Susan’s Cornbread Salad

Cornbread salad must be southern cook’s take on classic Italian bread salad. I must admit that the term “bread salad” used to conjure up visions of soggy bread floating in a sea of dressing and so I turned up my nose at the idea. Even at that, I was always intrigued with the idea of cornbread salad but not brave enough to give it a try. Then a couple of years ago we sampled it at a salad supper in Durham, Ks. We both went back for second helpings!

Bread salads were typically a way to use up day old breads and I imagine that each cook had her/his own spin on the other ingredients that went into the mix.

When I interview Susan Taylor last December for my monthly cooking column in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle, she offered up her own take on the salad. She uses black beans (rather than pinto or red), mixes the beans and corn with the dressing and adds a few jalapeños for a little kick.

Susan often takes this salad to “carry-ins,” including funeral dinners. She also suggests using a glass bowl to assemble the salad so everyone can admire the layers of this pretty and very tasty salad. Here’s her recipe as it appeared in my column:

Susan’s Cornbread Salad

1 (6 oz.) pkg. cornbread mix (I used an 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy corn muffin mix*)

1 regular (1 oz.) pkg. dry ranch dressing mix or 3 Tbsp. of bulk mix

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon jarred jalapeño peppers, which are already diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained (or substitute pinto beans)

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup sliced green onions

1 cup chopped green pepper

2 large tomatoes, chopped (cherry or grape tomatoes work well, too)

1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled