dressing and then layer half the cheese. Repeat the layers with cornbread, veggies, dressing, and finish the salad by topping it with the cheddar cheese.
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Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
